Moving gear around

[citymariner]

Hey all,

I've got some new Neo cabs and although they are light weight they are still bulky and I want to reduce the trips to the car.

Now, with my old rig I bolted heavy duty casters onto the bottom of the combo and rested the extension cab on top.

There is NO WAY i'm sticking casters into these quality cabs.

So, what do you use to help move you gear around?

Have you any suggestions of products that you've seen used, read about in a magazine or seen others use?

[gjones]

Would this help? [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GU6FYI/ref=s9_simh_gw_p60_d6_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=10XSQJ22J6EADP932BG9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GU6...;pf_rd_i=468294[/url]

[whizzzy]

I've been through a number of trolleys now and this is the best so far -

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001P19RC/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0001GRVJQ&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=06MH3YHWFZRMV4V33W59"]Wolfcraft[/url]

It's a bit on the costly side but it will outlast the cheapo versions that are available. The clever part about this trolley is the folding stabilising bar that folds down and engages between the two wheels. This makes it much stronger and rigid. On the cheaper folding trolleys this stabilising bar doesn't exist and then the gear mechanism which engages the wheels in place eventually gives up the ghost and so they keep folding in and collapsing.

The other bit of kit I use is a wheel board. This is simply a piece of 18mm ply about 500 x 700mm and bolt 4 flight case wheels on it. Cover the top with a piece of thin carpet to stop your gear sliding off and away you go.

[Delberthot]

[quote name='gjones' post='1261822' date='Jun 8 2011, 08:51 PM']Would this help? [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GU6FYI/ref=s9_simh_gw_p60_d6_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=10XSQJ22J6EADP932BG9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GU6...;pf_rd_i=468294[/url][/quote]


Apart from the colour of the wheels that's exactly what I use - good for 90kg

Folds up nice and small.


Avoid those ones where the wheels fold in like the plague. they have an unfortunate habit of trying to fold in when you're wheeling the PA subs into the gig

[deepbass5]

Make a Trolley board

Best thing i ever did about 10 years ago. A good bit of 3/4" ply you can buy good wheels from the larger BQ stores that take the coach bolts. Larger Dia wheels the better for rough ground

This has not only saved my back but also doubles as a cab platform during the gig. I now get a consistant sound wherever i am, solved all the coupling issues and hotel carpets that suck your sound away.

Thats the main advantage, under your stack whilst playing, I also carry another truck with fold down handle, them blue grey pressed steel things from Makro for heavier amps n things.

Edited June 8, 2011 by deepbass5

[citymariner]

Hmm the wheel board might just be the ticket.

I can custom make it to the size of my cabs and I already have 4 heavy duty casters stuck to the combo I'm not using.

I've seen some of those flatbed trolleys but they are hefty in the dollar stakes!

Ideally I'd be able to stack my 210 + 115 + few other bits.

Think I might get on the drawing board ( I do know a chippy or does small projects) I might be able to add a collapsable handle section that I could trap small stuff behind and bungee with the front section covered in non slip to stick the cabs on.

It's the simple things most of the time...

[citymariner]

[quote name='deepbass5' post='1261926' date='Jun 8 2011, 09:40 PM']Make a Trolley board

Best thing i ever did about 10 years ago. A good bit of 3/4" ply you can buy good wheels from the larger BQ stores that take the coach bolts. Larger Dia wheels the better for rough ground

This has not only saved my back but also doubles as a cab platform during the gig. I now get a consistant sound wherever i am, solved all the coupling issues and hotel carpets that suck your sound away.

Thats the main advantage, under your stack whilst playing, I also carry another truck with fold down handle, them blue grey pressed steel things from Makro for heavier amps n things. [/quote]

Could I be cheeky and ask for pics....

TIA

[tonyf]

[quote name='deepbass5' post='1261926' date='Jun 8 2011, 09:40 PM']Make a Trolley board

Best thing i ever did about 10 years ago. A good bit of 3/4" ply you can buy good wheels from the larger BQ stores that take the coach bolts. Larger Dia wheels the better for rough ground

This has not only saved my back but also doubles as a cab platform during the gig. I now get a consistant sound wherever i am, solved all the coupling issues and hotel carpets that suck your sound away.

Thats the main advantage, under your stack whilst playing, I also carry another truck with fold down handle, them blue grey pressed steel things from Makro for heavier amps n things. [/quote]

+1

Made mine the same with a bit of 2ft x 2ft ply, some castors from B&Q and some coach bolts. Used by the band to wheel just about everything from car to room.

