DIY Zeppelin/Windscreen - DVXuser.com -- The online community for filmmaking

Jim Brennan · 03-26-2005, 12:42 AM

I've been working on a DIY Zeppelin/Windscreen, and I have had some success. For the frame I am using a solid sheet of plastic, rolled into a cylinder with domes on the ends. My concern, naturally, is what to do about letting the sound pass through naturally. I was originally planning on drilling a number of holes through the plastic. But I am unsure of how large to make them, and how to space them. I am also concerned about whether the places in the frame where there is no hole would create an unfavorable acoustic response.

My next question is (assuming that drilling holes would work) do I need to drill holes through out the shell? Since I am using a hypercardiod and I only want the sound from the front, would drilling holes in the front be sufficient? Or would the off axis response cause a problem being so close to a solid surface?

Finally, what is the optimum amount of dead space to allow between the mic and the zeppelin?

I know it's a lot of questions, but if this works, I'll share my idea, and some of you can make one for a few bucks.

Thanks for any input.

10s · 03-26-2005, 01:38 AM

Here's something i lifted to give you some alternative ways of looking at your project. enjoy!

DPA WINDPAC is nothing less than a technological breakthrough with windshield systems for microphones!

This new revolutional windshield with a universal microphone mount is developed by DPA Microphones is cooperation with one of the most experienced sound engineers in the Danish film industry, Jan Juhler.

The DPA WINDPAC-M is an ultra-lightweight, multi-mic compatible, wind proofing solution for location recording. Comprised of just two components - a shock mount and a collapsible windshield - the WINDPAC-M is extremely effective, convenient and easy to use. The WINDPAC-M system weighs just 270 g (9½ oz).

The shock mount is universal and can be used with any microphone without the need for clips or any other fittings. This 'one size fits all' feature is accomplished by the use of adjustable elastic straps with different settings to accommodate any microphone. The shock mount itself is suspended on a web of rubber straps providing an excellent damping effect by absorbing shock from any external disturbances.

The collapsible zeppelin-like windshield is made from an innovative fabric which blocks wind noise in gusts of up to 38 m/s (85 mph) while allowing accurate sound reproduction and audio transparency. The WINDPAC-M, with medium windshield, fits any microphone length up to 30 cm (11.8 in).

Simple operation is at the heart of the WINDPAC. Mounting the windshield onto the shock mount is just a matter of sliding and clicking it into place, a quick and easy process which results in extremely low handling noise. The windshield itself can be quickly collapsed in a simple twisting motion and stored away in its own small carrying pack.

The WINDPAC-M is supplied with a mono cable and belt pouch.

taubkin · 03-26-2005, 09:08 AM

The windpack seems to be awesome, especially with the added protability, but 850 bucks? I mean, doesn't rycote zeppelins seem expensive enough?

I just hope with the popularization of the windpack, we'll see more and more used rycotes selling on the web... But at that price range, they better be absolutely perfect...

PDX_DVX · 03-26-2005, 09:27 AM

Ok, I am no audio master by any means, so please take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe that drilling holes in plastic as your acoustically transparent material will prove to give you an undesirable effect. If I were to do it, I would get something similar to the type of netting you would find on a camping tent, you know the kind where you can leave it open and keep bugs out/ventilate the tent. I would try and attatch that around some sort of frame, because I think the plastic is going to make things weird. I probably sound like an idiot, but I am just offering my two cents, even though they dont make sense....

Jim Brennan · 03-26-2005, 10:28 AM

ACtually that's what I am concerned about.

10s, thanks for that info. But if I had 850 beans to shell out, I wouldn't be up until 2 in the morning trying to make one.

10s · 03-26-2005, 11:12 AM

YES, but you can figure out how to make one of these. It's essentially similair to an umbrella that is partially open.

PDX_DVX · 03-26-2005, 11:16 AM

I think the key here is to find a material with the least possible density while still being able to dampen the wind. I think a fine/tightly woven mesh would give a nice effect. You could also try sandwiching a thin layer of foam between two layers of more ridgid mesh. A fabric store would be a good place to look. Seems to me that when my mom used to do needle point, she used this grid mesh that was sort of ridgid.

http://image.herrschners.com/itm_img/WW068653.jpg something like this?

Jim Brennan · 03-26-2005, 11:20 AM

I see what you are saying to some degree. I'll take a closer look at it. Thanks.

