HYPERCHARIOT - Hypercam Dolly Build

Gary Sconce

Gary Sconce

Veteran
With the finishing of the Hypercam I am now starting to build a wheelchair-based, full running speed dolly that will carry the Hypercam operator for backwards, forwards and sideways moving shots. It has to be stable, and hold the Hypercam operator safely. I want to include a padded waistband that holds the rider, yet allows a smooth spinning of the operator to allow 360 degree pans if needed. It will need to be small enough to fit in normal hallways and large enough to smooth out most rough ground. It has to be able to be placed on a car roof for transport, and must have an operator actuated brake for stopping the rig in tight places. Oh yeah, I must build it for less than $50.

As you can tell, I want it all.

I found an old wheelchair that was thrown out due to a bent front wheel. I don't plan to use the front wheels, so I got it.
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I first used my electric screwdriver and removed all of the seat, seatback and the arm rests. Then I unscrewed the round hand rails on the wheels.

Here is another view and you can see here the bernt right front wheel caster. It won't go byebye completely as I may use these on another project someday. (I'm such a packrat!)
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My MIG welder is on its high-boy wagon in the background.

I found this 18 speed woman's mountain bike front. The steering tube and the front forks along with the frame tubes will all be used as will the brake.
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It's gnarly now but will still be great for what I need. I really like the back triangle of the frame and may use that for bracing later. Now I will show you the plans scrawled out in about a minute next to my computer with a pen. I think that this contraption is mostly what I am looking to build here.
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I will be lagging between posts in this build as I will be posting it in real time. Wish me luck! :)
 
Thanks Matt. This one may take a while as I have so many irons in the fire with my mom and dad's care. I want it to do a better job than the one used in filming Vantage Point, and just be more versatile.
 
It looks very similar to my kite-buggy I used to scream up and down venice beach with. That one had foot pegs on the front for steering, but I guess it would be kinda hard to steer and operate the camera at the same time.... especially for those reverse shots.


Awesome!!
 
yeehaanow said:
It looks very similar to my kite-buggy I used to scream up and down venice beach with. That one had foot pegs on the front for steering, but I guess it would be kinda hard to steer and operate the camera at the same time.... especially for those reverse shots.


Awesome!!
Click to expand...

Thanks. :) I may put a lever/tiller on the front part of the rig just to add to the ability to move it or even to keep the front caster wheel straight and locked down. I really think that our production company can use such a rig for a lot of shots since we have such a nice steadycam now. This rig will allow us to do a lot of the shots we now use a tracked dolly, but the Hyperchariot can really push in a lot longer than a normal tracked dolly. The running shots, from any angle, will be made really simple by this unit.
 
NoNoob said:
Why not get rid of the human altogether?

I mean, go with what you've sketched thus far, then make it a mount for the camera stabilizer you've made.
So, it becomes a stabilized dolly then.

As for camera operation- make all that remote.

Just an idea is all.
Click to expand...

Remote is OK for some things, but the immediate moving of the camera to balance a shot with micro adjustments as per the human eye cannot be done without some really fine, expensive equipment I sure can't afford.

I am old, so I still like the grey-matter bioelectric supercomputer present on a human holding the steadycam. :)

A good addition will be to mount a camera platform on the rig as an alternate though, like we did with our fly rig sled.
 
NoNoob said:
Also, I betcha a leaf spring kind of support at the rear axle would make it really smooth too.
(that'd help with the ride if you do keep the human part of the design too)
Click to expand...

That's a great idea. I am probably going to leave this rig hard-tailed however, finish it, rely on the great Hypercam springs and then start looking for adaptable suspension after the rig is able to go onto the set.

Here is another drawing... This one from God's eye view and actually with a ruler used. There will be a sitting platform on the front of the platform area that is not in the drawing as it will be removable. Also the waist belt will be attachable to the top side rails with U shaped 1/2" stock that can be adjusted to various heights depending on the height of the Hypercam operator.

