[SML] Air bladder system for pushing down casters....

[Jon Ares]

Yeah, I've seen those Rose Brand ones. Sweet, but oy the price.  I've also
seen the AirPux versions, using single casters instead of triple swivels.
(Which I have, but they are so TALL.)

AirPux https://afx.bz/airpux-2/ also makes triple swivel lifts, as well as
friction brake versions. Anyone use those? I haven't inquired for price,
but I'm sure it's not cheap. But I love the self-contained system.

 - Jon

On Mon, Aug 5, 2024 at 8:02 PM Greg Bierly via Stagecraft <
stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:

> Rose Brand sells just such an item but very expensive.
> https://www.rosebrand.com/product3896/Pneumatic-Lift-Triple-Swivel-Caster.aspx?tid=2&info=air%2bcaster
> Our first round of air lift casters were octagonal boxes made out of 2x6
> framing with some surplus 1.25” plywood sandwiching small wagon type inner
> tubes.  They worked but were large and clunky.  We waxed the moving parts
> to keep them from binding and used triple swivel casters.
> I found any time you are lifting like this, triple swivels work the best
> otherwise you tend to side load a standard single swivel.
> Our next set used FABCO pancake cylinders to push the triple swivels
> down.  Eventually we used spring return cylinders eliminating duplicate air
> lines to retract the casters.
>
> I had stumbled onto a pneumatic locking caster being sold by Spoon Group a
> number of years ago at USITT.  I was able to reverse engineer them and make
> my own for about 1/2 the price.  They are based on the 4” Cartmaster Caster
> sold by Rose Brand.
> 4" Cartmaster Caster from Rose Brand
> <https://www.rosebrand.com/product2877/4-Cartmaster-Caster.aspx?tid=2&info=caster>
> rosebrand.com
> <https://www.rosebrand.com/product2877/4-Cartmaster-Caster.aspx?tid=2&info=caster>
> [image: apple-icon.png]
> <https://www.rosebrand.com/product2877/4-Cartmaster-Caster.aspx?tid=2&info=caster>
> <https://www.rosebrand.com/product2877/4-Cartmaster-Caster.aspx?tid=2&info=caster>
> We CNC’ed the fitting to hold the caster and include a low profile pancake
> cylinder.  They work very well on smaller scenery.
>
> I have never seen the Spoon Group caster for sale again (thus the reverse
> engineering) I did find the patent for them and have considered reaching
> out and seeing if they are for sale anywhere.  I feel every theater should
> have a dozen in their stock as useful as they are.
> [image: PastedGraphic-1.tiff]
>
>
> Greg Bierly
>
>
> On Aug 5, 2024, at 5:01 PM, Jon Ares via Stagecraft <
> stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
> Has anyone tried building a system using something like these,
> commonly available today?
>
> https://www.amazon.com/IMPROVED-Commercial-Professional-Alignment-Inflatable/dp/B09F34QGB6/
>
>
>
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-- 
Jon Ares
www.arescreative.com
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