10s · 03-26-2005, 11:51 AM

Take a 3" plastic circle (ring) attach 6 to 8 flexible plastic rods to it that extend the distance and a bit more than the length of the mic. Attach it to another circle ( ring) that will act as a cap.

Find some fabric that will not let a lot of wind through it, Test by blowing hard through it up close. An hour at a fabric store will solve this. Make sure it'll hold up to some abuse & weather.

Sew the fabric much like an umbrella with slots for inserting the rods. The end caps will need their own sewing job.

The attachment to the mic and boom pole get tricky, so if you get this far you can figure the rest out.

Good luck. ...then you'll have something that is near state of the art!

MattinSTL · 03-26-2005, 02:51 PM

You can go to any hardware store and buy a small piece of livestock wire... or whatever you want to call it. It will be cut off a roll (or come as a roll) and it will be metal with 1/2" square openings. You can easily make this round and bind it into a tube. If you really wanted to do it right you could take two pieces of aluminum or wood... about 1" wide and screw them together and around the seam of where the screen wraps around... then you can drill and mount your shoe mount (or whatever) to the aluminum. Finally all you need is a shear black sock (ladies or mens dress) and stretch that to fit around your creation. You should have at least 3/4" to 1" of dead air around the mic body.

Did you follow any of that?

03-26-2005, 12:42 AM	#1
Jim Brennan VHS Member Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: ...right behind you... Posts: 5,140	DIY Zeppelin/Windscreen I've been working on a DIY Zeppelin/Windscreen, and I have had some success. For the frame I am using a solid sheet of plastic, rolled into a cylinder with domes on the ends. My concern, naturally, is what to do about letting the sound pass through naturally. I was originally planning on drilling a number of holes through the plastic. But I am unsure of how large to make them, and how to space them. I am also concerned about whether the places in the frame where there is no hole would create an unfavorable acoustic response. My next question is (assuming that drilling holes would work) do I need to drill holes through out the shell? Since I am using a hypercardiod and I only want the sound from the front, would drilling holes in the front be sufficient? Or would the off axis response cause a problem being so close to a solid surface? Finally, what is the optimum amount of dead space to allow between the mic and the zeppelin? I know it's a lot of questions, but if this works, I'll share my idea, and some of you can make one for a few bucks. Thanks for any input. __________________ You can make movies, or you can make excuses...but you can't do both. Visit my site at Hooligan Nation Productions

03-26-2005, 01:38 AM	#2
10s Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,172	Here's something i lifted to give you some alternative ways of looking at your project. enjoy! DPA WINDPAC is nothing less than a technological breakthrough with windshield systems for microphones! This new revolutional windshield with a universal microphone mount is developed by DPA Microphones is cooperation with one of the most experienced sound engineers in the Danish film industry, Jan Juhler. The DPA WINDPAC-M is an ultra-lightweight, multi-mic compatible, wind proofing solution for location recording. Comprised of just two components - a shock mount and a collapsible windshield - the WINDPAC-M is extremely effective, convenient and easy to use. The WINDPAC-M system weighs just 270 g (9½ oz). The shock mount is universal and can be used with any microphone without the need for clips or any other fittings. This 'one size fits all' feature is accomplished by the use of adjustable elastic straps with different settings to accommodate any microphone. The shock mount itself is suspended on a web of rubber straps providing an excellent damping effect by absorbing shock from any external disturbances. The collapsible zeppelin-like windshield is made from an innovative fabric which blocks wind noise in gusts of up to 38 m/s (85 mph) while allowing accurate sound reproduction and audio transparency. The WINDPAC-M, with medium windshield, fits any microphone length up to 30 cm (11.8 in). Simple operation is at the heart of the WINDPAC. Mounting the windshield onto the shock mount is just a matter of sliding and clicking it into place, a quick and easy process which results in extremely low handling noise. The windshield itself can be quickly collapsed in a simple twisting motion and stored away in its own small carrying pack. The WINDPAC-M is supplied with a mono cable and belt pouch. __________________ -Joel Story= A HERO who WANTS something, takes ACTION, but meets CONFLICT, which leads to a CLIMAX, and finally a RESOLUTION. Story is essentially a depiction of a physical journey that symbolically represents the healing process of the hero's soul.

