DIY Slider (Inspired by Spider Trax dolly)

I threw this little video together to show the slider I built in a little more detail.
This slider ended up costing me around $45-$50, and I think it has some pretty cool features that a lot of other sliders don't.
The basis for this design is the Spider Trax dolly, which has quite a few variations around the internet, but these are the videos that I based mine on:
The dolly - vimeo.com/1369...
The rails - vimeo.com/1394...
I'll probably end up tweaking things here and there as I use it and figure out what works the best in practice, but this design seems to work pretty well as is. I LOVE the versatility of the "turnable" dolly, something that the vast majority of the DIY sliders I looked at didn't have. This design is a little heavy, but I think it's still compact enough to be pretty portable. I don't have to worry about it breaking in my hands like some designs.
Things I may eventually change:
Dolly platform - After I put it all together, I realized I really didn't need to make the dolly
platform as big as I did. If I come across some extra time or a material
as easy to work with and light as wood, I'll at least make it shorter, as
that would give me a little more length of motion.
End Legs - I may end up needing to revise how the end legs are attached. The
current way works great for most things, but when using the rails at an
angle, the legs can't swing to remain perpendicular to the ground. The
current attachment points were just the easiest way we could find.
Wheels - These wheels work well, but they can have a tendency to slide
sideways a bit on very smooth surfaces. I may try to find some made
of a bit softer rubber. These bearings also have quite a bit of friction,
but I'm actually quite pleased with that, as it makes it easier to hand
push the dolly at an even rate.
MOTOR! - That's right! I may eventually add a motor. As I built this I kept thinking it wouldn't
be terribly difficult to make it motorized with a couple pulleys, something to stretch
between them and grip a wheel or two, and a motor at one end. And if not a motor,
at least a little hand-crank, right??
Put any questions in the comments below!

[@TheRemoteMower]

You got my vote for the best slider design on KZbin - BRAVO!

[@AerialLensVideo]

Thanks! This BY FAR the best, most flexible design I have seen. The pro equipment makers could acyually learn from you. Just one case in point: the ability to use the dolly separately for straight or radial movement. Awesome - you have saved me a lot of money !

[@WESTSEVEN1]

that has got to be the best DIY slider/dolly I've seen on the web. great job! thanks for the post.

[@akbychoice]

Love the use of the cheap tripod for one more available movement. That is the first I have seen someone do that.

[@markusl2587]

Nice paintjob on that thing. Makes it Look pro Level!

[@OU81TWO]

The skate board truck idea is really smart.

[@joo3703]

really nice work. this goes beyond just being a slider with the ability to adjust the wheels. Seriously 50 bucks for something that could easily be well into the hundreds of dollars is simply amazing. I will be building one of these.

[@Rippid07]

The dolly stays on the tracks pretty well for how I've used it. As far as wheels staying straight, I actually usually loosen the wheels and run the dolly back and forth a few times on the rails to get them straight before tightening the wheels again. They sit deep enough that I never had much problem with them driving off the tracks. If they're not perfectly straight it mainly just makes the dolly unable to move freely. I'm glad the video helped!

[@mickydl66]

YES, the best home made slider. Strong, light and good construction. Great job! Ciao, Michele from Italy

[@SvenWolfSwe]

Some would argue that it's a dolly. Great build!

[@gpstrek]

Nicely done, I love the features you have designed in. ( swivel trucks, reuse of legs and storage clips.)

Congratulations, you solved the great stability of simple and functional

[@kdoubs2]

BY FAR THE BEST DIY BUILD IVE SEEN SO FAR!

[@iviaverick52]

Pretty legit. And it looks like you can also loosen the wingnuts and change the angle of the trucks for use as a tabletop dolly. Very nice, might have to steal this.

[@moonman9j9]

That Tamron 17-50 lens is the best steal in lenses.

[@Dartheomus]

Really well thought out design... now to motorize it! :)

[@garybloomer4599]

Dude …! This is really impressive. Simple, elegant, functional … CHEAP … and it nicely put together. Love the detachable elements and the nifty re-use of the skate wheels and the tripod lets. OK. I'm off to Target and Lowe's. THANK YOU for the advice, and for the great footage.

