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Piano Lid Top and Sliding Mixer Shelf for Mag Mini-based Cart Musings


Jan McL

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My next cart thinking has to do with the above title. 

 

Saw a magnificent upright custom case cart here (will get and post an image of it in due course) here with a hinge top that I imagined might work design-wise to:

  • Lid monitor storage
  • Sides
  • Protect the top shelf
  • Light rain and sun protection
  • Will hold a tarp from monitors and mix surface

It will have to be custom, but absolutely doable.

 

Then a sliding shelf to be made out of/on top of extant static mixer shelf so I may draw the mixer back over my knees some.

 

Also custom work, but...I think these things will make the cart perfect and I can quit tweaking for quite some time.

 

Snort.

 

Jan

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Jan if you are referring to the case that forms the cart of David McMillan in the UK they can be obtained from Spider Engineering in the UK.

 

That's it, Malcolm! Can't find Mr. McMillan or the thread with his cart dagnabbit.

 

http://www.spider-engineering.co.uk/music/typeproducts2.asp?id=7228-2582

 

Can't figure out how to re-size the images copped from Spider's site, but imagine the lid attached to the bottom by means of a piano hinge...

 

7228_1_z.jpg

 

7228_0_z.jpg

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Quite a unique design --- when "opened up" it certainly creates an interesting working environment. I'm still pretty "old school" (what a surprise) and for the first 20 years or so of my career I was always on the set, quite close to the action, and would never have wanted to deny myself the view of the scene. I know, with video assist and monitors all around, sound cart often way off the set, this real-world view is not so important anymore. I still think I would miss it if I were to use a cart of this design.

 

For those working off the set (many actually prefer this I believe), the whole monitor-in-the-lid is brilliant --- provides a shaded view, overall protection for the rest of the gear, etc.

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THAT's it, Pascal :) It's an Ayecart.

 

https://www.facebook.com/Ayecart?hc_location=timeline

 

For my application, don't imagine the lid to be so tall as to obscure too much of my view when open but then -- as Wexler mentioned -- I'm in the camp prefers a bit of distance from set.

 

As a short person, one thing I worry about is being able to see ahead when pushing the cart. Adding the 3RU monitors to the top has made that a little harder so I'm constantly leaning right, leaning left whilst rolling to make sure there aren't potholes or people in the way. Ungh. This potential design won't improve that, but it will make the rolling cart look...cleaner overall.

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Now there is also this design from A4 audio in France. If one was to replace the wireless receivers ( in the lid ) with a rackmount duo view monitor ( Blackmagic ), this would be pretty sweet also. There is a video presenting this cart on YouTube ( check it out here:

).

The French have a different take on the cart that I find very interesting.

post-402-0-33602300-1410615274_thumb.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

Now there is also this design from A4 audio in France. If one was to replace the wireless receivers ( in the lid ) with a rackmount duo view monitor ( Blackmagic ), this would be pretty sweet also. There is a video presenting this cart on YouTube

The French have a different take on the cart that I find very interesting.

 

Pascal - that is the Stephane Bucher soundcart, one of the principals at A4 Audio.  

It is AMAZING in design - fits everywhere, and spins into place with ease.  

It is very customized, and significantly less in width than a typical 19" rack case. 

 

One of the features you won't see here - he is able to quickly pull his Cantar rig off and go over the shoulder / around the neck in a very short time, disconnecting from the Cantarem and having access to the Cantar onboard faders.  Pretty handy with the ever changing, fast evolving needs of the shows and sets he encounters.

 

I got to work with him extensively on the Atlanta portion of Taken 3, and really learned a lot from him (and his outstanding boom op, Jerome Rabu) about the European mindset of "gettin' it done". 

(Stephane was the mixer on the outstanding film "Lucy" -- what a great soundtrack. )

 

I've always had the utmost respect for what I call the European approach, and it was fabulous to be immersed in it for a couple of months....

 

MF

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The Stephane Bucher A4 Audio video is fantastic! I loved watching that (though they might have considered some wind protection on the camera mic!). Very compact case-cart, beautifully done.

 

David Madigan is the first one I have seen that utilizes the lid for video monitor and other stuff. His cart has been up on the Gallery of Sound Carts for a long time --- utilized the ITEM aluminum profiles that are very similar to the 80/20 product we use here in the US.

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