Drumset on wheels

rhumbagirl

Senior Member
So Gibralter's Rolling Field Rack looks great for marching percussion. And Pageantry Innovations DK-20 Drum Kit Cart looks promising except for the size. Are there any other offerings out there for the committed solo performer? Thanks

 
HiPercussion1_pybckh.jpg


HiPercussion Italy



 
Last edited:
I'm not seeing a webpage for HiPercussion. Is that because it's now out of business?
 
probably.

 
I saw this ⬇️ on display at Sweetwater's Gearfest. The platform with bass drum lowers to the ground for playing. It was *very* robust, and I briefly considered it 'cuz my drums share my studio space and it'd be nice to just wheel my kit outta the way & back without disassembly.

View attachment 123352

That's the one I mentioned in my post as being too big (although I'm just going by the photo... there's no size dimensions listed anywhere I've looked yet).

I'd actually prefer any size to grow in the vertical direction. Makes it easier to get through single doorways and elevators (would need to fold out in some way though). The footprint for the Gibralter rack is good, but it's missing the adjustable BD shelf. But I don't like the caster mounts on a round support... too easy to go sideways on a downtown commute.

(I am working in a high-rise office space, and I want to store the drums in a 4x4 corner, then wheel it to the elevator, down to lobby level, then two blocks to city park)
 
Last edited:
I
HiPercussion1_pybckh.jpg


HiPercussion Italy



I remember those.. don’t think they are around anymore.
 
I saw this ⬇️ on display at Sweetwater's Gearfest. The platform with bass drum lowers to the ground for playing. It was *very* robust, and I briefly considered it 'cuz my drums share my studio space and it'd be nice to just wheel my kit outta the way & back without disassembly.

View attachment 123352


we have been using this racck now for indoor drumline and marching band front ensemble for about 5 years...it is the best one on the market or that. You do have to get creative with placement of the bass drum if you are trying to use a conventional hi hat stand. We bought a DW X Hat stand, and it solved the problem.

It is also better to use a 20" bass drum to allow or the platform to raise up and a wider variety of tom placement

but it is the best one on the market or the amount of moving and packing we do...it is super rugged amd rolls real well

it will NOT fit through 99% of regular single doors and elevators though. The smallest width door iit will fit in is a 42" Iibelieve.
 
it will NOT fit through 99% of regular single doors and elevators though. The smallest width door iit will fit in is a 42" Iibelieve.
I'm now wondering why they had to build it so deep. Certainly the pedal platform could be hinged out of the way when moving the drum cart to/from gigs. And then why does it need to be deeper than the kick drum anyway? Of course I'm only interested in a small 3 pc kit to haul around, enough to get full coordination in play.

A standard bass drum is 16 in deep. Add 3 in for hoops, and your payload area needs to be 19 in deep. Add 1.5 - 2.0 in square frame like the Pearl rack has, and you have potentially 19 + 4 = 23 in total. The DK-20 uses 1.5 in square frame though**, resulting in just 22 in total depth. A hinged pedal platform would have to be at least as thick as the kick platform it's mated to, so add another 1.5-2 inches for it in its stowed position, and the total depth is now 23.5- 25 in.

Add the bearing race/cap overlay from the casters and you probably have another inch or two to get through doors. The doors in this old 1910 era house are 31 in wide. That's 2-3 inches on each side for maneuverability. But the more modern office area has 36 in doors.

Is it just a matter of acquiring the DK-20 and having someone cut the thing in two, remove a small section, and weld it back together? The rack is priced at $1700. Certainly welder services wouldn't add that much more. Thoughts?

**Note the product photos for the DK-20 on PI's website show what looks to be Pearl rack mounts. My Pearl rack is in storage, so can't readily measure it.

EDIT: Of course all of this is moot if it ends up too heavy - currently advertised as 170 lbs BEFORE loading with the drums!
 
Didn’t Hal Blaine make one that he could wheel in and out of studios? I may be misremembering.
 