Makes a tip top skateboard too!

[jhk]

if you go to e bay ............... `flightcase fittings` you`ll see very good,reasonably priced sets of wheels for `wheely board`..................... make sure two of the wheels have brakes which you can lock on uneven stages etc!!!


I find the 4 inch/100 mm in blue the best.........

good luck!

[Monz]

I bought a set of these (ebay item number 120712190969) and put them on my peavey 4x10 I can push the cab with one finger, very good quality wheels

[markstuk]

To solve a slightly different problem I use a heavy duty (300 kg rating) sack trolley with 8x2 inch pneumatic tyres... Although not foldable, it can move stuff over any surface including grass/gravel and I use bungies to hold the load in place.. Cost about £25....

[quote name='Monz' post='1262233' date='Jun 9 2011, 06:31 AM']I bought a set of these (ebay item number 120712190969) and put them on my peavey 4x10 I can push the cab with one finger, very good quality wheels[/quote]

[Ross]

Bought a sack truck from machinemart for about £35.
Since then I've had a mate fit some larger wheels (and change their location) to make moving through mud easier plus sprayed it camoflauge for festival beer carrying reasons.
It can carry several hundred cans of carling, or 2 heavy cabs at a time (or any combination of the two) no problems

Edited June 9, 2011 by Ross

[Kiwi]

I used one of these tri-trucks. Great for moving over uneven ground. Heavy loads were still a hassle on stairs though.

[attachment=82175:TRI_TRUK_L4.jpg]

[url="http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/tri-truck-the-best-garden-trolley-there-p-17.html"]http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/tri-truck...there-p-17.html[/url]

[Al Heeley]

From a redundant piece of kitchen worktop I made a board to fit the base of my Hartke cabs. Stick a shallow lip round it then fix 4 sturdy castors to the corners (screwfix.com - better choice and price than B&Q)
Since its easily detachable I can pile on the cabs and push it to the premises, putting it back in the car when unloaded, which saves drilling into the base of the cabinets.
the kids can toboggan down the road on it when I'm not using it, which is an added bonus.
Trouoble is, my driveway is on a slight slope and when I'm unloading the cabs from the boot of the car the tray keeps rolling back underneath the car, which is a darned nuisance. Maybe a couple of locking castors would have been a better plan.
All in all though a neat and cost-effective way to save my back and entertain the children

[citymariner]

Thanks for the replies.

I've just been moving the cabs around and I think I will be better keeping the centre of gravity low and have the cabs (that are the same size) side by side. This gives me an area of 700mm x 700mm. The area and low centre of gravity in this setup will allow my head to fit on down one side (across both cabs) and my pedalboard and cable box on the other. I think I'll attach some bungee anchor points (2 on each side) so i can secure everything width/ length ways.

I have the castors and spare carpet so it's just a case of getting some wood cut 700mm x 700mm and getting the bungees and bungee anchor points.

What thickness wood do you recommend for ~150kgs of weight?

[flyfisher]

[quote name='citymariner' post='1263244' date='Jun 9 2011, 08:47 PM']What thickness wood do you recommend for ~150kgs of weight?[/quote]
I'd use 18mm ply, preferably exterior grade if you can get it.

Machine Mart also have a good range of heavy-duty castors, some with brakes for anyone wishing to fit them directly to cabs:
[url="http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range/guid/7246A7C3-21D8-4642-BA26-CB37125FBB77"]http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range/gu...26-CB37125FBB77[/url]

[Delberthot]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='1262406' date='Jun 9 2011, 10:48 AM'](screwfix.com - better choice and price than B&Q)[/quote]


I've always found that bizarre as well considering its the same company

[Monckyman]

This is something I`ve been meaning to do but keep putting off since I lost the wheelability of my castored up fourbyten.
Here`s one for you, a lot of the chatter says a bass cab placed on the ground gives you +3Db.
Leaving a bass cab on a wheelie board, good thing/bad thing?
MM

[deepbass5]

I have found getting your cabs off the stage a good thing. You then have a constant sound to work with. We all know there are good and bad sounding stages some really make you sound good others can be awful then you are left trying to sort stage coupling and room acoustics out with you Amps EQ. They could need opposite settings. Plus I do a lot of Hotels on Carpet.

