Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Tue Mar 19, 2024 1:54 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Gimbal Mount for Camera
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:28 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
I have finally nutted out and finished my Camera Gimbal Mount.

Image

It's taken over a year of tweaking and adjusting the design but so far, I'm pretty happy with the result. The Mk1 version was mild steel and, even though it worked well, the adjustment needed improvement.

Image

These photos are the Mk2 version. This is made entirely from stainless and poly and you will need to have access to a lathe and TIG welder. Unfortunately not cheap. Hope this clip explains it better.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnnXp74Nx60[/youtube]

If you're thinking of doing similar, note that the pivot friction adjuster needs to be simple and easily accessible as it needs to be adjusted due to water ingress changing the friction. It's surprising how stiff the pivot needs to be to dampen and smooth out the motion.

Please let me know what you think.

_________________
Image

Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.


Last edited by Slaughter on Sun Jul 31, 2011 12:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:56 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 817
Location: Sydney - Parramatta
That is just awsome!
Funny I was just thinking about this today. Was something significanly more complicated though.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:42 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:18 pm
Posts: 287
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
The counter weight looks like it would get hit by waves. Have you tested the system in any major wave situation or at high speeds???

_________________
Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:25 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
Thanks Cows. Using the camera as the counterweight is another option.

Very perseptive Paul, it does at times get hit with the odd wave and I havent really given it a go at high speed or in chop yet. The counterweight connecter bar could be reshaped to lift the counterweight and I could possibly get it up another 50mm ( 2" ). But it doesn't really worry me that much as most of the footage is edited into 5 second clips so any movement of the camera due to a wave hitting the counterweight can be edited out. ( although I'm not ruling out a Mk3 version )

_________________
Image

Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.


Last edited by Slaughter on Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:02 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:59 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:37 pm
Posts: 543
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
Wow!
A SteadyCam for an AKA!
Congratz. The counter balance is brilliant!
Sooooooo.....when is it going into production?

Fred

_________________
Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 4:15 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
Thanks for the feedback Fred. The season is just starting down this way. I'll give it a good test over the next 9-10 months to see how it performs.

_________________
Image

Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 3:21 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 6:44 pm
Posts: 162
I'm guessing at a retail price of around $300-$400...


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 6:31 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:14 pm
Posts: 97
Location: Jupiter, Florida
Wow that is brilliant! Between you and sun-E-sailor I beginning to think my public education was a joke! I want one

_________________
Image

Steve


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 3:58 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 2863
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
Clever design, beautifully engineered and constructed. 8)
Very nice work Slaughter.
It's interesting that you found it necessary to adjust the friction. The commercial versions of stabilizers use bearings so friction is eliminated, but I like your adjustable friction for damping.
Looking forward to seeing the results and maybe even being in them! :wink:
We're overdue for an outing. :roll:


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:09 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
Thanks fellas for the feedback. I wouldn't mind knocking up some mounts for those who are interested but I want to test this out first over this summer to make sure that there are no design flaws. $300-$400 may be stretching it a bit Madwand unless I make you my Marketing Manager. P.S. Love the avatar photo Steve. The friction surprisingly needs to be quite substantial Stringy to eliminate that motion sickness for the viewer. In that clip where the connections were loose, my daughter couldn't even watch it and felt nauseous.

You're right about a an overdue trip. Davew who we met on the Patonga trip is coming up to the Lake around the weekend of the 17th if you want to join us. Don't know what we are doing yet but I would like to go out through Swansea channel at some stage and see if I can hunt down some humpback stragglers. Still haven't seen one.

_________________
Image

Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:39 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 6:44 pm
Posts: 162
I wasn't being facetious, it looks like such a high quality piece of precision equipment that I would expect to see it cost that much. I couldn't afford one, but that's what it looks like. Hi speed man.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:14 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 2863
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
Slaughter wrote:

You're right about a an overdue trip. Davew who we met on the Patonga trip is coming up to the Lake around the weekend of the 17th if you want to join us. Don't know what we are doing yet but I would like to go out through Swansea channel at some stage and see if I can hunt down some humpback stragglers. Still haven't seen one.


I'm keen- especially if you are going offshore. Keep us posted with details. :)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:42 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
I'll give you a ring Stringy when it's closer to the date. Dave is up this way for a few days and wants to camp over, possibly Wangi.

Were abouts are you sailing Madwand. What's your location ?

_________________
Image

Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:11 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 6:10 pm
Posts: 158
Location: Folsom, CA
Nice work....

Does the dairy (or other liquid food processing plant) know what you are using that SS triclover clamp for??? :mrgreen: :lol:


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 10:03 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
I hope you're not accusing me of stealing a Tri-clover from work NAHCA555. Just because our country was built by thieves, murderers, crooks and pickpockets, doesn't mean that we still partake in such activities. There is a difference between stealing and borrowing. :roll:

_________________
Image

Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group