guillermo nespolo Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 was flying a Pana G2 conv kit with primos when my 3A arm blew up (suprise). i just read this its normal thing that when u put to much wait on the 3arm this one will blow up ...i also now a guy who was working with a efp arm with hdt and the arm blow up ...the reason for this its to much wait....it is the cross cables on the pullies ? i have play arround almoust 2 years with my 3arm rebuilt by mkv..i take care of arm after every job i will hate if something happens to arm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted February 29, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 springs fatigue after years and years of use (and sometimes abuse). Pushing anything to the limits of it's design will eventually lead to failure. If one flies heavy cameras alot, someday something's got to give. Maybe a screwdriver nicked a spring while untwisting the cables...this weak spot may become a breaking point later. Stress fractures may form in the bones, the elbow, trunions...etc. There's a tremendous amount of force and torque going on in there, that's why I operate with safety glasses and kevlar. I also make everyone on the set sign a waiver. Whenever you see an actor in a movie wearing glasses, they most likely didn't sign the waiver and production made them put them on for safety...they are scared of shrapnel. Good luck and keep your head down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members BJMcDonnell SOC Posted February 29, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Yep! Ron ain't kidding! I wear my kevlar any time I get around that crazy Mo-Fo. He always yells get Back! GET BACK!!! as he is doing the shot and sure enough......I took a spring to the chest. Wheeew!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted February 29, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 springs fatigue after years and years of use (and sometimes abuse). Pushing anything to the limits of it's design will eventually lead to failure. If one flies heavy cameras alot, someday something's got to give. Maybe a screwdriver nicked a spring while untwisting the cables...this weak spot may become a breaking point later. Stress fractures may form in the bones, the elbow, trunions...etc. There's a tremendous amount of force and torque going on in there, that's why I operate with safety glasses and kevlar. I also make everyone on the set sign a waiver. Whenever you see an actor in a movie wearing glasses, they most likely didn't sign the waiver and production made them put them on for safety...they are scared of shrapnel. Good luck and keep your head down! If I remember the story correctly you quoted Jim Lovell when it blew. "Houston, we have a problem" When I had a Mod 2 arm (Rental no less...) go on me I exclaimed "She Blew!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brad Hruboska Posted February 29, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 you know guys the emergency fix? you mummify the broken arm section with tape, ( fibre packing tape is best) and immobilize the arm section, like a splint. If you are gentle, you can continue to operate most shots, while waiting for one of your beautiful competion to rent you a spare arm....I had a call once form a guy with total rig failure, and It just happended I was on my way home form a job, and the gear was in the car, so I was there in liike 15 minutes, it was like the cavalry had arrived...nice feeling and I got to meet the production staff.....Thats the thing a bout the Pro arm I like, spares on hand,,,, unless you break a hinge or something....rare, but I think it happend to Rod Crombie early on in the PRO arms history, George has subsequently beefed up that area......Model 2 hinges, well I had spares in my kit for them too,m I had a near fatal failure stepping off of a big curb once, Director screaming action and I'm very gently docking the rig, and spinning out the bolts to the hinge, they will not belive you when you say 2 minutes to fix it, but thats what it is, stress..... :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted February 29, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 unless you break a hinge or something....rare, but I think it happend to Rod Crombie early on in the PRO arms history, George has subsequently beefed up that area...... Eh? Owning a first-run PRO arm, I don't recall having a hinge retrofit, is this something I should be concerned about? Never heard this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted February 29, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 BJ's right...he wears full body armor when he spots me. Lucky we work on a cop show, the prop guys hook us both up with the goods. Eric, you are right -- just like uncle Teddy said, stay cool and for god's sake, be funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Ramon Engle Posted March 3, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Blow outs are nasty! Mine occured as a result of the safety cable inside the spring rubbing against the spring causing an abbrasion. I'm standing on two appleboxes, dialed in for maximum height and boomed all the way down.................In Oaxaca Mexico. Ended up with 3/4 of the middle spring left. Thanks to a PA and the local bus repair shop(city buses in Mexico are privately owned) I was up and running at 80% in 2hours. WHEW! I removed the rest of the safety cables and replaced the spring with a master series spring once home. The arm actually had a little more UMPF after that. Don't forget your eye protection. Ramon Engle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guillermo nespolo Posted March 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 umpf ? what is that ? eye protection .....i use coretive glasses that helps? afraid afraid afraid ......next stop pro-arm the only problem i have to sale grandma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members JobScholtze Posted March 3, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 next stop pro-arm the only problem i have to sale grandma :D :D Can she cook? :D :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickvanWeeren Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Aloha here's a short but sad story about a guy loosing his arm... I once used a 7 year old arm (no service in the 7 years) and it blew on me during the rehearsel of a scene. The actors where standing nearby and I didn't want to cause an alarm. I continued shooting and told the DP to use the dolly for the next shot (with a urging voice). The dolly grip was amazed because he didn't like this steadicam gadget, it made him gain weight at the craft service so he smiled and we did the next shots on the dolly. Luckily a friendly operator borrowed me his arm, the same day. I love this steadicam community! The director didn't even notice ! It took me 2 months to get the arm fixed at the dealer in the Netherlands. Next time I'll contact someone else. Just a war story... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Peter Abraham Posted March 6, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 I had two arm incidents. ( Isn't that a darling word? "Incidents" ??? What do you tell the D.P. when the rig drops off your body? " We've had an incident " ) First time, I knew I had a hairline crack in the old style hinge of my Model II arm. I had been given a few spares by Chuck Jackson, so I was ready. I'm with Rick Mears, at Penske Racing in Pennsylvania. Huge building, echoes like an airplane hanger. It's 11:30 at night. The hairline crack makes it suddenly to the first set of washers, making a loud snap sound. I rapidly made for the stand. The arm did not come apart, I have to say. I'd been badly mistreated on the shoot, and so chose to let the Producer sweat. My A.C. was sweating, and I whispered to him, " pull the shiny aluminum hinge out of the sled case, swap it for this one, ok? " The second time, was a spring break. Frightening and loud, the upper section failed. The spring broke and tore cables. ( It is possible that the cable snapped, and the sudden compression broke the spring ). I was SOL. Ted Churchill loaned me his arm, and a few hours later I was up and going. Things wear down, no matter who manufactures them. Peter Abraham, E.M.T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brad Hruboska Posted March 6, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Peter you know I think It was you who told me to buy a spare arm hinge for my origional model 2 arm, and indeed one day I did need it once again yoou saved another career, best 50.00 bucks I ever spent. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Gustavo Penna Posted April 25, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 the only arm failure i have witness was here in miami when an operator from new york called ian wolfson smith was shooting a show that came down for a week or two. and i got a call from the camera rental to rent them my low mode bracket for the 535 so i went to this location to deliver the bracket and just when i was watching a rehersal and waiting for ian to introduce myself and give the bracket to him. there was this huge bang. it was the spring on his 3a first stage arm that blow up in 3 pieces.he ended up renting my master arm for a week.one thing that i want to clarify is that none of this parts went out from the actual arm. so i dont see why people should use eye protection, i have being operating for almoust 13 years now, and i have never had a spring failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.