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I will probably make the platform from thin light plywood with padding underneath it and grip tape on the top. I am toying with the creation of a mount that will hold my HyperCrane on this rig too so I can get running crane shots! In that configuration the rig will become remote operated as suggested above. I am pretty sure the design can carry the weight, but will test it with a dummy load when done. :thumbsup:
 
I have found an inline frame suspension that I may use. It is from an electric three wheeled car, so the shape of the unit is similar. It is a center flex unit.
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As you see it will give a slight travel, resulting in a simple 2"-3" travel. The only problem is to narrow the frame to a single bolt in the middle. Dunno. :huh:
 
You would be better off putting the wheels in the middle of the platform so the person or thing pulling it didn't have to cope with so much downward force.
 
hoarp001 said:
You would be better off putting the wheels in the middle of the platform so the person or thing pulling it didn't have to cope with so much downward force.
Click to expand...

That would cause less stable turning at high speeds and the potential to tip wouldn't it? What exactly do you mean?

Dad, this is looking great! I can't wait to tow you around!:beer:
 
Its just with the wheels at the back of the platform like that, there is a lot of downward force on the dragging handle. If you stuck the wheels in the middle, the platform would be balanced so there is less weight on the handle.

Its why caravans and trailers have wheels in the middle, rather than wheels at the end, most of the weight of the caravan would go on the cars tow bar.

It wont affect stability, atleast not sideways stability.
 
hoarp001, do you mean that the front wheel will be hard to steer because half of the weight will be on it?
 
hoarp001 said:
You would be better off putting the wheels in the middle of the platform so the person or thing pulling it didn't have to cope with so much downward force.
Click to expand...

I understand you are referring to the physics of 'tongue weight' on trailers. To balance the load on the rear wheels will allow less weight on the pull.

In the Hyperchariot, I have to keep the weight balanced in front of the rear wheels so the steadycam operator and a possible over $100,000 camera/lens/steadycam set up doesn't get flipped over backwards. This is the reason I was tending toward making the 26" front wheel a redesigned caster set up that will trail behind the swivel steering tube to stabilize the unit and allow for an intuitive steering on pull by the grips.
 
NoNoob said:
There's not much travel in that suspension thing off the electric cart- but you're going in the right direction.

I've always found mechanically coupled mounts to frames works better in the long run.
I know what you mean about keeping the operators eye in the process.
Nothing is as quick and sure as the adjustments the human element can make.

Repeatable? That's another matter!

NOW- seeing the Hypercrane on there, tooling down a slight incline (like 30°), I want to shoot the 'making of' part!!
It's a neat idea. Boggles the mind a little.

Too bad you found your ruler though- I liked the sketched stuff on the bar nap myself.
Great ideas come from bars you know.

Especially around closing time.
Click to expand...

Do you realize how steep a 30 degree slope is? Wow. I don't really want this rig to go on such a steep slope. I would have to have double disk brakes on the front and at least high quality mountain bike brakes on the back.

Yeah, the second drawing was with a ruler and not on a napkin. I am now toying with putting 20" bicycle wheels on the back instead of the wheelchair wheels just to have a little larger load carrying capacity to possibly run the crane on the rig. The crane is really a heavy unit as it has to carry a possible RED one on the end and also support the weights on the head rig to balance that camera.

Three wheels and a frame have to be able to support that load and still act lightly and not bottom out the rig. But primarily, I want a strong smooth balanced light steadycam dolly for running shots. I really appreciate all of the input and am grateful for your ideas. :)
 
"...That would cause less stable turning at high speeds and the potential to tip wouldn't it? What exactly do you mean?

Dad, this is looking great! I can't wait to tow you around!"

Thanks Matt! I think that we will have me towing Shane in it actually. Hehehehe!


Having the wide tripod of three wheels that can fit in a normal hallway and still function at full speed runs with a steadycam on the platform is the great challenge. Keeping the center of gravity low will be one of the keys.

I see the rider's weight being around 12" in front of the back wheels and placing around 80% on the back wheels. Keeping 20% weight on the single front wheel will allow it a smooth roll and hopefully an easy turning ability without being wobbly.
 
I am about to get a week off work... I will hopefully get some time on this next week.

Time to get to that ol' welder. YAY!
 
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