My shiny new rails...
 

http://www.nysegwaypolo.com/images/mini35/rails1.jpg

Thought I'd show off the rail support I just finished today... the rails are 3/4" stainless, and very slighty warped, but the camera slides across their length just fine (the tubing was free, hence the imperfection). Now I can't wait to get the mini35 I'm working on attached to this baby!

No particular point to the posting, just a happy camper :)

I can see why you'd be a happy camper! Those look very nicely machined. I wish I had rails that long...my current Cavision rods just barely fit the setup:

http://www.frozenphoenixproductions..../rod/setup.JPG

I wish I had your setup though--nice job! And you can't beat "free", can you...!

Nice!
Those rails are LOOONNG!
Here's to do-it-ur-self!
cheers.

here's mine.
http://s87055845.onlinehome.us/uploa...port/index.htm

Ben, how long are your rods? I don't know if you read my other posts about the carbon rods I found locally, but I will have some extra 16" rods after I cut my 42" rods down to size. I plan to put a shoulder pad on the other end of my rods, so I am going to make mine 26" to be long enough for a pad and battery holder.

If you are interested, I will send you my extras for free if you will promptly let us know if they fit with the Cavision accessories. I can not measure them precisely, so I don't know if they are exactly 15mm. Even if they are not, as long as they fit with Cavision stuff I am going to buy some extra for anyone interested in making a longer rod support system.

Send me an email and perhaps we can get these short rods replaced. I'll sell the 42" rods for cost plus shipping and handling to forum members once I know they will work with OEM accessories.

They're 10 inches by my measurements. Email sent!

Those things look like weapons. J/K :D
How long is the Letus35?

Rails?
 

Excuse my ignorance,but what are the rails used for.Moving the camera back and forth over a small distance instead of using a dolly,or are they used for mounting attachments to the front of the camera?

In this case, basically to hold the Letus35 adapter, but many times rods are used to attach matte boxes, follow focus and other accessories.

The Letus35's metal body is approx. 4 inches long.

I didn't expect so many replys, thanks for the comments... I was always surprised more people don't make there own, like Erik's (which look great).

As for the rail length,

They are 27" from end to end, which might sound like a lot (and it is), but I should point out that the mini35 I'm working on will be about twice as long as the letus (a contributing factor to the length is a bellows that serves as an adjustable flange focal length for whatever lens I have on it. In this way, I should be able to rig a mount for any lens I want, and not have to worry about the flange distance). I'd done what I could to get the mini35 size down a bit, but including everything I wanted (flipping mirrors, too), this is just how long it winds up being.

Couple the mini35 with an angenieux cine lens and a matte box, and the rails should only be a little too long. I did this intentionally because the last thing I wanted was to end up with rails that were even slightly too short, so I decided to go the opposite extreme, and I'll simply cut off the excess once everything is attached and I know for sure how much I need.

Erik,

I think I remember seeing you post about your rails a while back... one question, what did you use for the thumb screw for the camera mount? It looks like you found a nice one. I just have a normal bolt on mine now, but it's annoying having to use a wrench, and it's difficult to get a feel for tightness.

Erik,

How did you drill throught he main stage that attaches to the tripod and camera? That looks like a solid piece of aluminum!

What would you put on the extra length, Ben?

Thanks
BP

I'm getting a follow focus unit, and with the 55mm, which is comparatively short in length as shown in the picture on my lens, the matte box barely fits on the rods, so the extra space will let me use zoom lenses and the like with the matte box.

You know, aluminum is quite easy to drill through. It's a soft metal--it's steel and iron that are the real buggers.

Agreed, but having that piece standing straight up and down on a drill press is the hard part. I can drill through 1/8, 1/4 and even 1/2, nice and straight, but drilling through a piece that is on a 1 inch base and drilling down about 6 inches is pretty tough in my books. Maybe he's got better equipment than me - sad, very sad for me.

Leo, go slow and use lots of drill coolant/lubricant. It should be no harder drilling that sixth inch than drilling the first. If it is, something is wrong.

If I misunderstood and the problem is simply holding the piece securely, you have GOT to find a way. It's very dangerous to drill into anything (especially something as soft and 'grabby' as aluminum) without having it firmly locked to the table.

You should be able to get a really cheap Chinese or Taiwanese vice at a discount tool place, or simply eBay. Then just bolt it down. If you can't get it to bolt to your drill table quite right, improvise. Try some long bolts and put a bar of some sort (scrap metal, wooden 2x4, etc) across the bottom and bolt through that.