[@Rippid07]

A speaker stand, great idea! Probably quite a bit more sturdy than my tripod. You're right, the black has scratched off a little bit, but it doesn't look as bad as I worried it might, except where it's chipped off on the wood slider. The good thing is I can always just touch it up with a few quick sprays.

[@thebeatsmith6594]

this the best DIY slider I've seen....Man...you have brought out my inner "Tool Time"

[@Rippid07]

Glad you like it, thanks! The flexibility is probably one of my favorite parts of this design as well.

[@MatsAndersson]

Thanks for sharing. Best DIY slider i've found on the net.

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

Great to see! (By the way the shots of the roses made it all worth it) I didn't spot the center section being made of plywood until you mentioned it. That really helps make it easier! That metal rail is commonly found at the scrap recycling yards....Electrical companies toss it out all the time

[@Durkhelek]

I love this so much! You used pretty much every part of the old tripod to improve your design. I made the same kind of dolly and track a while ago pretty much exactly like you, but I didn't know how to mount it onto a tripod because it was so heavy. Instead of using two you used one. No waste. And its collapsable! Pure genius my friend.

[@Javlinr]

You Rock! The universe appreciates the time you took to make this video because it's going to help someone that doesn't have a lot of money, able to make their thoughts come alive. They just have to believe and try. I have similar creations that could help up and comers, but don't have the confidence to make a video like you did. Thanx.

[@johnmangino3925]

One of the best ones I've seen done. Great work.

[@nguyenmiket]

best slider rig I've seen! huge props man. nice job

[@alfiefallejo]

Been looking around on how to make a cheap slider on KZbin. Bro, you got the best design on KZbin, it's so ergonomic!!! Thanks for this video. I will recreate this! Appreciate it!

[@jayk7057]

I normally don't bother commenting but this setup you made is awesome! and I think i will build one my self thanks dude!

[@madnessbydesign1415]

Nice! I am a huge fan of strut, and now I know where to get the wheels! Thanks! :)

[@festindivertido1026]

this is the best diy slider, very nice design

[@Rippid07]

Inverted would be awesome! I actually thought about how easy it would be to add some type of crank in the future, I just never got around to it since I got pretty good pushing it smoothly with my hand. Now a motorized crank on the other hand would be fantastic for time-lapse dollies and such.

[@LooneyM3]

out of all the DIY's , this is the frakin best., thanks for the vid

[@Rippid07]

LM3 PRODUCTIONS Thanks, hope it works well for you!

[@leonardmorales746]

Rippid07 you could probably sell these.. make some mula, this is really good

[@LemonExtras]

easily the best design on youtube. glad I found it

[@kenpointaiwan]

been searching for camera slider for a while... this is the best one ever~~

[@SuperSpineman]

You are a genius. Very nice design. Cant wait to build mine. Thanks.

[@henryhbk]

With a little creativity you could probably make this inverted as well (the camera hangs) so you can do overhead dolly shots. Also probably not hard to add a crank for smooth long dolly shots (I imagine a full 10' track would be a challenge to hand roll without jerking). I hadn't thought to use unistrut as I didn't realize the wheels fit perfectly into the track. This is a very versatile design. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheBevomatic]

Love the design, especially incorporating it into a tripod. Goodbye skateboard!!

[@sixfoursoul2538]

Dam ! I think you just won the the best DYI slider on you tube

[@danobrien3695]

Why do people NOT like this?

[@danjones3009]

Sweet! Keep it simple. The way to go. Just wondering about the last shot of the flowers.. Looks like you are circling them .. Yeah, that last shot seems different.. Duh,, I figured it out.. You just used the dolly itself and adjusted the wheels.. Perfect!

[@Mulesw2017]

Awesome idea guy! Just found some random un used rollerblade wheels in the garage last month. Think I might have just found a use for 'em!

[@javiermancheno8531]

Your design is PERFECT ! Have you consider adding a little motor and guide marks for the camera to move micrometrically ? Kudos to You Sir ! You are a real innovator who utilize a great deal of ingenuity !!!!!

