The DIY challenge...

John Stakes · January 13th, 2009, 10:45 AM

now THAT is one sexy rig. Thankyou for sharing this great bit of your success.

JS

Gert-Leon Vanlier · February 12th, 2010, 08:02 AM

Hello,

I'm very impressed by your design. Very nice.
Could you post some dimensions of your design? I'm planning to make my own steadicam, based on your design.

Thanks in advance,
GL Vanlier

David L. Holmes · February 12th, 2010, 01:12 PM

Sorry, but I do not have any detailed plans for my rig. All parts were machined on-the-fly. Quite a bit of the rig was designed by what parts we had available, so to duplicate it would be a challenge.

Warren Kawamoto · February 12th, 2010, 06:00 PM

David,
I applaud your effort in making your own steadicam-like device. However, after seeing your photos of the lower sled, I think you may experience a problem. The length from the front tip to the back of your lower sled is too long. When flying a camera, it's best to keep the rig as close to your body as possible. Many times you'll have to turn the camera as you're shooting. With the sled that long, you'll end up hitting your legs as you try to rotate the camera. Try shortening the overall length front to back.

Charles King · February 15th, 2010, 03:41 AM

Hey David. How come I do not have any pics of your system up on HBS? Hint Hint.

Dana Salsbury · May 3rd, 2010, 05:11 PM

Hi David,

I'm looking at the X-10 at $2000 vs trying to make an arm myself. Your wood prototype and video makes it look doable, but I was wondering how complicated it got for you.

I was looking at a windsurfing hook belt and thinking that it might be an inexpensive way to incorporate an arm for a DLSR system I built from D. Eric Franks: DIY Steadicam - Flying Camera Support. Thoughts?

Nuno Ferreira · February 24th, 2011, 10:28 AM

Just found this thread. Too bad David never posted the arm build as he did with the other parts. I would love to see how it turned out. Don’t you have any pics from the arm?
One quick question David. Being a homebuilt rig, does it work ok?

Terry Thompson · March 4th, 2011, 12:21 PM

David,

Just checking in to see how you major build is going?
We are all impressed that you have done so much.
Now we want to see some video of your rig in action when you can shoot some.

Tery

David L. Holmes · March 16th, 2011, 08:38 PM

Hey Gang,

Still here. Been a busy little boy with my new little boy :) I have been itching to get back to the rig and finish the arm, hopefully by summer. I have switched cameras to a Canon HFS100, so it's quite a bit lighter, but still to heavy to hold it handheld. As soon as I get some new stuff I will post it immediately. Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts :)

Peter Chung · April 7th, 2011, 08:41 AM

Just revisited this thread and was wondering how you came up with the iso-elastic design of your arm.

Peter Chung · April 7th, 2011, 11:32 AM

Also, can you make adjustments for different loads or how would you make it work with different configurations?

David L. Holmes · April 7th, 2011, 10:57 PM

Hey Peter,

That design is not mine, I just copied it from a different site your familiar with (HBS group). I wont be using that arm, I'm not going to be able to tinker with the project enough to try to perfect it so I'll be going with just a standard arm. My idea is to have a sliding block that will be threaded so I can micro adjust the amount of tension I will need to fly my camera. It's still a ways off, but I am thinking more and more about the design every day, so maybe I can get a prototype done soon. Keep in touch!

Dave

Peter Chung · April 12th, 2011, 12:20 PM

I found the thread at HBS, thanks!

What is wrong with that arm that has made you abandon it? Your demo video is quite impressive vs the non-iso-elastic Steadicam arm on my Pilot... the Pilot arm doesn't stay in place but always wants to go back to it's equilibrium point.

Serggio Lamas · March 24th, 2013, 09:55 AM

David looking fon gimbal only,your gimbal is nice ( Gimbal (3).jpg) how much the gimbal only?

Larry Vaughn · May 5th, 2013, 06:13 PM

David, do you sell the gimbal and handle assembly?

February 12th, 2010, 08:02 AM	#32
Gert-Leon Vanlier Tourist Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Netherlands Posts: 1	Dimensions Hello, I'm very impressed by your design. Very nice. Could you post some dimensions of your design? I'm planning to make my own steadicam, based on your design. Thanks in advance, GL Vanlier

February 15th, 2010, 03:41 AM	#35
Charles King Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sweden Posts: 795	Hey David. How come I do not have any pics of your system up on HBS? Hint Hint. __________________ Charles 'What we perceive to be may not be what we believe to be.'

