Homebuiltstabilizers - good or bad???

R

Robban E.

Member
Hi everyone. Love this forum. Been doing lots of reading. :) Very nice to be here. I like to see people build steadycam and I see many here who have build their own. I have also been reading many post over at homebuiltstabilizers.com They have some very amzing steadycams. I am curious to know what Mikko and the rest things about them guys over there. They seem to know much and seem very good people.
I also read that Garrett likes them as well and as nothing against them. I think he told someone to go there in one post over there in forum. what does Mikko and other builders think? I am curiious to know because I like to build my own steadycam and operate it.

I don not know the owner of HBS but he has put many good tips and info on there to help others. Anyone knows the person personally. Mikko maybe you know.I wanted to ask here instead of hbs.

I just like to know that I am doing the right thing as I do not have much money to spend on a proper rig. So I like to start somewhere. Thank you all for a good website. :) Sorry for my bad english.
 
For building a homebuilt rig, the HBS board is an amazing resource, truly what the internet has enabled for DIY construction is beyond what anyone could have envisioned. 95% of everyone on HBS is top quality and many of the people are top notch not only in HBS knowledge, but also in fabrication. Many of the HBS modifications go beyond what is commercially available.

That said...

>I do not have much money to spend on a proper rig.

Unless you have access to metalworking equipment (drill press, mill, lathe...) In the end, after all is said and done, after you are on revision #x, you will have spent as much money as if you had just gone ahead and purchased a commercial stabilizer. Don't get into building a HBS to save money, get into it because you love the creative building process. It'll save you months if not years of time to just buy one! Just a word of advice, and I think many on HBS would agree.
 
I am a big fan of the HBS site. They have been a huge help and resource for my DIY equipment. As far as a full rig stabilizer (steadicam, steadycam, etc), I am currently using Cody Deegan's plans to build one. The HBS forum has a dedicated area for those who are using Cody's plans for tips, help, etc. Anyway, I highly recommend HBS!

As j stated, DIY equipment can be a loooooong and costly process (depending on what you are building of course). There are lots of plans floating around though and the guys at HBS are great for help and advice. Good luck.
 
I agree too with J's comments. Building a rig will probabaly not save you much time and money if you want somethign of quality. However if you are looking to build something basic, it's also a huge help as all the important principles are exaplined clearly.

Just to be clear, I'm also a long time meber of HBS and I've got/had rigs up in every section of the site. I'm also friends with Charles King, yes he's a very nice guy.

So yeah, they, we, are a huge resource and there no need to be shy. Head on over and sign up. We'll help you out with what you need to know. :)

- Mikko
 
A lot of people don't know this, but HBS has been around for a long time, even longer than DVXuser. It dates back to 1999, a time when there was extremely little technical information on the Steadicam. The only real info back then was Eric Swanson's Steadicam FAQ.

At that time I was doing research for my senior project to build a Steadicam and I tried to contact anyone who had built one. I think there were only about a dozen people in the whole world that I could find. Charles King was one of them and he had a website showing his full rig. I also had a website for my project, so we talked a lot as I was building my rig.

Charles eventually started up a forum and in those early years very few people attempted to build a Steadicam, so sometimes it was just 3 or 4 of us guys on the forum shooting the breeze. Things have changed a lot since then.

The main thing to know about HBS is that most of the information there is not nicely grouped into a single, complete step-by-step manual. The site was never intended to be a convenient how-to-build a stabilizer site. It was mainly to showcase what others have built and to share little building tips. But there are little golden nuggets of information if you look carefully. If fact, probably most of the information you find in those stabilizer plans on eBay was ripped off HBS or other people who generously provided free information on the internet. Those eBay plans really pissed me off so I pulled all of the technical information I had on my site.

HBS has always been free and Charles at one point even paid for the forum out of his own pocket to keep ads off the forum. Today, the main site and the forum is generously hosted and administered by one or two of the forum members themselves. So if you learn something during your visit to HBS, please give something back by showing your rig or sharing a tip. Also, boycott those eBay plans.
 
Thank you all everyone. Everyone sounds very positive. :) That is a very good thing. It's good to hear from people outside of hbs to get an opinion. Ffrom all you guys sound much positive about site.
What I like is that everyone says from the heart. I like that. I read also good points on forum about building your own rig. It's good to see the maker of hbs does not make it to seem that it is easy to build a steadycam. :) Honest is very good.

I know people who can help me build and have a machine shop. So that is no problem. The forum looks very advance. Sometime I do not understand all info. Any advice I should know before joining guys?

Mikko, just curious. You seem to be a big steadicam operator and know the owner of hbs. He does seem true and nice guy. You guys are really helpful.

It is good to see the inventor does not mind :) I too will like to meet Garrett. My wish ;)

Tim Le, your post has also makes me feel much better. I did not know that it has been around that long. Wow! I did not know many info you are saying. I'm glad you tell me this. Thank you. I now know hbs is sincere group. Thank you Tim. You guys are very generous. Charles must really love hbs to pay for everything. He much be good thing. I will definately join now. Your words of encourangement makes me feel good. Thank you.
 
