Need a balancing stand for the Indicam sled:
 

Hello,

I am looking for a cheap balancing stand for the Indicam Sled.

I know I need a mic stand of some sort but can anyone recommend a cheap one that will do the job?

Thanks,

Simon

Mic stand won't be stable enough. you need something stable, and that means wider legs than a mic stand offers.

You need at the least, a C-stand or a sturdy light stand rated for the load, and a sandbag or two to weigh down the base. The last thing you want is for your sled to come crashing down with your camera.

You'll also need to make sure that the stand has the proper sized stud to fit whatever balancing bracket indicam offers.

Plan to spend $100 to $150 at the minimum. Maybe you can find one used for less, but make sure it is stable and in good condition. The other possible option would be a DJ's speaker stand that you can buy at places like Guitar Center or musiciansfriend.com. Those are pretty stout and not expensive ($40 or so) but you will have to figure out how to safely and securely rig the balancing bracket to the top of the stand.

Good luck.

Thanks!

Terry from Indicam just wrote me too and recommended this one:

On-Stage Stands MS9700B Heavy-Duty Tripod Base Mic Stand

But he said i have to weigh it down for the reasons you mentioned. That is fine.

I will try it out in my living room near my soft couch before I go outside! ;)

thanks again for the advice,

Simon

I use a speaker stand - plenty sturdy

something like this:

On-Stage | LSSS7770 120" Speaker Stand | LS/SS7770 | B&H

got it from my local audio store

That is a good stand.

Thanks for the tip.

Simon

I'd much prefer the speaker stand, personally. Why skimp to save $50 when your rig and camera are hanging off of it? One tumble and you've toasted thousands in equipment, not to mention mucking up a shoot day.

I hear you but if Terry is using this stand from Indicam then I trust him.

Great product and support!

Simon

I hear ya Mark..I got the Steadicam stand myself..and I'll still probably put a sandbag on it as well....

I have a Steadicam Flyer with Tiffen's old-style stand (looks like a light stand).

Tiffen now supplies all Flyer and pilot models with a new stand which is a short c-stand ("turtle stand"). Their technical manager said that the new design holds up better over the long run.

Terry seems like a great guy who is always willing to help.

Maybe that stand is fine, but when you are balancing your rig or even just storing it, it's simple physics: a wider stance equals a much more stable platform. A narrower base means that you will have to put more weight on the base -probably add a second sandbag (and sandbags ain't cheap either!)

Another factor is the weight of your rig. A lightweight stabilizer and camera can get away with a narrower stand.

Again, it's your rig, so if you're confident in your choice I wish you the best. Just don't forget to "bag it"!

I use a Bike stand.....
clamp the handle in it, and go at it
http://www.parktool.com/images/produ...5729_23185.jpg

not mine exactly. mine was much cheaper, and super sturdy.

Great idea!

Thanks for sharing!

Simon

Yeah u really want to have a stable stand. Its really critical when doing dynamic balancing. Yes, Terry is a great guy!

Indicam Sled balancing stand.
 

Hi guys,

Simon, you have found a "Fountain of Great Information". The members of this forum are an excellent source of valuable information and I have learned a lot for them.

Grant, the "bike stand" is intriguing. Are they available at regular bike shops? Do they fold down to something small enough to carry easily?

==========================

OK, Here's the scoop. I have personally used a wide base mic stand for years (with the bottom weighted of course) because our rig hangs close to the mic post and doesn't have a lot of torque pulling on the top. The sled isn't sitting out like on a C-stand where you can do a spin to check the dynamic balance. We instead hold the tripod at an angle to allow the sled to spin freely when we do our spin balance.

That being said, we have warned our customers to make sure the base is weighted to avoid the famous "Murphy's Law" that states "Anything that can go wrong WILL go wrong".

We now prefer using a lighting stand as they are even more stable, light, and compact. Simon was trying to find something inexpensive that will work and the mic stand we recommended will work when weighted. We have used one for years and it has worked well. We did change over to the previously mentioned lighting stand and it's been an excellent choice.

The bottom line is that you should get a stand that takes into account "Murphy's Law" if you can find and afford one. Until then the wide base mic stand we mentioned will work but weigh it down to keep "Murphy" away. Then, when you can, get a real good, solid stand as soon as you can.

My latest stand for my rig is a wide based stand with wheels on the bottom. If it gets bumped accidentally, it rolls instead of tipping over. I like it.

P.S. Our new website is up and in the daily process of getting finished and updated. It's found by clicking on Indicam. We will have links to this and other sites of interest on it as well as pages showcasing many of our customers. We hope it will be easier to navigate and be more interesting and informative for potential customers. We also have a "registered" menu (for those who login) with items of interest for our current buyers.

Tery
Indicam

bike stands are available all over ebay, local bike shop sometimes, and larger chains (r.e.i)
while no, they arent VERY portable, they normally fold up/break down into small enough for a trunk