thekreative
Veteran
Manchester has to have a ton of machine shops. This job is almost small enough to not have to pay.... i.e. some beer should work for payment
DIY IndieSlider...
- Thread starter ZazaCast
- Start date
Mark Williams
Veteran
Well, if you are going inexpensive and if you have a center column type tripod you could mount the slider directly to the threaded stud. Bowl tripod would not work in this case. Level up the slider rail with a small bubble level using leg adjustment. Then use the Vanguard PH-21 tripod head with quick release purchased for $38 U.S. and mount to the carriage to hold your camcorder. Vanguard products are sold in Europe.
groveChuck
U-matic Member
The "bearings" are the plastic sleeves under the carriage that slide on the rails.
SkunkWorks
Member
... which is why they are called linear bearings and not ball bearings 
For what it's worth, you probably wouldn't want ball bearings for a slider anyways... they work "too" well. What I mean is they are too frictionless and don't have enough drag to get a smooth shot. While I was waiting for my Igus parts to show up I made a temporary slider out of inline skate wheel bearings and 2 three foot lengths of half inch aluminum tube from Home Depot (which I returned and got my money back once my Igus parts showed up... he he). I mounted the rails on a piece of wood and used 4 pairs of bearings on another block of wood (my carriage) that would ride the rails. It actually was super smooth and frictionless but I found that to be a problem when I wanted to get a smooth acceleration or maintain a constant speed. It's nice to have some drag. In fact I even just added a DIY brake to my Igus slider for "parking" the carriage during transporting but I'll also use it to add even more drag if need be.
For what it's worth, you probably wouldn't want ball bearings for a slider anyways... they work "too" well. What I mean is they are too frictionless and don't have enough drag to get a smooth shot. While I was waiting for my Igus parts to show up I made a temporary slider out of inline skate wheel bearings and 2 three foot lengths of half inch aluminum tube from Home Depot (which I returned and got my money back once my Igus parts showed up... he he). I mounted the rails on a piece of wood and used 4 pairs of bearings on another block of wood (my carriage) that would ride the rails. It actually was super smooth and frictionless but I found that to be a problem when I wanted to get a smooth acceleration or maintain a constant speed. It's nice to have some drag. In fact I even just added a DIY brake to my Igus slider for "parking" the carriage during transporting but I'll also use it to add even more drag if need be.
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SkunkWorks
Member
So you're going to put a tripod head on top of the carriage and that's what you need the 3/8 bolt for, correct? (like in my picture in my post directly above)
... and you're also tapping the slider rail 3/8 to screw directly onto the tripod where the tripod head was formerly screwed onto, correct?
yes correct, thats the plan! had another wasted journey to a hardware store looking for a 3/8 bolt today. the owner even laughed telling me how not long ago he literally binned his whole container of imperial bolts. hopefully engineers suppliers on monday will have one.
a half hour job this has not been!!
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guys i appreciate the advice, but no we don't. it's not a common thing here. otherwise i'd have already done it. a lot easier!
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Does anyone else have the w1040 version that has the adjustable tension?
http://www.amazon.com/DryLin®-W1040...UCVG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1290916473&sr=8-2
I've been having problems with it because there's some play on the bearings that are adjustable. If I adjust it so that it doesn't have any play, it gets so tight to the point where it won't even move.
Anyone else have this problem? Maybe I can call igus and replace the bearings that are adjustable with bearings that aren't adjustable.
http://www.amazon.com/DryLin®-W1040...UCVG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1290916473&sr=8-2
I've been having problems with it because there's some play on the bearings that are adjustable. If I adjust it so that it doesn't have any play, it gets so tight to the point where it won't even move.
Anyone else have this problem? Maybe I can call igus and replace the bearings that are adjustable with bearings that aren't adjustable.
SkunkWorks
Member
Slider Update
Slider Update
So I've been meaning to post some updates I made to my Igus/ZaZa slider since my original and first post here on the forum which was post #2394 on page 240.
- I made a brake to add some drag if need be and tighten down the carriage for transporting. Used a 1/4 20 nylon screw (bolt) from Home Depot and a knob from my local electronics supply shop which was designed for a 1/4 inch shaft and has a set screw. I also discovered quite by accident tonight that there is another way to lock the carriage if my fluid head isn't mounted on it... I can just grab the threads from my mounting screw that are poking out the top and turn them until the head of the bolt on the underside of the carriage lowers down into one of the pre made countersinks on the rail base... cool!
- I decided what I wanted to use for "feet" ... 2 small mini tripods. This allows me to angle the feet any way I want which is really cool when I want to incline the slider against a wall or a tree... I can even get pretty much vertical with it and if I'm indoors using a wall and the floor the center column suction cups make it a rock solid placement.
