Problem with my DIY DOlly

[Zac Crosby]

Ok well i made my dolly using a sheet of 4-6 plywood sheet cut in half with these nice appliance movers (im trying to find the home depot link.)
and its running on pvc track

my problem is, when i move it with the camera and person on it, it makes way to much noise to shoot sync sound... but i want/;need to

so any recommendations?make a whole new one?

[Cole McDonald]

could we get pictures?

[Josh Bass]

What's your design like? I built one based on a former member's (Matt Cherry) design, and mine has the same issue, because I used inline skate wheels parallel to each other, perpendicular to the platform (instead of skateboard wheels at a 45 degree angle).

After a long thread on the topic, someone finally jumped in and said that the design was flawed at the most basic level, and I'd have to make new wheels and whatnot.

[Steve Leverich]

Here's some info on wheel geometry, etc -

http://www.rondexter.com/professiona...el_dollies.htm

Notice that the wheels do NOT contact the track on their sides - this, and the side loading of bearings, is where most of Josh's noise came from.

Be sure to check out Ron's complete site - no frills, but an entire course on cinematography -

http://www.rondexter.com/

For sync sound, if you spend a bit more on inline skate wheels with good bearings it will help. Pre-lubed better quality bearings don't "click" like cheap ball bearings do. Also, make sure you get the geometry right so that each wheel contacts the dolly track in its CENTER, not off to the side or on the edge of the wheel. Check the pix in the first link to see what I mean... Steve

[Cole McDonald]

these types of bearings are graded from 1 to 7, 1 are the fastest, and 7 have just a smidgen of resistance...generally so you don't have to chase your skateboard as far. 1's would give you the best, frictionless ride from this thing. Make sure the load is on them they way it is intended to be or they will fall apart quickly on you.

[Steve Leverich]

Actually, as seems to be the case with EVERYTHING in the known universe there are more than one "standard" for bearings -

http://www.skatelog.com/bearings/abec.htm

What Cole says is true for ISO or DIN ratings, but a lot of the skate wheel places I've checked out lately use the older, ABEC system - just be aware of what you're looking at. I'd go for a ABEC 7 if possible, or the lower numbered DIN or ISO part.

At least bearing sizes seem to be somewhat standard as long as you stay away from "junior" stuff...

I agree 110% about design stress; make sure the axle of each wheel is perpendicular to the centerline of your track and that the center of the wheel rides the peak of the track under load. This doesn't necessarily mean VERTICAL wheel, just centered no matter WHAT angle is used.

More, if you REALLY wanna get anal -

http://www.theasc.com/magazine/new_products/200505.html

HTH... Steve

[Mike Teutsch]

Steve is correct, skateboard bearing use the ABEC system and class 7's are the best. You will have no problem with class 5's either. They will all work fine.

These bearings are not made for side loading though. And, even if you were to use some sort of side loading bearing, they would be very large and you would not be able to side load the wheel. The wheels can't rub on the side or they will make noise as they scrub along the track. Remember, no matter how you attach the wheel, it must have the bottom, flat part, pointing directly at the track. They must roll and not rub on the track. A 45 degree angle is probably the best.

Mike

[Cole McDonald]

I may have gotten it backwards then :( Go to the skate shop and ask to buy a set of the FASTEST bearings they've got, they'll give you that end of the scale :) I know that when I got back into skate boarding, I had to take back the first set I got (I used to downhill) and get slower ones 'cause I couldn't keep the board under my feet like I used to. Aging sux, I think I'm going to stay at this age forever, I can live with this.

[Steve Leverich]

Mike expressed (much better) what I so lamely tried to say, thanks - I remember Josh's thread (sorta) and probably expressed it better there.

Cole, I'd be just as apt to think you didn't get it backward - more likely it's the continuing trend toward newer ways of expressing the same thing only backward. Like the (painfully true) joke goes, "The wonderful thing about STANDARDS is that there are so MANY of them..."

Couple that with the typical scenario - buy an item to see if it's really what you want for your project - then go back a week later and try to buy more. They're either all GONE or they're DIFFERENT in some way you'd based your DIY design on. Yechhh... Steve

[Zac Crosby]

so what you guys are saying it i should just take it apart and stick skate wheels on it?

and for all you that have dollies like that, how much noise does it make?

[Cole McDonald]

Still haven't seen pix of it to be able to troubleshoot your specific problem...without more information, we're just guessing.

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Zac Crosby

so what you guys are saying it i should just take it apart and stick skate wheels on it?

and for all you that have dollies like that, how much noise does it make?

Zac,

You need to explain to us or show us a picture of how you have your wheels mounted. Without that we can't help. Do you have a way to send me a picture or post one here?

Mike

P.S.: None of my dolly's make any noise.

m

[Zac Crosby]

Ok, ok sorry about this... ive been gone for a while... As soon as i can ill get pics up...

as for now ill do my best to try and explain it... I got these appliance mover wheel... they consist of 8 wheel groups... and so thats 32 wheels on each side of the dolly...

and i belive all the noise is because its hard plastic hitting hard plastic and rolling on it

[David W. Jones]

I built my track dolly using skateboard wheels, in four groups of four, for a total of 16 wheels.
It is absolutely silent.