03-26-2005, 09:08 AM	#3
taubkin Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: São Paulo, Brasil Posts: 2,426	The windpack seems to be awesome, especially with the added protability, but 850 bucks? I mean, doesn't rycote zeppelins seem expensive enough? I just hope with the popularization of the windpack, we'll see more and more used rycotes selling on the web... But at that price range, they better be absolutely perfect... __________________ http://www.vimeo.com/taubkin

03-26-2005, 09:27 AM	#4
PDX_DVX Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon, USA Posts: 1,719	Ok, I am no audio master by any means, so please take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe that drilling holes in plastic as your acoustically transparent material will prove to give you an undesirable effect. If I were to do it, I would get something similar to the type of netting you would find on a camping tent, you know the kind where you can leave it open and keep bugs out/ventilate the tent. I would try and attatch that around some sort of frame, because I think the plastic is going to make things weird. I probably sound like an idiot, but I am just offering my two cents, even though they dont make sense.... __________________ Patrick LaValley www.patricklavalley.com

03-26-2005, 10:28 AM	#5
Jim Brennan VHS Member Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: ...right behind you... Posts: 5,140	ACtually that's what I am concerned about. 10s, thanks for that info. But if I had 850 beans to shell out, I wouldn't be up until 2 in the morning trying to make one. __________________ You can make movies, or you can make excuses...but you can't do both. Visit my site at Hooligan Nation Productions

03-26-2005, 11:12 AM	#6
10s Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,172	YES, but you can figure out how to make one of these. It's essentially similair to an umbrella that is partially open. __________________ -Joel Story= A HERO who WANTS something, takes ACTION, but meets CONFLICT, which leads to a CLIMAX, and finally a RESOLUTION. Story is essentially a depiction of a physical journey that symbolically represents the healing process of the hero's soul.

03-26-2005, 11:16 AM	#7
PDX_DVX Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon, USA Posts: 1,719	I think the key here is to find a material with the least possible density while still being able to dampen the wind. I think a fine/tightly woven mesh would give a nice effect. You could also try sandwiching a thin layer of foam between two layers of more ridgid mesh. A fabric store would be a good place to look. Seems to me that when my mom used to do needle point, she used this grid mesh that was sort of ridgid. http://image.herrschners.com/itm_img/WW068653.jpg something like this? __________________ Patrick LaValley www.patricklavalley.com

03-26-2005, 11:20 AM	#8
Jim Brennan VHS Member Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: ...right behind you... Posts: 5,140	I see what you are saying to some degree. I'll take a closer look at it. Thanks. __________________ You can make movies, or you can make excuses...but you can't do both. Visit my site at Hooligan Nation Productions

03-26-2005, 11:51 AM	#9
10s Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,172	Take a 3" plastic circle (ring) attach 6 to 8 flexible plastic rods to it that extend the distance and a bit more than the length of the mic. Attach it to another circle ( ring) that will act as a cap. Find some fabric that will not let a lot of wind through it, Test by blowing hard through it up close. An hour at a fabric store will solve this. Make sure it'll hold up to some abuse & weather. Sew the fabric much like an umbrella with slots for inserting the rods. The end caps will need their own sewing job. The attachment to the mic and boom pole get tricky, so if you get this far you can figure the rest out. Good luck. ...then you'll have something that is near state of the art! __________________ -Joel Story= A HERO who WANTS something, takes ACTION, but meets CONFLICT, which leads to a CLIMAX, and finally a RESOLUTION. Story is essentially a depiction of a physical journey that symbolically represents the healing process of the hero's soul.

03-26-2005, 02:51 PM	#10
MattinSTL Rapier-Witted Sound Guy Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 5,074	You can go to any hardware store and buy a small piece of livestock wire... or whatever you want to call it. It will be cut off a roll (or come as a roll) and it will be metal with 1/2" square openings. You can easily make this round and bind it into a tube. If you really wanted to do it right you could take two pieces of aluminum or wood... about 1" wide and screw them together and around the seam of where the screen wraps around... then you can drill and mount your shoe mount (or whatever) to the aluminum. Finally all you need is a shear black sock (ladies or mens dress) and stretch that to fit around your creation. You should have at least 3/4" to 1" of dead air around the mic body. Did you follow any of that? __________________ Better to get things done with the "wrong tool" then to halt creativity waiting for the right tool. -MattinSTL

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