DIY IndieSlider...

[ZazaCast]

O.K. here we go. Since I'm getting a lot of requests for more information, I figured I'd just start a thread!





***ANNOUNCEMENT***
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1891172&postcount=1546


VERY easy indieslider:

Go to www.igus.com and order the rail & carriage. Phone order number: 1-800-521-2747
(Cost around $160.00 in parts - http://www.igus.com/show_dw.asp)

Also... here's some new contact info. for igus. (I got this from the igus rep)

1-888-803-1895
sales@igus.com

For Australia & New Zealand:
"We have a distributor in New Zealand - Automation Equipment Ltd. - +62-7-847-2082
But no direct office - They could order from us via credit card and we could ship parts to them."



Here's the order:
WS-16-60 Drylin 'W' rail 1000mm
WW-16-60-10 Drylin 'W' carriage

All you have to do then is run to the hardware store and get a 3/8" 16 thread tap (and a tap handle), a 5/16 metal drill bit & a 3/8" hex head bolt (you'll have to figure out the length you need, I think mine was about an inch long)

1. The rail (I got 1000mm which is about 39" long and gives you a good 36" of slide), already has 9 evenly spaced holes in it, so all you have to do is tap the middle hole! TAP FROM THE BOTTOM UP. You want this to screw onto your tripod. Always think everything through before doing anything!

2. Find the center of the carriage and drill a straight hole with the 5/16" bit. Tap the hole, again, from the bottom up. Screw the bolt you bought into the carriage so it's sticking out the top. This is where you'll attach your head (I'm just using a Manfrotto 701).

That's it! Screw the rail on the tripod (I'd be sure to sandbag the legs, cause as you go way out, it could tilt over on you), put your head on the carriage, put the carriage on the rail, mount the camera & you're ready to go. Really easy... took me about 1/2 hour including the trip to the hardware store.

I also bought a little tripod, a Manfrotto 190XDB that can get really low to the ground and the legs can spread wide (right out to flat).

Next I want to make a few 'endcaps' out of 4x4 post wood that will allow me to get 4" off the ground...for some cool low, sliding shots! Use your imagination for endless possibilities….

Here's a quick little test the day I put it together...it's really not jerky (photobucket?). I wanted it for one of my Twilightfest shoot....and it worked like a charm. http://s302.photobucket.com/albums/n...nt=Slider5.flv

Here's a better test:


Hope this helps.
Best,
-Zaza

Bottom of carriage, with bolt in place:


Head mounted on carriage. I have mine on a 100mm ball head adapter that I use on my Kessler crane. (you can just attach the head directly to the carriage):


Rail screwed onto the tripod, just screw it on!


Tripod w/ legs out flat...gets you about 18" off the ground:


Slide the carriage onto the rail...mount your camera & you're ready to go!



O.K., Now for the "low-rider" endcaps:

Very easy: All I did was buy a 4' piece of 4x4 deck post and had Home Depot cut me (2) 11" lengths, picked up a package of stainless steel screw eye's (5/8" x 2 1/4") and used a couple of washers I had laying around. That's it.



1.) I went one rulers width in from the edge (about one inch) and marked the center (5 1/2") on each block.

2.) Drill a nice started hole in each.

3.) Painted the wood flat black

4.) Attach the rail using the screw eyes & washer. (these also act as a stop at the end of the rail.)

5.) Mount the camera & shoot! You can also remove the head from the carriage, use a 1/4" 20 thread and attache the camera directly to the carriage to get it even lower to the ground. (you will lose your pan/tilt functionality though)







This seems to be a real stable base and still gives you a good 3' of travel. You can leave the feet on and still mount it to a tripod too. If you have some little rubber feet laying around, I'm sure that would help on bare floors. Use your imagination, I bet you guys can come-up with a bunch of modification & improvements!

There you go...quick & easy. I plan on shooting some test footage in the next few days... I'll post something then.

Additional Tech Notes: Aligning the carriage for a smooth slide

This is OFFICIAL igus procedure for "aligning" the carriage.
It only needs to be done once.