Terry Bozzio put some bits and pieces together for his 'small' kit, but he put together that rack by himself with all kinds of DW parts

 
I'm now wondering why they had to build it so deep. Certainly the pedal platform could be hinged out of the way when moving the drum cart to/from gigs. And then why does it need to be deeper than the kick drum anyway? Of course I'm only interested in a small 3 pc kit to haul around, enough to get full coordination in play.

A standard bass drum is 16 in deep. Add 3 in for hoops, and your payload area needs to be 19 in deep. Add 1.5 - 2.0 in square frame like the Pearl rack has, and you have potentially 19 + 4 = 23 in total. The DK-20 uses 1.5 in square frame though**, resulting in just 22 in total depth. A hinged pedal platform would have to be at least as thick as the kick platform it's mated to, so add another 1.5-2 inches for it in its stowed position, and the total depth is now 23.5- 25 in.

Add the bearing race/cap overlay from the casters and you probably have another inch or two to get through doors. The doors in this old 1910 era house are 31 in wide. That's 2-3 inches on each side for maneuverability. But the more modern office area has 36 in doors.

Is it just a matter of acquiring the DK-20 and having someone cut the thing in two, remove a small section, and weld it back together? The rack is priced at $1700. Certainly welder services wouldn't add that much more. Thoughts?

**Note the product photos for the DK-20 on PI's website show what looks to be Pearl rack mounts. My Pearl rack is in storage, so can't readily measure it.

EDIT: Of course all of this is moot if it ends up too heavy - currently advertised as 170 lbs BEFORE loading with the drums!
Reach out to Pageantry and see if they’ll customize one of their rigs for you.

 
Reach out to Pageantry and see if they’ll customize one of their rigs for you.

Yep, that idea crossed my mind during this thread evolution yesterday. I need to be sure I can't find a lighter solution first. Aluminum options should be available somewhere. Maybe 3D printing is a possibility, assuming the materials hold up - eg need to consider twist force when supporting toms on a square cross member 24 inch between supports. Maybe incorporate Pearl rack members.

As far as a custom design, I'd borrow the idea of a raising kick platform from PI, in between 4 casters married to 4 vertical posts. That's your base to build from. A hihat stand can attach to a fold-out hinged locking arm. The one-up tom could stay in it's playing position. But the floor tom. You'd be fighting the space taken up with the vertical support. Actually I don't think you would (sat at a drumset for the first time in 8 months this week, so trying to remember what a drumset looks like LOL).
 
Terry Bozzio put some bits and pieces together for his 'small' kit, but he put together that rack by himself with all kinds of DW parts

The pic didn't show for me :(
 
Pass ( I live in the hills )
That's my point too. It has to be light enough that it can be thrown into a vehicle without assistance. I can get a hydraulic tail gate for my truck, but that gets expensive and it's downright ugly.

Maybe an aluminum cart that folds or disassembles easily.
 
I'm not quite sure of your plan but I like it.

You want to store your kit at your workplace?
You want to play the kit in the park?
You want to cross the road whilst pushing a drum kit?
You have a drum kit that you want to modify to make mobile?

It seems like the weight would quickly stack up

Could you get a nesting kit and a nice BD case with wheels. Set up and pack down time would take longer.
 
I'm not quite sure of your plan but I like it.

You want to store your kit at your workplace?
You want to play the kit in the park?
You want to cross the road whilst pushing a drum kit?
You have a drum kit that you want to modify to make mobile?

It seems like the weight would quickly stack up

Could you get a nesting kit and a nice BD case with wheels. Set up and pack down time would take longer.
No. Not really. The point is to do something that hasn't been done yet. To accomplish something real that has a real use case. No cases are needed if the use case is to play in the park during nice weather (although a gazebo in the park would be an exception during rain day; even then, moisture in the air, getting to/from, etc).

No modification to drums. Kick might be limited to 20" in size. Might also need to be virgin. Floor tom might ride with legs installed in their playing positions. A special FT rack, half moon shaped, with slots for the two closest legs.

No nesters allowed. Other side of the park please LOL!
 
Back
Top