[@guerrillastylefilms]

Cool idea. I already built me a table dolly but I would love to make it do double duty as a slider. Time to visit home depot!

[@Rippid07]

Thanks! Since the slider itself is resting on a pan/tilt head that's on the tripod, I can tilt the rails themselves, then adjust the tilt head on the slider so the camera itself remains level. The resulting effect is kind of like an inclined railway.

[@HaiTomVlog]

He best DIY slider I've seen, very cool!

[@frankmoon5826]

I have to agree with the Comment Panel that this is for sure the best Slider DIY I have seen, I just can't wait to build my soon to be film equipment so I can make my own tutorial on it and show the world my design, if I am smart I should patent my idea first. But this is a Genius idea well done.

[@joshuabryson8819]

yep this is the one! Now maybe you could give us a camera crane/jib on your next build!! Awesome job man!

[@Orgore]

This is just simply amazing, been looking for a diy slider like this. Well done. Kudos!

[@filmgirlpipes]

Nice job! A trick that I came across was using slightly modified telescoping painter's poles to support the ends of the slider. :)

[@maxnout01]

Great idea Clong!! This is really cool

[@yozztek]

this is by far the best diy slider iv seen bro, nice one :)

[@PvtMingus]

Best I've seen. Going to attempt to build mine today. Thanks for the tutorial.

[@9451shan]

Very ingenious and creative product 👌 👏

[@Donninator1]

if you add 2 more tracks inverted on top of the wheel then you have an enclosed track system that you can do alot more with, like upside down and up/down shots. good design, cheers

[@Rippid07]

Thanks! A lot of the parts were things I already had that I made work, but I'll try and remember a quick list of the essentials. Lengths of bolts, etc, can vary depending on the specifics of what works for each build, so sorry I can't be more specific. Unistrut (strut channel) Skateboard trucks Unistrut flat connecting brackets (3) Tripod head Wood or other material for slider platform Drill and tap to mount rails to tripod Optional things like support legs for the ends, etc.

[@lindamuvic8110]

Really nice design.

[@AlfFisher]

the beautiful idea!!! the excellent performance !!! looks as made at the factory . want itself to do such

[@Rippid07]

I believe this is the Manfrotto 128RC Micro Fluid Head. To be honest, the rails are a little too heavy for it probably. A heavier tripod head would be better off. And I did spray paint my rails black. When I bought them, they had been painted green.

[@TerenceKearns]

I like this design - especially because you can take it off and use it on any surface. Would probably use two cheap tripods, one at each end of the rail, for support. Also, you are likely to get wobble with that style of plastic head. You can get a decent metal ball head from ebay for $25. That's my only advice. Good work. Thanks for sharing...

[@randomperson-yk3kt]

This is exactly what i was thinking of doing, i thought of free bearings but the wheels would make it more silent

[@Rippid07]

Easy! The wheels never touch the holes! :P The bottoms of the wheels don't actually touch anything at all, the only contact points are the sides of the rails, and the wheels rest down in between them. This means less surface area, thus less friction and less chance of hitting a bump. It also means the wheels won't slide or roll sideways off the track.

[@epicgnar]

I would love to build my own, and further modify your great design by employing a crank for a remote control and manual use. I'd also love to mount it at 90 degrees. I've been looking online for a couple weeks to find a cheap solution for dolly design, and this is by far the most clever and economical. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I was thinking about putting an additional set of wheels on the outside/bottom to secure the mount to the track. Thanks for sharing your post.

[@ramdarass]

well designed and executed!

[@Thr33.Sid3z]

This is perfect! Exactly how Ive been thinking of making mine. Thanx for sharing!

[@Rippid07]

Yeah plywood isn't necessarily the best material to use, but it's what I had and it's really easy to work with. As far as wheel, I think I got lucky with some very smooth ones. I might suggest trying to find some made of a little softer rubber. Also make sure there is nothing on the rails that could get in the way of the wheels. Even a tiny piece of dirt will make a big difference.

[@REVJHD]

Nice build man....way too many of these DIY cam gigs end up with el-cheapo setups that don't look stable or would fall apart after 1 use. Your build looks like it would actually survive a few location shoots, which is awesome! Might be building one this weekend.

