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80/20® Two-Module Sound Cart


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I have a question about this method of building a cart.  My carts, over the years, were mostly welded aluminum.  Not flexible at all in terms of making changes or adjustments, but my cart from the 1980s is just as solid as it was then.  With all those bolts, will you have to go around and tighten them occasionally, after the cart has spent time on trucks and rolling around on rough ground?  Or does the design of the 80-20 stuff take that into account, like once their are tight they stay that way?  Further--are you able to take the cart apart if you wanted to remake it in a different config?

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I can comment on this having built many carts over the years and having built 2 carts with 80/20 profiles. First of all, I decided to use 80/20 because it is truly the "Industrial Erector set" and I could do all the assembly myself, not having to rely on any metal fabricator or welder (heli-arc for aluminum of course). My current cart (80/20) has in fact needed the whole tighten up routine you ask about --- periodically going around to all the bolts and fittings and give them a tighten up. Unlike Brian's cart, I used a lot of the internal fittings and in very few places I used the surface mount brackets that Brian seems to have used throughout his cart. The brackets I'm referring to are the ones that have all those screws. When legendary cart builder Chinhda started using 80/20 for his medium and smaller carts, he machined all his own fittings and I think they have held up better than what 80/20 does. The greatest benefit for me with 80/20 was the fact that I could do it all myself. If I were to build another cart (which would be so foolish at this point I don't even want to talk about it) I would do a hybrid: use 80/20 profiles for the main cart frame (or frames if doing a 2-piece cart) and have it heli-arced (welded) and then continue on with all the rest of the outfitting, shelves, rack rails, etc., just as I have done before with both 80/20 carts and fabricated welded cart frames. So, all the things which would normally be bolted (and therefore adjustable and configurable) would be able to have that flexibility, but the frame itself would have a solidness and rigidity that the "no welding" carts do not have.

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4 hours ago, Philip Perkins said:

I have a question about this method of building a cart.  My carts, over the years, were mostly welded aluminum.  Not flexible at all in terms of making changes or adjustments, but my cart from the 1980s is just as solid as it was then.  With all those bolts, will you have to go around and tighten them occasionally, after the cart has spent time on trucks and rolling around on rough ground?  Or does the design of the 80-20 stuff take that into account, like once their are tight they stay that way?  Further--are you able to take the cart apart if you wanted to remake it in a different config?

I have been using my 80/20 cart for a few months now on several different projects and I have really put it through its paces. It's been up and down stairs, on and off camera trucks, in and out of my car, and on all types of terrain. It has also been used outside on hot days and into cold nights. I just checked all the bolts (took a little over 5 minutes) and everything is still tight and secure as when I first built it. I'm sure over time several bolts will loosen, but I can't imagine all bolts coming loose and causing a problem. When I was researching 80/20, I had read that the bolts would need to be tightened occasionally, but that didn't seem like a major concern for me. 80/20 is very flexible and easy to reconfigure. I could easily lower the height of the mixing board table and the top module stand by sliding it down the corner posts. If I wanted to make it taller and turn it into a standing cart, I would just need to buy four longer corner posts and replace the current ones. 80/20 is a very versatile system and it allowed me to build the perfect cart for myself.

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Good job! loving this new cart revolution ;-)

On 21 June 2016 at 3:20 PM, Jeff Wexler said:

ITEM aluminum profiles (I think based in Germany) does a full line of aluminum profiles and fittings almost identical to 80/20.

LINK may not be to ITEM directly but to one of the suppliers.

http://www.directindustry.com/prod/item-industrietechnik-gmbh/product-13749-34797.html

 

On 21 June 2016 at 3:08 PM, efksound said:

Impressive cart, Love it ! Unfortunately we don't have 80/20 here in Spain... Does somebody know if in Europe maybe? 

 

ITEM have a design team so can design and build you a cart to your own spec. You send them a drawing of what you want and then their design team creates a CAD version. When I had investigated that route the cost was roughly $2500-3000 plus tax and p&p BUT for that all the manufacturing is done for you as well as checked before shipping. This is how I ended up design and developing my own!

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  • 3 months later...
On 21. Juni 2016 at 4:08 PM, efksound said:

Impressive cart, Love it ! Unfortunately we don't have 80/20 here in Spain... Does somebody know if in Europe maybe? 

 

Jeff is right with item but they offer in a 30x30mm Profile only a 6mm opening Profile, the 80/20 i think has a 8mm one. And in the normal version it's quite heavy. And there are not so much assecceries like the Profile 8 versions. I ordered some stuff from alcom international. Very good company too and offers a 30x30 profile with a 8 mm Profile nut 

http://www.alcom-international.de/produkte.html

 

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  • 3 months later...
On 10/20/2016 at 9:27 PM, Chris said:

Jeff is right with item but they offer in a 30x30mm Profile only a 6mm opening Profile, the 80/20 i think has a 8mm one. And in the normal version it's quite heavy. And there are not so much assecceries like the Profile 8 versions. I ordered some stuff from alcom international. Very good company too and offers a 30x30 profile with a 8 mm Profile nut 

http://www.alcom-international.de/produkte.html

 

Chris, did you use the 30x30 8mm for 19'' equipment, does it fit without any additional rack rails?
I'm in research-mode for a new cart built....

cheers from vienna
claus 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

*UPDATE*

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It has been about a year since I first built my 80/20 cart and I just wanted to give an update on how it has been working out in the field. I also wanted to answer some questions that I have been receiving. Everyone has been so kind & encouraging and it's nice to receive all the comments and questions.

When it comes to loose bolts, I have only had to tighten the ones on the handles and on the bar the handles are attached to. Every time I check the rest of the bolts, they are secure. A couple bolts have fallen off from underneath the right handle because I forgot to check them, but the handles are still secure enough to move the cart up & down stairs safely.

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The rear axle consists of a 1/2” diameter steel rod held in place inside the center space of a 2” x 1” profile bar. The center space is slightly larger than 1/2”, so I wrapped some tape around the rod to make it fit in place. The 2” profile bar is secured in several spots to ensure that it doesn't come loose. I am constantly putting my foot on the bar so I can lean the cart back to move and it remains solid.

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The 16” wheels were purchased at http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200199574_200199574

I have been very happy with how quickly the top module of the cart comes off to be placed inside the cab of a process trailer and the drivers have been very happy with its size. The entire cart is so small that I have even had it in the back of a follow van.

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I would highly recommend 80/20 to anyone thinking of building a cart. It is lightweight, versatile, and can be much cheaper than purchasing a new sound cart from a company. Thanks again everyone and please keep those questions coming if you have any.

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