Worm gear for focusing

Leo Mandy · February 21st, 2006, 08:05 PM

Anybody come across decent worms/mitre gears? I have tried in Canada and can't seem to find them anywhere!

Mike Teutsch · February 21st, 2006, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo Mandy

Anybody come across decent worms/mitre gears? I have tried in Canada and can't seem to find them anywhere!

Go to ---- http://www.mcmaster.com

Type "worm gears" into the search window!

One of the greatest places on Earth.

Mike

Arthur Babcock · February 22nd, 2006, 09:59 AM

Another source is Stock Drive Products:
www.sdp-si.com

Good luck,

Arthur

Leo Mandy · February 22nd, 2006, 04:31 PM

Stock Drive Products was great, but I am still wishing for the miter box, alas I guess I will have to do without. Does anyone have the size needed in the miter gears to create a follow-focus system - there are several on the Stock Drive Products and they are cheap!

Robin Davies-Rollinson · February 23rd, 2006, 02:30 AM

I bought my Bevelled Gearbox from Maplin.co.uk - enter "Bevelled Gearbox" in search panel.
It only cost about 19GBP including tax and posting - although your post might be a bit more...
see also: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....9&postcount=75

Robin

Jelle Poupaert · February 23rd, 2006, 04:07 PM

Is it to build a follow focus?

If yes, I bought the parts of my follow focus on www.conrad.com , including a bevel gear. You can see some pictures and part numbers at http://www.pana3ccduser.com/showthread.php?t=7575

cheers

Leo Mandy · February 23rd, 2006, 09:52 PM

Jelle,

Do you have any breakdowns of the unit? I saw the pics on Panauser, but they don't show how the unit is attached to the rods and how it is all held in place.

David Delaney · February 26th, 2006, 07:42 PM

What kind of Pitch and number of teeth would one need for a FF gear box? I have found some myself, but can't determine what would be the best fit. Any ideas?

David Delaney · February 27th, 2006, 06:51 AM

A quick question: when searching gear boxes, am I looking for Low Torque or high torque?

Dennis Wood · February 27th, 2006, 07:03 AM

David, I'm not sure if you want worm gears...I believe mitre gears with a 1:1 ratio would be more appropriate. I stand to be corrected on this, but I guess the question is this:

How many turns of an FF knob are normally associated with a 35mm lens focus ring? To my mind, one FF knob rotation should be at least one 35mm lens rotation?? Can anyone comment on a commercial version out there?

Andrew Todd · February 27th, 2006, 10:37 AM

im looking for the best solution to make my own as well.. a DIY guide and parts list from someone who has made one of these would be awesome. I have a gear for my lenses now (from dan diancu) and would love to get a follow focus on the go.

what canadian parts source would be good?

David Delaney · February 27th, 2006, 04:38 PM

I think the worm gear would be ok, but the part that attaches to the lens would have to be larger to accomodate the smaller turning ratio of the gear. I have a semi-working version at home, but the torque is too much for it.

Oscar Spierenburg · February 27th, 2006, 05:40 PM

If a worm gear is too slow (which is pretty likely) you can also try to find some other 'ready made' gears to use..
I've posted this before, but I still haven't tried it in the mean time:
A 90 deg. screwdriver gear. Or another 90 deg. accessories for things like Dremel precision tools or something.
Another idea I had is to use a flexible shaft. You could bend it in any direction you want. If you got a large flexible shaft for a drill, you can put the knob (you use to turn the lens) on a tripod for instance so the chance of shaking the camera when focusing is reduced. But you could also use a short flexible shaft and put the wheel next to the lens like a normal FF.

David Delaney · February 27th, 2006, 05:49 PM

That's sound like a good idea, but the problem is the cost. I am trying to keep the cost down. It seems to me that the major challenge in all of this is the gear box. After some testing, I think I can make one pretty simply, but I need the bevel gears at a cheap enough price to make it worth it.
Having a dremel part is about $39.00+ tax. But the RedRock and the IndieFocus guys have found a suppliers, so it has to be out there somewhere. It is just a matter of finding it. My friend in Toronto said there is a place on Queen Street that supposedly sells loads of gears and equipment like that...

February 21st, 2006, 08:05 PM	#1
Leo Mandy Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 749	Worm gear for focusing - where oh where? Anybody come across decent worms/mitre gears? I have tried in Canada and can't seem to find them anywhere!

