Crashfast
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Sep 03 2004
Posts: 28
Loc: Calif
|
|
I just picked up a used marimba. I need to increase the height, because it's too short for me. I think that going to a six inch caster will give me the extra height I need.
Does anyone have experience in adding casters to a wood frame? Are the insert type casters easier to use, or I could mount a wood plate wide enough for a plate type caster. Any help would be appreciated!
|
awfulldrummer
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jun 26 2007
Posts: 984
Loc: the internet
|
|
i don't play marimbe, but it being a musical instrument you may want to go to a music store and seak a pro. if it's in less than desired quality think of it like furniture and go to the hardware store. even with my biggest pease of garbage instrument that would make me cringe. get a pro!
|
James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1281
Loc: Connecticut
|
|
What I did on my marimba was to insert a length of wood on the bottom of each end panel, between the casters and the original frame, and keep the original casters.
Another option is to build a set of small, portable blocks - take length of 2x4, that sort of thing, and rest the instrument up on those. We did that a lot back in college, and we'd affix some of those rug guards on them - one on each block. I'm not sure what the exact term is - they're what you'd set the casters of a couch on, on a carpet, to protect the carpet. They help keep the casters from rolling off the blocks.
The block solution was great in college, when we couldn't do permanent alterations to the instrument, with some of the students wanting the marimbas at the original height, and others wanting them elevated. They're also good if you don't want to permanently alter a vintage instrument.
--------------------
moderator, mallet forum
|
Crashfast
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Sep 03 2004
Posts: 28
Loc: Calif
|
|
I added a 2 x 4 between the bottom of the wooden stand and the original casters. This didn't work due to the age and poor condition of the casters. Since then, I've been playing it on blocks. This is becoming too much of a pain. I think it would be simpler to assemble, and then roll it in to where I'm setting up. I think I can make a "tray" that the marimba can set on. The tray would have the casters attached. I can then assemble at the gig, and then break it down after I'm done.
|
James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1281
Loc: Connecticut
|
|
(Hoping that I'm understanding the terminology correctly...)
I've never installed insert type casters on an instrument, but my Musser ProVibe has them. On some provibes I've used (esp. ones at colleges, that get a lot of use and abuse), these casters can loosen up over time, and fall out of place whenever the instrument is lifted up. Then again, my pro vibes are at least 25 years old, and the casters are functioning perfectly well.
Bottom line, there's no reason I can think of not to install larger casters, as long as there's enough space on the frame to accommodate the mounting plate. Maybe if one is dealing with a vintage (and collectible) instrument, one might hesitate to drill new holes, but from a purely functional standpoint, larger casters should work fine.
--------------------
moderator, mallet forum
|
Copyright
© 1998-2006 by TigerMix.com,
Inc.
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
