Hardmount for Merlin/Pilot Arm?

[invalid username]

Can anybody tell me if a hardmount adapter exists for the Merlin/Pilot arm that's commercially made?

 

I've looked high and low but can't find anything. I may just go ahead and try to make one.

 

Thanks!

[Tom Wills]

What are you going to mount it to? Speedrail? Mitchell mounts? A car hitch?

 

If you're going to be mounting it to a Mitchell mount (as found on dollies, some camera cars, high-hats, etc...), the Tiffen Flyer Vehicle Mount will work, though it is pretty expensive. If you're going to be mounting it to speedrail, you could use that same vehicle mount, but you probably could work up something cheaper with a machinist. For a car hitch there are options like the India Mount, which you could then put the smaller size socket block from the Merlin/Pilot on.

 

As an easy frame of reference, the Merlin and Pilot arm-side socket block works with the Flyer vest socket block (it might go the other way too, though it's strongly not advised to put a Flyer arm on a Merlin/Pilot vest), but neither will work with a professional socket block.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

If you're going to be mounting it to a Mitchell mount (as found on dollies, some camera cars, high-hats, etc...)

 

Just a quick correction. The Mitchell mount is the industry standard mount, so it's on all us camera cars

[Tom Wills]

Thanks Eric. I wasn't sure - never worked with a camera car myself - and didn't want to assume that it would be on all.

[Sam Morgan Moore]

I cannot recommend this.... but

 

I got a bit of 3/4 ali bar 30cm long, 13mm drill bit,

 

a careful placement of the 13mm hole goes over the male section of the arm connector

 

2 more tapped M6 holes recreate the 'threads'

 

further drillings in the 3/4 bar to mount it to something

 

I mounted mine to a heavy duty bit of L section extrusion (50mmX50mm) 1meter long

 

the L then can be G clamped to various points on my vito van to enable shooting from the rear or side door

 

cost $10 in materials and took an hour

 

It works (so far), viewing angle can be limited by open rear doors, have put a lot more effort into 'safety' - operator in clibing harnes, wedging doors open, skilled driver etc

 

as I said - at your own risk !

 

S