Hand Truck

[tubapix]

The rehearsal hall my band uses is a local high school band room. Parking is about 100 yards from the hall and quite frankly I am tired of carrying my horn that distance. I have used soft cases with straps but none are supremely comfortable and the hard case I have has very small wheels that are 30 years old. I am looking for transportation suggestions like hand trucks, wagons, carts... What is the general consensus of the TNFJ?

[Lars Trawen]

Hi,
I've a kaiser tuba always packed in its hard case. Total weight together is about 65 pounds.
For all transportations longer than 50 yards I use a standard hand truck initially intended for sacks and squared boxes.
It has large air-pumped rubber wheels and moves very easy also on cobbles.
Good luck,
Lars

[Mike C855B]

Another vote for hand truck. Horn + case weighs 75#. I've been playing outdoor venues recently where parking is just too far and access is on grass... when not mud ... so the hand truck goes with us.

A similar gig this weekend in the aftermath of the tropical storm Gordon, so hip boots will come along, too.

[Three Valves]

Be sure to strap it securely to the cart!!

[Snake Charmer]

For the use in public transport and for longer walking distances I use the original hard case for my Besson Eb together with a selfmade hand truck. Just a few sqare aluminium tubes for connecting the axle with the handlebar strapped firmly to the case. The handle is made of a bicycle handlebar (it had the perfect curve) with a comfortable bicycle grip, the axle is equipped with industrial grade pneumatic wheels with roller bearings. No puncture yet for more than twenty years, but I think I will fit new inner tubes in the next time...

[Charlie C Chowder]

Mark's choice get my vote. It is helpful for so many things that don't involve a tuba as well.

Charlie C. Chowder

[PMeuph]

I had a conn 12J that somebody glued and bolted 1/2 plywood to the bell side of the case and then installed 4 casters. It worked really well as the horn was upright so it required very little force to push it.

It's a very permanent solution and probably nowhere are useful as the hand truck is in the long run, but I really liked it. I once walked 1.5 miles with it no problems.

[tubapix]

I have thought about the one Mark recommends and it is in the running.
I also found this and it looks interesting enough to consider.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMH8CCS/re ... B07DDH53P4" target="_blank
What do you all think?
Horn is 42" tall and is in a gig bag so padding and straps will be added to whatever I chose.

[TheGoyWonder]

yeah handtrucks are great. doesn't need to be heavy-duty at all, these are built for much heavier loads than a tuba. get one that will fit in the backseat, on top of your tubacase. $20 on sale or maybe at harborfreight.

[Rotaryclub]

Another vote for just drop your horn at the door then find a spot. That's what I do often as I have similar parking troubles.

[ghmerrill]

Depending on the case you use, you might just get an appropriately sized 4-wheel dolly (Harbor Freight has decent ones for next to nothing). Then figure a way to strap/bungee the horn onto the dolly. That might require screwing on a plywood platform to the top of the dolly to provide enough surface area and places for hooks to anchor

If you're always (or mostly) on pavement or hard floors, a dolly works great (just push the whole contraption). I used to do this when I was keeper of the large podium I made for a band. On lawn, gravel, sand,or mushy surfaces, it's not so good -- but then nothing is.

If you get one of those folding hand trucks, get a good one. My experience with them is that they wear quickly, and when unfolded for use, the wheels are no longer parallel -- a real pain.

[eupho]

A truck that folds up is the way to go. I use one for my comp euph in its large Soundwear case.

[Mike C855B]

With hand trucks and platform carts, size matters. Tire size, that is. The non-paved and irregular paved surfaces (gravel or aged asphalt) I deal with regularly dictate big wheels. The folding hand trucks and 4-wheel platforms - I have both - won't get me 10 feet before I dumped the case or tipped everything over including the cart. Nice, even, "big city" paved surfaces, no problem.

This thread has helped me evaluate the relationship with the aforementioned group that mostly does informal outdoor gigs. Since it's basically a village band (i.e., non-paying, play whatever you brought with whatever skills you might or might not have) I begged-off on the performance last Sunday because the venue was going to be a mud-fest the day after 6-8 inches of rain. Even the large-tired hand truck was not going to help that.

The previous concert was in the dry, but a long schlep over grass from the also-grass parking lot, dodging tent stakes the entire way. But wait... there's more... the stage access was outright dangerous, narrow and steep concrete steps with "plumber's delight" handrails waiting to take a chunk out of my bare horn should I wobble the least little bit, never mind the resident wasps buzzing around my face. So at this Saturday's performance I'm going to have a come-to-Jesus talk with the director that I need to play something else - piccolo, maybe? - at the crappier venues.

[edsel585960]

Use your hard case with some bunjee cords and a generic hand truck from Harbor Freight. It works for me.