Overview
A short follow-up to my previous post on building the Deity-inspired DIY sound cart. Turns out, a couple of things needed fixing.
The cart has been working well overall, but a few shoots in, two problems surfaced that needed real solutions — not workarounds.
Problem 1: The Wheels Were Too Wide
The original rear wheels from the Deity build are wider than they look. I didn’t notice this on the first couple of shoots, which happened to have wider doorways. But once we were on a location with standard interior doors, it became obvious: the cart didn’t fit through. I had to unload it, fold it, squeeze it through, and reload on the other side. Not a great workflow.
The fix: I swapped the wheels for a narrower set — these Ogracwheel 16″ flat-free wheels from Home Depot. They came with 3/4″ bearings installed, but also include 5/8″ bearings in the box. I swapped in the 5/8″ bearings, though there was still a small gap on the axle. I cut some 1/2″ copper pipe into ~3″ sleeves to take up the slack, which got things more snug. I also ditched the lock washers.
All in, I was able to cut 5.5″ out of the axle, and the cart now clears a standard doorway without any problems.
Some pictures of the new, skinnier wheels below.
Problem 2: The Mats Fell Off
The Deity build recommends Liquid Nails as the adhesive for the rubber mats. Mine failed. The mats peeled off, which isn’t surprising given the weight and vibration the cart sees in transit. I’m currently trying a 3M 90 Hi-Strength Spray Adhesive that came recommended as a better fit for this application, and so far it’s looking more promising. Will report back if it holds.
The Fun (and Frustration) of a DIY Build
Both of these problems are the kind of thing that only reveal themselves in real use, or over time — you can’t fully anticipate them from a blog post or a parts list. That’s just the nature of a DIY build. (I do wonder if the author of the Deity blog actually uses this on set, how do they get through doorways?) The good news is both are fixable, and the cart is genuinely better now than when I first rolled it onto set.
Additional Costs
The total for the new wheels, copper pipe, pipe cutter, 3M 90 adhesive, and additional Loctite (I misplaced the first tube), was $136.97, bringing the grand total for this build to $873.64.