GL2 on a home-built camera stabilizer at DVinfo.net

David L. Holmes · November 14th, 2008, 07:19 AM

Hello gang,

Here are a few pics of my GL2 flying on my home-built Steadicam sled. I'm in the process of completing the vest and suspension arm to hold the sled, but everything wont be finished for quite a while (the sled took 11 months to complete... )

Just thought this might make some good conversation on the board :)

Dave

Here is a more detailed posting on how I built my rig: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/stabilize...challenge.html

Graham Bernard · November 14th, 2008, 10:58 AM

Nice one David! What is the overall weight? Have you submitted it to "Homestabelizers"?

What are the lights? Make/link?

Grazie

Jeff Whitley · November 14th, 2008, 11:57 AM

Great!

Maybe you can do a PDF of the parts and locations of where you bought the items for those of us who want to follow that same trail.

Jeff Harper · November 14th, 2008, 12:27 PM

What kind of lights are you running?

David L. Holmes · November 14th, 2008, 01:46 PM

Thanks guys,

Grazie, yep totally on the HBS (Home Built Stabilizer) board. That's where I got most of my ideas and help. So to that end Jeff, if your interested in trying this yourself, you may want to check out that site. Most of the parts I designed were on the fly, so there are no blueprints or drawings other then my original prototype ideas. It's not that I don't want to take the system apart and one by one measure each part, draw, and publish a How-to manual, but the machining process is very difficult for the average home-builder to accomplish. Without the support of my cousin and his thousands of dollars in metal working equipment I would never have been able to accomplish this much. So unless you have a machine shop in your basement, I don't advise doing this...

The LED lights are homemade. I have three different sets with different Kelvin color temps. The lights pictured are my only dual set, so they would be the heaviest of all to fly. The lights are dimmable, and have 135 degrees of spread, so there is even light output without any hot-spots.

As for the weight of the system, it's 10 lbs naked, and 20 lbs with all the equipment you see in the pictures. Not something you can hold for very long hand held, that's why I'm going to have to finish the arm and vest to be able to use it to it's full advantage.

Thanks,
Dave

Dale Guthormsen · December 2nd, 2008, 07:50 AM

David,

A very nice piece of work!!!

I will be really interested when you build the vest and Arm!!!!

I will want to build one of these this spring, so can you finish it up before then!!!!

No pressure of course!!!! haha!!

David L. Holmes · December 2nd, 2008, 08:43 AM

Hey Dale,

So far, Prototype 2 arm is sketched and ready for the first mock-up. I try to make stuff out of wood first before we commit to aluminum. I should be able to fully load the arm to make sure it will hold the required weight. If everything is OK then we will start machining the real thing by early next year. I would LOVE to have this thing completely finished by spring, and it is possible if I can stick with it, but life has a way of intervening at the most inopportune times...

I'll keep everyone updated!

Dave

November 14th, 2008, 07:19 AM	#1
David L. Holmes Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Detroit, MI USA Posts: 96	GL2 on a home-built camera stabilizer Hello gang, Here are a few pics of my GL2 flying on my home-built Steadicam sled. I'm in the process of completing the vest and suspension arm to hold the sled, but everything wont be finished for quite a while (the sled took 11 months to complete... ) Just thought this might make some good conversation on the board :) Dave Here is a more detailed posting on how I built my rig: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/stabilize...challenge.html Attached Thumbnails Last edited by David L. Holmes; November 14th, 2008 at 10:45 AM.

November 14th, 2008, 11:57 AM	#3
Jeff Whitley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 43	Great! Maybe you can do a PDF of the parts and locations of where you bought the items for those of us who want to follow that same trail. __________________ Jeff Whitley <'/))))><

December 2nd, 2008, 07:50 AM	#6
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	David, A very nice piece of work!!! I will be really interested when you build the vest and Arm!!!! I will want to build one of these this spring, so can you finish it up before then!!!! No pressure of course!!!! haha!! __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

November 14th, 2008, 10:58 AM	#2
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Nice one David! What is the overall weight? Have you submitted it to "Homestabelizers"? What are the lights? Make/link? Grazie

November 14th, 2008, 12:27 PM	#4
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	What kind of lights are you running?

November 14th, 2008, 01:46 PM	#5
David L. Holmes Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Detroit, MI USA Posts: 96	Thanks guys, Grazie, yep totally on the HBS (Home Built Stabilizer) board. That's where I got most of my ideas and help. So to that end Jeff, if your interested in trying this yourself, you may want to check out that site. Most of the parts I designed were on the fly, so there are no blueprints or drawings other then my original prototype ideas. It's not that I don't want to take the system apart and one by one measure each part, draw, and publish a How-to manual, but the machining process is very difficult for the average home-builder to accomplish. Without the support of my cousin and his thousands of dollars in metal working equipment I would never have been able to accomplish this much. So unless you have a machine shop in your basement, I don't advise doing this... The LED lights are homemade. I have three different sets with different Kelvin color temps. The lights pictured are my only dual set, so they would be the heaviest of all to fly. The lights are dimmable, and have 135 degrees of spread, so there is even light output without any hot-spots. As for the weight of the system, it's 10 lbs naked, and 20 lbs with all the equipment you see in the pictures. Not something you can hold for very long hand held, that's why I'm going to have to finish the arm and vest to be able to use it to it's full advantage. Thanks, Dave

December 2nd, 2008, 08:43 AM	#7
David L. Holmes Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Detroit, MI USA Posts: 96	Hey Dale, So far, Prototype 2 arm is sketched and ready for the first mock-up. I try to make stuff out of wood first before we commit to aluminum. I should be able to fully load the arm to make sure it will hold the required weight. If everything is OK then we will start machining the real thing by early next year. I would LOVE to have this thing completely finished by spring, and it is possible if I can stick with it, but life has a way of intervening at the most inopportune times... I'll keep everyone updated! Dave