IsraelHoudini
Well-known member
and how did you make it steady/stable enough for those truly smoooooooth shots? wheels/tracks? joints? springs? shock absorbers?
who has built thier own dolly?
- Thread starter IsraelHoudini
- Start date
J_Barnes
Veteran
Re: who has built thier own dolly?
In my experience, the quality of the track and the care taken in how it's laid has far more of an effect on a dolly shot then the actual dolly used on top of the track.
For most people, a basic skateboard dolly with some rented steel track will work wonders. Just make sure to have plenty of shims on hand and some knowledgeable grips to supervise the leveling. I’ve seen home-made track, but I haven’t been impressed with any of it. The PVC pipe versions really sag under any kind of weight, and that’s exactly what you want it to NOT do.
As far as making your own, I haven't seen dollies with shock absorbers or springs. Most are designed to dampen vibration and irregularities with sheer weight rather then with absorption. Peewees and Fishers are hundreds of pounds, so they're less susceptible to vibration and vertical/lateral movement. Also, because they're so heavy, they tend to be much smoother in their operation.
I'm sure you can find plans online to build a skateboard dolly, and if you need vertical movement on top of dollying and trucking, you can put a tripod with a jib arm on top of the dolly to get the shots you want.
Also, a lot of rental houses rent skateboard dollies and tracks, along with their more expensive pneumatic versions. If you're not using it a lot in production, it's probably cheaper to rent a nice one then it is to build a crappy one.
In my experience, the quality of the track and the care taken in how it's laid has far more of an effect on a dolly shot then the actual dolly used on top of the track.
For most people, a basic skateboard dolly with some rented steel track will work wonders. Just make sure to have plenty of shims on hand and some knowledgeable grips to supervise the leveling. I’ve seen home-made track, but I haven’t been impressed with any of it. The PVC pipe versions really sag under any kind of weight, and that’s exactly what you want it to NOT do.
As far as making your own, I haven't seen dollies with shock absorbers or springs. Most are designed to dampen vibration and irregularities with sheer weight rather then with absorption. Peewees and Fishers are hundreds of pounds, so they're less susceptible to vibration and vertical/lateral movement. Also, because they're so heavy, they tend to be much smoother in their operation.
I'm sure you can find plans online to build a skateboard dolly, and if you need vertical movement on top of dollying and trucking, you can put a tripod with a jib arm on top of the dolly to get the shots you want.
Also, a lot of rental houses rent skateboard dollies and tracks, along with their more expensive pneumatic versions. If you're not using it a lot in production, it's probably cheaper to rent a nice one then it is to build a crappy one.
Re: who has built thier own dolly?
Hey all,
I built one last month & have used it everyday on a features we have just wrapped up. I built it with 2" & 1" steel and spindle parts from a Go Cart shop. It crabs, steers like a HiLow from the back, steers like a wagon from the front & rides on round track with wheels from GlideShots. It weighs about 175 lbs and looks on film like a FISHER 10. Cost me $800 and about 25 hours labor, but BLOWS away the Mathews doorway or anything short of a Rental dolly. I don't know how to post pictures , but I can if someone could help. It is a bit ambitious of a project (U need to wield) but it is a production Value BONUS for sure.
Steve
Hey all,
I built one last month & have used it everyday on a features we have just wrapped up. I built it with 2" & 1" steel and spindle parts from a Go Cart shop. It crabs, steers like a HiLow from the back, steers like a wagon from the front & rides on round track with wheels from GlideShots. It weighs about 175 lbs and looks on film like a FISHER 10. Cost me $800 and about 25 hours labor, but BLOWS away the Mathews doorway or anything short of a Rental dolly. I don't know how to post pictures , but I can if someone could help. It is a bit ambitious of a project (U need to wield) but it is a production Value BONUS for sure.
Steve
Re: who has built thier own dolly?
i built a dolly about a month ago, havent gotta to use it alot yet, its an interesting design. it works on 20" bmx wheels, or can run on the typical skateboard wheel/pvc pipe track. I have done a few test. Its not very professional, yet a lot better then nothing. Best of all it cost me barely anything to make due to having almost thing i needed or finding it in the trash. i can post a few pics at some point if anyone cares to see.
i built a dolly about a month ago, havent gotta to use it alot yet, its an interesting design. it works on 20" bmx wheels, or can run on the typical skateboard wheel/pvc pipe track. I have done a few test. Its not very professional, yet a lot better then nothing. Best of all it cost me barely anything to make due to having almost thing i needed or finding it in the trash. i can post a few pics at some point if anyone cares to see.