May 3rd, 2010, 05:11 PM	#36
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	Hi David, I'm looking at the X-10 at $2000 vs trying to make an arm myself. Your wood prototype and video makes it look doable, but I was wondering how complicated it got for you. I was looking at a windsurfing hook belt and thinking that it might be an inexpensive way to incorporate an arm for a DLSR system I built from D. Eric Franks: DIY Steadicam - Flying Camera Support. Thoughts? __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

February 24th, 2011, 10:28 AM	#37
Nuno Ferreira New Boot Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: SMF - Portugal Posts: 21	Re: The DIY challenge... Just found this thread. Too bad David never posted the arm build as he did with the other parts. I would love to see how it turned out. Don’t you have any pics from the arm? One quick question David. Being a homebuilt rig, does it work ok? __________________ Nuno Ferreira www.enimagens.pt

March 4th, 2011, 12:21 PM	#38
Terry Thompson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 578	Re: The DIY challenge... David, Just checking in to see how you major build is going? We are all impressed that you have done so much. Now we want to see some video of your rig in action when you can shoot some. Tery __________________ He's only mostly sDEADy. sort of from "The Princess Bride" www.indicam.com

January 13th, 2009, 10:45 AM	#31
John Stakes Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 558	now THAT is one sexy rig. Thankyou for sharing this great bit of your success. JS

February 12th, 2010, 01:12 PM	#33
David L. Holmes Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Detroit, MI USA Posts: 96	Sorry, but I do not have any detailed plans for my rig. All parts were machined on-the-fly. Quite a bit of the rig was designed by what parts we had available, so to duplicate it would be a challenge.

February 12th, 2010, 06:00 PM	#34
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	David, I applaud your effort in making your own steadicam-like device. However, after seeing your photos of the lower sled, I think you may experience a problem. The length from the front tip to the back of your lower sled is too long. When flying a camera, it's best to keep the rig as close to your body as possible. Many times you'll have to turn the camera as you're shooting. With the sled that long, you'll end up hitting your legs as you try to rotate the camera. Try shortening the overall length front to back.

March 16th, 2011, 08:38 PM	#39
David L. Holmes Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Detroit, MI USA Posts: 96	Re: The DIY challenge... Hey Gang, Still here. Been a busy little boy with my new little boy :) I have been itching to get back to the rig and finish the arm, hopefully by summer. I have switched cameras to a Canon HFS100, so it's quite a bit lighter, but still to heavy to hold it handheld. As soon as I get some new stuff I will post it immediately. Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts :)

April 7th, 2011, 08:41 AM	#40
Peter Chung Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO USA Posts: 220	Re: The DIY challenge... Just revisited this thread and was wondering how you came up with the iso-elastic design of your arm.

April 7th, 2011, 11:32 AM	#41
Peter Chung Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO USA Posts: 220	Re: The DIY challenge... Also, can you make adjustments for different loads or how would you make it work with different configurations?

April 7th, 2011, 10:57 PM	#42
David L. Holmes Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Detroit, MI USA Posts: 96	Re: The DIY challenge... Hey Peter, That design is not mine, I just copied it from a different site your familiar with (HBS group). I wont be using that arm, I'm not going to be able to tinker with the project enough to try to perfect it so I'll be going with just a standard arm. My idea is to have a sliding block that will be threaded so I can micro adjust the amount of tension I will need to fly my camera. It's still a ways off, but I am thinking more and more about the design every day, so maybe I can get a prototype done soon. Keep in touch! Dave

April 12th, 2011, 12:20 PM	#43
Peter Chung Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO USA Posts: 220	Re: The DIY challenge... I found the thread at HBS, thanks! What is wrong with that arm that has made you abandon it? Your demo video is quite impressive vs the non-iso-elastic Steadicam arm on my Pilot... the Pilot arm doesn't stay in place but always wants to go back to it's equilibrium point.

March 24th, 2013, 09:55 AM	#44
Serggio Lamas Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Germany Posts: 163	Re: The DIY challenge... David looking fon gimbal only,your gimbal is nice ( Gimbal (3).jpg) how much the gimbal only?

May 5th, 2013, 06:13 PM	#45
Larry Vaughn Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 201	Re: The DIY challenge... David, do you sell the gimbal and handle assembly?