Harper Trucks 400lb Nylon Dolly and Cart - Walmart.com
I use a couple of these, they work great. But they used to be cheaper.
I use a couple of these, they work great. But they used to be cheaper.
Rolling carts
- Thread starter rickryan.com
- Start date
I am adding a hunk of plywood to the deck, and I am considering two casters.
I've had this cart for almost 10 years, and it has served me well...
for gigs AND for jobs around the house.
I'd say it was worth $59.99.
If you routinely perform in places with only one room, I can understand.
It would be different, however, if you practiced in a region or market with a robust hotel and convention sector and had to frequently use or share loading docks.
The stuff I've seen with DIY carts, misused transport gear, and other rank amateur practices could fill a weekly TV blooper series. But I still help when necessary.
Maybe it's your cologne...or lack thereof! LOL
I've seen the RnR's struggle with less than 500 lbs. And the RnR knockoffs are laughable.
The hand trucks available at Costco or Sam's are a decent alternative.
...and yet, To each his own.
Last edited:
Rick, I thought you said you use a van with a ramp, why not build two carts you can leave you gear loaded on the carts when in the van, less time lifting gear
My typical gig is non-uplighting so a single cart will haul everything, except the sub in a single trip. My subs have wheels on them. As long as I can shore up the handle joint to the platform I think this is going to work out very well. I'm going to start off with 4" wheels, just because I already have some sitting around. If it proves out I'll likely install some much larger wheels later.
I had a real heavy dolly with huge air tires on it when I first started. That thing must have weighed 40 lbs itself. One of the tires blew, so I sold it for like $8 at a yard sale after purchasing a small foldable luggage dolly from Wal Mart maybe in 2005. It was all I used for a long while...I would do so many trips to get all my gear in and out of venues LOL. Dollying 61 lb JBL Speaker with my amp on top with that little dolly was funny when I think about it.
I remember paying $39.99 for it...It's come down in price to under $25 since then. Seville Classics Folding Utility Cart, Black - Walmart.com
I finally bought the Harper Cart in 2009...so I went a good 4 years with that little Dolly. I still have it in storage, and it still works great! Never had an issue with it. Getting the Harper Cart was the best move I made. Going from dollying to carting made a huge difference.
Now I bring two carts when I can.
I remember paying $39.99 for it...It's come down in price to under $25 since then. Seville Classics Folding Utility Cart, Black - Walmart.com
I finally bought the Harper Cart in 2009...so I went a good 4 years with that little Dolly. I still have it in storage, and it still works great! Never had an issue with it. Getting the Harper Cart was the best move I made. Going from dollying to carting made a huge difference.
Now I bring two carts when I can.
my typical gig is load in is two subs with wheels, two 10 inch tops on one sub my console on the other, I have a 5 foot long by 3 foot high by 28 inch wide custom built case I made that holds all of my lighting, cords and accessories, I am in a building in 3 trips out in 3 trips once loaded in the trailer, it has a ramp door everything is strapped in as it was loaded I designed this to minimize the number of time each piece has to handled, my typical set up time is 20 min and break down is 15
20 minutes for full set up? That is amazing. Do you have a pic of this set up?
It takes me 30 - 35 minutes to get my On Stage Stands lighting tripod up and wing all the lights into it...that is if I am doing 7 to 8 lights on it. Set up with full lighting stand takes me 50 minutes plus another 20 - 35 minutes for load in with 3 trips with my cart. If I am doing 2 sound systems, plus full lighting, I will do 4 cart trips, plus use the cart to set up ceremony sound system. I need a full 2 hours for that including time to hit up the rest room to get into my suit or tux. Add in up lighting, and I'm working super fast to get it all set up in 2 hours. Up Lighting usually ads 15 minutes to set up time if it's a big room as long as I have the colors pre set. Small up lighting package in small room I can get done in 5 minutes.
Single sound system only with no lights at a small easy load in gig? Load in 10 minutes, and set up in 20 minutes, but I am talking two powered speakers on stands, laptop/stand, mix station, cordless microphones, 2 flat cd cases, grundorf façade...or no façade, and table/linen provided by venue.