- A home made hi hat riser to get the rail out of the field of view when shooting "down the rail." Hollow aluminum tube, threaded rod and some conn bolts from Home Depot and some oak from my Dad's garage... and a bunch of help from my Dad on how to use his workshop tools... thanks Dad!
I recently scored a brand new small 8" drill press for 40 bucks and am going nuts making stuff which I've found I really enjoy... I even modded the drill press itself and added some lights with on-off switch to it which are wired into the press's existing power and the lights can be placed on it anywhere I want with rare earth magnets (yes I'm off work for the winter and have way too much time on my hands!). Each new thing is a challenge and I love a good challenge. Right now I'm making my own rods and clamps and a follow focus using vintage slot car plastic gears for my right angle gearbox
Here's some pics of the slider updates (maybe delete the code for the pictures if anyone quotes this post... wink) ...
Slider Update
So I've been meaning to post some updates I made to my Igus/ZaZa slider since my original and first post here on the forum which was post #2394 on page 240.
- I made a brake to add some drag if need be and tighten down the carriage for transporting. Used a 1/4 20 nylon screw (bolt) from Home Depot and a knob from my local electronics supply shop which was designed for a 1/4 inch shaft and has a set screw. I also discovered quite by accident tonight that there is another way to lock the carriage if my fluid head isn't mounted on it... I can just grab the threads from my mounting screw that are poking out the top and turn them until the head of the bolt on the underside of the carriage lowers down into one of the pre made countersinks on the rail base... cool!
- I decided what I wanted to use for "feet" ... 2 small mini tripods. This allows me to angle the feet any way I want which is really cool when I want to incline the slider against a wall or a tree... I can even get pretty much vertical with it and if I'm indoors using a wall and the floor the center column suction cups make it a rock solid placement.
- A home made hi hat riser to get the rail out of the field of view when shooting "down the rail." Hollow aluminum tube, threaded rod and some conn bolts from Home Depot and some oak from my Dad's garage... and a bunch of help from my Dad on how to use his workshop tools... thanks Dad!
I recently scored a brand new small 8" drill press for 40 bucks and am going nuts making stuff which I've found I really enjoy... I even modded the drill press itself and added some lights with on-off switch to it which are wired into the press's existing power and the lights can be placed on it anywhere I want with rare earth magnets (yes I'm off work for the winter and have way too much time on my hands!). Each new thing is a challenge and I love a good challenge. Right now I'm making my own rods and clamps and a follow focus using vintage slot car plastic gears for my right angle gearbox
Here's some pics of the slider updates (maybe delete the code for the pictures if anyone quotes this post... wink) ...
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ZazaCast
Major Contributor
Tested them when they first came out about a year or so ago....this is why I don't recommend them... there is always 'play' if you want it to slide smoothly.
Get the regular glideblocks & bearings.
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ZazaCast
Major Contributor
Seems this thread is getting LONG... reminder, most all of the good information can be found in the first post. (I try to keep it current)
Here's the easy brake mod I posted a year ago: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?145701-DIY-IndieSlider...&p=1853241#post1853241
Here's the easy brake mod I posted a year ago: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?145701-DIY-IndieSlider...&p=1853241#post1853241
SkunkWorks
Member
Yeah I should have mentioned that's where I got the idea for mine that I just posted.... same thing with a cool knob
Thanks!By the way, I just received my $80 Weifang fluid head from ebay that gets discussed alot at cheesycam so I now have a dedicated head for my slider and my 501 is going back on my tripod. Great little head... really smooth and smaller than my 501... I think it's the same size as a 701HDV.
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
Yes.... I have a 701RC2 on one of my sliders, works great.Yeah I should have mentioned that's where I got the idea for mine that I just posted.... same thing with a cool knob
By the way, I just received my $80 Weifang fluid head from ebay that gets discussed alot at cheesycam so I now have a dedicated head for my slider and my 501 is going back on my tripod. Great little head... really smooth and smaller than my 501... I think it's the same size as a 701HDV.
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
Camera Rigs for the DSLR Filmmaker
Camera Rigs for the DSLR Filmmaker
Nice, quick review:
http://www.dmworks.com/blog/?tag=zazaslider
He seems to like it!:happy:
Camera Rigs for the DSLR Filmmaker
Nice, quick review:
http://www.dmworks.com/blog/?tag=zazaslider
He seems to like it!:happy:
ZazaCast
Major Contributor
From the first post:
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."
I've sold quite a few to Australia...it's just a little pricey. But we found this place and the prices aren't that bad (so I am told).
It's a little more either way just because of where we all are in the world.
***EDIT
Here's another one in NSW...and I believe they can drill & tap for you too!
Treotham
Unit 36, 9 Powells Road
Brookvale NSW 2100
Ph: (02) 9907 1788