My Trolley was made out of 3/4" Hardwood Ply I bought a sheet by mistake Bloody heavy and expensive, But better that than go the other way do not get Shuttering ply left around building sites, it will break up. I was very careful to round all the edges and take the corners off and file everything down, a spot of varnish wouldn't go a miss. [b]The reason the last thing you need is a splinter just before you go on stage. [/b]

There are so many advantages. You can run cables under them, Mike and music stand legs can be position under them, and you can spin them round to get to the back of your cab in a hurry. Often set up the PA amps and mixer on one for this reason. Pile amps, monitors and bags on to make fewer trips to the van after the gig.

[citymariner]

[quote name='deepbass5' post='1263430' date='Jun 9 2011, 11:14 PM']I have found getting your cabs off the stage a good thing. You then have a constant sound to work with. We all know there are good and bad sounding stages some really make you sound good others can be awful then you are left trying to sort stage coupling and room acoustics out with you Amps EQ. They could need opposite settings. Plus I do a lot of Hotels on Carpet.

My Trolley was made out of 3/4" Hardwood Ply I bought a sheet by mistake Bloody heavy and expensive, But better that than go the other way do not get Shuttering ply left around building sites, it will break up. I was very careful to round all the edges and take the corners off and file everything down, a spot of varnish wouldn't go a miss. [b]The reason the last thing you need is a splinter just before you go on stage. [/b]

There are so many advantages. You can run cables under them, Mike and music stand legs can be position under them, and you can spin them round to get to the back of your cab in a hurry. Often set up the PA amps and mixer on one for this reason. Pile amps, monitors and bags on to make fewer trips to the van after the gig.[/quote]

Well I've bought some wood. They didn't have any thick ply so I'm going to laminate chipboard with two sheets of exterior grade ply.

I've also got some aluminimum edging to cover all the edges (just need to keep my calm when cutting the mortice joints)

Also got some hooks (2 each side) that bungees can go over.

I do think I've gone a bit crazy - I've taken advantage of Focus' closing down sale and got a new drill etc. so the money spent exceeds what these offer:

[url="http://www.flightcasefactory.co.uk/index.php?cPath=220&osCsid=27ecdf20ba1b233beb72fc7f579bcd44"]http://www.flightcasefactory.co.uk/index.p...b72fc7f579bcd44[/url]

If I'd noticed them I would have got one of them - I've turned in to a convenience man since working 60hour weeks!

[citymariner]

I've finished the board!

Specs:

630mm x 710mm
I've laminated 12mm chipboard with MDF (glued and screwed)
Attached castors by bolting through the wood (all bolts recessed)

[attachment=82376:IMG_0630.jpg]
[attachment=82380:IMG_0633.jpg]

Added Aluminium trim to protect the wood underneath from bumps
[attachment=82382:IMG_0636.jpg]

Added eyelets to attach bungee cord to stop movement of equipment during transport
I have moved these to the underside, I had orignally put them at the sides and they just weren't strong enough there
[attachment=82381:IMG_0637.jpg]

Cut a whole for cables and gaffered up the area where the rig will be during a gig
[attachment=82378:IMG_0644.jpg]
[attachment=82379:IMG_0646.jpg]

Rig packed up and setup
[attachment=82377:IMG_0639.jpg]
[attachment=82384:IMG_0642.jpg]

Thoroughly enjoyed making it and I will add that the cabs will be in padded cases - the amp will be flight cased.

Edited June 11, 2011 by citymariner

[Monckyman]

Looking good, but are you confident the chipboard will survive moisture?

[citymariner]

[quote name='Monckyman' post='1265587' date='Jun 12 2011, 12:13 AM']Looking good, but are you confident the chipboard will survive moisture?[/quote]

I did think this and wondered how I could solve it.

Turns out my dad has some 'rubber paint' at home I reckon if I wack that on the bottom and along the sides then it should seal the wood.

Amps I've had in the past have had chipboard construction (MAG ashdowns for example) and they have survived a bit of drizzle when they have been dinged etc.

I was also thinking about how wet it could get - the gear will be moved from car to venue and it will only be wheels causing any spray. It'll be stored inside allowing it dry out.

If it lasts a year then I can just replace it - it costs me £20 in materials (the rest I had already).

[Monckyman]

That`ll do it.
I must find time to make one up or I`ll be sorry now the 410 on castors is gone..

[flyfisher]

Nice job. A bit of varnish will seal the chipboard; as mentioned, it's hardly likely to get really soaked anyway.

My only comment would be to think about using proper luggage straps instead of those bungee cords. Elastic will allow a lot of movement resulting in things rubbing together and chafing. Luggage straps will be more solid and will minimise, if not eliminate, the items moving around slightly as the dolly is manouvred over rough tarmac, up kerbs and steps etc.