Building a cart for moving sound gear to/from the playa...

MerkinMan · Post by **MerkinMan** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:11 pm

Hello all!

Still reeling from my first year at BM. What a blast that was!

Anyhoo, down to business. I want to procure or build from scratch a cart to help move a small PA system and musical instruments/equipment from our camp-site to the playa (A mutant vehicle is not an option for me for financial reasons). I haven't really seen anything that seems up to the task, and I'm prepared to try building one if need be. My thought was that it should have some mid-sized pneumatic tires, and perhaps an aluminum base, and railing. I figured I'd make it in such a way so that it could be pulled by a tricycle (with a couple of people assisting in keeping it steady and push-power).

Maybe one of you has seen such a thing that fits the bill? I welcome any assistance here. Thanks in advance!

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:38 pm

Big wooden platform with 4 large caster wheels. Stroll thru a home despot and saok in the various parts available. Whenever I need to build somethin I never made before it sometimes help to windowshop for parts and design from available resources. You could also try hitting junkyards and maybe re-purpose some stuff rather than use new. At the end of the week burn the wood and keep the wheels.

MerkinMan · Post by **MerkinMan** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:47 pm

Thanks, Toolmaker. I had considered caster wheels, but I hadn't seen anything I felt was playa-worthy. Some of those roads are pretty bumpy! But then I haven't shopped as extensively as possibly for them either. I'm also all about re-use, so that's a great suggestion.

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:06 pm

Here a few online resources for getting an idea of wheels

http://www.grainger.com/
http://www.nationalcaster.com/

You also may want to check out ebay and also consider a pre-made cart on the used market. There are some industrial carts about that may suit your needs available used kinda cheap. Just weld or bolt your larger knobby tire caster wheels to the bottom. I would use the plate caster wheels since they are nice and easy to work with. Let us know how much weight were talking and how big width and length. I get a buttload of catalogs so I might be able to find something for ya with more info.

ilmarinen · Post by **ilmarinen** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:23 pm

The first thing that came to mind to me was one of these:

From here.

Seems like it'd handle drifts and such better than casters (which I'm dubious of on-Playa).

Or one of the big fat-tire garden wagons?

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Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 2:17 am

Doh.. I totally forgot I had this..

http://www.ibike.org/economics/trailer.htm

And this..

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bicycle ... 30-for-pa/

And this sexy thing here.. (my favorite)
http://www.re-cycle.org/Trailer.pdf

This is good too..
http://www.howtopedia.org/en/How_to_mak ... le_Trailer

Might as well take a peek here too..
http://www.solson.com/solson_self_build ... ilers.html

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:32 am

Those garden carts vary a lot, even the chinese.
I had a good one that we hauled an engine on.
The seemingly identical one from sam's had been crappified and sucks.
Even a slight difference in tire size matters.

Check out the snow tires for bikes I posted.

oleg8888 · Post by **oleg8888** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:47 pm

Couple of 2x4s, plywood and casters: regular and swivel
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=38944
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=38943

These casters are playa tested. Just make sure to lock tight the screws holding the rims together. For some reason they are loose when manufactured[/s]

Post by **mdmf007** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:31 pm

Theres all sorts of options out there.

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:21 pm

http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html

I think I got this link off another post a while back. The fellow that shared it had made a mini-camper bed/tent out of one. It is a neat little bike trailer that could be made from many materials, pvc comes readily to mind.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:45 pm

I like wheel barrow tires....you can even double them up like dualies for flotation and capacity......