Cheap alternative to skateboard wheels for dolly systems...

hoarp001

hoarp001

Veteran
I know lots of people use skateboard wheels for dolly systems, but when I tried to find them, I found them expensive and pretty inconsistent, all different shapes and sizes etc etc.

Whilst finding parts for my camera crane, I stumbled across these wheels from RS components. They are designed for conveyor belts but they are very strong and rediculously cheap. 98p each?!

I stuck afew on one of my orders and I bodged up a very quick simple dolly for some dolly zoom tests and they are shockingly smooth. Your 98p gets you a two row built in bearing with stainless balls, and they are very cheap. They are plastic, so maybe not as strong as skateboard wheels but I managed to stand on my prototype dolly and it still rolled along on its own, and thats just on four wheels. If you used the tried and tested 90deg leaning wheel set system then it could support a lot of weight.

They have a 6 or 7mm hole if I remember correctly and for 98p you cant really beat them.

I was considering building a mini dolly type thing, and these will be perfect....

Heres the product link:

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=3520743
 
On ebay you can find skateboard wheels for less than 1.50 a piece, and in lots of just about as many, or few, as you like. That's where I got mine...
 
I plan on making a small dolly, 1.5m long, no bends. Designed to carry just the camera on a platform for sliding along, and for this these wheels are perfect. Those skate wheels are stupidly cheap though, wish there was a place like that in the UK.

I have mocked up a prototype dolly wheel unit using the RS wheels....
www.peter-hoare.co.uk/dollywheel.jpg

Works for me....
 
Check with your local skating rink. They should have both inline and roller wheels with bearings at a reasonable price.
 
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