my attempt to build a Follow Focus
- Thread starter CLD
- Start date
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
that's what I think this follow focus can be used for as well. You'll still need a rail system unfortunately.
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
J started us off on some ideas of how to build your own and a few of us took the ideas and built off of them. You can find that thread here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=75330
much Kudos to J.. he's responsible for me even building a follow focus in the first place, cuz once I had my rails... well logic kind of kicks in....
much Kudos to J.. he's responsible for me even building a follow focus in the first place, cuz once I had my rails... well logic kind of kicks in....
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
another link for you fenigirl. I decided to start a new thread based on my own design as I build a new baseplate.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?p=1056928#post1056928
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?p=1056928#post1056928
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
okay then: the project begins. First the taking apart of the fishing reel, then everything else to follow. for those interested (David) the brand of fishing reel is Durango, the Shakespaere for 3.95 at Walmart.
Number is SC15E, sku DURANGOSC15
8lb tension
pictures to follow
Number is SC15E, sku DURANGOSC15
8lb tension
pictures to follow
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
I'm trying to find a source for the disc, black, white, whatever, but that's one of the hardest pieces to find (unless you're very very lucky).
Failing finding a suitable replacement, some cutting may be involved. I'm thinking of using a white plastic palette, the kind they sell to kids for use with acrylics. You can find them in Walmart in the kid's craft section. As far as I can tell, they work rather nicely with dry-erase markers.
I'll confirm later today and then tell you what size hole cutter you have to buy. (you can always return it after this single cut, just be nice to it)
GEARS:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Traxxas-Spu...ryZ44028QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
that is the original size gear I got. Once I get the new one in, it may require some fiddling to attach to the new gearbox. Shoudl be here in a couple of days.
In the meantime I'm going to disassemble the fishing reel and get it ready for cutting... as well as getting rid of the obvious parts that make it a fishing reel. The aim is to reduce it to a gearbox that we can then attach the other components/accessories to.
Failing finding a suitable replacement, some cutting may be involved. I'm thinking of using a white plastic palette, the kind they sell to kids for use with acrylics. You can find them in Walmart in the kid's craft section. As far as I can tell, they work rather nicely with dry-erase markers.
I'll confirm later today and then tell you what size hole cutter you have to buy. (you can always return it after this single cut, just be nice to it)
GEARS:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Traxxas-Spu...ryZ44028QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
that is the original size gear I got. Once I get the new one in, it may require some fiddling to attach to the new gearbox. Shoudl be here in a couple of days.
In the meantime I'm going to disassemble the fishing reel and get it ready for cutting... as well as getting rid of the obvious parts that make it a fishing reel. The aim is to reduce it to a gearbox that we can then attach the other components/accessories to.
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
Okay got another item for my trip to McMaster-Carr.
Plastic Disc, clear acrylic
1221T15
Clear Cast Acrylic Circle 1/8" Thick, 3" Diameter
$4.79 Each
http://www.mcmaster.com
For the white surface, go to a sign shop, ask for a scrap of white vinyl (they may give it to you or sell it. Apply to the back of the acrylic and voila, you have your disc.
Going to McMaster-Carr over the weekend, so I'll be picking up a couple of these discs. Should have all parts assembled by next week.
Also have to look for an alternate knob since I got mine from an old printer that I tore apart. McMaster might once again be the answer....
Plastic Disc, clear acrylic
1221T15
Clear Cast Acrylic Circle 1/8" Thick, 3" Diameter
$4.79 Each
http://www.mcmaster.com
For the white surface, go to a sign shop, ask for a scrap of white vinyl (they may give it to you or sell it. Apply to the back of the acrylic and voila, you have your disc.
Going to McMaster-Carr over the weekend, so I'll be picking up a couple of these discs. Should have all parts assembled by next week.
Also have to look for an alternate knob since I got mine from an old printer that I tore apart. McMaster might once again be the answer....
TiE_Shepherd
Well-known member
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
Hope you got your fishing reels. Next chance you get, go ahead and try to find a flash bracket to mount the FFF onto. That's at the end of this part of the tutorial.
Disassembly of this thing is a *****. It's a little different from the first one I did, so I'm essentially building along with you gus, just with a little more forethought this time around.
You're going to want to take it apart. Take the casing off, handles, everything you can take off by hand until you're left with the black plastic mount for the gears. There's going to be an annoying reel for the line. we lose that next.
First thing you're going to want to do is get a flat head screwdriver and pry off the little metal plate at the front of the spool.
That frees up the next band and you can shimmy those off. Then you should be able to take the spool off of the gear housing.
There are a few parts stopping the gears from turning freely back and forth. Next to the big gear is a little piece of metal. Get your pliers and pry it out. it should come fairly easily.
