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Steadicam Cart


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Backstage equipment makes a rather nice spud for a magliner handle. Then you can hang your sled on the handle end on your docking stand. There ad pictures one:

http://www.backstageweb.com

 

The Magliner available where ever better warehouse people shop is a great foldable rugged cart. A good improvement is the backstage people's wheel kit so all the wheels of the magliner will be larger for travel over rough surfaces. The shelf is also nice but not really necessary as there is plenty of room for the focus/transmitter cases and the sled to ride on the base.

 

The better docks (gorlock) have a place to hang your arm or a short loop of cord on the back side of the dock works well.

 

I've used a rig like this for several years and am very satisfied with it.

 

TJ

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I just finished a custom cart/docking stand. The footprint is the same as a stand and it has drawers for the arm/batteries/follow fucus/the AC's blow. It's just back from being powder-coated so I'm still putting it all back together...I'll snap a picture or two if you want, but we'd have to view the pics on another forum...for some reason we can't post pics here in Gen Dicuss...?

 

Ron B

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I go back and forth depending on the job between a modified magliner and a

Murphy Cart. If it's a multiple day job in one location the Murphy Cart works great

due to it's small footprint. You do the big load in build your package on the cart - pull out everything you need and put it on the bottom shelf or top tray then push your cases off to the side. You're free to wheel it around the location and park it safely. The footprints a little bigger than a rolling stand but you've got a place for all your stuff plus a place to put your waterbottle.

I think there might be a picture of it on SteadiCenter - I bought mine used but I think the guy who makes them is in Toronto.

 

If it's one of those 6 locations in one day with all accessories plus video assist type jobs then the magliner is king for obvious reasons. I do find myself building off a stand to get to dynamic balance and then transfer the rig back on to the cart but that's due to how mine is set up. I'm sure others here have worked out a better magliner conversion then mine.

I remember Erwin Landau had a kick ass Cart made up of parts he bought from Backstage,

it might be worth a search in the 2002 , 2003 archives to find pics of it.

 

 

Paul Magee

Philadelphia, PA

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Paul,

 

I always knew you were a wise man - nice combo. I've always used the American rolling stand to carry the rig and a collapsable Rock'N Roller cart that reconfigures to various sizes for my cases. The huge drawback to this method is that you cannot carry the rig while built on the cart. On certain cobblestone roads this is a pain in the butt. So much so, I alas have ordered a Magliner Senior Steadicam cart from Filmtools (http://store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/steadsencar.html). Expensive and large, but at a certain point, I realized I was never going to reinvent the wheel (I've had plans to do something for years). Most recently, I was toying with the idea of converting a Yeager cart, but in the end, I opted for the simple click of a mouse and one stop shopping. We can thank Erwin for all his efforts, as this is essentially his cart.

 

I suppose in a perfect world, I'd add a Murphy Cart to the inventory too, but I don't have the space for that many carts. In the end, you need to decide what works best for you in your environment, realizing that one cart may not work for everything. I know I'll keep my Rock'N Roller for some occasions too and be assured that I will always keeps the American stand on my Magliner too.

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Hi alec,

 

Presumably if for whatever reason some eager beaver pulls all of your cases off the magliner, and you still have your rig docked on the magliner, the magliner is counter weighted so it wont fall over, right?:) I use a magliner jr. myself and have considered getting the steadicam nose conversion for a while but always felt nervous about leaving a few hundred grand balanced on the end of a relatively flimsy magliner.

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I use the Magliner, and I have overall been very happy with it. I'm sure with a little time and engineering, you could make the perfect cart, but I chose to make life easy and buy one. I bought the magliner with the following options:

 

Top shelf (I put arm & focus, with plenty of extra room)

- I ordered the taller handle package, this puts the top shelf at a nice working height.

- To secure the top shelf, you need to drill holes and insert pins on the vest side to keep the

shelf from flipping up when someone leans on it, and they will.

Vest hanger

Baby spud on handle (for mounting Gorelock)

- this is the weak link. I've found it to bend with heavy cameras built on it. I need to have my

machinist reinforce it.

