Just took my screw and put it in a lathe.. now it works perfectly! cheers

Yes indeed, but has your screwdriver been immortalized in TV history??!!!

The very first thing I bought for my own kit (was still using a rental rig) was a mega-screwdriver with a wide bit like the one Dave illustrates but about twice as long. Many cameras back then only had a single mounting point so you had to tighten the crap out of them to keep them from rotating on you. I went for the longest one I could find to maximize torque. This sucker was menacing.

On the pilot of "Scrubs", there was a scene where the Janitor threatens Zach Braff's character with a big screwdriver. The one that the prop department provided was not nearly as imposing so I offered mine up (see it in action here, about :30 into the clip).

Towards the end of the first season, that scene was called back with a new intern arriving at the hospital, and the screwdriver made its second appearance on network TV. Too bad it didn't get residuals.

The story has a tragic end; not long after this my old friend disappeared from my frontbox. Petty thievery brought an end to our long working relationship.

Craftsman Big-Ass Screwdriver: 1988-2002. RIP.

Can't top that! Very cool...

bump..........

Dave, this thread is a nice resource that has received good responses so I have stickied it. Mazel tov.

Great thread! Answered a lot of my questions :).

I found something in my local hardware store to help stop the camera moving about on the stage.

In the UK in B&Q you can get Draper Slip Mat. Its like a thin, rubbery, foam like substance which feels tacky (sticky). A slice of this under your quickrelease plate (or camera) and it wont budge an inch.

I got a roll of it for about £5 although you only need a small ammount, used the rest on my dash board and rugs :)

How many mid weights should I buy if I'm flying a Xh-A1 and plan to later fly an EX-1? Would 2 be enough?

I would buy 8. Unfortunately, Tiffen just raised the price on middle weights from $6 each to $25 each, but it looks like you can still get the $6 price here:
Steadicam 801-7920-05 Balance Weights, Steadicam

Thanks for the heads up. Does the pilot come with 4 end weights already? If so, I need to call and get my order fixed to include 2 more end weights.

The Pilot comes with 4 middle-weights and 4 end-weights. I've ordered an extra 8 middle-weights, for a total of 12. For lighter cameras like the XH-A1, I use all of my weights (12 middle weights, and 4 end weights).

Okay sweet. All set then :).

XHA1 with 35mm Adapter
 

Has anyone tried using the Pilot with an XHA1 and Letus 35mm adapter? Can it still handle the weight when using a long lens, eg. 300mm f4, approx. 3lbs? Not sure what the entire rig would weigh as I don't currently have an adapter, both it and a stabilizer are on my shopping list, just trying to determine which stabilizer.
Thanks, Rich.
Montauk Rocks - Oscail Films

See here:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/stabilize...f-adapter.html

What exactly were you thinking to shoot at 300mm on any type of Steadicam...?!!