Alec Jarnagin SOC

"Those jumpers are professionally made and tested and are entirely safe." Peter, glad to hear you usually won that argument. Those King BNC adapters are also made by a reputable and professional company. The super thing adapters from CP could have the same problem but you can't just swap out the cable because its soldered. I never understood them. You do have a good point about them being worried about safety, if that is indeed where the concern truly comes from.

Peter, seriously, when "that guy" says you can't use it, you need to say "OK, I won't but I'm leaving and YOU can explain to the director and producer why there is no Steadicam here." Anyone who has ever worked with me will tell you how nice and accommodating I am, but a couple of times in my career I've had bullies try and pull stuff like that on me and then I'm less nice (cough, cough).

I wish I could get away with that. Congratulations you guys.

I just have dreams when I fall asleep at work during a long day…. I'm home in my PJs with a glass of Cognac and my beautiful wife while it snows outside and I don't have to go out there.

Thank you Charles. For those who do not know about this video, let alone Teddy, buckle up for a ride and let it humble you....

Come on people; this was not a book lent out! We help people and then when we need it, we are screwed. Peter, I don't have that fancy CP one, but I have the Tri-ax to BNC adapters if you want to borrow them.

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Bump

Charles, well done with the diagram. I was hoping to find time and look for a picture of this (or GB's article on it) but alas, no time. Good reasoning Chris. You're a bold man.

Ron, and just how different is this than last Monday?

Sorry Victor, I misunderstood.

And for people using a PRO 1 battery module who don't have that handy little recorder mount plate, its a very easy way to attach an Anton Bauer battery to your sled to add some 21st Century Amperage to the old chocolate bar setup.

"I have a 2722. I feel like it is a step backward to force it on all the time." I don't think its a step back at all; I bugged AB for years asking them to reverse it (i.e have to ask for a test). Like I said, its a real problem having it enter test mode on set.

Victor, I believe you can open it up and unplug it (a little plastic connector going from the unit - labeled - to another board. I seem to think I did this once in my career, but you should double check. I may have hallucinated doing at after a night out with Baldwin.

Also, if you have a charger with the Diagnostics module, I suggest letting it discharge and condition your battery. (I don't like these chargers for on-set use because inevitably, they will want to run a 24 hour test on a battery and if the AC isn't paying enough attention to hit cancel, then the battery is not charging). I just did this to two of my batteries that didn't seem to be agreeing with thier meters and I think its helped (a little early to tell for sure).

Ron, we are so doing that.

In 1994 I bought a used Model 2 sled (Serial #192) off of Derrick Whitehouse that had belonged to David Luckenbach. It came with a Black Spring Model 1 arm (Serial #G-20). It had silver bones but had the articulated elbow upgrade. The package also had an old Model 1 vest with it (Serial #39. White plastic and all). Not sure if the vest & arm had been David's as well, but I think not. Within a few years, I rebuilt the vest (plastic by Peter Abraham) and Chuck Jackson (RIP) replaced the black springs to Gold Springs (and thus the maximum lift climbed from 51 pounds to approx. 63 pounds). My original intent had been to modify the sled to a single center post, but I ended up getting George Billinger's old 3a sled (can't recall the S/N) from Goerge Paddock (he had traded it in for a PRO). It was a fun sled, with a DB-1 (a real DB-1 not the first generation DB-2 that has seemed to confuse a few people lately) and DeRose center post and upper junction box. This began my relatioship with PRO and all these years later, it continues strong because in addition to great gear, they have unsurpassed customer service. So where is the old gear now? The model 2 sled died and is living in a friend's basement somewhere (can't recall which friend). The modified 3a sled went to David Rosenfeld, who still operates it on occasion. I sold the arm, which was the gem of the package, to BJ McDonnell who started his Steadicam career with it. He later sold it to David Ellis, an operator in NYC. Dave has since sold it to someone, but I don't know who..... Oh, and my trusty old Model 1 vest? Front spar cracked on a job (I figure it was from 1976 or so). I managed to get through the day with a Gaffer Tape tourniquet. CP (Cinema Products for the newbies out there) graciously sold me the replacement pieces from a Mater Vest without charging a fortune. Unfortunately, I was never as happy with the vest since that was when they were using a webbing design so the vest lost much rigidity and I eventually replaced it with the PRO vest (Serial # 272) which I still use today. As for that Model 1 vest? Still have it as a backup/teaching vest (put a new socket block on there once upon a time realizing that the old one was from the 1970s and that piece takes the load!). Other trivia: In addition to my primary sled, I own Bob Ulland's (RIP) PRO Lite (Serial #6). Old friend and former student, Kurt Jones, bought PRO 1 Serial #1 off of Chris Haarhoff and used it until he retired from Steadicam (he is a DP now). Chris used the first PRO 2 on Birdman as has already been pointed out. I now own Garrett's hand built prototype Flyer arm that Peter refers to (but I really should sell it; Brant and Tom you listening?!) Erwin Landau knows way more about this stuff than any of us.....

I believe the PRO arm was introduced in 1997 but I may be off by a year or so. Funny, we are calling that old. I still consider all the PRO arms new. I bet in that time, Chris has done no work on the arm other than a cleaning or two. The 3a style arms you frequently see for sale are much older, some even dating back to the 1970's (although these were not originally 3a arms and can be identified by the silver bones, but were often updated later to have all the "3a" features). This is all a bit of a simplified history lesson, but seems detailed enough for this post. Keep in mind that Robert Luna and Rig Engineering make new versions of this style arm as well as rebuilding old ones so it can often be hard to put an exact age on a specific arm.

Call Robert Luna, 323-938-5659

Ron will take the gum.

Well said Tommy. Thank you for your post and your continued support.

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Got to agree as well. Mike has been nothing but solid and great. Love the products too.

Great. Messaged.

Only used once or twice. Comes in original box with remote and manuals. Shedding all SD stuff from my life! $100 plus shipping.