Larger wheels

- I went with the foam filled, heavier, but never a flat.

Steadicam pad

 

I keep batteries and chargers, tools, set case, spare clothes, etc.. on the bottom shelf. The whole thing folds up and packs away pretty well.

 

It was around $1500 for the whole cart.

 

Mark Karavite

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Stephen,

 

"I use a magliner jr. myself and have considered getting the steadicam nose conversion for a while but always felt nervous about leaving a few hundred grand balanced on the end of a relatively flimsy magliner. "

 

Yeah, I hear you. This is why I toyed with the idea of a Yeager Cart. Another idea was to use a Magliner Senior, but instead of supporting the top shelf with an extended nose, come up with another support system so you could use the top shelf from a Junior. Now the shelf would not go from end to end, allowing you to place the rig OEVR the tires and inside the cart, but again I didn't have the time or energy to invent the thing - besides, I needed the full cargo room of the Senior.

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Gents--

 

I have taken my Magliner Jr and added a bracket to the handle bar loop to allow docking a fully built sled, in high or low mode, right between my hands while pushing.

 

Also, I added a set of pneumatic casters to the cart's handle end to allow travel over rough terrain and boy does that make the difference, cobblestones or cable or even snow!

 

I chose a set of casters that are the same size or even a touch taller than the stock front nose wheels that come with the Magliner. While this does slant the cart like a dune buggy, it does tend to keep the rig hanging just so and not slamming about like some other docking brackets allow. Since the rig tends to ride lower than other brackets, I have felt more comfortable with this arrangement.

 

Plus, I added a front box to the nose plate, which I can remove to transport the cart, to carry my stand--a Mathews aluminum combo reflector stand--this way I am self-contained on one cart for the day!

 

I have pictures if anyone is interested and I have some more of the bracket which I call the MagDock.

 

Best,

 

Brant "Snowing Already in NH" Fagan, SOC

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yeah, i would really like to urge some photo s too... want to build/balance on my magliner but got some heebeegeebee s....

 

especially pushing the magliner about with rig on board.. do u strap it down with velcro straps or something..?

 

Do i have to get the larger pneumatic wheels? for the handle end?

Is it vital to have the 8" wheel kit to use the mast and bumper kit?

 

Do I have to get that flash extendable bazzoka steadicam mount or can i just get away with the 40dollar

Universal 5/8' pin and bracket

http://store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/magun58nospi.html

 

I would love to see your action photo s!

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The problem with the Magliner Steadicam nose conversion is that the push handle is aluminum, with a steel pin mounted at the top. There is play in that steel pin, and your rig will tend to lean away from the cart, not very assuring. I even spun the handle around, and it just started leaning the other way.

 

I met with my machinist yesterday, and he is manufacturing the nose out of steel, to the same dimensions as the aluminum handle. This should allow me to securely dock the rig on the cart. Moving the sled to the inside of the wheels sounds like a good idea. I'll try the steel handle for now.

 

Mark Karavite

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The problem with the Magliner Steadicam nose conversion is that the push handle is aluminum, with a steel pin mounted at the top.  There is play in that steel pin, and your rig will tend to lean away from the cart, not very assuring.  I even spun the handle around, and it just started leaning the other way. 

 

 

I have never had a problem with the docking pin on the handles, and that's what I dock to all the time

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Hi Thomas

I think the nose pin would be too low for normal rigging. The full mast and bumper are great.

Yes on the Junior cart there is a risk of the whole thing tipping up. I usually put all my bits and pieces, batteries etc on the cart first then build the rig. I would definitely get the bigger wheels as they are a lot more gentle on the whole set up in terms of vibration also better for getting up and down obstacles.

A couple of things I do not like about the Magliner are the braking system, mine stopped working after about a week. I have modified it by inserting a large thumb screw to lock against the wheel this is slow though so would like to hear of any other solutions.

Also need to modify the area where the Steadicam mast fits with the cart as if you try to lift the cart from the mast handle there is a great danger of the mast falling out. Just needs a couple of pins, ahh if only there where 25 hours in a day.

Overall though I am very very happy with the whole set up

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