Michael Miramontes Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Ok, so I've decided to build my first sound cart but since I'm still a newbie I'm not quite sure what the "ideal cart" would have. So, would you guys be so generous as to share your thoughts as to things I should consider in my build? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Hankerson Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Might want to take a look around the pictures section at carts already built and do a search. I'm pretty sure it may help. Not bashing just a suggestion. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Did you check out the gallery of carts? There are a lot of good ideas there. Remember, that many of those carts are from seasoned professionals who are doing much different type of work than what us "first sound cart" type of guys are doing, so keep that in mind when looking at some of the more advanced carts. For me, some checkmarks... 1) portability - modularity - can it be broken down to fit in my SUV? I'm not having it hauled by teamsters 2) "bag cart" is probably the order of the day, as I'll sometimes have to lift off and go OTS 3) some sort of power system, BDS, lead acid battery, or in my case, a Sears car jumpstarter with built in inverter 4) basic masts for mounting Tx units 5) someplace to put a boom(s) 6) storage facility for "audio crap". In my case, a spot to put a compact Pelican case. Lots of people use drawers for a less nomadic existence. 7) work position, is your control surface as the right height? is there a place to put your feet and even stretch them out a bit ? Some of the SKB/roadcase builds I see look like they're compromised in this respect. Ok, so I've decided to build my first sound cart but since I'm still a newbie I'm not quite sure what the "ideal cart" would have. So, would you guys be so generous as to share your thoughts as to things I should consider in my build? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 What do you do as a recordist? Where do you have to perform your task? What gear is needed to execute that task The answer to those questions influenced the design of my cart. I wanted to have the gear I need in the most mobile package possible. Big wheels are a must IMO. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted July 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Might want to take a look around the pictures section at carts already built and do a search. I'm pretty sure it may help. Not bashing just a suggestion. Nicole Thanks! I didn't even realize there was a sound cart gallery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Hankerson Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 No problem. This site is here to help. Good luck. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Hello again everyone, So, I'm off to build my own cart now. I've looked at a few of the designs on here and decided to use those plastic cases that have rack mounts. Problem is that I've been googling for an hour and can't find out who makes/supplies them. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProSound Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Skb Case though they are very heavy how much space do you need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundslikejustin Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Gator cases are lighter, cheaper. Also not as durable, as always YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 As Crew touched on, your first "cart investment" should be in time. More specifically, invest in the time it takes to thoroughly evaluate most of the gigs you do and what would serve you best for those jobs. Do you usually work with a boom operator (or two) or do you always work solo? (i.e.: One person sound crew? Two person sound crew? Three person sound crew?) Union or non-union? Dramatic features or lots of sit-down interviews? Run-n-gun? Insert car work? Typically, how many wireless? Wireless boom or wired? How many Comteks do you need to deploy? What is the usual workflow on the gigs you do? How many tracks do you usually work with? What do you mix with? Do you need video monitors? How many? Do you need several different IFB channels, or will one work for everything? Do your gigs have the luxury of lots of lighting time or are they largely verité? Do you usually deal with stairs? Elevators? What vehicle will you carry it in? How will you load and unload? How quickly do you need to be able to deploy, or change locations? Is there any special gear you find you need on a frequent basis? ...And on and on... The more thoroughly you examine the full scope of the work you do, the better equipped you'll be to configure a cart that will serve you well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Ok, so I've decided to build my first sound cart but since I'm still a newbie I'm not quite sure what the "ideal cart" would have. So, would you guys be so generous as to share your thoughts as to things I should consider in my build? That's a big question, kind of like, "I'm thinking of buying a boat. How big should it be, and how much should I spend?" There's some good points raised above. Take a good stock of what equipment you currently own, what you plan to add in the immediate future, and what kind of jobs you mainly work. A mostly-documentary/reality mixer needs a different complement of gear and cart than a dramatic/feature mixer, as would a commercial/TV mixer. If you work mostly alone, you won't want a 150-pound cart that's hard to drag or roll up steps. If you always work with a boom op/assistant, this might work fine. Check this page on the site: Images of Interest and look specifically at all the carts pictured. They run from small, hand-made quickies that cost a couple of hundred dollars to huge, elaborate designs that literally cost many, many thousands of dollars. PSC has a good cart that was (and may still be) the most widely used cart design on the West coast. I really like the carts Rob Stalder makes through his Sydney-based company, Rastorder, though those have to be shipped (assuming you're outside Australia). Here's shots of both (not to scale): If you're in a major city like NY, LA, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco, or Nashville, you can find a pro audio dealer or get in touch with a local mixer who might be willing to let you hang out and see their carts. Know up front that nobody gets their cart design right the first time. At best, it's a work in progress that takes years of trials by fire to get right. BTW, I've found over the years that the cart is the easy part; it's the wiring and power that kills ya... --Marc W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McL Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 I tried and abandoned a case-based cart, mainly because of the SKB cases and how they soon buckled under the pressure of the strap that held it on to the frame. Buckled just enough that the drawer wouldn't close. -- Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Tirrell Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 For me coming from a position where I do camera work about 50 percent of the time I went with a multi-cart and top shelf for a work surface. For me I like and think it might be a good start for the OP because of the portability and adaptability. Additionally the ability to make the cart longer means that I can keep mine short and have the ability to handle tight turns etc. But if I am working with an out of town DP who may not of brought his own it is easy to slide it out and offer him some cart space, which helps with goodwill. PS. has anybody here seen these or thought of making a receiver station out of one. http://www.pelican-case.com/0450.