Marley Dance Floor cart advice

[wolf825]

wolf825, how much is the B&R Scenery Marley Cart?

If I recall the cart was around $6k-$7k but that was about 8 years ago. But it also for delivery had to ship freight from California to me in the east coast which added $$ to it. The cart empty I believe weighs around 600lbs+ so it has to be sent via ground trucking. It also has fork areas built on the side if it needs to get forked off a truck to ground level. When loaded with a floor the cart is heavy but its easily managed by two people.

Considering the cost (and weight) of a good Marley floor and the need to preserve such an investment properly, it took some discussion but we deemed the added expense for the storage cart was worth it for the long run...AND if we ever replace the floor for any reason--we already have the storage system for years to come for the next floor and floors after that probably.. The cart is built rock solid as only the folks at B&R do and its built on order so it takes a few weeks--but it alone will last decades easily... Have never had anyone who has used it make a complaint on it...in fact several tours that travel with their own marley have asked us where we got the cart. Having rolled dance floor on PVC on the ground for decades and hefted rolls around alone and seen what bad storage can do to a good floor--I just can't say enough good things about the cart...


Hope this info helps..
-w

 

[jstroming]

Thanks!

Yeah, just spoke to B&R, $6500.

 

[Footer]

Thanks!

Yeah, just spoke to B&R, $6500.

Give a yell to one of the many scenic shops in the NYC and Hudson Valley area. Centerline Studios and Hudson Scenic would both be good places to call. I have a feeling all of them could build you a cart for a grand or two. If I had access to a metal shop, I would probably offer. Good ones are not really that hard to build. I have built one that had cranks and all that good stuff similar to the B&R model for about 700 dollars in parts. If you have a drawing that you like, it would also be possible to get a welding shop to build you one.

 

[venuetech]

Dont forget the Fast-Track tape roller. Fast Track Tape Roller - Dance floor tape applicator for theaters

it or something like it, is a must have.

 

[mstaylor]

Dont forget the Fast-Track tape roller. Fast Track Tape Roller - Dance floor tape applicator for theaters

it or something like it, is a must have.

Absolutely right if you are changing marley in and out. If you put it down and leave it for a run then it is less essential.

 

[derekleffew]

Thank you, venuetech. That device looks like a manufactured version of what I've seen most. One could easily built that oneself, using 1/2 or 3/4" ply for the sides, and 2" wide circles for the roller and tape roll axle. Glue something firm but flexible to the roller.
The biggest drawback is that a dance floor tape roll is 36 yds. (108 ft.) and gaffers tape 60 yds. (180 ft.) so more time is used changing rolls than applying the tape. Build two "machines," so the roll on one can be changed while the other is in use.

More dance floor tips:
After sweeping, starting DS and working US, and always from the same side of the stage to the other...
Wet a bath-sized towel and wring it out well. Wrap the towel around a 24" push broom to "damp mop" the stage. Rearrange the towel to present a clean side to the floor as necessary.
If wet mopping with an actual mop, use a figure-8 motion the width of a panel, from one side of the stage to the other.

 

[MNicolai]

Following up on Derek's comments about cleaning. Don't mop your stage with just anything. Don't use soap - just water and as clean a mop as is possible. Harlequin sells some pH neutral solution for mopping that also works well.

 

[cdcarter]

Following up on Derek's comments about cleaning. Don't mop your stage with just anything. Don't use soap - just water and as clean a mop as is possible. Harlequin sells some pH neutral solution for mopping that also works well.

To continue with mopping hints, use as hot of water as possible, and when mopping in a figure 8 motion, put your dominant hand on the top of the mop handle, and your other hand in the middle. It will feel weird at first, but it's the best way.

 

[2mojo2]

We have a Harlequin dance floor.
I am not happy with the current storage method, but I am not free to spend seven thousand dollars on a perfect rack.
I, and others in this forum, would appreciate some snapshots of your locally-produced storage solutions and a word about how you might change the design if you had it to do again.

