Introducing the "General Purpose Camera Platform"

[Frank Brodkorb]

Hi folks, this is the "General Purpose Camera Platform"

A lightwight aluminum 3-in-1 dolly that folds so small, you can put it on any back seat or trunk.

1. Fullsize Dolly
When you unfold it, it becomes a fullsize 2 person dolly that carrys 400 lbs.
It sports double wheels with rubber tires including track wheels between them.
Back wheels are stearable by the push-handle.
The "Bazooka" acts as a mini jib and keeps the head always level.

2. Slider Module
The 47.2 inch slider module mounts on the Bazooka. It can be used horizontal or swivels vertical so you can use it as a camera lift in thigt spaces where there is no room for a crane move.

3. Crane/Jib Module
The jib module slides into the slider module and prvides a reach from 3.20 to 6.56 foot.

In the moment I draw detailed construction plans and blueprints.
When I start building the GPCAP I will make photos of every step.

Since I´m not in the movie gear manufacturing business I provide
this as Public Domain when done.


So everyone can take it as a ispiration to do further development

....or just bluntly copy it ;-)

Frank

[Frank Brodkorb]

78 views and not 1 comment.

Is it that bad?

[Chris Barcellos]

Hey Frank... I like this concept a lot.

1 Looks like you are envisioning metal pipe for the track... How do you see that working with joints, etc. for long runs.

2. Wheels: I see you have front wheels turning tied. Is that necessary on track ? Or is that for off track.

3. Wheels: Are you using commonly available wheels for this project ?

As a do it yourselfer, I would love to have updates on this project as you go along.

[Frank Brodkorb]

Thanks.

I´m really proud of the swiveling Slider Module.
Everything else ist pretty common stuff, thrown together in a smart way.

I came up with it, cause I wanted an all-in-one lightwigt solution that fits in my girfriends small Daihatsu and can handle a 20 pund camera.
There was nothing on the market that is up to my needs (and budget).

1. The aluminum pipe pieces are 3.20 foot each. They can be connected via allen bolts - suuper smooth. If a track becomes real long spacers between left and right track are needed.

2. The tie rods are not needed for the track, since the wheels are lockable. But I assume most guys just gonna leave them on - doesn`t hurt.

3. The wheels are indutry standard parts, the track wheel between them is custom made - they are made of nylon (pretty quiet) on a lathe in my local machine shop for a beer and a song ;-)

[Chris Barcellos]

Keep us posted as the project develops.

[Bob Hart]

The edge wheels. - I can't see detail on my computer's image.

Do you have chamfers on the inner sides. You might experience some ride and drop out on the job when things get a bit dry and gritty.

If you have pipe joins, you probably need tandem sets of wheels to carry over the bumps.

Tandems on tight swivels also spread the load a little so you dont get as much sink between supports on the pipes and it is not total death to the shot if you happen to get slack, forget the end stop and run a wheel just over the end.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Frank -
Looks interesting - probably a lot of interest, but give it a couple days for everyone to find it - this isn't the most active section of the forums, but I'm sure you'll have people interested. Not quite my sort of rig - too big for wedding/event work, at least the way I do it, even as compact as you've designed it, though you've got me thinking...

[Bryan Gilchrist]

If it had all-terrain wheels, that would be great. I'm not a big fan of tracks...takes longer to set them up then it does to use them. :)

Plus, most of my projects are indoors or on flat surfaces that wouldn't require a level track.

[Dave Blackhurst]

The main purpose of tracks is to provide a reliably smooth surface - you'd be surprised how bumpy "smooth level surfaces" realy are once you try to track across them on wheels...