David Mesloh! Source for DOLLY platform? DIY thread!~
 

David, I stumbled across your name in another recent thread and I like your thinking... I'm still waiting for a follow-up on the dolly tube/track thing, but if nothing else we think alike.

Sooo... here's the question for David and anybody else who wants to chime in...

What do you suppose is the best material and source for my home-made dolly platform?

I bought a half sheet of 3/4 Baltic Birch (14 voidless plys) and I'm probably going to just go with that... but the damn thing warped as it dried! It was flat the day I got it but it 'aint now! For $50 it's a bee-otch to relegate it to Arts 'n Crafts... not to mention my garage is ALREADY full of "raw materials".

So why not help me add more stock to the pile? Is there a lightweight/stiff material that's on par or better then Baltic Birch? I'm guessing a 30" x 40" piece of Diamond Plate would cost an arm and a leg, but that still leaves me with one good arm and leg... and smooth video is more important the extra limbs isn't it?

I'm planning to do a version of the LONGVALLEY DOLLY...

Also as I'm working on the wheel assemblies I'm wondering how often you guys use curves in the track? I originally intended to just make my dolly fixed for straight-aways only...