They say

1. Loosen all carriage bolts - (don't remove - just loosen a few turns)
2. slide carriage back and forth to allow bearings to align themselves)
3. (tech actually recommended "tapping" the center of the carriage to "bump" the bearings into place)
4. With downward pressure on carriage tighten the bolts again a few turns at a time (alternating them - i.e. do NOT crank one down and then do the other ones)


End-stop solution by CineGang:


Here are the part numbers of the stuff I got at Home Depot:
(4) Cap Screw Socket 3/8" x 1" UPC# 30699 72208 - $2.98 each
(4) Spacer 3/8" long/nylon UPC# 30699 87368 - $.58 each

Total $16.55

Thanks to "CineGang" for this great end-stop solution!


Nickybee's solution here:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.p...&postcount=185

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If you have a head with a screw that comes out the bottom... I believe people have been using this adapter with success:
Manfrotto by Bogen Imaging 325N Video Head Adapter Bowl- for 75 mm and 100 mm Heads



Another good choice for a cheap head:
Velbon PH-368 Vel-Flo 9 Mini-Pro 2-Way Panhead (Quick Release)

And yet another great find... a 4" riser from Filmtools:
http://www.filmtools.com/filmtools-e...-4-n1503a.html

... they just keep coming. Nice find Yoclay!
Davis & Sanford - Display Stand with F10 Fluid Head
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...tialSearch=yes


__________________________________________________ ______________

Once you've built yours, be sure to join the "ZazaSlider Group" on Vimeo and post your coolest slider footage!

http://vimeo.com/groups/zazaslider


__________________________________________________ ____________

EASY CARRIAGE BRAKE:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1853241&postcount=1263

[Jason Miller]

beautiful you beat me to it, i'm doing this soon I have a few qustions for you.


how loud is it? also is there a way to adjust the friction/ drag on the rollers? if not how freely does it roll? if you mount it on an angle will it roll with gravity? is it tight eough to handle any angle at all?

[ZazaCast]

Originally Posted by Jason Miller

how loud is it?

It's slient! These aren't ball bearings...but DryLin and need no lubrication.

also is there a way to adjust the friction/ drag on the rollers? if not how freely does it roll?

No way to adjust the friction, although there are other versions of the bearings available. It rolls very freely, with a reasonable amount of drag. Once the camera is on there (and the more weight you have on it), you'll want to start the slide motion pre-shot, unless your sliding straight in...or pulling straight back.

if you mount it on an angle will it roll with gravity? is it tight eough to handle any angle at all?

I have experimented & it does move nice and smooth when set on an angle! Just be there to catch the camera before it slides off the end.

Here's a better test...and a few of these shots are 'auto-slide' with a tilted tripod:
http://s302.photobucket.com/albums/nn91/zazacast/?action=view&current=GraveyardSlide.flv

[Texanite]

Cost you about $150?

[ZazaCast]

Originally Posted by Texanite

Cost you about $150?

$165.80 w/shipping!

[Jason Miller]

no wheels, or bearings? no lube? so does the sled have that carpit like stuff that you put under your fridge to slide it along the floor?

[ZazaCast]

Originally Posted by Jason Miller

no wheels, or bearings? no lube? so does the sled have that carpit like stuff that you put under your fridge to slide it along the floor?

Good Lord... check out the web site http://www.igus.com/show_dw.asp ... you can read all about it.

Plastics....advanced synthetic compounds!!! Welcome to the 21st Century.

[Derrick_SA]

pretty cool, I hope they ship to South Africa, cause this is as easy as it gets!

I suppose you could add a stop to the ends to prevent the camera from sliding off.

- Derrick

[ZazaCast]

Originally Posted by Derrick_SA

pretty cool, I hope they ship to South Africa, cause this is as easy as it gets!

I suppose you could add a stop to the ends to prevent the camera from sliding off.

- Derrick

You sure can...but make at least one end removable, so you can take the carriage off for transportation.

[Jeff Anderson]

jason here's more on the material used for the liners if you havent found it already. pretty cool stuff... Those particular liners that zaza is using are iglide J.

http://www.igus.com/iglide.asp