Camera and Tripod mounting plates
 

For the camera and tripod mounts, here is what I am thinking:

Camera mount (5"x6" 3/8" aluminum mount plate with at least 4 pre drilled 3/8" threaded holes and a 3/8" stud for easy mounting to the ball head of your choice). I think 3/8" is the standard for most quality tripod heads. What kind of camera mounts would you want to use besides something like this? I have seen other sliders that come with a mount that looks like it could also accommodate a heavier film camera but I have no idea what the standards are for that. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Tripod mounts (Two 2-1/4" by 3/4" round aluminum pre-drilled with a 3/8" threads which you could mount on your tripod and bolt down from the slider onto the tripod for maximum stability and easy adjustment). Very similar to this Bogen converter plate:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Plate_to.html

I would be very interested in a slider solution. I played with "the original slider" at a Canon booth at NAB and emailed them for prices, but I have a feeling they're very very expensive.

http://www.theslider.com/3foot.html

Please keep us posted!

Camtram
 

More versatile than a slider and cheaper too.

www.camtramsystems.com

Hi Bryan,

Who's your slider coming along? Any idea when I could eventually buy one...?

Eugene,

I've been away from this project for a little while but plan to rejuvenate it soon. I am not happy with the friction control and need to go back to the drawing board a bit on that. I was trying a spring loaded teflon screw and it did not offer smooth enough resistance. Once I figure that part out I will probably be a lot closer.

Bryan

Hey Bryan,

Do you really feel a friction control is needed? I recently purchased the same slider/rail (I got the 35 as well with 40" of rail), and from the little I've been playing with it, it seems that there's just enough friction for it to move pretty smoothly.

- Frank.

Frank,

I think it is needed at least to lock it down and make it complete. With my 35mm adapter and lens on it, it adds a lot of weight and I would need it with that. I am thinking a "rolling" friction wheel to put on the outside of the rail and be adjustable. I was just at a hobby store this morning and there are rubber wheels of many sizes that may work well. I just need to figure a way to screw one on and make it smoothly adjustable with a small clutch or something similar. You can certainly DIY on this at about $40/foot for the rail and $85 for the 3 bearing slide/$115 for the 4 bearing. 3 bearing works fine. I am finding that the labor to make a nice elevated mount, end caps, and control are significant additional cost factors. Cost of making a 6 foot model would be about $360 for all the rail/mount/screws hardware + the labor of making the mounts/end caps/friction control which adds up. If I were to sell something like this in a 6' model, given limited market for it, it would have to at least be in the $999+ range.

I'd be interested in buying one for 999$..