I bought one from harbor freight converts to hand truck or flat bed ill take a picture of it tonight when I get home
My basic lighting is 4 mega par profiles pre wired on a t-bar that's it take 2 minutes to set up runs sound active I run two 18 inch powered subs and two 10 tops always bring my own table and facade
Setup is 30-35 minutes, 1 to 3 trips, depending. I usually go in carrying laptop bag and 4play bag and find the table/hall and then go back for the cart. If I bring my big sub add that third trip.
My normal setup is 2 tops, sub(s), all active now. I usually bring my own table. Facade is pvc with a tall table skirt for it - 4 min to setup and slide it in after all the wiring is done.
What speeds things up is how you pack into the cases so you don't spend time moving stuff around to get to what you want.
Setup table, put stand bag on it and undo stands (why work on teh floor if you don't have to?). then the light stand / facade bag. build facade. All empty bags go under the table.
Speakers come off cart and onto stands.
Put 2 laptops on table, throw bag under table.
Laptop stand on table.
Open 'sound' case and put controller on table, then put power strip down.
from case comes bag with speaker XLRs and power cords, set aside.
separate bag for mixer/controller/laptop/mic wires - open and dump on table.
box for mixer - put mixer on table, plug in power,
and another for mic unit (may put them in one box..always trying to improve efficiency). Put under laptop stand, plug in power.
Plug everying else in - power to laptops, lap to controller, stuff to mixer.
now run power/signal to speakers.
Power to wall, turn it all all - make noise.
All good - velcro wires on speaker stands.
LIghting- put fourplay on stand,
open case, one long dmx cable from laptop 2 to to fourplay.
Put kinta on top of stand, in kinta bag are the power/dmx from it to fourplay.
long power from 4play down tree to outlet strip.
Verify it works, velcro wires. (velcro strips stay on all the stands)
Tape down power wire to wall/floor.
Push in facade.
go change clothes.
Usually on teardown from last song to driving down teh road is 25 minutes.
My normal setup is 2 tops, sub(s), all active now. I usually bring my own table. Facade is pvc with a tall table skirt for it - 4 min to setup and slide it in after all the wiring is done.
What speeds things up is how you pack into the cases so you don't spend time moving stuff around to get to what you want.
Setup table, put stand bag on it and undo stands (why work on teh floor if you don't have to?). then the light stand / facade bag. build facade. All empty bags go under the table.
Speakers come off cart and onto stands.
Put 2 laptops on table, throw bag under table.
Laptop stand on table.
Open 'sound' case and put controller on table, then put power strip down.
from case comes bag with speaker XLRs and power cords, set aside.
separate bag for mixer/controller/laptop/mic wires - open and dump on table.
box for mixer - put mixer on table, plug in power,
and another for mic unit (may put them in one box..always trying to improve efficiency). Put under laptop stand, plug in power.
Plug everying else in - power to laptops, lap to controller, stuff to mixer.
now run power/signal to speakers.
Power to wall, turn it all all - make noise.
All good - velcro wires on speaker stands.
LIghting- put fourplay on stand,
open case, one long dmx cable from laptop 2 to to fourplay.
Put kinta on top of stand, in kinta bag are the power/dmx from it to fourplay.
long power from 4play down tree to outlet strip.
Verify it works, velcro wires. (velcro strips stay on all the stands)
Tape down power wire to wall/floor.
Push in facade.
go change clothes.
Usually on teardown from last song to driving down teh road is 25 minutes.
Yup, that's the same Harper Cart I got from Wal Mart. It most certainly went up in price. I paid $38.99 for mine in 2009. It was a steal of a deal for a cart/dolly. Now it's $69.99. I think Wal Mart wasn't making much profit selling them at $38.99.
Right now I have 2 complete system setups in my trailer. All on RnR carts, except for the lighting (uplights, dance lights, gobo, Slideshow gear). Currently the audio gear for both sets can all be rolled right on/off the trailer. I am considering 1 more RnR and I can load it as needed for the lighting / slideshow needs.