Camera Tripod Dolly

[@flrmedia2494]

I built one of these with some skateboard wheels I ordered off eBay, all I had to change was the length of the bolt. This was such a cool build and I got such wonderful shots. Thanks Frugal Filmmaker

[@VRNomad]

This is fantastic - by far the most travel friendly DIY dolly tutorial I've seen. You could easily disassemble the dolly components and throw them in a backpack - and just buy some PVC pipes for rails onsite wherever you happen to be. Thank you for sharing your design!

[@pikturetimefilms]

1st a modular wheel to build something around. Then, a tracking crane shot? You, sir, are a GENIUS.

[@JLee-in1rp]

Already a big fan up until you chucked that Whip It video nonchalantly.. now you're my hero. GREAT WORK!

[@bananasrfr14]

to reduce the shaking, wrap a rubber band around the tripod and then pull on the rubber band to pull the tripod across the dolly track. great job as always!

[@t.c.2776]

Love your projects... I'm a DIYer also. I made a rolling tripod dolly by buying an old office chair with wheels, taking the chair off and attaching an adjustable mono-pod to the center post.

[@Future979]

Anthony Abbondondola Can you show us?

[@52Shy]

I used 1/2" fittings and the wheels run nicely on 3/4" and 1" tracks. I also found adding a smaller but thicker washer allows the wheels to roll freely with out any rubbing.

[@unjoshed]

Love the fact that the roller skates came with Whip It and you just threw it away. Classic.

[@stanleyjohnson6046]

To reduce the drag, carefully pull the barring from the wheels, clean them with carburetor cleaner (soak, spin with fingers, and paper towel dry) put a couple drops of skate wheel barring oil on them, and but them back in the wheels. You'll have less drag and a longer free-spin. (In addition to loving A/V, I also use to work for a skating rink. ;) )

[@aashish9845023480]

That is the best DIY dolly system I have seen man. Super easy to make, I was gonna make a tripod dolly myself and was researching about them. I think im going to make this one. THanks man, it is worth it subscribing you. Legend!

[@TheSubcom117]

I bought cheap skates and they also had high drag. I popped the bearings out and it was them...they were stiff. There is no rubber cover to remove to grease the inside, so I sprayed on a liquid silicone lubricant so it would flow inside around the axle opening. I spun the wheels to spread the lub inside. After a couple of sprays, they turned quite freely. Now that they are fixed, I'm off to buy PVC parts. Thanks for the great idea.

[@QuincyForte]

I am so glad I found this channel!

[@mvcfitz33]

Hey I just switched majors to video production and this dolly vid is awesome since I don't have significant funding currently :P. Thanks for taking the time to help us out!!

[@少川靖男]

Now, if this is not the best, I don't think you have been screening enough videos in the subject matter. Especially for someone who are minimalist with power tools, or simply tools. Great work.

[@WorldClimb]

Skate wheels usually free up with use. As you're not going to use as intended, take the bearing units out of the wheels and soak in gasoline to remove the packed in grease, then use a thin oil (3-1) to keep lubricated. To remove the bearing insert a 1/4 drive extension in the hole and lever out. Watch for dripping grease.

[@esutton493]

@Vyom Malhotra, the short pieces are just cut off of your piece of PVC pipe to connect the joints with. Should be cut about 1 1/2"- 2" long for each one, not too long to keep the joints from going completely together.

[@trv16gel]

Great design. Spending a little extra on decent wheel bearings would take this to another level.

[@SamuelTyree1]

You may be causing the drag on the bearings with your bolt/washer/nuts causing them to bind. You might free up the wheels by using stand off spacer. Just something to look into. I really enjoy your work. I am just at the very beginning of my film "career", and you've been a big help and very inspiring!

[@DjsVideoProductions]

This dolly is so nice I am in the process of making my own the only difference is I will be using 1-1/4" pvc pipe because my tripod legs are a little bit bigger. Thanks for the tutorial. I subbed. ... Cheers!

[@hydrosealcanada1750]

Now I can make my own dolly for my tripod. I didn't imagine we can actually do this, great stuff thefrugalfilmmaker.

[@jaesonkay]

Great DIY, thanks for making so many useful projects. Regarding the wheel drag on the wheels-- try using spacers inside the wheels, between the bearings. Same diameter as t

[@dylanstaley6089]

I just love how you tossed that movie out of the way.

[@BusyRetiredGorden]

Off to Lowe's. Very much appreciate your work Sir.

[@FatInTheBag]

just a quick tip, these wheels/bearings work the same as if they were on a skateboard, so if you just loosen the nut it will decrease the drag. also, adding a lubricant to the bearing will help significantly.