 

[dcolson003]

We are looking into the Harlequin Floor option.

The sales representative I talked to discussed two of their options.

1. Harelquin Cascade- They mentioned that this has a little stick to it, making it harder to dance barefoot on. Does anyone find this to be a problem?

2. Harelquin Reversible- This is a lot thinner of an option, making me a little suspicious its not going to last as long as the Cascade.

Opinions on either of these options?

No one in this Thread has mentions the harlequin Roll Storage Carts. Does anyone use this, if so would you recommend it, or stick with the other option discussed in the thread.

Thanks,
David

 

[Footer]

I am sure there is nothing wrong with their racks. Most of the ones I use are custom built, some well, some not so well. In the touring world, people buy what works and use what they know, that is why the B&R cart is used often. Also, if you are not loading the floor into the back of a truck and driving 600 miles with it, it does not have to be built as well. I am sure harlequin makes good storage solutions for their own product.

 

[derekleffew]

No one in this Thread has mentions the harlequin Roll Storage Carts. Does anyone use this, if so would you recommend it, or stick with the other option discussed in the thread.

If you're talking about this one:

Harlequin Floors - Official Website - Harlequin Panel Storage Carts
I'm not crazy about it, as the weight of the roll puts pressure on the material.

Here's another alternative:

Portable Dance Floor Transportation and Storage - Gerriets International
by a manufacturer, not yet mentioned: VARIO Portable Dance Floor - Gerriets International .

As Footer said, if the floor is never going to leave your building, a cart as beefy and heavy as the B&R may not be necessary. Likewise if the floor is only used a few times a year, you may not need the crank mechanism. A good welder can build an appropriate cart, tailored to your specific needs, at a fraction of the cost.

 

[Footer]

Most of the carts I have built in the past are some variation on the Vario design. Whatever you do, the rolls must HANG, not sit on one another. I am kind of amazed harlequin even sells that cart.

 

[dcolson003]

Sorry I meant to give a picture of which cart I was refering to. This is the Harlequin cart I was inquiring about.

Thanks,
David

 

[Footer]

Sorry I meant to give a picture of which cart I was refering to. This is the Harlequin cart I was inquiring about.

Thanks,
David

Looks prefectly fine. Looks like someone got a shop with a CNC machine. That style of construction is extremely strong and will last a long time. What is the going rate for that cart?

 

[dcolson003]

The Price sheet I got from Harlequin listed the 4 roll at $2500 and the 6 roll as $2750.

 

[CrisCole]

When it comes to racks, we just use an old paper rack from a local High School. You know, the one they hang large rolls of colored paper on. It works fine for us...

 

[Glowacki]

Please share contact information for B&R...waaaaay too many hits using Google search.
Thanks!

 

[derekleffew]

B and R Scenery: Contact Us

B and R Scenery
486 Constitution Ave.
Camarillo, CA 93012​

Phone: (805) 388-8555 Fax: (805) 388-9996
Contact Form

 

[Aerial]

Heres some information coming from a dancer's perspective:

What is underneath the oak floor? Is it an open space allowing some shock absorption into the floor, or solid? If solid I would definitely recommend a higher quality model with a padded layer. I am also a fan of Harlequin.

I like the storage racks, and somehow I have never seen those before. Luckily I do not have too many rolls for my space so I just store them flat on a shelf rolled up on pvc.

As for tape, personally I can't stand dance floor tape as it is harder to tell through a ballet shoe when you are standing on a piece of tape without looking down. Gaff tape has a texture to it that is easier to sense. If there are any gaps in the floor due to application or stretching it may throw you off slightly on a balance or turn.

Reluctantly I haven't made one yet for the theatre I am with now but all the tape rollers I've seen are homemade and like the one venuetech posted. Use wooden sides with two pvc pieces, the one on the bottom is just a guide roller and the pvc on top is removable to slide a tape roll onto.