Michael Miramontes Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 So, I figured it was time to build my own custom sound cart. After doing a bit of research on carts I figured I'd go with two SKB's on a steel frame. My goal is to build the cart in such a way that it collapses down enough to fit inside a compact car. I also want it to have all the bells/whistles yet be able to get through interior door frames with ease. Any comments/suggestions/concerns are greatly appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted March 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 Anyone know where I can get some decent removable caster plates that don't cost an arm/leg? I've seen some pretty awesome ones on a friends magliner. The mounting plate had a push button that allowed the caster to slide right off. I called up film tools and was quoted $200 per wheel.....yikes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Whoa, two SKBs will be very heavy. This works fine as long as you don't have to do with stairs or mud (or have a bunch of grips and assistants to help). I think this works well for controllable situations, especially studio sets or semi-permanent shooting locations. Could be difficult for day-players or situations where you have to load/unload the cart unassisted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McL Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Cautionary tale: be careful how you attach the SKB cases to the frame. I tried and failed by ratchet strapping the things onto a frame, whereupon the pressure soon caused the cases to warp and drawers not to slide, etc. Look forward to news of your progress. I really love cart building work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Really nice frame work... I wish I had the tools (and the skills) to do that sort of stuff. I am worried your cart is going to be very heavy. Also, I would like to know what you (and others) have done to secure the SKB cases to the wheeled base. As Jan has pointed out, strapping the cases WILL be a problem over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg sextro Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Richard Ragon used bolts to secure his (not SKB I think, but a rack case none the less) to a similar type base: As Jan mentioned - ratchet straps will be a huge issue - and even so if used to secure one case to another (unless maybe the 2nd top case is somewhat lighter/smaller). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Thanks guys for the input. I actually did plan on using ratchet straps for the SKB's. The one's I'm using are the SKB US Roto rack 12. They aren't incredible huge and heavy like some other ones I've seen so I figured I can get away with strapping two of these together. Based on your feedback it looks like I'm going to have to mount these some other way or figure something else out. I wonder if I can solve the warping issue by reinforcing the cases from the inside. Richard's cart build was part of the inspiration for my design. I really like his concept however since I don't have a van quite yet I wouldn't be able to transport that type of cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthias Richter Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 mmh I use a ratchet strap to hold my two SKB cases together. It works since 2006 without bending the cases or anything. Might be the more 19" equipment and 19"drawer you use, the more rigid it becomes. Kind of self reinforcing that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 mmh I use a ratchet strap to hold my two SKB cases together. It works since 2006 without bending the cases or anything. Might be the more 19" equipment and 19"drawer you use, the more rigid it becomes. Kind of self reinforcing that is. That was what I was thinking of doing. If I have a few drawers inside then it just might provide a strong enough framework to keep the case from warping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McL Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 To be clear, I used one strap all the way around two SKB's and under the upright Filmtools cart, inside the SKB handles. Drawers were in place at all times (barring installation and moving 'em around). Probably would have been OK had I loosened it some or didn't keep it so tight always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 That was what I was thinking of doing. If I have a few drawers inside then it just might provide a strong enough framework to keep the case from warping. Certainly a 3 RU drawer (or more), secured at all points (maybe even rear rail support) could go a long way to giving the case the all important shear and rigidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Tirrell Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 You might be able to avoid the crushing issue by using a band of sheet steel or aluminum cut in strips and joined the corners, possibly the center as well, with hinges to make it collapsible. To band the case It would eliminate the possibility of over tightening and crushing the case. You would have no issues with the case twisting and coming off and likely not sliding out if you used say a 3 inch wide band due o the twist resistance of that type of setup. Also if there was an issue you could always run a small bead of silicon on the inside to further secure the cases. As for shear strength from having them 2 high I think that even with hinged corners the case would provide enough shear strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg sextro Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Mathias is using a different line of SKB cases than the ones Michael has (the standard model vs the roto rack respectively). For me, the issue with the compression around the cases (the roto rack ones) had to do with gear mounted either at the very top or very bottom of the case. Any drawer