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Robban E. said:
Mikko, just curious. You seem to be a big steadicam operator [...]
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Eh, hardly.

Robban E. said:
It is good to see the inventor does not mind :) I too will like to meet Garrett. My wish ;)
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Garrett promotes all free thinking and invention. Best way to meet him is to go to IBC or NAB, or better yet; attend a Steadicam workshop! :)

Robban E. said:
Any advice I should know before joining guys?
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Yeah: Quit testing HBS on other forums and just come and sign up! :thumbsup:

- Mikko
 
Ha Ha Will do Mikko. Just wanted others opinion . Like Tim said, there are many ebay palns and people saying buy this steadycam and stuff but now I know. Thank you.
 
How the hell did I miss this post ;) I want to thank all those that responded to Robban's post. I take it they were all from the heart. :) I'm happy to hear positive response from people on other boards other than HBS. Thank you all.

Robban, I'll just add a little to what all the others have mentioned. When you do join make sure you read the introduction 101 forum. It'll give you a basic understanding on certain components, rigs and HB rigs in general. This is of course if you have not already read been through it.

These guys know that HBS is all about helping others and in no way a shady site. Tim is right. Stay away from those shady Ebay plans BS. HBS tries to maintain a sense of integrity and professional on a HB level. I and the rest of the guys have always tried to be true to the cause.

Garrett didn't know about the site existence until I mentioned it to Frank Rush when I talked to him about requesting pics for my book. He was please that I told him. CP (Charles Papert) had also mentioned the site to Garrett. I think HBS is more excepted with certain members within the steadicam field because of it's honesty and non-threatening atmosphere.

I have the utmost respect for Garrett and his invention, as Tim and Mikko will tell you. I've talked to Garrett and when there is something he doesn't want mentioned on the forum, I will abide by his wishes. This was the case at the last IBC2006, concerning certain elements of the Ultra 2 rig. Info I got from Jerry and Garrett was simply valuable but it was not meant to share with others. Although it was said jokingly by Garrett I knew he was serious.

So I think respect and honesty are the keys to the continual existence of HBS and it's members. As you mentioned in your earlier post Garrett had pointed others to HBS. This shows Garrett respect for HBS and it's members and I will continue this sort of respect on a professional level. I think Míkko, J and Tim will agree with me.

So as Mikko said get over to HBS and become part of the family. :)

BTW, thanks for testing HBS on other boards to see what feed backs you would be getting. The answers so far seem positive. :)
 
It seems to me, I remember seeing somebody had built their own vest and arm rig for steady cams. They have that at HBS?
 
Capt Quirk said:
It seems to me, I remember seeing somebody had built their own vest and arm rig for steady cams. They have that at HBS?
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I think the whole site is pretty much filled with people who have built a complete system ;)
 
Yeah, there's definitely a couple of Home Built Stabilizer systems on HomeBuiltStabilizers.com!

Hi Charles! :) :beer:

- Mikko
 
Hi charles! Looks like DVXuser have some members of the HBS forum! ;-) cheers! :beer:
 
charles said:
How the hell did I miss this post ;) I want to thank all those that responded to Robban's post. I take it they were all from the heart. :) I'm happy to hear positive response from people on other boards other than HBS. Thank you all.

Robban, I'll just add a little to what all the others have mentioned. When you do join make sure you read the introduction 101 forum. It'll give you a basic understanding on certain components, rigs and HB rigs in general. This is of course if you have not already read been through it.

These guys know that HBS is all about helping others and in no way a shady site. Tim is right. Stay away from those shady Ebay plans BS. HBS tries to maintain a sense of integrity and professional on a HB level. I and the rest of the guys have always tried to be true to the cause.

Garrett didn't know about the site existence until I mentioned it to Frank Rush when I talked to him about requesting pics for my book. He was please that I told him. CP (Charles Papert) had also mentioned the site to Garrett. I think HBS is more excepted with certain members within the steadicam field because of it's honesty and non-threatening atmosphere.

I have the utmost respect for Garrett and his invention, as Tim and Mikko will tell you. I've talked to Garrett and when there is something he doesn't want mentioned on the forum, I will abide by his wishes. This was the case at the last IBC2006, concerning certain elements of the Ultra 2 rig. Info I got from Jerry and Garrett was simply valuable but it was not meant to share with others. Although it was said jokingly by Garrett I knew he was serious.

So I think respect and honesty are the keys to the continual existence of HBS and it's members. As you mentioned in your earlier post Garrett had pointed others to HBS. This shows Garrett respect for HBS and it's members and I will continue this sort of respect on a professional level. I think Míkko, J and Tim will agree with me.

So as Mikko said get over to HBS and become part of the family. :)

BTW, thanks for testing HBS on other boards to see what feed backs you would be getting. The answers so far seem positive. :)
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Thank you Charles for responding. I had been away. Now I am back. Great website and forum Charles. Thank you for starting it all. Wow, you've also met Garrett. Nice. :) You have do a good job with the website. Your site is very popular. There's one guy in sweden who met you and knows you well. Thank you for the advice about the introduction 101. I was reading it and there is very good information. There is so much infomartion on site it is incredible.

THank you. I will register at once. Thank you all for the feedback. :)
 
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