Premium Members Niko lasarte Posted May 31, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Hi everyone, Last week I was working in a 3D film. Freestyle rig with RED Epic. I used my 3A arm. Everything was ok when suddenly one socket block pin broke. The arm was attached in the hardmount, upon a Panther. Fortunately nothing was damaged, any conncetor, camera, freestyle or sled, except the arm. I have two questions. 1- Maybe the hardmount was not correctly placed? The socket block was oriented to the 12 o´clock and the arm was streched to 3 o´clock. Can be this a mistake? I suspect that the socket block have to be oriented in the same direcction that the arm or completcly opposite. Or It had to be working well and the socket broke by the fatigue? 2- Somebody know where can I find a socket block pin? Best regards Niko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Alec Jarnagin SOC Posted May 31, 2012 Moderators Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Niko, That is a common break in the arm. Happened to my 3a arm back in the day. The 3D load was probably the straw the broke the camels back, but it would likely have happened at some point. It is an easy fix that you can do yourself. Call Robert Luna in the States (or maybe Juan or one of your fellow operators in Spain has a source). Robert Luna, 323.938.5659. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Jensen Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Hi Niko The part is called the Jamaica Aurora. No kidding. I would love to know who came up with that. Strange name. An op in Toronto broke one and ordered replacements from PRO. A little tricky to replace but not hard. Good luck Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Alec Jarnagin SOC Posted May 31, 2012 Moderators Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 I've always heard it called a "rod end bearing" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members William Demeritt Posted May 31, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 1- Maybe the hardmount was not correctly placed? The socket block was oriented to the 12 o´clock and the arm was streched to 3 o´clock. Can be this a mistake? I suspect that the socket block have to be oriented in the same direcction that the arm or completcly opposite. Or It had to be working well and the socket broke by the fatigue? 2- Somebody know where can I find a socket block pin? From my understanding, you don't want to have the socket block at 12 o'clock, as that creates a proverbial "diving board" exerting downward force on your male socket block, causing it to sheer or break from top to bottom (as your photo seems to show happened). Whenever placing my vehicle mount on a Mitchell plate, speed rail mount, rickshaw or whatever, I set it so the socket block is oriented as though I were wearing it, usually 3 o'clock. Depending on my needs of the shot or the limitations I'm dealing with, I may swing it to 2 o'clock, but not much further. Jack at GPI once explained to me that when you mate the arm directly into the socket block facing 12 o'clock, you create that downward force, and the center pin becomes a diving board. When you mate the arm to the block at 3 o'clock, the center pin isn't so much a diving board as it's an axel stabilized by the top and bottom screws. Granted, it doesn't move or spin like an axel, but the way the force rests is like that of a load on a car's wheel when parked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Ken Nguyen Posted May 31, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 I don't think the arm will work if you mount the block facing 12 o'clock. Never heard of "Jamaica Aurora"; seems to be an exotic name for the rod end bearing. Cheers, Ken Nguyen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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