Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: I need some help having a projector dolly made.

This is topic I need some help having a projector dolly made. in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 05-04-2009, 08:23 AM:

Hey guys, I'm having a dolly made up for my projector. I am away from it for a few days but I'm eager to get some specifications sent away, and to get some general advice.

The dolly is for a Simplex 5 point. I decided to have a platform dolly made rather than bolting casters in the holes already in the legs as this may cause too much stress at too few a points, and I have heard about the cast bases cracking.

I am interested to hear about your opinions concerning the center of gravity and placement of wheels. I am using an RCA 1050 so the projectors COG is seemingly quite far forward. I am also using an extremely small lamphouse, is this an issue, or would the best placement be the obvious directly below the feet?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 05-04-2009, 08:49 AM:

I have different bases, but when I set up something like this I ordered some furniture dollys from Grainger (an industrial supplier in the US) that had solid top surfaces. Mine are Grainger part number 2W451 and are rated for 1000 lbs. capacity. They were only about $60 each.

I was able to attach one base to one dolly, but you may need to attach two dollies together, unless you can find one big enough to hold a 5-point base.

If you have good woodworking skills and tools already (I don't), you might be able to build something that is better and/or less expensive.

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 05-04-2009, 08:22 PM:

I have known people who have bolted casters onto 5-point pedestals with no problems. And the mounted equipment included an Simplex E-7, RCA 9050, Magnarc and 6000 magazines. A significant amount of weight.

The key is to inspect the underside of the pedestal casting. The 3 and 5 point pedestals WITHOUT the cast webbing WILL fail. The 5-point pedestals WITH the webbing should be ok.

But remember a basic law of physics about using a large surface area to evenly distribute a concentrated load.

Regards

Will Kutler

Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 05-05-2009, 04:32 AM:

Yeah its pre-webbing, looks like its platform for me. Thanks for the help guys

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 05-05-2009, 01:36 PM:

Too bad you're not on a standard Simplex LL-series pedestal, as I have a dolly design that is simply awesome, it adds only about 1/2" to the overall height of the machine. I got that dolly from an old-school projectionist many years ago, he couldn't remember who had designed or made it.

With that dolly a 100-pound girl can easily move a fully configured projector and lamp combo around easily.

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 05-05-2009, 07:40 PM:

BACP has a track system for moving and maintaining projector alignment, check their site.