February 27th, 2006, 10:37 AM	#11
Andrew Todd Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Saint John, CANADA Posts: 633	im looking for the best solution to make my own as well.. a DIY guide and parts list from someone who has made one of these would be awesome. I have a gear for my lenses now (from dan diancu) and would love to get a follow focus on the go. what canadian parts source would be good? __________________ video : xl2 / letus35xl / bogen 503 photo- canon 1dmkII - bronica etrsi

February 22nd, 2006, 09:59 AM	#3
Arthur Babcock New Boot Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Carmel Valley, California Posts: 14	Another source is Stock Drive Products: www.sdp-si.com Good luck, Arthur

February 22nd, 2006, 04:31 PM	#4
Leo Mandy Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 749	Stock Drive Products was great, but I am still wishing for the miter box, alas I guess I will have to do without. Does anyone have the size needed in the miter gears to create a follow-focus system - there are several on the Stock Drive Products and they are cheap!

February 23rd, 2006, 02:30 AM	#5
Robin Davies-Rollinson Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gwaelod-y-garth, Cardiff, CYMRU/WALES Posts: 1,215	I bought my Bevelled Gearbox from Maplin.co.uk - enter "Bevelled Gearbox" in search panel. It only cost about 19GBP including tax and posting - although your post might be a bit more... see also: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....9&postcount=75 Robin

February 23rd, 2006, 04:07 PM	#6
Jelle Poupaert New Boot Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 13	Is it to build a follow focus? If yes, I bought the parts of my follow focus on www.conrad.com , including a bevel gear. You can see some pictures and part numbers at http://www.pana3ccduser.com/showthread.php?t=7575 cheers

February 23rd, 2006, 09:52 PM	#7
Leo Mandy Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 749	Jelle, Do you have any breakdowns of the unit? I saw the pics on Panauser, but they don't show how the unit is attached to the rods and how it is all held in place.

February 26th, 2006, 07:42 PM	#8
David Delaney Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Niagara Ontario Canada Posts: 1,121	What kind of Pitch and number of teeth would one need for a FF gear box? I have found some myself, but can't determine what would be the best fit. Any ideas?

February 27th, 2006, 06:51 AM	#9
David Delaney Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Niagara Ontario Canada Posts: 1,121	A quick question: when searching gear boxes, am I looking for Low Torque or high torque?

February 27th, 2006, 07:03 AM	#10
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	David, I'm not sure if you want worm gears...I believe mitre gears with a 1:1 ratio would be more appropriate. I stand to be corrected on this, but I guess the question is this: How many turns of an FF knob are normally associated with a 35mm lens focus ring? To my mind, one FF knob rotation should be at least one 35mm lens rotation?? Can anyone comment on a commercial version out there?

February 27th, 2006, 04:38 PM	#12
David Delaney Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Niagara Ontario Canada Posts: 1,121	I think the worm gear would be ok, but the part that attaches to the lens would have to be larger to accomodate the smaller turning ratio of the gear. I have a semi-working version at home, but the torque is too much for it.

February 27th, 2006, 05:40 PM	#13
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	If a worm gear is too slow (which is pretty likely) you can also try to find some other 'ready made' gears to use.. I've posted this before, but I still haven't tried it in the mean time: A 90 deg. screwdriver gear. Or another 90 deg. accessories for things like Dremel precision tools or something. Another idea I had is to use a flexible shaft. You could bend it in any direction you want. If you got a large flexible shaft for a drill, you can put the knob (you use to turn the lens) on a tripod for instance so the chance of shaking the camera when focusing is reduced. But you could also use a short flexible shaft and put the wheel next to the lens like a normal FF.

February 27th, 2006, 05:49 PM	#14
David Delaney Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Niagara Ontario Canada Posts: 1,121	That's sound like a good idea, but the problem is the cost. I am trying to keep the cost down. It seems to me that the major challenge in all of this is the gear box. After some testing, I think I can make one pretty simply, but I need the bevel gears at a cheap enough price to make it worth it. Having a dremel part is about $39.00+ tax. But the RedRock and the IndieFocus guys have found a suppliers, so it has to be out there somewhere. It is just a matter of finding it. My friend in Toronto said there is a place on Queen Street that supposedly sells loads of gears and equipment like that...