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In what by now qualifies as annual ritual, evaluate, re-evaluate, research, conversate, cogitate and take action to up my game. Thanks to all my pals for your invaluable experience, input, feedback and advice. This year, find myself satisfied with the bones of the operation (mixer, recorder, wireless), and it's been my plan not to change too much in that regard until the control surface dust settles into something I can invest in that meets my needs. In the meantime, I'm left with finesse and deepening layers of failure anticipation with an extra R1a here, and various small maintenance projects (the GVC has gone off to Germany for tightening) there. First priority: neatness counts. Note right side of 788, now fairly free of cable mess thanks to a low-profile output cable harness custom built for me by Mr. Eric Toline. Next year, will consider dropping the harness through the shelf, routing to some kind of bulkhead-mounted XLR's 1-4 for BTS visitors, PA speakers, Playback Mixer, on-cart speaker, etc. For now, this scratches the order itch just fine, thanks. Also of note is the 3-banger monitor unit that replaces the less-neat two monitors on Noga arms. Check. More and more jobs in the last 12 months have had 3 cameras. I want to be ready. Check. Toward further neatness, finally felt facile enough with MovieSlate to cease and desist entirely with handwritten sound reports, much to the evident delight of post production. No clipboard gives me 8.5" x 11" more work surface and the end of the dreaded separation of 3-part forms in the rain. Check. Have been struggling for years with drawer safety and organization. Thanks to designer Bruce Klein of MyCaseBuilder.com for reaching out to our community and meeting with me this week to talk foam-for-mixers turkey. The above drawer dimensions are those for a StarCase rack drawer, and the image a screen shot of their in-browser design tool at work. While MyCaseBuilder has clearly served other markets in the past -- evidenced by their library of shapes (multiple Pelican cases, firearms, cameras) -- lack of a sound device library indicates they're fresh to our need for their product. I'm excited for our mutual discovery. A relatively new computer-driven water-cutting machine makes one-offs feasible. Whoo-hoo. Of course, they are most interested in larger runs. Have determined to put some brain power behind finding something film crews do that might benefit them in that regard. Because I don't have tools required to measure stuff well myself, often relied on manufacturers' specs to design the holes. Also did not call MyCaseBuilder to ask any questions since I prefer to learn by doing (making mistakes). That kind of learning often costs money, but the best learning always costs something. Here's the learning based on my meeting with Bruce: Manufacturers' specs for Schoeps/Sennheiser mics fit perfectly, but not tight enough that I felt the foam was hugging the instruments close enough to prevent vertical truck-related bounce issues. Bruce said rather than make the mic holes deep and rely on tight fit to keep 'em stable, would be better to make the holes just deep enough and rely on a 'lid' or something to ameliorate mic flight. Cogitating on that. He didn't think that a 1/32" decrease in the mic hole would be wise. Cogitating on that, too. I think he's wrong, but I don't know their foam well enough to tell. Yet. Measured the TRX's bodies, not including slightly-protruding Lemo mic inputs or belt clips. They fit really tight and Bruce allowed as how that would likely soon damage the foam. My plan is to use 'em in the field and see how that goes with an eye toward Foam V2 allowing room for those parts. Scott Farr wanted to know if they could use a contrasting foam color at the bottom of cutouts, the better to grok outstanding gear status. The answer is yes: white. In manufacture, main foam is cut all the way through to the deepest hole and a separate piece is glued on for the 'floor'. That said, they also carry a stiffer, anti-static, more expensive pink foam that I found attractive for all those reasons. YMMMV. Suppose foam floors could be made of that as well. In other drawer-related news, expect to have in hand within the week a new custom drawer that will use a 6" x 6" x 18" space that's been empty and useless for a long while: Tried for six months to obtain a custom aluminum drawer from a usual suspect to no avail, even though I was clear that the premium price quoted didn't matter in the least. Now, for $107 rather than $225 I will have (I hope) the custom drawer of my dreams that will hold the stuff that currently has no spot on the cart. Doweled, dove-tail joints with 3/4" birch sides with 1/4" Melamine bottom ought to withstand a fair amount of field abuse. We'll see... More as this develops. Good times.