adding another spring arm to a smoothshooter at DVinfo.net

John Benton · January 4th, 2006, 10:46 AM

I have a smoothshooter that I am happy with,
But,
I notice I could replace the static arm that goes to the belt with another of the smoothshooter spring arms, if I could get one.
(they look modular and could be attached one to the other)
Making the smoothshooter upgradable to a two arm system
Glidecam hasn't written me back about this.
Any thoughts ?

Henry Cho · January 5th, 2006, 01:41 AM

it's an interesting idea... tho balancing the arm would probably be a little problematic. curious to see what they have to say. thanks.

Terry Thompson · February 2nd, 2006, 11:37 PM

John,

Are you sure the end of the one arm can be hooked into another arm? If so then the biggest problems would be to get both arms to work together or "track well" together and to make or adapt an elbow that wouldn't clank much. A machinest could help out there.

We started making single armed rigs but after making a dual arm system we stopped making the single ones. There is so much more freedom in the dual arm. I guess that is why you are looking at adaping your Smooth Shooter.

Keep us all informed on what you end up doing.

Tery
www.indicam.com

John Benton · February 3rd, 2006, 10:00 AM

Thaanks Terry,
I found your product soon after I bought the Smoothshooter -
actually it is what lead me to want a dual dual - for a reasonable price
the SS Dual arm looks like it would fit on itself...

Terry Thompson · February 3rd, 2006, 10:52 AM

John,

What did you end up buying and how much did you pay if I may ask?

Tery

John Benton · February 3rd, 2006, 11:04 AM

glidecam Smoothshooter/ w the 400 Pro
was a little more than 1500$

I''m very happy with it - but I also see what 2 moving arms would do

Erik Rene Brul · February 7th, 2006, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Benton

I have a smoothshooter that I am happy with,
But,
I notice I could replace the static arm that goes to the belt with another of the smoothshooter spring arms, if I could get one.
(they look modular and could be attached one to the other)
Making the smoothshooter upgradable to a two arm system
Glidecam hasn't written me back about this.
Any thoughts ?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi John,
Your question to upgrade your arm to a dual spring arm has already been asked by a dutch Smooth Shooter Operator on the http://www.glidecamforum.com :

Quote:

Hi Pepeyn,

It would be a nice achievement to get 2 shooter arms connected. But I think you forget one thing.. The Sled (4000) so far as I know cannot handle more weight then 10 pounds. So you 'modified' arm will, the Sled will not. In that case you need to upgrade your sled also..

But, to be honest.. interesting idea !

Best, Erik Brul

Actually, adding a second, identical spring arm as you mentioned won't increase the load carrying capacity of the Smooth Shooter at all, in fact it has the opposite effect.

Rember that the spring-arm section on the Smooth Shooter is rated for about 18 pounds of total combined camera AND sled weight. Adding a second spring arm does not divide the load. The lower spring-arm section that you want to add would have to haul the weight of the camera and sled AS WELL AS the weight of the UPPER spring-arm. And since it would also only be rated for about 18 pounds of load, you'd find that your camera weight capacity actually diminishes as a result of the modification.

This post has been edited by Casey Visco: Oct 17 2005, 12:01 AM
--------------------

Casey Visco
Glidecam Industries, Inc.
www.glidecam.com

So you see, better not !
Also the following question was asked :

Quote:

Hi Casey,

I've been thinking and I guess you're right. It could only work if I use the arms parallel instead of serial. Using them together in a parallel setup seems quite difficult. So far for this crazy idea.
On the other hand; is it possible to use the V-25 support arm on the Shooth Shooter? The way this arm is connected to both vest and post seems identical to the Smooth Shooter. please correct me if I'm wrong.

Pepeyn

Pepeyn,

Technically you could put the V-25 arm on the Smooth Shooter's vest, however the arm posts actually are of a different size, meaning you couldn't use the 4000 Pro on that arm. Not to mention that the 4000 Pro, as Erik mentioned above, is only designed to handle cameras up to around 10 pounds.

--------------------

Casey Visco
Glidecam Industries, Inc.
www.glidecam.com

So John, there is your answer directly from Glidecam.
Maybe it is also easy for you to ask directly question to them via the Glidecamforum. Casey is answering frequently overthere several questions..

Pls. note, I'm a Steadicam Flyer owner.. I DON'T work for them...

John Benton · February 7th, 2006, 09:44 AM

Eric,
Thanks so much !
My same questions have been sitting on the glidecam forums (under the Smoothshooter section) for months with no reply's...
I wonder where (what part of the forum) you found these ?
Anyway - I appreciate it !
I am less concerned about the weight and more with relieving more bounce as I walk - but Practice is my main solution now.

Best,
J

January 4th, 2006, 10:46 AM	#1
John Benton Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 658	adding another spring arm to a smoothshooter I have a smoothshooter that I am happy with, But, I notice I could replace the static arm that goes to the belt with another of the smoothshooter spring arms, if I could get one. (they look modular and could be attached one to the other) Making the smoothshooter upgradable to a two arm system Glidecam hasn't written me back about this. Any thoughts ?

February 2nd, 2006, 11:37 PM	#3
Terry Thompson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 578	John, Are you sure the end of the one arm can be hooked into another arm? If so then the biggest problems would be to get both arms to work together or "track well" together and to make or adapt an elbow that wouldn't clank much. A machinest could help out there. We started making single armed rigs but after making a dual arm system we stopped making the single ones. There is so much more freedom in the dual arm. I guess that is why you are looking at adaping your Smooth Shooter. Keep us all informed on what you end up doing. Tery www.indicam.com __________________ He's only mostly sDEADy. sort of from "The Princess Bride" www.indicam.com

February 3rd, 2006, 10:52 AM	#5
Terry Thompson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 578	John, What did you end up buying and how much did you pay if I may ask? Tery __________________ He's only mostly sDEADy. sort of from "The Princess Bride" www.indicam.com

January 5th, 2006, 01:41 AM	#2
Henry Cho Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 516	it's an interesting idea... tho balancing the arm would probably be a little problematic. curious to see what they have to say. thanks.

February 3rd, 2006, 10:00 AM	#4
John Benton Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 658	Thaanks Terry, I found your product soon after I bought the Smoothshooter - actually it is what lead me to want a dual dual - for a reasonable price the SS Dual arm looks like it would fit on itself...

February 3rd, 2006, 11:04 AM	#6
John Benton Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 658	glidecam Smoothshooter/ w the 400 Pro was a little more than 1500$ I''m very happy with it - but I also see what 2 moving arms would do

February 7th, 2006, 09:44 AM	#8
John Benton Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 658	Eric, Thanks so much ! My same questions have been sitting on the glidecam forums (under the Smoothshooter section) for months with no reply's... I wonder where (what part of the forum) you found these ? Anyway - I appreciate it ! I am less concerned about the weight and more with relieving more bounce as I walk - but Practice is my main solution now. Best, J