mounted there would have sliding issues, and any piece of rack gear that really pushed the size limit (lectro wideband multicoupler for example) would get pressed against and sometimes cause issues with the gear below it. I never felt the gear inside the cases was at risk of getting damaged because the cases themselves weren't sturdy enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthias Richter Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 I always thought the Roto-version to be more stabil than my ones. Maybe the difference is that I just need to strap the top case to the bottom case as I don´t have a base. I also don´t run the strap all around but just around the handles of the bottom one. See the pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg sextro Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Mathias, do you routinely separate the boxes for transport? Is there any risk of the top box slipping off the bottom? I've always thought you did a nice job putting this together (especially the quick release wheels) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 "Is there any risk of the top box slipping off the bottom?" The cases being used (and I believe all SKB cases) have integrated "tabs" (indentations and corresponding out-dentations) on the surface of the tops and bottoms that work very well to stack the cases so they do not separate. When strapped together there is little chance that anything could slip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthias Richter Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 the cart gets separated just on small jobs where I use my private Volvo. Normally I have a VW-transporter provided by production where the cart stays combined. The cases got matching feet and holes?? (don´t know the right term) at the bottom / top. They kind of snap into place and then won´t slip around. edit: tabs it´s called - thanks to Jeff who just posted while I was typing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lightstone, CAS Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 On the cart Brett Grant Grierson built for me, he designed two "cleats" on the bottom portion of the chassis, that mated with the center cutout position on the guide rails for sliding the SKB casters onto the bottom of the case. (I screen grabbed a photo from SKB.) Just for added security I have a ratchet strap across the case. I've never had an issue of it sliding off, or shifting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 edit: tabs it´s called - thanks to Jeff who just posted while I was typing Hey, Matthias, I only called them "tabs" because I couldn't think of anything else to call them! Feet and Holes, that works too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjh Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 some rough pics from set to show my SKB mounts, I think the are marine latches, strong and stainless steel, work very well. The attach the lower case to the chassis and case to case. Also have a dual wheel system, big ones come off when working in narrow access locations. Cart is built around 3 SKB cases, 6U on the bottom with a 3U draw and shelf, 10U main cart which has all the essential kit and can run without the other 2 cases so portable, 4U top case with monitors and rac spkr. Works very well, it is heavy but when broken down I can carry it, I don't think any other design carrying the same gear would be much lighter if it offered the same closed in protection which is the thing I love about case based carts, that ans also that they are easy to modify where everything goes as your gear changes. Regards, Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Martin Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Chris, Nice cart and great solution to holding the SKB's together. I tried to do similar but the latches at my local and big box hardware stores were all just too small to span the gap properly. I made it work, but since it just barely spans, I still lightly ratchet down the whole rig just for safety. Where did you source those bigger marine latches? PS- I like the character names on your Mix 12 Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted March 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 Chris, I really like your design. Looks almost exactly what I had envisioned. Here's another updated pic. I finally had time this weekend to get crackin on this again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Mike greate cart. It is a great feeling when you see your idea materialize. Even greater when it actually works. I built one simular and used a lighter gage Steel. I then had it spray painted with Rhino Linings. (two Coats) I took to a place that normally spayed truck beds with liners. It gave it a beautiful tuff, black finish and total insulated. (No grounding issues)The two coats added an incredible layer of strength to the cart without the added weight. Sorry, No pix. Do not own it anymore. The stuff is pretty reliant and a lot less than powder coating which adds protection but not the kind of insulation or strength that Rhino skin gives. CLICK HERE Good luck with your baby. I know how satifying it is to work that thought into a real world, functioning model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundslikejustin Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Am I correct in thinking that the rear uprights will come off? Is that what the handscrews near the bottom are for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Felipe, thanks for the link to Rhino Linings --- I had never even considered this with all the carts I have built. It has always been either powder coating or anodizing, each with their own pros and cons. Good find (and nice to know that you actually used this process on a cart). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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