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What do you pour into your gimbal?


Benjamin Treplin

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Before you add any lubricant, you need to get rid of any contaminants first.  Spray in some non residue contact cleaner and then work in a drop of fine viscosity machine oil, panavision oil has a VI similar to sewing machine oil.  Many people do not know that the biggest threat to lubrication in any system (engines for example) is contamination, not breakdown in viscosity.  Since heat is not a big factor, dirt is the big captured bearing killer. 

 

I respectfully disagree with a bit of this, Bob. Do not spray in anything.

 

The only way to successfully clean out a gimbal, at least a real Steadicam Gimbal, is to remove it from the centerpost and dissemble it.

 

And I disagree with you. Besides just what is a "Real Steadicam Gimbal"? because if your talking a 3A then that gimbal sucks....

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eric,

i don't know you nor do i have a bone to pick with you, but if you had any respect for steadicam and the community, how could you write a line like that?

newer toys are nice and can make life easier, but my friend, they're only tools. if the 3a gimbal truly 'sucked', would we have such shots as the opening to 'bonfire of the vanities' or the eerily dolly like shots in 'at play in the fields of the lord'?

good gear doesn't make a good op. :D

keep well.

matt

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  • 2 weeks later...
Thanks Jamie and Peter,

did you ever consider this magic ACF-50?

 

Best

 

The Issue with ACF-50 is that it turns into a wax to help prevent corrosion. In the past I used ONE drop of Arri High Speed Oil.

ACF-50 does NOT turn into a wax, very much the opposite. It continues to work, both fighting corrosion and lubricating without attracting dirt, dust, etc. for months, even years in some applications. I think you are confusing it with other aircraft products like BoShield which do function like a wax coating.

 

There is now a new dispenser for the stuff which is a non-aerosal, pump style bottle which is legal for air transport. Just ordered a carton of it from Lear Chemical. It really is the best lubricant for anything that I have ever used, and I use it for my ginble.

 

Larry

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eric,

i don't know you nor do i have a bone to pick with you, but if you had any respect for steadicam and the community, how could you write a line like that?

newer toys are nice and can make life easier, but my friend, they're only tools.  if the 3a gimbal truly 'sucked', would we have such shots as the opening to 'bonfire of the vanities' or the eerily dolly like shots in 'at play in the fields of the lord'?

good gear doesn't make a good op.  :D

keep well.

matt

 

 

Indeed... The gear is just a tool.

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Eric, excuse me, but you are talking b....

 

My 20 year old III(a) no adjustment possible- gimbal, only upgraded by that nice handgrip from MK-V is still doing EXTREMELY fine, with the original bearings and all... My Master gimbal gives me a lot more troubles, specially in maintenance and fine-tuning!

 

As others said already it's a tool and not a bad one at all, maybe it can show the lack of skill from the operator?

 

If you make such bold statements, be prepared from some rough answers as well!

 

Rob (just did a 50 minutes continous videorecording with his SUCKING IIIa gimbal and was happy he did not carry that Master!)

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Eric, excuse me, but you are talking b....

 

If you make such bold statements, be prepared from some rough answers as well!

 

 

Rob,

 

I have owned a Mod 1, Mod 2 a IIIa, a Pro and the New MK-V Gimbal.... Give it a rest your not going to find anyone that thinks that the IIIa gimbal is State of the art (It doesn't even use it's bearings correctly, check the play in it...) You might want to fly the MK-V or even XCS gimbal before you defend the old guard. A correctly designed gimbal doesn't require adjustment and infact does not allow for it. Sure great work was done with a IIIa gimbal, but better work is being done with the New gimbals.

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Rob,

 

I have owned a Mod 1, Mod 2 a IIIa, a Pro and the New MK-V Gimbal....  Give it a rest your not going to find anyone that thinks that the IIIa gimbal is State of the art (It doesn't even use it's bearings correctly, check the play in it...)  You might want to fly the MK-V or even XCS gimbal before you defend the old guard. A correctly designed gimbal doesn't require adjustment and infact does not allow for it. Sure great work was done with a IIIa gimbal, but better work is being done with the New gimbals.

 

I don't think he ever called it state of the art. He said it's a tool, nothing more, nothing less. I happen to agree. Hell, I'm still stuck on a bleedin' Glidecam...

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Hi Eric, I know very well that the new generation of equipment, not only gimbals, is "better", more evolved as the technological possibilities, the use of new materials etc is incorporated in them.

 

However, a gimbal that is capable of handling even the heaviest camera´s and the lightweights as well, that originated in an era without any computer aided design, just pure human though and interpretation and craftmanship, and has been THE standard for many years, is not a bad piece of equipment!

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