Inexpensive track dolly

[Garrett Low]

Hello everyone,

In another thread this dolly was listed:

B. Hague & Co. Ltd Tracking Systems
B. Hague & Co. Ltd Tracking Systems

Does anyone know who actually makes this dolly and if there is a distributor in the US?

Or, if someone has a suggestion on an inexpensive dolly system that would fit my needs I'd appreciate any an all suggestions.

I have a small one man shop production company shooting promotional videos, local commercials, event videos and my passion (which so far hasn't really made me any money) Independent movies. I have use a number of other peoples DIY track dollies and am contemplating making my own. My two issues are all the DIY's I've used are pretty big and not very portable for location shoots which is 99% of what I have. The other thing is there can be a noticeable bump when going over the joint of the track since all of teh ones I've tried use either PVC or metal pipes.

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Garrett

[Chris Soucy]

The unit in question is, indeed, manufactured by B. Hague themselves in the UK (they used to make, 100 years ago, possibly still do make, precision machinery for fabric/ cloth manufacturing).

As far as I'm aware, they do not have enough sales to have foreign importers/ stockists, tho' I'm open to being proved wrong.

However, they are an extremely customer friendly bunch and DO export all over the planet, so if you want one of theirs, go for it (be aware that their prices are quoted VAT @ 17.5% INCLUSIVE, so that the price you pay will be substantially less, as VAT is not payable on UK exports)

There are other US based manufacturers of cheap dolly's but I'm not really up with them, can't be that hard to find tho'.

The main problem with making your own is the side load on the wheel bearings used to keep the unit on the track, this can and does lead to seriously early bearing failure unless specially designed wheels/ bearings are used. Skatetboard wheels can't cut it.

That and the fact that home made won't be easy to "knock down" for transport unless you really put a shed load of time and effort into the design and build (ain't gonna be cheap to do) makes it worth doing only for a total headcase (IMHO).

The Hague unit knocks down to bugger all, is a doddle to transport and is exceedingly effective for such a cheap unit.

As you have already discovered however, the track system is where it always goes pear shaped and the Hague unit is no exception.

The only way around it is to not have any joiners. Ergo, once you have the pipe diameter, go out and buy yourself a length of continuous flexible plastic pipe twice the length of the maximum track run anticipated, cut it in half and coil it.

Hey presto, no joiners and it can be as long as you like. Needs to be protected to stop stones etc damaging the pipe surface but that's not impossible, tho' the major bugbear is that two coils of such pipe really require a van/ small truck to transport as they take up a shed load of room.

If you stick with the joiners (as I have) just don't do a take that requires you going over a joiner anywhere during that take OR cut around the bump, works for me but then I'm dead lazy and can't be bothered with vans.


CS

[Garrett Low]

Thanks Chris,

Great info. I'll contact Hague and see what the cost is to export to me in the US.

Thanks Again,
Garrett