[@m.r.thompson3243]

best DYI that I have "scene"... thank you

[@Rippid07]

Hey Joe, thanks for the comment. A crank system would be an awesome addition, something I wanted to add in the future but just haven't gotten around to it. As for the additional set of wheels, I actually just got a message from someone else who used this design, but from what I understand, he basically built two and attached them bottom to bottom, and had wheels on top and bottom. Not exactly sure of the details of how he pulled that off, but that's an idea.

[@TheShooter1337]

I really liked the idea with the clips, good job dude,

[@XJAYARE2Xx]

This is the best dyi slider i seen so far great ideas bro!

[@JustinRigdon]

Holy cow. I just found my weekend project!!!! Thanks so much!

[@frankmoon5826]

I am working on a design for some film equipment that may just revolutionize film making for Indie film makers and I love your video on this slider and I am not even done watching the video yet, and by the way if you add a pole to one end of the skateboard think when you put it on the ground you can get some good panning shots with it. Just an idea for ya.

[@TheNeo052000]

Same here I have seen many videos this one is great! Thank you for sharing!

[@franciscojaviersotomartin8886]

what an amazing job

[@andymcquade]

Excellent work.

[@boardstyle2]

That's what I was looking for! Just PERFECT! Thank you!

[@SkorpoTv]

this is a great build

[@mudersville]

This is amazing. By far the best setup on KZbin. Any chance for a written or video tutorial?

[@AlfFisher]

With many thanks for answer! I was able to find similar racks and has already selected travell about - shall do itself like design for removal their own video :)

[@andreaccord]

This is sooo cool dude! Thanks for sharing!! Awesome !!

[@PastorGregCash]

I'm in agreement with everyone! Best I've seen so far!! Thanks for the info!!

[@EpicentreSpices]

Yep, this is a really smart set-up. Very well thought out, simple to build, stable and nice to work with. Thanks, I've spent hours looking at various options for a slider but now know what I want to do.

[@vincehollaway]

Great design.

[@ebrahimmodan8348]

Awesome design bro but u have not used wheels which can cause the dolly to shake so to reduce the amount of shaking ad wheels underneath the dolly and also where u have put the bolts to attach the two plates together. Another idea came to mind after watching the full video.

[@mducevision2419]

Beautiful stuff man...

[@Az-fotosDe]

Very nice DIY Slider ! best regards from cologne, andreas

[@MrKen-wy5dk]

Give this man a CIGAR!!

[@EdisonVillelaPor]

Great work dude!

[@Rippid07]

I actually removed the part of the trucks that have the four holes, and mounted them using just the center post. The trucks on my slider DO NOT tilt anymore, to get the dolly to turn, I just swivel the trucks on that center post.

[@Gman7294]

Awesome design :)

[@andrinissac]

What material u have used for making that rail ??? How much the rail and dolly base weighs ??

[@mikesama5458]

probably aluminum

[@gregmendoza7394]

Great design. I actually build something like it but instead of the plywood I used a piece of flat 1inch thick metal and it works really good. The only issues is that in some section of the rail the wheels bump making the footage a little shaky and just wonder if you can suggest me another type of wheels. Thanks!

[@markangelone7407]

I just made this slider to oday so easy so awesome thank you for the video. Cost was 50 bucks.

[@kl3nd4thu]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[@tvenergyproductions1]

Excellent video, many thanks. I did my own motorized track a few years using Unitrack 3m sections, but had the wheels go inside the track. I would like to know what width of wheels you use to travel along the top of the track?

[@Askjerry]

Nice design. I would suggest a drop of crazy glue on the clip screws as they will get loose.

[@Rippid07]

Since the rails are mounted to a pan/tilt tripod head, you can tilt them any way you want. You can see what it ends up looking like in a couple of my example shots at the end of the video. The only problem with this design of attaching the support legs at the ends of the rails is that they're not able to swing free and stay perpendicular to the ground when tilted.

[@DaveBattle]

Genius! Well done.

[@jugsApoppin0]

this is an awesome idea

[@arthurbissolotti]

Freaking awesome design bro!!!!