Adding wheels to a case

[Low Brass Lady]

Has anyone added their own wheels to a euphonium case? I play the Besson 2052 Prestige. It is a great horn but the horn and the case are SO HEAVY! I often use a luggage cart, but to simplify things, I was wondering if anyone has ever tried adding wheels from a home center store to the bell side bottom of the case? The opposite side already has a handle, so if wheels could be added it would make it so much easier to transport. Does anyone know what the inside of the case is made of? Would it hold the wheels if they were screwed in with wood screws? Anyone have any ideas or experience with this? Thanks in advance for your ideas!

[Asianeuph]

Welcome to the forum!

I believe cases are a plastic shell with styrofoam on the inside, and then lined with velvet. I personally wouldn't attach wheels to my hard case, but that comes down to what you want and the risk you are willing to take. Depending on your height and how big he wheels are, I think that the angle you would be pulling the case would be extremely awkward and uncomfortable.

Have you considered a gig bag? If you are interested I have a gig bag for sale.

[adrian_quince]

Gard makes gig bags with wheels that handle like a suitcase. I ended up with one when I bought my Kanstul from The Horn Guys because it was what they had in stock. It's pricey ($350) and large, but it protects the horn well and is easy to transport, especially long distances. My only warning is it doesn't fit easily in the trunk of a small car.

http://www.gardbags.com/eng/brasswin...m/wheelie.html

[KKORO]

I'm a wood worker and I think using screws would be a bad idea. Even if the case had a good interior layer of wood on the inside, the screws would work themselves out quickly. I think the only way to add wheels would be to cut out part of the foam inside and add some sort of backing plate. The backing plate could be plywood, plastic or metal. Then the plate should be through bolted for enough strength.

It really doesn't sound like a good idea. A case designed from the get-go to handle wheels would be the best.

Later,

John

[ghmerrill]

What KKORO said. The answer is that yes, you can do it. The answer is that no, you shouldn't try to do it by just screwing wheels to it. The wheels have to be placed onto/into some substantive structural element (not a piece of thin plastic casing of soft foam). Some sort of support plate (or support plates: outside and inside, with bolts instead of screws) is what you'd need.

An alternative is to find something that your current case could be put on to wheel it around. A hand truck or dolly of some sort. This might not work for you if your vision is carting it onto and off of busses, trains, etc. But for some scenarios it would work well.

[davewerden]

Keep in mind that drilling holes in the case will weaken it there, and having wheels extending from that point will give a nice "target" for the tarmac to slam into and punch through the wall.

I have seen strap-on wheels that might work (can't recall where, but they were probably made for luggage-size pieces). I also have a nice fold-up dolly that works well, and the newer examples of these things fold much flatter and are lighter. If you left extra room in your suitcase you might be able to stow the dolly there during flight.

[ghmerrill]

Or you can make a suitably sized dolly from wheels you get at Harbor Freight (or Lowes, or Grizzly) and either some metal or plywood connectors. Actually, at Harbor Freight you can buy two sizes of dollys (dollies?) and "resize" them if you want. I use one of those for the podium I built for our community band.

[Euphearted]

Or, if you wanted to go primitive, you could use some bungee cords and a skateboard.