Dolly Q

D

Dyrseve989

Well-known member
Does anyone happen to own this, or made this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7530586376&category=4691&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

Does it work well, is it steady, noisy, smooth, easy for one person to move the dolly and operate the camera?

One more question, say i were to buy or build this if it is a good tracking idea, and I have a couple of seperate 12' metal pipes that are 3" in diameterfor track, how can i connect them to make 24' of track, but keep the dolly running smooth on where the two pipes connect?

-Matt-
 
when I read your post I thought you were messing with me a little bit, I kinda sat back in curiosity, then I saw the site and understood, Very good idea, I definently plan on using that if I do happen to make or buy this dolly system, thanx Dan

-Matt-
 
-Reply Cont'

I forgot to add, Im sill wondering if anyone out there has a dolly like this kinda home built style and if I will have any problems with this using metal pipes when it comes to noise or difficulty of use

-Matt-
 
The metal pipes shouldn't be a problem, noise-wise.

But, thinking about it some more...3" diameter? Those skateboard dolly wheels would most likely sit too high on it. They're really made for smaller pipes.

Also: you might have some trouble finding nipples to fit that large a pipe. They probably exist, but might be hard to find.

Dan
 
Sounds good, I unfortunately don't work on films for a living as is the same with many filmmakers, but I happen to work at a facility where I might be able to grab any style piping, I assume a 1" pipe might be the preffered?
 
My homebrew dolly is VERY similar to the one in that auction. No noise issues, but I'd recommend more than 24' of track if you can manage it. I found 50' to be very nice, as you need some time to get the dolly up to speed.

I used metal electrical conduit -- don't recall the diameter at the moment. Instead of the male nipples I used a slightly smaller diameter conduit cut into 1' long pieces. These are secured inside the track to connect each piece by screws on the outside. As long as I orient the screws close to the ground it's not an issue when the dolly rolls over a connector.

I have wooden braces that I place about every 3' and I use a LOT of shims to level the track depending on terrain.

If I'm making no sense I can take pics. I'll be setting the dolly up on Friday and will have a chance to grab a few photos. I find that I have to replace the skateboard wheels every so often as they warp under all the weight (I like to put a skycrane on the dolly and weigh it down with a lot of sandbags to keep it more stable).
 
Dyrseve989 said:
easy for one person to move the dolly and operate the camera?
Click to expand...

I can't imagine operating the dolly AND the camera. (actually, I can imagine it, but the results aren't pretty!) I suppose if you don't have to pan/tilt etc. you could pull it off... but I find myself needing to steady the tripod as the dolly rolls along, so it's infinitely better if you can recruit some help.
 
Hey dan thanks for the site, it comes in useful, and Owen, that would be excellent if you could take a couple of snapshots of your rig, not just for me, but any1 who is interested, I have found a copule of metal pipes that are 1" D, and about 12' long, they have about 6 of them, so I plan on stealing all of them. Most the stuff I use for mach film equipment is stolen from work, he he he, devilish, but free.... I may attempt to construct this dolly, but my building skills arent exactly up to par with my filming skills, so if some1 could, give me a scale from 1 to 10 on the difficulty level of building this dolly, thanks

-Matt-
 
I'll snap some pics on Friday during setup.

As for difficulty level, I'd say it's a 2 or 3 (1 being easy) as far as the track goes. Regarding the actual dolly, I had to get help as my configuration required some welding to take place where the wheels mount... so for me it was definitely a 10 for that portion.
 
Yea, i did mean the dolly, Im too worried about the track, just as long as the wheels are quiet on it, and the track is the right size(and connect seamlessly),then im good with that. I wanted to see if with my less then great craftsmenship skills I could build the dolly, but if you say its a 10, I think ill cough up the extra money and go for the ebay dolly, Thanks all, and Owen- Cant wait to see your setup

-Matt-
 
If you have a way to do it w/o welding then it'd be easy -- or if you have a friend who can weld it shouldn't take them long... but at least with that ebay one you can easily build yourself more track.
 
I have a glideshot dolly Not the one on your link but the one with the swiveling casters so I can use curved track. The deck was built for me but the caster/swivel assembiles are Glideshot. works fabulous! I use a bungee cord to tighten and secure the tripod to the deck. the movement is so smooth I often operate the dolly and camera simultaneously. I don't think my shots look crappy, even when dollying and panning at the same time. I have a picture of the rig somewhere I will post it. If you look at the trailer for my feature film, one of the last shots is an old guy answering the phone in an office, the camera dollies from in front of him to the side and pans to keep him centered - all done by me - NO grip help. There's another dolly shot in the beginning of the trailer with a brunette girl looking back over her right shoulder - it is a dolly in and a zoom out simultaneously so that the background "grows" a'la "JAWS" also no grip - all one operator. The website is: www.palatiampg.com
 
Ok here's the picture:

www.palatiampg.com/palatiadolly.jpg

I use aluminum "angle iron" for track it works VERY well but costs a bit more. I also have 50' of (one inch ID) pneumatic hose that I used for curved track which works well on flat surfaces, not so well on extremely uneven surfaces - plan accordingly. I hope this helps.
 
Thanks for the insight Colllnk, that was a great trailer, looks like a very interesting film, I think I have decided, after grabbing some pipes from work, I will buy the ebay dolly and use the 4 12' pipes as tracking, I just gotta see what the best way to connect the pipes to make the track and the stands to raise the pipe

Thanks for the input

-Matt-
 
How much weight can the one inch inside diameter pneumatic hose take? Can it take the weight of a jib or person on the dolly, i.e. around 150 to 250 lbs.?

Because, otherwise there is always the Losmandy Flex-Track for quick and easy curved track. The Flex-Track is solid rubber so it can take a full load on top which is it's selling point.

If your solution with the pneumatic hose works, there's no reason to by the Flex-Track anymore really.

Thanks.
 
I built one a while ago using David Keeler's design and modifying it a bit. I don't have any pics of it yet, but below is a simple description. I didn't build a platform style since I often don't have a crew to push or pull a dolly. If I can operate a small crane/jib in multiple axes by myself, I think I can handle a dolly/pan type shot.

First of all, it was very cheap, and pretty simple, even though I hadn't had wood shop since junior high school. It's very portable, and pipes and all fit in a normal-sized hockey bag. The 3/4" PVC pipes (light and cheap) are cut into 3' sections, that are joined internally with wrapped smaller diameter connectors for a smooth ride no matter how long the run. The pipe is rigid enough to keep from bending all over the place. The frame is strong and light wood, wide enough to accomodate a large Bogen tripod and 7-8 lbs of camera and acc.
The frame comes apart in 3 pieces, and it is rock solid when put together. The total fabrication & assembly (minus touch-ups) took about 5-6 hours all together, and it was fun.
It helps if you have access to a shop, but it took time since I'm a novice.

The most expensive parts were the stupid skateboard wheels ($60). The rest of the materials only set me back about $10-15. Some of the stuff I already had lying around, like the ankle weights that I use as sand bags.

I'll probably get around to making a platform-style one when I get a regular crew to work with, and it will probably cost me about the same amount.

Unless you really don't like to make things, or improve upon things, the online offerings are expensive for what you actually get.
 
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