How is a road case positioned on tour?

A: By reverse load-in order: early groups take low numbers, and the case plot gives each a stage zone.

Where do empty cases go during a show?

A: To the organiser or forwarder; behind the stand, in aisles and at hydrants are out.

Why not stack more than three high?

A: The usual limit for the lid step and corner posts; a fourth tier dishes the bottom lid.

How detailed should the condition note be?

A: New damage only, with position and length; shorter records mean faster handovers.

When is a case scrapped instead of repaired?

A: A through-crack, a short-shot latch boss, a cracked wheel housing. Guards, wheels and gaskets are replaceable. ---

Using a Road Case on Tour, at Trade Shows and in Transit

Quick answer: A road case works three different ways: on tour it is packed against the load-in order, at a trade show it is packed by stand zone, in transit it is packed to the truck or aircraft door. Get the logic wrong and no case is good enough.

Three settings, three packing logics
Tours: the load-in order writes the case plot
Trade shows: in and out over three days
Transit: loading, fixing and handover
Counting, numbering and a damage log
FAQ

1. Three settings, three packing logics

On tour, a road case is packed by time: what is used first is packed last, so cases land in the order they are needed instead of one heap at the door. At a show, packing follows space: shallow cases that tuck under a counter, empties out of the hall by opening. In transit it follows capacity, weight and door size.

Setting	Packing basis	Case configuration
Tour	Reverse of load-in	Deep, wheeled
Trade show	Stand zones	Shallow, divided
Transit	Truck and door size	Standard, three-high

2. Tours: the load-in order writes the case plot

Load-in runs on a fixed line: power, truss, audio, then video and instruments, and a road case takes its letter from that line, painted front and both ends.

The case plot matters more. It gives every case a stage zone and an orientation, so unloading follows zones, not numbers. Empty cases go back before doors open, three high at most; a fourth tier crushes the lid step.

Load-in stage	Case group	Landing position
Power and distribution	A	Rear stage left
Truss and fixtures	B	Both wings
Audio and console	C	Front of house
Video and instruments	D	Upstage

3. Trade shows: in and out over three days

Case work clusters into three windows: build-up, three show days, and a four to six hour teardown. Build-up is when cases block aisles, and fire lanes cannot hold storage, so empty shells go to the organiser at once.

Only shuttle cases stay, under the counter, holding literature and spares. Teardown packs by value, small and fragile first, keeping cases out of the aisle.

Phase	Case action	Risk
Build-up	Unload and open by zone	Blocking the fire lane
Show days	Shuttle cases only	Empties behind the stand
Teardown	Pack by value	Congestion, miscounts

Road Case flat on a backstage bench, a black and a blue flight case plus a timber crate against the wall, cable drums on concrete

4. Transit: loading, fixing and handover

Three numbers decide the load: total weight, unit weight, stack height. A loaded road case reaches forty to sixty kilograms, a two-person lift per tier.

Stack three high at most, heavy below, wheel end to the door, so the first pulls straight out. Strap to floor anchors, never the handle, and fill gaps with air bags. The handover sheet notes only new damage.

Fixing	Method	Common error
Strapping	Floor anchor over the top edge	Tied to the handle
Filling	Air bags between cases	Leaving gaps
Orientation	Wheel end to the door	All facing in

Road Case in black standing on its side, a continuous step along the lid edge, two latches closed, the handle folded flat

Road Case strapped across the middle with a webbing belt on a roller conveyor, timber crates and flight cases along both sides

5. Counting, numbering and a damage log

Counting runs on scans, not eyes: one unique number front and both ends, scanned at dispatch, arrival and strike.

The damage log keeps shell cracks, latch failure and wheel damage; scuffs stay out. A number failing repeatedly is scrapped, while the same fault across many numbers is a handling problem. The quarterly check covers latch bite, gasket compression, wheels, brakes and screws.

Road Case corner close-up, the latch tongue half open, fine scratches across the shell, backstage cases and floor out of focus

Conclusion

The three settings differ less in the case than in packing order and landing spot: a tour is won by the case plot, a show by empties leaving, transit by how the load is fixed. Settle the usage first, choose the road case second.

This article covers container-side specifications and design implications only, not the handling, loading or use of the contents.