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2014 Winter Cart/Gear Tweak Diary


Jan McL

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

 

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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:

 

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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.

 

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Up to a point I suppose that here in the UK we are spoilt when it comes to fitting out cases whether they are ridgidised aluminium or Peli as all case manufacturers offer Ethafoam packs specifically made for your particular piece of gear.

These two picture show two of my cases, The first is for 3 Lectros with space for the six SMA's whilst the second is to hold my DV batteries. Both these packs were laser cut by the UK's leading case maker.

Malcolm Davies. A.m.p.s.

post-233-0-20289200-1391594526_thumb.jpgpost-233-0-37414500-1391594553_thumb.jpg

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Thanks for weighing in for those across the pond, Malcolm. 

 

Your pictures sparked a chain/brain reaction making me wonder if I shouldn't (while at it) foam out the cases I use for 2nd Unit rig so I can easily transfer mic gak from cart to portable. This may involve re-working 2nd Unit rig, too. Must think more before I speak, but thanks for the morning jolt :)

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Thanks for that, Malcolm. Yes, you are lucky that you can purchase cases and have them equipped with "custom" foam (the good dense kind) already fitted. I think the only time that happens here is if you buy a piece of equipment, a video camera for example, and you also purchase the case that has already been fitted with the proper foam, dividers and so forth.

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List of previous cart tweak regrets (subject to continual editing):

  • Not having immediately implemented wall-to-wall soft Velcro or similar soft mate for hard Velcro on all non-carpeted surfaces, most particularly the sides and undersides of powder-coated shelving. With both flavors of 1" non-adhesive on hand, the ability to secure cables, lights, amp meters, etc. under or sideways anywhere is never a disadvantage. Piecemealed it first time around much to my current regret. I would photograph the results, but I'm too embarrassed at the state of chaos as I rewire a few things and have to take everything off. Whadda mess.
  • ...
  • ...
  • ...

Sigh.

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Glad some have signed on for the full ride this year.

 

Part of the process has been virtually hanging out as others pursue work-from-home using the videoconference tech we've settled on over at Zoom.us here: https://zoom.us/j/817979726

 

Yeah, it's a little geeky but much more fun to talk smack while doing what is typically done alone with no one to whine to when faced with a from-scratch rewire.

 

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The above's a detail showing a couple of happy finesse moments:

  • Headphone hook. With the new boom mic enabled cans, found I needed an alternative hang spot to quickly store them safely. What you see here is a fold-flat-capable Home Depot hook meant for a drill or some such suggested a year or two ago by someone here for cable hanging. Had it mounted in the rear of the cart all this time; rarely used and often in the way. Repurposed here, it's finally useful and certainly not in the way.
     
  • Starcase rack corners and custom-cut rack rail enabled me to create a light-duty "rack" where none would otherwise go to sport the monitors. It took me a year or more to cogitate upon and implement this solution. Please be so kind as to take a moment to appreciate the joy that photo represents.

Yay.

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Jan,

 

Love these posts.

 

I recently did a small cart update with the goal of flexibility.

 

Recently a last minute playback gig came in and I was left transporting my heavy SKB case (with UPS backup, etc) on a magliner to work.  It's a clunky set-up and the only benefit is having a lower shelf to haul speakers and other gak.  I have previously used the rig for music videos but it was always intended as a stop gap til I figured out something better.  Then came the realization that I've always thought I could use my minicart to serve as a playback rig as well. 

 

The kicker with my playback rig is that for some bizarre reason, I can only get the Euphonic MC Mix to talk to my laptop if I have a router inline.  So, I rerouted some things and found a spot for it on the mini. Also added some more velcro in a few spots.

 

Then came the question:  how long would it actually take me to make the switchover from mixer based rig to playback based rig?

 

Answer: 9 minutes.

 

Here is the cart in it's "packed ready to load into the car" form:

 

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And now ready to roll:  (minus of course, antenna fins)

 

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Here are the contents needed to re-rig:

 

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9 minutes later:

 

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Contents removed:

 

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And now repacked ready to load into car form:

 

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Router (12 VDC thankfully) is attached here:

 

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Last thing left to do is find a way to wheel my PA speakers.  They aren't actually that heavy (can be easily carried for mild distances), but a magliner is total overkill to haul them.

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machine-screw-torx-flat-type-f-dimension

 

As often happens, find myself this morning briefly frustrated by nomenclature.

 

It's a 'machine screw' I'm looking for, and not a bolt at all.

 

It's about mounting the hardware for the wooden drawer.

 

Near-left slider mounts with one machine screw to extant rack. Second hardware hole doesn't quite line up with extant rack hole. Will debate tapping another hole, but the new and old hole will overlap a bit, so...

 

Will also need to either tap at the far-left side or something else...like adding a rack ear-ish piece, blah, blah.

 

Both near and far sides of the right hardware mount will require fresh tapped holes through the 1.5" square aluminum nose pin. The hole in my knowledge is how to accurately do this.

 

Further to wooden drawer installation, failed to account for the nose pin's slightly protruding pop rivets, and this will force a 1/8" x 1.5" reduction of the lower right side of the drawer that makes me again long for a table saw.

 

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This one? 

 

Sigh.

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Sorry if it's a little ot, but talking about screws, could you please tell me the exact size/specs of the simple microphone screw (the one that is at the end of a boom pole, ecc) because I have to replace some psc clamp screw type. Here in Italy it is difficult to find inches sizes at the local stores, so I guess I will have to order them on internet actually. 

 

Thanks, v.

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