[@raymond1976]

Nice work. Good to see a DIY video again. I just can't wait to see it in combination with the Frugal Crane!

[@wwShadow7]

gt85 that I got at an american bicycle shop a long time ago was good stuff for reducing friction / drag. Teflon based or some such, so it doesn't get all gunky like a lot of lubricants. Great on bicycle chains as you don't collect all the dust and road grime you would otherwise collect. Sadly not made in america. And the only can I had got lost during my last move.

[@ontariohvac]

Wow. For once I'm impressed with a DIY video. Workmanlike - my highest compliment.

[@wesleycurryii3341]

Mister.....Thank you. This is ExACTLY what I was looking for, and your on camera explanations are easy going and easy to learn from. Wesley

[@frugalfilmmaker]

It would be more stable, but I don't know if it's necessary. The 3/4" seemed to work fine. Plus, upgrading the sizes of everything would also be more costly.

[@cratedigger89]

If you need longer tracks, all you need is a couple short pieces of the same size PVC, then cut a horizontal score in them, with a decent size gap. Then, simply squeeze the piece so it fits into the end of the tracks, and then expands back to it's larger size, giving you a snug fit for longer track.

[@raymond1976]

I was wondering of you ever tried using this with a long thick rubber like tubing or something alike. You could lay down an oval or circular track. Would be rely handy when you don't have a flat surface. you could even lay it against a not to steep slope. You could weigh the dolly down with a sandbag to keep it more stable. Great show by the way!!!

[@ApertureMovies]

this is a great idea for a dolly, really like the design. Shame PVC is so expensive here in the UK, i spent more than £30 ($50) on my frugal handheld rig..

[@Interlumix70]

We miss the complete unboxing of our Roller Derby :-) thanks to your video its a fantastic idea you have, i will copy it. best wishes form Switzerland

[@jjesgirl]

so, here is my review.. I went with the list of everything but the rollers that you had listed is no longer able to get. not only that but I had to make a trip back to lowes to get the right nuts and blots for the wheels I got. that was my bad. so make sure you get the right size before you start your build. after that was said and done, when you build it it's a little hard to "snap" things together. the fun part was seeing things come together real fast. one thing is that I am going to put a floor board on to the frame so I can put different tri pods to it. The dolly will have drag on it if you put to much weight on it. over all I am every happy that I made this and it works every well! so there is some pros and cons to this but for a first time camera dolly it works! you can brake it down fast and put it up as fast as well. so over all I spent around $50 bucks on this to make it. 8 out of 10 for over all. skill level is 7 out of 10. took me about a day and half. due to getting or finding the wheels for cheap. HAVE FUN WITH THIS! will be making more on other videos!

[@danielsin]

Is there a possible way to make a portable dolly track for easier transportation uses?

[@frugalfilmmaker]

You're welcome! Glad it worked for you.

[@GadgetAddict]

Very clever. I was thinking, how will this work on grass? But of course it has a 'track'. Looks very smooth. I like it!

[@MandurahConsumer]

If your camera is too light to make the wheels turn well, .. 1. Add a sandbag, 2. Try a lubricant. Not WD 40, it's not intended as a lubricant. Sellys and CRC have suitable products, one of the two is also recommended for sticky drawers and other things that jam. There is also an Inox spray pack I saw a local Gelder dealer using on a bandsaw. Then I found it on sale in a local fishing tackle place. I don't suggest oils as they don't evaporate. My suggestions leave a residue, but flow into place

[@TheDIYProps]

Same here, I'm in Serbia and those kind of PVC parts are made and distributed in USA and not in Europe. I've found grey PVC sewer pipes instead, the don't have all the same parts but it's better than nothing.

[@pacovasda5955]

one more simple good idea shared. Thanks, dude posting stuff on the internet.

[@frugalfilmmaker]

Thanks. I use a cheap Radio Shack clip-on mic going into a Zoom H1 digital recorder.

[@xtafpfhr5491]

Very cool idea! I was looking around online and found you can buy skate or skateboard wheels just by themselves if you want, so you don't have to just buy skates to get them. They have varying qualities of wheels so you can better ones if you want or cheaper ones to save money. You can try searching "skate wheels" at eBay also to find sets of wheels.

[@patricksudbury]

If the legs are extended, lower them. But, I really like the choppy effect you get when there is a shake, like they did in the 1980's. Try using that.

[@bonnybluehare]

Hi Mr Frugal, great design, thanks for sharing. About the friction issue - If the wheels don't turn easily try packing out with a smaller washer, ie the outside diameter no larger than the inner part of the ball bearing inside the wheel. The washer I saw you put between wheel and end cap looks a little too large and may be rubbing the outer ring of the ball bearing. Just a thought.