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 ok, well for the type of work I'm doing (mainly commercials, indy films, low budget type stuff) I was looking to build a smaller SKB type setup that would have a couple drawers on the bottom for all my wireless stuff, mics, etc. I wasn't planning on building something quite as large as what most people use because right now I'm not at that level yet. Since I know how to build just about anything I figured this would be a fun project for me as well as save some money. Those collapsable carts that Marc suggested look great and seem to be just the right size. Unfortunately my budget is about 1/4 of what those cost, however I still think I can pull it off if I build it myself. thanks for the input everyone. It is always appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 " I've been googling for an hour and can't find out who makes/supplies them " were you connected to the Internet?? ...and by now you have reviewed some of the many pictures on jwsound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 " I've been googling for an hour and can't find out who makes/supplies them " were you connected to the Internet?? Yeah man, I didn't know who made them so that was the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Yeah man, I didn't know who made them so that was the problem. Go to eBay and do a search for "rack cases." That's a quick way to see lot of the possibilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) " search for "rack cases." " All of our "usual suspects" professional production sound dealers can get them them, and feature some on their web sites, as a start... Edited September 12, 2011 by studiomprd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 " search for "rack cases." " All of our "usual suspects" professional production sound dealers carry them, and feature them on their web sites... Not true (not even Trew). Coffey Sound, Location Sound and Trew Audio do not stock any of the rack cases that might be used in cart construction. All of the usual suspects DO carry SKB cases (with SKB being one of the most common cases used, their line of rack cases, for case-based carts).Everything is available, however, from the SKB website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Yeah man, I didn't know who made them so that was the problem. If you referring to the lack of information on owners/builders on the "Gallery of Sound Carts", I have been trying to track down the mixers that these carts belong to but it is a tough task. I have always felt that it is beneficial to have the images up even if we don't know everything about each cart or the owner/mixer. A lot can be learned from just looking at the pictures. For the record, there are very few carts pictured that are available as "off the shelf" consumer purchases --- almost every cart, even if it started out as a purchased item (Magliner, PSC, RastOrder, Chinhda) has had extensive custom work done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Not true (not even Trew). Coffey Sound, Location Sound and Trew Audio do not stock any of the rack cases that might be used in cart construction. All of the usual suspects DO carry SKB cases (with SKB being one of the most common cases used, their line of rack cases, for case-based carts).Everything is available, however, from the SKB website. Jeff, This is what I initially discovered when doing my initial search for the SKB. I noticed Coffey and LSC only sell complete units. I'm more of a DIY kinda guy anyways so I was hoping to get more info on where I can get parts. Now that I know the manufacturer names it has been a lot easier tracking down good deals on parts. It would be nice having a parts breakdown on the photo gallery but I guess having this website alone is a great resource since I would have a terrible time without the advice offered by the great people I've met here! Thanks a million, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Tirrell Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Jeff, This is what I initially discovered when doing my initial search for the SKB. I noticed Coffey and LSC only sell complete units. I'm more of a DIY kinda guy anyways so I was hoping to get more info on where I can get parts. Now that I know the manufacturer names it has been a lot easier tracking down good deals on parts. It would be nice having a parts breakdown on the photo gallery but I guess having this website alone is a great resource since I would have a terrible time without the advice offered by the great people I've met here! Thanks a million, Mike +1 Also for anybody who is looking to post, if your cart has more than 1 configuration it would be nice to see them. I am in the process of moving my cart in that direction and will be glad to share when it is there. I don't know about others here but for me being able to reconfigure for different types of jobs is important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gilchrist Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Michael and Geoff, Take a look at the Filmtools and Backstage Equipment websites, our colleague David Waelder's Production Sound site and our colleague Rob Stalter's Rastorder site. Look at Jeff's excellent galley of carts, many of which are our our fellow members' everyday workspace. Decide what you want on your cart and what work you'll do from it. Best regards, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted September 13, 2011 Report Share Posted September 13, 2011 A small suggestion if you are new to carts: make it as flexible as you can. Many of the carts in the gallery (including my latest one) were the result of YEARS of working and being dissatisfied and modding etc while upgrading equipment. Trust me you WILL change what ever you make for yourself, many times. Another suggestion, esp if you do lots of one-person sound gigs, is to leave some kind of an "operating table" for yourself on the cart. It is EXTREMELY helpful to have a table+ height surface to work on when you need to swap batteries, build lav windscreens and rigs, fix things etc--don't cover every surface with gear! phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Tirrell Posted September 13, 2011 Report Share Posted September 13, 2011 A small suggestion if you are new to carts: make it as flexible as you can. Many of the carts in the gallery (including my latest one) were the result of YEARS of working and being dissatisfied and modding etc while upgrading equipment. Trust me you WILL change what ever you make for yourself, many times. Another suggestion, esp if you do lots of one-person sound gigs, is to leave some kind of an "operating table" for yourself on the cart. It is EXTREMELY helpful to have a table+ height surface to work on when you need to swap batteries, build lav windscreens and rigs, fix things etc--don't cover every surface with gear! phil p Yes that is what I had been meaning to refer to in my earlier post. My bread and butter is 1 person sound gigs and I have found 2 things so far that I will stick with. 1, keep as clean a work surface as possible it never helps the clients opinion of you if you have your cart piled high with a rats nest of gear. So I keep most of my excess or occasional use items stored underneath in a pelican case. And the top available as a work surface. The 2nd is that my needs at this point are always evolving. One job requires significantly more the next much less so the load-out may vary. PS, if you do decide to go the multi cart rout I recently discovered that they make some useful add-ons for soundies. http://www.multicart.com/partsservices.php I am personally going to be adding the headphone/ cable rack in the vertical config later this year, along with some type of laptop shelf wether it be theirs or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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