Holding PVC for Dolly in place

[KyleProhaska]

For those of you who use the Rowe Cine Dolly, DIY dollies, etc. that use PVC or ABS piping on their platform dolly, what do you use to keep the dolly track in place? Or outside what do you use to place the track on a good base to ride on (if you were in grass for instance).

Any tips would be helpful, thanks everyone.

 

[Hunter Hampton]

I dont have a picture, but here is what I did:

Buy 4 90degree elbows, and one extra length of pvc pipe.

Calculate the distance of parallel separation needed for your dolly set-up

Cut the extra PVC pipe to the length you just calculated (keeping in mind the elbows add just a bit)

Do this at both ends (sorry for making a text picture):

elbow
[=======pvc track pipe
=
=
= <---pvc horizontal support
=
=
[=======pvc track pipe

It works really well. If your on grass, you can lay down a tarp, or sheets of ply-wood to keep the blades of grass from interfering with your dolly.

 

[Geoff_R]

Get some plywood and shims if in the grass and for general 'keeping the track in place', get some sandbags. Bag the end near the dolly, roll forward and the track will automatically adjust and straighten for you, do this a few times and then bag the other end.

 

[flimflamfilms]

If you're on a lawn you can drill holes through the ends of the pipes and put tent stakes through them- one at a time and use Geoff R's technique for aligning the pipes.

Cheers,

John

 

[hoarp001]

Mm we used one of these dollys, and it really isnt a problem to let the pipe sit on the foor. Only thing is it made rattle n squeak noises, so we went out and spent £60 on doormats, then layed them under the tubes and it sorted it out.

 

[jamesstone]

I made these to keep the pipes from sliding away. I used some scrap diamond plate and the stops are 1 1/2" ABS test plugs. I cut a notch in them so that the yoke will run through it.

 

[Beat Takeshi]

I use electrical conduit piping. very light but stiff and cheap. The PVC makes too much noise especially on wood floors.

 

[BPatterson]

I dont have a picture, but here is what I did:

Buy 4 90degree elbows, and one extra length of pvc pipe.

Calculate the distance of parallel separation needed for your dolly set-up

Cut the extra PVC pipe to the length you just calculated (keeping in mind the elbows add just a bit)

Do this at both ends (sorry for making a text picture):

elbow
[=======pvc track pipe
=
=
= <---pvc horizontal support
=
=
[=======pvc track pipe

It works really well. If your on grass, you can lay down a tarp, or sheets of ply-wood to keep the blades of grass from interfering with your dolly.

ok dude i've been trying to figure out a good way to keep pvc track secure and never thought of this..its so simple. thanks alot man

 

[mburgh]

For those of you who use the Rowe Cine Dolly, DIY dollies, etc. that use PVC or ABS piping on their platform dolly, what do you use to keep the dolly track in place? Or outside what do you use to place the track on a good base to ride on (if you were in grass for instance).

Any tips would be helpful, thanks everyone.

Get some 2 X 4's cut to your dolly wheel's width. Get some large nails, 10 or 20 penny, and hammer them into the wood at an angle, so they won't interfere with the dolly, but will hold the track in place. Don't try to do live sound with a cheap dolly. Let your actors do wild sound, then shoot on the dolly. Hollywood studios have nice shiny concrete floors and well-paid Union dolly grips to get those perfect shots.