[@raymond1976]

How about this for an idea: turn the t-joint at the wheel side 90 degrees so the attachment part points upwards. You could place a ball bearing inside the tube and attach a rod or something to the ball bearing. Using a l-shaped corner piece wich is slightly bigger, also with a ball bearing... Attach that to the rod and attach the l-shaped piece to the rest of the construction. Just a thing that popped up in my mind.

[@MidtownPlazaProductions]

Built mine last month. Works perfect! Great project. Thanks!

[@kiopi94]

This dolly+frugal crane would be an amazing combo

[@ChrisBrown1957]

Just a thought. Instead of buying skates, you could try skateboard spare wheels - also on ebay. These have ball bearings in the middle, so would instantly solve the drag problem. One "slight" drawback is having to transport the long 2" pipes on location, (and what if you need a longer track?)

[@EdEditz]

That turned out a great video. I love the camera work on it.

[@portalmoraesproducoe]

Noble here puts the link that will direct the 4x 3/4 "PVC side outlet elbows GRATEFUL!

[@matthew-182]

If you take the bearings out, pry off the covers then add bike grease or some kind of grease it will give you less drag.

[@sinisterstrukone]

I find that cheap skateboards and skates use pressure bearing for safety. You can buy better bearing that role heaps smoother for about 15 bucks and they will generally fit most wheel types.

[@TomBabbTV]

After you took off the wheels, what did you do with the really awesome skate shoes? :) I really enjoy your videos, Great Stuff! BTW, Gravity has a lot to do with the shakes in the dolly move. I know you know this but... the higher the camera the least stable the shot will be, so I would do 2 things. 1) When you measure the distance between legs, make sure you are at the mid height point of your tripod. 2) If you have to shoot higher, place a sandbag on the tripod center spreaders. GREAT WORK!

[@specfever2]

I was making a camera mount yesterday and needed both a plug and cap. The plug was flat on the end - like yours, but the cap was had a dome end and would not work with what I was trying to do. Grr.

[@PBMediaWorld]

I love the "Toss", and the "Fling." Great Human Fun :) In the end, the Tripod Dolly stole the show.

[@frugalfilmmaker]

Most definitely. They would probably work better since they are made for speed.

[@jdmassey]

Hello, a new friend here! I love the DIY tutorials! Great idea!

[@kaze1sd]

Would it be possible to cut the 10' tracks (2' pvc) in half for portability? If so, what would you use as a coupler to join the two halves. Great work! Thanks for sharing!

[@sketchyssk8shop]

Go by your local skateboard shop. there you can get proper bearings and washers to make that setup roll much better. use El cheapo bearings ( 608zz abec or Abec5) and a set of replacement speed washers. they may have a grab bin of wheels so you can get larger softer wheels. bearings and speed washers should come in under 10 bucks.

[@NoMercyEverPaintball]

Question for you about the idea of a trolly and the crane. To make sure that it is steady, would you want a single leg forward and two in back, or vice versa?

[@frugalfilmmaker]

It wouldn't, as there needs to be a swivel on the wheel assembly that will allow it to turn. I have sort of overcome this with faking a curved dolly shot on straight track, found in my "The Making of 'Conversation Hearts'" video.

[@Riverrockphotos]

Yeah know I find it very interesting that we have so many different pvc parts than Europe. How do you guys do your sprinkling systems with out all the right parts you need.

[@Gr8Believer]

I love it when a plan come together. Thanks for the tips

[@frugalfilmmaker]

Thanks! Good idea, but the dolly wheels on this thing don't swivel, making turning corners on curved track very difficult.

[@vinvin1715]

what type of sprinkler systems you mean in house or for the lawn. Lawns people only use a stand alone house. In buildings sprinklers are with steel pipe. Its a bummer we cant get the components we cant even get the blank ends frugal talks about. Have to make those, as well.

[@sink009]

Want to know what the best part about this is? Combine this plus the Frugal Crane, and you can make pan shots while coming down on something that you're focusing on.

[@frankduffy7471]

You are very bright ! Thanks for some very good ideas .

[@BudhagRizzo]

This is an old video, so prices on brand new roller skates have got up a lot since then (cheapest you can find now are about $24.) But you can just order the wheels by themselves (with the bearings) and save some money.

[@PatrickvanderStoop]

Can you please give the name of the shop where you bough the pvc ??? i can not get the 3/4" PVC side outlet elbows in The Netherlands

[@SamMaghsoodloo]

Nice design! I think the extensions between the 3 wheel assemblies should be made of thicker pvc, like 1.5 inch. Also, I think ABS pipe would be better for the tracks because it's lighter, and I believe it's more rigid.

