Jerry Holway

You can also use a rubber band along one edge of the "dovetail grabber"

Peter - It should not be too scary - but you do need a custom thick washer with a slot to re-tighten the springs against; 1 per arm section. There's a pix in the book (sorry, don't have the book handy) with dimensions. Delrin is a good choice of material for this.

Terry- Perhaps one more PM to this op, alerting him/her to this thread??

Also- everybody's different. A given vest that's great for you may not work at all for someone else, so ultimately, you need to find one that works for you. Even then you may need to modify it, change padding, etc. to get the absolute best fit and feel - it's most important when carrying heavy loads. I'd try slipping some additional thin foam of different densities on the hip pads if Chris's suggestions don't quite get you there. Experiment!

With "lever locking" dovetail grabbers, there are sometimes issues with undersized dovetail plates slipping, especially when carrying heavy cameras. I've previously used gaffer tape to beef up the dimension, but I find using a rubber band is easier, quicker, and cleaner.

obit: http://simivalleymortuary.com/tribute/details/611/Derrick-Whitehouse/obituary.html#tribute-start

Check out the Merlin cookbook on the Tiffen website - it will be more helpful. The same concepts apply to big or small sleds, but the cookbook will get you closer and sooner.

I remember that there was a way to do this, so I checked with the factory. On the older UltraBrite monitors, if you turn the TEMP DIP switch to the off position, the fan will not come on automatically. UB2's have no fan due to the unique design.

About the "triangular" system, I made one such system for old Heden motors. It used the dual 1/2 inch rods on the front of old CP dovetails and positively pushed the motor gear into the lens gear. The system did not flex and removed a lot of the mechanical slop - and therefore the annoying backlash - that folks had with Seitz and older wireless systems. However, with today's standard 15mm and 19mm rods, the solutions offered above should work just fine.

Sounds good to me. I'll be there.

Yes, I've seen failure in the same basic part from a different manufacturer a long time ago - (one that is no longer making stabilizers, I think). Parts may look the same and have the same dimensions, but the specifications, including strength, can be quite different. That screw broke once.... so I'd be inspecting the replacement one all the time for cracks or bending. Just a word of caution.

Andrea- Do you expect the replacement screw to work any better?

It looks like an upgrade, without a connector in the post. Good news.

I meant to say shrink tubing...

Take off the stage - remove the forward tilt head lock first to gain access to the screws. There's a connection block and several video line connections (in line) just inside the top post. Fairly clear how to undo the block and cut the shrink wrap around the video connectors. You put it back together, you will need some shrink wrap and thin cord (I've used dental floss!) to help secure the block. Nothing too tricky, just go slow.

Now I'm definitely going. Hope to watch (and video!) Ron outdo his usual performance. That's a challenge, and I'm warming up for it myself at the Tiffen event this friday in Burbank...

very cool

The "post adapter" is probably made better in two parts - First part is a clamp that grabs your size arm posts, and floats between the "shelves" of the end black, just as the current one does. Then you can use standard arm posts in multiple lengths. There should also be a couple of Delrin or Nylon flanged bushings in the to keep everything centered. The arm to vest connection is not something you want to make... buy one used somewhere, or get a new replacement - New ones from Tiffen will fit your arm.

Lift knobs are not vertical in the MS arms. It's part of the magic of those arms - and the patent., from 1995, covers what became the Master Series arm.

Alec- Funny- I forgot I ever made that video! When I responded, above, I didn't bother to click on the link and look at the video - I figured that someone else had done a good job and I just wanted to stress the thumb doesn't have to be perfectly level with the index finger...

don't worry too much about your thumb dropping a bit as you want a relaxed grip. From the video, it seems your wrist is bent much of the time, rather than straight. You also are using your finger tips rather than wrapping your fingers a bit more around the post - which results in more pressure and less control. Take another look at the video and the book. Jerry

Yes, alas, if you change the c.g. of the monitor, you change dynamic balance. It's why the more expensive monitor mounts pivot at the c.g. Even adjusting the angle in high mode - with the Zephyr-like monitor mounting on the bottom - will affect dynamic balance. That said, you are still going to close to "perfect" dynamic balance, and unless you are doing a lot of big whip pans, it isn't that big of a problem. You have many more control issues to worry about when panning when you don't have a tilt head and are pointed up or down. Get close to dynamic balance, then practice!

Check out workshop in Sweden http://shop.hofmann.se/Meny/Workshop/Kommande_Workshop

Get good training ASAP. It's the single most important thing you can do. Otherwise, you risk your shoot being a nightmare, both physically and aesthetically. If you are using a light camera, there are very light rigs (many used ones, too) that you can wear for hours - if you have the right technique. Get the book (Steadicam Operators Handbook) and read the first chapters (at least) as well a section on documentary - there is great description of a situation similar to the one you describe. There also is a section on being a woman operator written by Laurie Hayball, my co-author. Best of luck.

I own one of the original versions of the "Handsfree Transporters™." It lacks the safety fenders, and if I screw up and rub the tires against something solid - like a wall or a the tire of my car - the thing tries to climb up the object. Anyone can, and should, modify and put fenders on their Segway (handsfree or not) to make them much much safer. Chris trains people on the Steadiseg. One serious bit of training is not to approach anyone like the guy did in the video. Good training is the most important thing to avoid trouble and be safe. The Steadiseg has very carefully designed fenders - a lot of thought, concern, and testing went into it. As it should be. I have no apologies for explaining why safety fenders make the Steadiseg™ a much safer product. There are other reasons, IMHO, that make it a superior product, but the subject of this thread is safety.