DIY IndieSlider...

Zazacast, thank you for those links, I'v found the ones I could open informative. a couple of them are new to me, I hadn't found them in my reaserch. so thank you
 
mmm, this sounds like a great plot for a film!
Think I'll turn it into a movie.. only problem is, for some of the shots I need a good, DIY slider.
Anyone have any ideas what I can use or where I can get the parts????
 
well I guess I'm assuming most filmmaers have seen the Princess Bride. and yea a spell check for the forum would be awesome. an over reaction check, where's the fun in that?
 
wow NoNoob, where did you buy the plastic tube extrusion machine to do that? or did you build it yourself?
 
so much easier

so much easier

This is SO much easier than the one I have planned with 80/20 parts.

Especially with the screw holes already in the rail!

Thanks for the explanation!

And thanks for the link showing the commercial one for $900!

And they use the idea of monopods on the end ... smart!

Oh, well, off to bolt all the little pieces of my 80/20 set..

I just have to find my old bogen fluid head, or get another one.
 
flyingdisc said:
This is SO much easier than the one I have planned with 80/20 parts.

Especially with the screw holes already in the rail!

Thanks for the explanation!

And thanks for the link showing the commercial one for $900!

And they use the idea of monopods on the end ... smart!
Click to expand...

Sorry you didn't see this first...as far as the monopods...you'd only need that for the longer runs. The 1000mm gives 36" of travel and no play or sagging in the rail. Once you go longer than that...add the monopods.

stoiqa said:
I`ll order tomorrow :)
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Good luck...but you won't need it...it's just that easy!
Enjoy


I'd also like to ask everyone building one of these to post pictures and footage...and of course any other spins on the idea.:beer:
 
I just wanted to reiterate the good parts that Zaza listed at the beginning of this thread. I ordered the next size up (prior to this thread) and they're almost too much for a slider. My carriage ended up being almost 8 inches long (I'll cut it down) but Zaza's parts list is ideal for this type of project. Cheaper too!

My parts were recommended on another forum and not as ideal as Zaza's.

cheno
 
Hah -

Well in this case - shorter is better - doesn't need to be much more than 100mm or 4 inches for the maximum slide room - of course that's about the only time shorter is better. :)
 
Chenopup said:
I just wanted to reiterate the good parts that Zaza listed at the beginning of this thread. I ordered the next size up (prior to this thread) and they're almost too much for a slider. My carriage ended up being almost 8 inches long (I'll cut it down) but Zaza's parts list is ideal for this type of project. Cheaper too!

My parts were recommended on another forum and not as ideal as Zaza's.

cheno
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Thanks Cheno...I only wish I got to you faster!

Texanite said:
Braggart! :)
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LMAO! :beer:

Chenopup said:
Hah -

Well in this case - shorter is better - doesn't need to be much more than 100mm or 4 inches for the maximum slide room - of course that's about the only time shorter is better. :)
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Got to love the metric system...everything sounds much longer than it really is!
 
Great post and cool build.

The first thing that comes to mind with mechanical friction systems is stiction (hence the development of wheels, fluid damping, etc)... the same phenomenon that screws the end of your otherwise perfect pan. I've built some stuff using teflon sheet to reasonably good effect, but I'm using mass to overcome a notchy finish and leverage to initiate smooth starts.

So how about this thing? How's the stiction... does that space-age plastic handle that well or do you have to make several attempts at overcoming stiction?
 
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Well... I don't think I've mastered this thing yet...but I don't have any problems stopping. The tough part seems to be the start of the slide. This isn't really a problem for me, as the shots I had in mind would already be moving when I cut to them...I just get a running start!

The thing is really smooth & dead quiet. All your points are dead on, if you keep your hand low on the carriage, you can start the slide very smoothly. If you are using it for a dolly-in (or out), I find the pan handle on the head works just fine.

