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I've been looking at steadycams for awhile now but haven't been very keen on the price of the brand name ones. There are a few that go for a fraction of the brand name rigs but they look simple enough to make, so here we are...
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Signing UpStep 1Materials List
MATERIALS:
-1 - 36" L, 1" W, 1/8" T aluminum flat stock
-gimbal handle ( I used a 1" aluminum outboard motor shaft but later found a much lighter jump rope handle with bearings already attached )
-2" L piece of 1" x 1" square aluminum tube
-1/4" drive universal/swivel socket adapter
-bearing to fit inside the gimbal handle or just find the afore mentioned jump rope handle.
-1/4" drive socket that fits tightly in gimbal bearing
-1 - 1/4"-20 x 5/16" T-nut
-1 - 1/4"-20 x 1/2" ss* carriage bolt
-3 - 1/4"-20 x 1" ss* bolts ( I used button heads but use what you have / prefer )
-3 - 1/4"-20 ss* or plastic wing nuts
-1 - 1/4"-20 ss* bolt for mounting screw ( I used a phillips pan head but suggest a thumb screw )
-2 - #10-24 x 2" ss* bolts with 2 lock washers, 2 flat nuts & 2 wing nuts each
-assortment of #10 & 1/4" ss* fender washers ( weights )
-throw away level with at least 1 good bubble vial that's between 7/8" & 1" long
* - ss = stainless steel
TOOLS:
-measuring / marking tools
-drill driver ( I recommend using a drill press for the level vial mounting holes )
-hacksaw
-files
-drill bits: 5/32, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8 & 1/2"
-super glue
-6" diameter wheel
-1 - 36" L, 1" W, 1/8" T aluminum flat stock
-gimbal handle ( I used a 1" aluminum outboard motor shaft but later found a much lighter jump rope handle with bearings already attached )
-2" L piece of 1" x 1" square aluminum tube
-1/4" drive universal/swivel socket adapter
-bearing to fit inside the gimbal handle or just find the afore mentioned jump rope handle.
-1/4" drive socket that fits tightly in gimbal bearing
-1 - 1/4"-20 x 5/16" T-nut
-1 - 1/4"-20 x 1/2" ss* carriage bolt
-3 - 1/4"-20 x 1" ss* bolts ( I used button heads but use what you have / prefer )
-3 - 1/4"-20 ss* or plastic wing nuts
-1 - 1/4"-20 ss* bolt for mounting screw ( I used a phillips pan head but suggest a thumb screw )
-2 - #10-24 x 2" ss* bolts with 2 lock washers, 2 flat nuts & 2 wing nuts each
-assortment of #10 & 1/4" ss* fender washers ( weights )
-throw away level with at least 1 good bubble vial that's between 7/8" & 1" long
* - ss = stainless steel
TOOLS:
-measuring / marking tools
-drill driver ( I recommend using a drill press for the level vial mounting holes )
-hacksaw
-files
-drill bits: 5/32, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8 & 1/2"
-super glue
-6" diameter wheel
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Only piece of advice, Steadicam is a trademark of Tiffen. It's unofficially agreed that DIY stabilizers are steadycams.
No capital S, no i.
As it is made from aluminium you could finish it by anodizing:
http://astro.neutral.org/anodise.shtml
http://coloured.net/designresources/anodize.html
Yours also allows operator guiding using the lower gimbal, a negative of the Steadycam (capital "S"). With theirs, any finger movement has to be perfectly done, otherwise the camera goes with where your fingers does. With yours, the gimbal is above any mechanical motion you put to the camera mount and unwanted movement will be eliminated... (potential Patent material).
You've done a magnificent job of detailing your method and step-by-step instructions (and thank you for that jump rope trick). I'm voting for you to win that bot...
And then I'm out to rummage through my aluminum bar stock!
Thanks
Fun Fact... Most people don't know Tiffen's "JR" isn't pronounced "Junior", it's pronounced "JR".
Back to business... Look at the Tiffen Steadycam picture. See where the gimbaled shaft goes from the handle into a lump of plastic attached to the bottom of the camera mount?
That lump is the gimbal and where the operator's thumb and fore finger can pan the rig left and right, up and down. Because the fingers touch the gimbal and bottom of the camera mount directly, any un-wanted, un-planned movement on the operator's part is transfered directly to the camera, and subsequently, the image.
Spiderham's beautiful rig (Spidey, if your Am. Radio... 73) doesn't appear to work that way. His shaft connection between the handle and camera mount appears to have enough material below the gimbal for a finger and thumb to grasp (no lump), effectively separating the operator from direct contact with the camera mount (which in Spiderham's rig, is even further separated by the leafspring style level mount). His horizontal and vertical axis are separated with the horizontal bearing mounted in the handle. Left and right panning is all done below the vertical, more balance-critical bearing. Panning up and down with Spidey's rig still requires the operator to grasp the upper shaft, above the gimbal, but vertical panning is rare with this type of rig, as the balance and vertical camera angle are set beforehand. When the operator attempts to change this angle, the rig becomes unbalanced and the image suffers.
I don't know if Spiderham's mounting is unique. That would be his task to research... But if it is, he has one year from the time he first showed it to the public, to apply for a utility or provisional patent, if he so desires.
I hope I've answered your question. If not, let me know and I'll take another kick at the cat.
One thing I did with all four universal / swivel joints was thoroughly clean them with 2+2 gum cutter ( a strong cleaner ) and then soaked them in kroil.
Those look to be the same bearings in rollerblade wheels. They fit perfectly inside of 3/4" CPVC pipe, but the jump-rope handle makes this build easier and cleaner by far. Steadicam does make a cheaper version called the Smoothee for only $150. With the pro gimbal, quick-release plate, and micro-adjusters, it's hard to beat, but there is some modding to be had to extend the capacity to heavier SLR cameras.
good luck.