Arcadia Rally Bussin' 2010 Videos (7)

[James77MCI8]

Nice

[Gary LaBombard]

Manny,
I am again posting this reply, Don't ask!!!  I lost the reply somewhere in space!!

I will condense Now what I had already lost or written just a few minutes ago.  I do plan to document on video's now my conversion progress, I hope not to discourage anyone from making conversion plans or repairs but to encourage them to know that no matter how bad a bus frame can be it can be repaird or reinforced for more safety. 

I do believe when I get done with mine that my family will be as safe as they can be every since we all have seen what happened to our good friend Dan Mcmurphy from FL.  I know my bus could never had taken a head on collision (per these photos) such as Dan's did and I hope with all my reinforcement to the front end I can minimize any front end impact which I hope to never experience. 

My bus was bad as you can see and I am glad to be taking the extra time to repair etc. for many future years of enjoyment for our family.  I just hope I live long enough to enjoy it also!!  Good grief what a lot of work but it is coming together.

Manny, I know you will enjoy this camera as I have and will, even right out of the box!! 

I won't bore any of you with a longer post but do hope you will not send me any hate mail for posting these photos.  Any bus with this amoung of age as mine, (1973) has to have some issues similar, anybus!! 

Gary

[kyle4501]

Thanks Gary.

Stop playing with the camera & get to work on your bus. The sooner you finish yours, the sooner you'll be able to work on mine 

[Gary LaBombard]

Kyle,
Did you ever complete your bathroom at home yet??  Just checking.
the weather is too nasty this week to work on bus, man you talk about a lot of rain water in the past few weeks.
Gary

[Gary LaBombard]

Manny, and everyone that loves to video tape important functions.
Take a look at this video, it looks like anyone with a little time on their hands can do this, This is my plan "B" to work on during these darn rainy days.  Hope you enjoy and consider doing this.  I will let you know of my results, as usual.
Gary

DIY Merlin Steadicam Camera stabilizer with test footage

[Gary LaBombard]

Hello Manny and anyone else interested.

Well I have made this fixture per internet instructions, I have balanced the fixture with the steadycam fixture attached to my camera and the results are.  This fixture does not work per the internet post using their instructions. 

I had to machine out parts of my fixture for the bearing to fit etc. and to not bore you, there is way, way to much movement in this fixture to have the patience to control.  I walked, jumped etc. to test it, tried to run and all that stuff that sounds so wonderful I thought I would be able to do & found out it still does not work as expected.  Do not waste your time, to much machining involved not discussed in instructional video's to make it and then find out it does not work.  Simplicity is ALWAYS best!!

The wind makes the camera rotate, you have to have a finger control to control the movement of the camera or it will continue to rotate & tip and wobble and every darn thing you can imagine.   My test was outside in the real world and not in front of a mirror inside.  It took 2 full days to make and assemble, after finding some of the parts, disassembling and maching parts cannibalized off a brand new tripod per the internet instructions.  I was able to machine these parts but most everyone does not have this capability to do and I do not recommend wasting your time.  

I am going back to my original design using the piping assembled together (video above posted on Feb. 5 by inventor) but will try to replace the steel pipe with plastic tubing to lighten the fixture up from long lengthy holding periods of filming.  The secret I believe is to have the exact same size or near weight on the bottom of the fixture as what your camera weighs.  I will again assemble & test this and let you know of my results.  I want this done by the time I go to Santee Eagles International rally in March.  I have to also work on the Eagle in between.

Here is a finished photo of my finished fixture,that does not work as expected.

NOTE: I edited this original post as I made harsh comments which I should not had done and am sorry.  Some of you may have read them, too late now. But I was frustrated at that time.



Gary

[kyle4501]

Gary,
Bummer your results weren't better. . . .

Don't give up on this just yet, put it on the back burner for a bit. You never know when inspiration will strike. 

If inertia is what helps stabilize the camera, maybe the added weight needs to be further away from the camera?
You might want to play with the location of the ballast weight in order to move the effective center of mass of the assembly relative to the handle.

Good luck with it!

[Ace]

It appears you have done a fabulous job on copying the steadicam from the youtube video and although the original tuber admits his design is a little wobbly, it appears as though it's rather steady considering. After looking at his, and then yours, I noticed that he has 3 sets of ballast where as you only use 2. Would 3 sets make any difference in the way yours works compared to the way it does with using only 2? Again, nice job!

Ace

[Gary LaBombard]

Hi Kyle,
I just don't have the patience to work on the fly at a rally trying to keep this new contraption working and in balance and be comfortable with, Soooooooo, I took 30 minutes and made another one, out of 3/4 PVC pipe with a 2 1/2 lb weight on the bottom of it.  I used the PVC pipe in hope I could lighten the fixture and still get satisfactory results I could live with.  Heck, I am not a professional and who cares if I can photograph pubic hair on a mosquito's tecticles at 50 yards while running.  LOL

Any how I wanted to make something that anyone interested could make in a short time span, not to have any machining, only a drill motor, 1/4" drill, hack saw, screwdriver and 7/16 wrench to tighten up 1/4 inch bolts to the counter balance and top for the camera.  You will also need some all purpose pvc cement after testing to assemble the finished tested product.

Here is my video of how my 30 minute manufacture , $4.oo steadycam really works.  I am not frustrated any longer.  That second confusing worthless steadycam fixture I made with all the adjustments etc. come close to finding itself in a 100 ft. tall pine tree.  Now I will use it for a plastic horse shoe the kids can play with etc.  

Here is video's of my findings, I am just about done with this project.  Good I bet to most of you. Manny, see what you made me do??

Gary

[Gary LaBombard]

Ace,
I made my fixture exactly like the video on you tube, It just does not work.  I eliminated the center ballast and was finally able to level the camera front to back and side to side.  With the center ballast, the camera hung down no matter what, would of had great photos from the top of that pine tree.

I just posted the video's I made but now have a glitch and on my post there is double post of the video's on the information I provided.  Click on the ones with the arrows in the photo??  Don't ask, I am going to have a beer.

Gary

[kyle4501]

Gary,
Take the one that doesn't work to the rally anyway. You can watch others struggle with it for a laugh while you enjoy a cold one 

Who knows, someone may find the trick that works. . . .

Later

[Gary LaBombard]

Kyle,
I elect you to try, let me video it though as you do OK?  Will bring to rally, promise.
Gary

[BusCrazyinFL]

Wow! Gary I'm impress you really have taken time to make this steady cam work. My son was telling me that what the movie people use it cost over 10,000 dollars, but theirs is mounted on their body. Keep up the good work and I like those pics you took of your Eagle.

[rwc]

Gary You Da Man. Thanks for tasking the time and doing the work so we all can see and benefit. A comment on the fixture that did not work for you. It appears that you have the ninety at the bottom and he has it at the top. This makes the bottom end on yours further forward also the bottom weight on his is on the end. Small differences but may make the thing work better since we are talking about balance and inertia. I like your third effort with PVC.  Rod

[kyle4501]

Kyle,
I elect you to try, let me video it though as you do OK?  Will bring to rally, promise.
Gary

I don't take pictures or do anything else productive. . . . . I'm too busy talking to do anything else.  

I guess someone else will get the honor of testing your steady cam holder . . .