I don't know if I answered your questions...as 'stiction' is a new word to me (see, you DO learn something new everyday. That's why I love this forum.) and I tend to be a little thick sometimes. I seemed to have left quite a few braincells back in the 1970's! :huh:

***NOTE***
I just ran out for some more supplies to create the 'endcaps' for the rail. This will allow me to get it just 4" off the ground for some cool low sliders. I'll post pictures a.s.a.p.


MattinSTL said:
Great post and cool build.

The first thing that comes to mind with mechanical friction systems is stiction (hence the development of wheels, fluid damping, etc)... the same phenomenon that screws the end of your otherwise perfect pan. I've built some stuff using teflon sheet to reasonably good effect, but I'm using mass to overcome a notchy finish and leverage to initiate smooth starts.

So how about this thing? How's the stiction... does that space-age plastic handle that well or do you have to make several attempts at overcoming stiction?
Click to expand...
 
I know this is going to sound nuts... but try spraying some lemon pledge on the rails.

I can't believe how many people have never heard of this... I've been on several pretty big shoots where the dolly wheels were driving everybody nuts... and I broke out the lemon pledge trick to save the day... this is no exaggeration. EVERYBODY who works a dolly should know about lemon pledge by now. EVERY BODY. It is the life-saver of sound... and smooth stops and starts. Try it and report back... just spray a liberal amount on a clean rag and wipe down the rails before you shoot.

And if you're reading this about dolly track... spray it directly on the track... just a quick walking speed down each rail as you hold the spray on. You'll be the hero at the next gig.
 
MattinSTL said:
I know this is going to sound nuts... but try spraying some lemon pledge on the rails.

I can't believe how many people have never heard of this... I've been on several pretty big shoots where the dolly wheels were driving everybody nuts... and I broke out the lemon pledge trick to save the day... this is no exaggeration. EVERYBODY who works a dolly should know about lemon pledge by now. EVERY BODY. It is the life-saver of sound... and smooth stops and starts. Try it and report back... just spray a liberal amount on a clean rag and wipe down the rails before you shoot.

And if you're reading this about dolly track... spray it directly on the track... just a quick walking speed down each rail as you hold the spray on. You'll be the hero at the next gig.
Click to expand...

I'll give it a shot & report back...I know that stuff is slick. I once over-sprayed a table I was dusting and it ended up on the wood floor...needless to say, so did it! It was worst than an ice rink. D'OUGH!
 
I bought the next size up of rail / carriage than Zaza - he's got the right size - I'm not convinced though that my slider can't be a bit more quiet, slide is just fine but there is a little friction noise. I haven't completely lubed down the actual plastic bearings as they're supposed to be self lubricating but did lemon pledge the rails and no difference - I'll try the actual bearings next. It may be that I don't really have any weight on the slider yet as I'm tapping holes and putting it all together in a couple of days - pics to come then.

I'll second, third, fourth the lemon pledge / dolly lube though. Here in Utah with so many crappy low budget films being shot right now it's friggin' amazing how few tricks of the trade the local guys know. I've shared the Pledge concept at least a dozen times just here.
 
We shot on the salt flats and the dolly shots were killing us... I asked "who's got the lemon pledge?" and they thought I was joking... I convinced them to buy some and bring it the next day and viola! Problem fixed.

Yeah it's funny... somebody should teach that crap in a class. BTW... if you're a gaffer or grippin' a project using a dolly... and you got your little tie of gaff-tape... you make your pledge fit the belt by first taking a strip of gaff-tape, about 10" long... and fold it over on itself after you stick both ends to the pledge can... and then circle the pledge can where you taped the gaff to be sure it doesn't come off... now you can 'beaner that thing to your grip belt and be the man when the dolly starts acting up.

While we're on the subject of dollies... get yourself a $2 laser pointer and a magnetic bulldog clip... then when you're setting up your dolly shots you pop the laser pointer and bulldog clip on the fisher/chapman/whatever hunk of metal you have... and you can mark an "x" on 3 pieces of white gaff tape... mark one is your one (duh)... mark two is your slowing point... and mark three is the landing.

The guys will think you're the sh*t... and you ONLY have to watch your marks instead of guessing the shot each time.
 
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