The gears should now be able to turn freely.
Next you'll want to take off the little wheel at the top. Look on the front of the gear housing and you'll see a little slot for a flat head screw. hold the wheel and screw that bronze screw out.
Next part you're going to have to use your saw, but carefully. You're going to cut off a chunk of the gear housing at the bottom. And then you're going to very carefully grind it down to size.
Go slow. It's better to have too much than too little and you want to keep it flat. So go slowly.
You'll end up with a flat lip at the bottom. That lip will be used to secure the FFF to the flash bracket. Just drill a small hole in it.
get your washers and a the screw to fit of course. make sure the screw goes all the way through so you can get a nut on right next to the gear. be careful about placement of the hole. you'll need room to put the nut onto the screw so DO NOT go too close to the gears.
now you can mount onto your flash bracket.
This is your main housing for the follow focus. The gear fits onto where the front where the spool used to be and the handle goes onto the handle.
Now time to get the rest of the materials.
Materials used so far:
1 fishing reel
1 screw, 2 washers, 1 nut
tools needed:
saw, screwdriver, needle nose pliers
Any questions so far?
Disassembly of this thing is a *****. It's a little different from the first one I did, so I'm essentially building along with you gus, just with a little more forethought this time around.
You're going to want to take it apart. Take the casing off, handles, everything you can take off by hand until you're left with the black plastic mount for the gears. There's going to be an annoying reel for the line. we lose that next.
First thing you're going to want to do is get a flat head screwdriver and pry off the little metal plate at the front of the spool.
That frees up the next band and you can shimmy those off. Then you should be able to take the spool off of the gear housing.
There are a few parts stopping the gears from turning freely back and forth. Next to the big gear is a little piece of metal. Get your pliers and pry it out. it should come fairly easily.
The gears should now be able to turn freely.
Next you'll want to take off the little wheel at the top. Look on the front of the gear housing and you'll see a little slot for a flat head screw. hold the wheel and screw that bronze screw out.
Next part you're going to have to use your saw, but carefully. You're going to cut off a chunk of the gear housing at the bottom. And then you're going to very carefully grind it down to size.
Go slow. It's better to have too much than too little and you want to keep it flat. So go slowly.
You'll end up with a flat lip at the bottom. That lip will be used to secure the FFF to the flash bracket. Just drill a small hole in it.
get your washers and a the screw to fit of course. make sure the screw goes all the way through so you can get a nut on right next to the gear. be careful about placement of the hole. you'll need room to put the nut onto the screw so DO NOT go too close to the gears.
now you can mount onto your flash bracket.
This is your main housing for the follow focus. The gear fits onto where the front where the spool used to be and the handle goes onto the handle.
Now time to get the rest of the materials.
Materials used so far:
1 fishing reel
1 screw, 2 washers, 1 nut
tools needed:
saw, screwdriver, needle nose pliers
Any questions so far?
Lucas Adamson
Well-known member
I feel I should stop you. You can get real gears for £10. Brand Huco, Made in UK. Available from RS components (and others). Super quality acetal gears, ratio 1:1. Backlash equivelant to expensive FFs. As used on expensive FFs. Easy to fit - square!
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
sorry about the quality of the pictures.... its a crappy little camera. should have just video taped the whole thing
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
thanks Lucas. I've been looking for affordable gears for a while now and they're pretty difficult to find here. that gear is definitely a good option.
What do you guys think? Should I just stop my tutorial now?
What do you guys think? Should I just stop my tutorial now?
Lucas Adamson
Well-known member
I feel like a spoil-sport. Sorry!
I didn't mean to piss on you cornflakes, as they say (here at least)
Lucas
I didn't mean to piss on you cornflakes, as they say (here at least)
Lucas
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
no worries. no piss in my cornflakes, just a lack of gears. I really wish they had affordable ones here. The Durango Shakespaere seems to have minimal backlash, pretty tight tolerances, so it looking promising to be a decent gear box.
In any case even if you use that gearbox or able to get you hands on a decent one, the rest of the tutorial may still be useful, so I'll stop having my bit of a strop now and get on with it. :-D
Viva la DIY
In any case even if you use that gearbox or able to get you hands on a decent one, the rest of the tutorial may still be useful, so I'll stop having my bit of a strop now and get on with it. :-D
Viva la DIY
TiE_Shepherd
Well-known member
Only problem is there is no easy way to get those gearboxes in the US. Seems like there are dozens of places to buy them in the UK, but I've yet to find them here for less than 100 bucks.
TiE_Shepherd
Well-known member
Started taking mine apart tonight. Got to the part where you have to remove the spool and having a hell of a time getting the little c shaped piece of metal off of there. Of course it's 2am here so I'm gonna to finish up the hacking tomorrow.