TubaForum.net

For those of you that have used a luggage Dolly to transport your tuba in a hard case with no wheels, what did you use?

Thanks.

I've NEVER done that...

This is not THE VERY CHEAPEST creeper, but I see padding, the headrest DOES drop down flat, and there's METAL on it, so you could weld on a swivel/adjustable pull handle, as well as hook on some BAB (big-ass bungees).

Seeing the shapes of the padding supports, I'm thinking someone might (??) just choose to REMOVE the padding system completely.

https://www.harborfreight.com/250-lb-ca ... 63311.html

I have something like this that I got at Costco. It collapses and is easy to transport. I used it with the 283 in the Protec bag, and the 283 is pretty tall. Held it on with a cargo strap. Worked just fine for me, pull it along like a hand truck.

Weird, link won't print. Search for "folding hand truck."
This is part of the link that won't print:
FCH-Folding-Capacity-Aluminum-Portable

I use a simple moving dolly I bought from Harbor Freight for 12 bucks. It’s a simple wood rectangle with carpeting on each end and pretty sturdy casters. Right now I use a ratchet strap to hold it in place but I may come up with something more elegant. No handle, but a handle kit is available from HF. For the price, it really can’t be beat.

There was some chatter about the product in the link posted below. I have no experience with it, but I like that it works with stairs:

https://upcart.com/

I have used the 'upcart' for about 5 years. Worked extremely well with my 'heavy' Willson 3400 and works just fine with the Besson 983, especially with
a flight of stairs that I do twice a week for rehearsals.

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Wed May 08, 2024 11:33 am I have something like this that I got at Costco. It collapses and is easy to transport. I used it with the 283 in the Protec bag, and the 283 is pretty tall. Held it on with a cargo strap. Worked just fine for me, pull it along like a hand truck.

Weird, link won't print. Search for "folding hand truck."
This is part of the link that won't print:
FCH-Folding-Capacity-Aluminum-Portable

We have had the Costco version for many years. Its a bit flimsy & small-wheeled compared to the higher quality (and expensive) cleanroom versions we use in the fabs, but the Costco one is lightweight and has held up fine for light-duty home use. The greatest inconvenience is its short handle.
I don't own this one, but the larger platform and taller handle look attractive. Pretty heavy, though at 14 lbs:
https://www.amazon.com/Capacity-Portabl ... B0BYYRC2T1

MShores wrote: ↑Wed May 08, 2024 9:19 am For those of you that have used a luggage Dolly to transport your tuba in a hard case with no wheels, what did you use?

Thanks.

My Tuba hard cases have wheels and the gig bags I have used have two shoulder straps. So far I’ve managed, sometimes with a struggle, to do without extra wheels and don’t know anyone who uses them at the moment. That said a now passed acquaintance who played trombone used a compact folding sack truck and I have one of those trucks in mind for when I’m older. As a younger man I used similar at work and thought them exceedingly helpful.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/wolfcraft-ts ... 70kg/119tg

I have a cheap steel none folding and multifunction sack truck * in our store, it’s rarely used but has still paid for itself …. maybe I should replace it with an alloy folding version (for the price it’d be a sensible investment against likely future need). I have some flat bed four wheel trolleys too, they’ve come in handy (paid for themselves) but are rarely used; the sack truck both copes with steps/kerbs and is more manoeuvrable (which can be a big plus) but requires more physical strength to use.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/multi-functi ... 50kg/8635p
* can’t remember ever using it in flat bed form.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/barton-dolly ... ners/88084

DonO. wrote: ↑Wed May 08, 2024 1:34 pm I use a simple moving dolly I bought from Harbor Freight for 12 bucks. It’s a simple wood rectangle with carpeting on each end and pretty sturdy casters. Right now I use a ratchet strap to hold it in place but I may come up with something more elegant. No handle, but a handle kit is available from HF. For the price, it really can’t be beat.

This qualifies as both simple and elegant all at once. For almost a year I used a hard case for my Piggy with a plastic Toys R Us skateboard and some bungee cord (2 separate straps to keep the skateboard centered). Turning it simply involved tilting the case left or right and moving across any kind of flat-ish surface was pretty easy. Were I to replicate this today I would use as cheap a longboard as I could find, but, the moving dolly with casters would be cheaper and not require "turning".

I'm mulling ideas to do this across a large outdoor grass area that would neither be flat or smooth (too bumpy for the above methods, and grass too long). That means big fat wheels of some kind and a wider wheel base. Golf bag caddy carts have the right idea but would need a wider base and a completely different approach loading a tuba bag / case for balance purposes.

kingrob76 wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 8:29 am

DonO. wrote: ↑Wed May 08, 2024 1:34 pm I use a simple moving dolly I bought from Harbor Freight for 12 bucks. It’s a simple wood rectangle with carpeting on each end and pretty sturdy casters. Right now I use a ratchet strap to hold it in place but I may come up with something more elegant. No handle, but a handle kit is available from HF. For the price, it really can’t be beat.

This qualifies as both simple and elegant all at once. For almost a year I used a hard case for my Piggy with a plastic Toys R Us skateboard and some bungee cord (2 separate straps to keep the skateboard centered). Turning it simply involved tilting the case left or right and moving across any kind of flat-ish surface was pretty easy. Were I to replicate this today I would use as cheap a longboard as I could find, but, the moving dolly with casters would be cheaper and not require "turning".

I'm mulling ideas to do this across a large outdoor grass area that would neither be flat or smooth (too bumpy for the above methods, and grass too long). That means big fat wheels of some kind and a wider wheel base. Golf bag caddy carts have the right idea but would need a wider base and a completely different approach loading a tuba bag / case for balance purposes.

You might look at this https://a.co/d/1Db8az4 . I used one years ago with my tuba in a gig bag. The big wheels make a difference.

https://www.uline.com/BL_1816/Folding-H ... ords=Dolly

get the big one!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BWY ... BBO9L&th=1

caught my eye. need to measure my hard case, but, I like the idea that it collapses and fits in my trunk.

I used one of those in an apartment building - whereby an orchestra patron supplied the low brass with a really nice apartment, for each concert.
That was left in the entry, and we used it to get our stuff into the elevator and up.

I found it to be wonky and awkward, and I had to be careful with it - to avoid damaging it...

...and that price is right at what I paid for one of my good/used Jakob Winter molded cases.