Next build project - steadycam

[Cosmin Rotaru]

hi all,

homebuilt to me is just drawing the parts and give the papers to machinists to build the parts. Than I just assemble it.... That's it! O! My first vest it's the only component I've done by my self. The sewing and all.... :)

Anyway, for my second stabilizer I want the gimbal and some other parts that needs high precision to make them on CNC. That's why I'm using CAD. Also the CAD program would eventually stress test the parts. The first rig is sturdy alright. But its sturdier than needed. This time it will be just as sturdy as it needs to be and of course, lighter!

I agree some thinks could be done better "at home" (hey! what are you thinking about?! :) ). You know... were they use plastic for economical reasons you will use metal and you'll hold it in place with screws instead of cheap glue... I'm not sure this is the case with the pro stabilizers, though... :)

[Kevin Nardelle]

Most of my design comes from the mental images in my head, very rarely do I draw anything up - this is why I am having trouble making plans to build my stuff.

I did use SolidWorks for a few of the parts but here again, the idea first came out my head, went onto a computer and into the CNC which I operate myself. I officially declare all my stuff homebuilt. ..sorry...headbuilt..

[Cosmin Rotaru]

Help me with this one Kevin: I'll have to speak with the CNC operator some day (I've only spoke with the manager - I did some presentation tape for this company...) and I don't sepak his language :). What should I ask him? How do you go from, let's say, SolidAge (BTW: do you like SW? Compare to ACAD/Mechanical Desktop - if you've seen it - is it harder/easier to use?), to CNC? I think there's a SW to transform the .dwg into codes for CNC? Does that software analyse the drawing and decide which route should the cutter go? The CNC's I have acces to are electroerosion wire CNCs.
Allot of questions, I know... I have so much to learn!

[Aaron Rosen]

I started work on my arm last week. After buying the plans from Cody Deegan (www.codydeegan.com) I had some place to start. I love to make things and rip them apart and with the help of the plans and the HBS site I was able to test my limited abilities.

Yesterday I finished my arm, with the execption of the springs. I still have to figure out how to get them to "stay" and not fall off when the arm goes slack.

My arm has 20 bearings and 4 self lubed flanges that I will replace with bearings when I have more cash.

As stated before, the springs are another topic! Yeah...

Anyway, Alex, don't feel like your getting ripped apart here too much. I was skeptical as well when I first looked into making one myself. The resources on HBS and here on DVI were instramental in correcting my perception.

Since I am not the best machinest, my 1st arm will most likley have to be redone. The center "elbow" leans a little to the left and the "C" brackets that hold it on are, uh...um... CRAPPY. Since it's my 1st try (I have the cuts and bruses to prove it) I figure I am doing pretty well. The rig looks VERY promising once I get the little things squared away. Good thing the love of my life's Dad has a machine shop!

The sled is already made for handheld use. The vest in going to be in the works.

I would love to post my progress on HBS if anyone is interested.


- One more thing -

Please forgive the spelling - have been up the last 18 hours at work and my brain is shot.

Have a great day. Im gonna go get some ZZZZzzz's

[Cosmin Rotaru]

Send the pics to Charles King. He'll post them on HBS. We're always looking for sharing the experience! I'd like to see what you've done!
"I still have to figure out how to get them [the springs] to "stay" and not fall off when the arm goes slack"
That should not happend. The spring should be under load even when the arm goes slack. If not, that means you'll hold all the sled's weight when booming up. It could also mean that the arm is too springy and will not do much to absorb the shocks. No good!
Steadicam has an issoelastic arm - that means you don't need to aplly almost no force when booming up or down (They design the arm in such a way that the arm will tend to stay level - so you'll need to apply a litle force to boom. So that's not PERFECT issoelasticity). In a complex wire/pulley system the springs are in constant load...
In the PRO arm there's a simple concept: strong springs on very high ratio. The spring is pretensioned strongly but the moving up/down of the arm makes litle difference on spring loading. So you need litle force to boom the arm.
In your configuratian, if the spring is free (no tension) when the arm is boomed up at the maximum position, I gues you have a weak spring in a low ratio assembly. Or maybe it's just to long!

[Kevin Nardelle]

it depends on the mill... Solidworks is different. depending on what you want to build depends on how eleborate you need to get. MACHINE LANGUAGE is how it is read.
Solid works will plot the measurments out and you just punch in the instruction.
g1f15 (start going speed 15) X-11.5Y6 (x starts on the piece at the preset mark and moves to -11.5 inches and makes that run and y5 would be the same thing.) the mill you are talking about needs to read a machine language compiled program from cad and requires an elaborate setup.
I love solidworks but dont have near the experience that my friend does. he is the man.. ACad is a pain in the arse. :)



<<<-- Originally posted by Cosmin Rotaru : Help me with this one Kevin: I'll have to speak with the CNC operator some day (I've only spoke with the manager - I did some presentation tape for this company...) and I don't sepak his language :). What should I ask him? How do you go from, let's say, SolidAge (BTW: do you like SW? Compare to ACAD/Mechanical Desktop - if you've seen it - is it harder/easier to use?), to CNC? I think there's a SW to transform the .dwg into codes for CNC?

Compile it to machine language. depends on the mill again though.

Does that software analyse the drawing and decide which route should the cutter go? The CNC's I have acces to are electroerosion wire CNCs.
Allot of questions, I know... I have so much to learn! -->>>

[Cosmin Rotaru]

Thanks!
"Compile it to machine language"
So there's a software that does that? Is there a standard format that this SW accepts? Like .dwg? Maybe I could give them the .dwg files and they'd comile to machine language...