[@DigitalDelights23]

Very nice...Would you recomend doing this with a cheaper tripod?...and how much did it cost for ALL the stuff to make it?

[@HonestArttsEntertainment]

damn, i remember the diy days, missed this era

[@rossalan1967]

Do you think this would work with a flexible track, like maybe a large diameter garden hose?

[@justinholman123]

Hi, you listed the ZOOM H1 as your audio recorder, my question is how do you find that out in the field, as in recording dialogue on a location shoot?

[@whateverz-876]

Scott u rock..! I'm the crazy poster on your amazing FB page.

[@irudi]

Karissa, i just saw the video you mentioned and was wondering what kind of setup you had to put your iphone on a tripod.

[@DSLRguide]

this is a really smart idea! how much use have you got out of this?

[@abdielernesto9051]

i know I'm kind of off topic but does anybody know of a good website to stream new movies online ?

[@lapulkata]

Question! I´m planning on curved the pvc tracks, but, will it work with this system of wheels? or should i have to had some movement on the wheels also? What do you frugals think?

[@richyearle007]

simple BUT pretty awesome....thank you for sharing that design...

[@TheLimbReaper]

Loved the dolly project and build video; simple and frugal. I believe some American made WD-40 may remedy the drag on those China-mart wheels. And excuse me if those skates just happen to be made in USA.

[@saimonrom]

Congratulations !!! Hi, Im from Brazil.. It works with skateboard wheels? Thank You!

[@carotroyav]

You're dolly it's so cool thank you !! I have just one question thought.... Do you think it could work on a 360 curve track ???

[@frugalfilmmaker]

Nope. Those wheels don't pivot, which they'd need to when turning a corner on curved track.

[@MyVendetta]

thefrugalfilmmaker Is it possible to made a curve track though?? Because that would really come in handy

[@EvilPlanetStudios]

WOW! Thanks!! I am definitely going to try to build this. Not sure how it will workout with my crappy 50-dollar tripod tho. Yours look more sturdy.

[@bradasstv]

Thanks so much for all the projects you teach us! Much appreciated!

[@vinvin1715]

Great new idea, only MAJOR trouble is - in the UK we can't get those side entry elbows. Goodness knows you yanks can get so much different components. ..........oh well back to the drawing board.

[@MrOrthopedia]

Can you make a video of how to make a dolly that circles around you.

[@Agamimg360]

with your newer wheel sets you can do the wrap around track I was talking about for your tracked rig put tracks that are elevated trapped between the gap in the wheels and they should lock onto the rig for more hands free action Also let's have a little more respect for the cheap skates harmed in the making of this build :-)

[@TaylorZalus]

Hey frugal filmmaker is there a 5below near you because they have kids skateboards for $5 buy two for $10 and you have enough wheels for cheaper or just set the camera on it for a skater dolly

[@ReidMartinBasso]

dude... You're my F&$k!ng HERO... Awesome video instructions!

[@patricksudbury]

If you go in full screen, you can mouse at the top left corner and it shows the title, so it all works out.

[@leebrian]

Everything else is great, you just need to work on the wobble and the shake. Might I suggest a thin bungee cord or spring to "lag" the pull and absorb non-fluid movement.

[@dravin666]

instead of buying roller skates, why not look for just replacement skate board wheels and bearings, you'll more then likely have better bearings for the wheels, for about the same price. now as for the wheel drag a few things could be done cheaply to cure that what is causing that is the wheel being bolted to a flat surface one way to cure that would be to put a few more washers or using some sort of shim/stand off

[@TheGiedow]

wouldn't you get less drag is you put an extra washer between the wheel and nut?

[@AIreversiones]

Hi, what would be a good solution for making a cuve track? Would this dolly work on that?

[@ictgetheard]

This is something ive put off for almost 7 months ive been waiting to see if i was going to buy a new one but just got a imac 27in so im going to just build one do u think 55mm wheels are more stable then then 50mm skateboard wheels.

[@fallen002a]

I've been trying to do a dolly track where you can make a curve but I can't find a way to do it... It would be could if you could find a way to do it...

[@isaac1palafox]

would upgrading the pvc for the actual dolly to 1" be more supportive? what cahanges would i need to do i got a hefty tripod!

[@russholse5674]

Will roller blade wheels also work?

[@robotsawyer]

Check out standard ball bearings. You can get them cheap although they will only be about 3/4 inch outer diameter for a 3/8 inch bolt. They would roll a lot better and should only be $1-3 a piece. Check MSC.com.

[@jonathanulbrich5111]

I would love to see u to mix the dolly with the crane mixed with your counterweight dolly!!! That would be awesome!