Ernest_Acosta
Well-known member
Re: who has built thier own dolly?
I built a dolly last year, which cost me under $50 bucks. Did the job, but you cannot ride this one. This is for tripod use only. I purchased a pack of in-line skates (8 in a pack) from Models $30.00, went to home depot and got 3 inch threaded screws, 4 small "L" brackets, put 2 wheels together with a washer in between, slipped the threaded screw throught them then into the "L" bracket, fastened with fastening/locking screws not too tight. I then cut 2 pieces of 3/4 inch plywood for my platform, bolted them together, attached the "L" brackets near the edges on the bottom. I use pipes to form a "T" which is used to push and pull the dolly, 1/2 " PVC for my tracks which is connected with plumming nipples and bling, you are in business. Starting and stopping a track dolly is the main hassle and you should practice doing this. Also leveling the tracks if the surface is not levelled and smooth is also a concern. If you don't want the hassle of the wheels you can buy them already configured here:
http://www.dvmoves.com/products/dolly/index.cfm
Or you can go the home built stabilizer site to checkout how other folks built theirs. I think they have plans on there as well. Here is the site:
www.homebuiltstabilizers.com
Birdboy I would love to see pictures and plans if you have them. Peace!
I built a dolly last year, which cost me under $50 bucks. Did the job, but you cannot ride this one. This is for tripod use only. I purchased a pack of in-line skates (8 in a pack) from Models $30.00, went to home depot and got 3 inch threaded screws, 4 small "L" brackets, put 2 wheels together with a washer in between, slipped the threaded screw throught them then into the "L" bracket, fastened with fastening/locking screws not too tight. I then cut 2 pieces of 3/4 inch plywood for my platform, bolted them together, attached the "L" brackets near the edges on the bottom. I use pipes to form a "T" which is used to push and pull the dolly, 1/2 " PVC for my tracks which is connected with plumming nipples and bling, you are in business. Starting and stopping a track dolly is the main hassle and you should practice doing this. Also leveling the tracks if the surface is not levelled and smooth is also a concern. If you don't want the hassle of the wheels you can buy them already configured here:
http://www.dvmoves.com/products/dolly/index.cfm
Or you can go the home built stabilizer site to checkout how other folks built theirs. I think they have plans on there as well. Here is the site:
www.homebuiltstabilizers.com
Birdboy I would love to see pictures and plans if you have them. Peace!
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
Re: who has built thier own dolly?
Birdboy, if you want to email your pics/video samples (output is what it's REALLY about... so a small wma clip would be best) I can host/post it for you. mgettemeier at charter dot net.
I've got all the parts to build a nice dolly, but I just haven't got it done yet. With inline wheels you can get a lot softer rubber, which should help. Plus I sprang for the ABEC8 bearings so it should glide like greased glass. I'm considering setting this one up to run on a pair of cables instead of track... then leveling is a cinch even though rigging is a new problem. When I get off my ass and get this done I'll post some video. Initial tests look very promising.
Birdboy, if you want to email your pics/video samples (output is what it's REALLY about... so a small wma clip would be best) I can host/post it for you. mgettemeier at charter dot net.
I've got all the parts to build a nice dolly, but I just haven't got it done yet. With inline wheels you can get a lot softer rubber, which should help. Plus I sprang for the ABEC8 bearings so it should glide like greased glass. I'm considering setting this one up to run on a pair of cables instead of track... then leveling is a cinch even though rigging is a new problem. When I get off my ass and get this done I'll post some video. Initial tests look very promising.
DVX100Shooter
Veteran
Re: who has built thier own dolly?
check out this site for parts to make a dolly and other "rig" type equipment. Look under Products.
www.willyswidgets.com
check out this site for parts to make a dolly and other "rig" type equipment. Look under Products.
www.willyswidgets.com