In response to your inquiry about good features for picture carts, I have
some suggestions. I have designed and built several carts and have
observed and used a variety of models in various institutions.
It is almost always cheaper to build your own, plus you can more easily
customize it for your particular place.
Spend money on good casters and/or wheels-pneumatic are good, expecially
if you have a lot of rough surfaces to cross, but can be a high
maintenance item. All wheels should swivel, none of this two fixed, two
swivel stuff-you need the maneuverability. Bigger wheels = smoother
ride, you need to balance height restrictions against wheel height, but a
5" is close to minimal.
Base the width of the cart on the width of your smallest door. If you
don't make the cart easy to use, people start taking shortcuts. If you
have large double doors, base it on the width of one open side. For
example, here all the doors are double steel doors 6' across, so I made
the carts 34" wide, the carts get used because people don't have to
unlock, then unlatch every door every time.
Many of the places I have designed carts for had narrow passages so the A
frame structure was not practical (plus it is not such a great idea to
have art on both sides of a cart-makes it harder to keep an eye on it).
The L profile is structurally weak and doesn't uniformly support the
artwork. So, I make a sloping A design, or narrow right triangle
profile. The slope is a ladder like series of rails, padded, about 8"
apart. Opposite this is a padded "kick plate." the space inside the A
is good for tools and hardware and keeps them away from the art. Please
note that for VERY large paintings extensions may be needed and/or an
even more specialized design, but this works for 99% of most
collections. Another concern can be the tippiness of this design,
especially when the wheel base is narrow. Loaded they are totally
stable, however at Princeton it was necessary to add some counterweights
opposite the upright side to insure stability when the cart was empty.
Instead of a flat padded bottom, I place a series of padded blocks
between the bottom rail and the kickplate, usually about 5 - you use less
carpet or padding, it provides a hand hold for those heavy old masters,
dust and debris falls away from the art, easier to clean the cart.
Paint the cart with a good enamel or varnish.
Pad the cart's "bumpers" with rubber and/or carpet.
Round the corners of the cart.
Security strap should be strong yet soft, 1" + nylon webbing is good. No
buckles or clips!
Drawings available.
Lee Savary
Exhibitions Curator
University Art Museum
University of New Mexico
|