Timothy Dolan Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I recently just bought a Master series; however, I can not practice with it because the only camera i have is a 2lb camcorder. I was wondering how I could add weight to it, or if anyone knew of a Machinist out in the Santa Clarita area. If someone could post a picture of what theirs looks like it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking your time to read this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Wolfgang Troescher Posted June 15, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Buy a weight plate (or 2 of them).Forum member Janice Arthur sells them. They are really good! I recently just bought a Master series; however, I can not practice with it because the only camera i have is a 2lb camcorder. I was wondering how I could add weight to it, or if anyone knew of a Machinist out in the Santa Clarita area. If someone could post a picture of what theirs looks like it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking your time to read this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Dolan Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Buy a weight plate (or 2 of them).Forum member Janice Arthur sells them. They are really good! I recently just bought a Master series; however, I can not practice with it because the only camera i have is a 2lb camcorder. I was wondering how I could add weight to it, or if anyone knew of a Machinist out in the Santa Clarita area. If someone could post a picture of what theirs looks like it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking your time to read this! Is there anyway I can make one myself for cheap that would last a couple of weeks until I can get some money for those? Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted June 15, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 You can just get any block of steel and have some 3/8th holes tapped in it. But I would just get the right thing from Janice...there is no comparison between it and a homemade weight unless you spend the same money anyway! And hers can be used in multiple configurations to help with lighter cameras on the job as well. RB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Santiago Yniguez Posted June 15, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 If your REALLY desperate, you can get a couple of free-weights (5-10lbs. make sure they're the weights with the small holes), 1 large washer with a 1/4-20 hole, and a long 1/4-20 screw with a button head. The length of the screw is determined by the thickness between the dove-tail and the camera. you lay your weights on top of your dove-tail, the washer on top of the weights and your camera on the washer. Your probably lookin at $30 all in. This my friend, is ghe-tto. It'll tide you over till you save up the cash to get Janice's kick-ass cage. Please, don't use this as a permanent substitute for her weight platform. Janice's are more functional and look nicer :-) Good luck! Santi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Dolan Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Thank you for your time in answering my question. Im going to try the free weight idea until i can pull together enough cash for the cage. If i bought two weight plates could i screw them ontop of each other? or would the cage just be a better all around option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Santiago Yniguez Posted June 16, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Thank you for your time in answering my question. Im going to try the free weight idea until i can pull together enough cash for the cage. If i bought two weight plates could i screw them ontop of each other? or would the cage just be a better all around option? Please, Please buy the weight cage when you can. treat the weight cage like you would if you bought any other piece of accessory for your rig. It may cost you a little bit, but worth it. In the grand scheme of things, probably one of the cheaper accessories you buy. It'll be more than just a practice cage. Like Ron said, it'll come in handy for your DSLR shoots and all the other prosumer cameras that'll be coming down the pike. Can you imagine if you showed up to set with a couple of weights to counter balance your rig? Silk hat on a pig... Good Luck! Santi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Callarman Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 (edited) If you get client who has a small camera and you have a cage you will have the proper piece of equipment for the job. Showing up with weight plates will look a bit on the amateur side. If just for practice, the weights are fine. Maybe you can put a spacer between the weights to make the load more "realistic". Edit: Santiago, you beat me to it. Edited June 16, 2012 by Chris Callarman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members David M. Aronson Posted June 16, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 If you do end up making your own, make sure you know what the largest camera you'll be flying is. I built mine and then a month later, someone wanted me to shoot with their Ex3. 2 inches too short and 1.5 inches too narrow. I ended up mounting the two plates together with a couple of bolts and using it as a plate not a cage. Does anyone have a JA cage they could send me the dimensions on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted June 16, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 The JA plates can be screwed together, it doesn't have to be a cage. The beauty of it is it has tapped and countersunk holes all over it as well as threaded holes on the corners for rods. Go down to a machine shop and ask them to cut and drill the poop out of a piece of steel...it will cost more than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Dolan Posted June 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I definitely do not want to look like an amateur the first time I get on a set, so I will save up for the cage. I also found a problem that the bottom dial kinda falls out is there a way that I can fix that on my own, or is it just safer to bring it to Tiffen? If I bring it to Tiffen, is there anyone in specific I should ask for. Thank you all who are responding I am just starting out and just am itching to get this started!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erik Brul Posted June 17, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Simple, buy the Janice Cage.. You can try to use diving weights before the cage is at your doorstep.. (for practice only ofcourse ;) ) Cheers, Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Peter Abraham Posted July 27, 2012 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 I definitely do not want to look like an amateur the first time I get on a set, so I will save up for the cage. I also found a problem that the bottom dial kinda falls out is there a way that I can fix that on my own, or is it just safer to bring it to Tiffen? If I bring it to Tiffen, is there anyone in specific I should ask for. Thank you all who are responding I am just starting out and just am itching to get this started!! Call or email Derek Hester. He's the head of Customer Service at the Steadicam facility. He is at dhester@tiffen.com or at (818) 567-7917. Best, Peter Abraham, S.O.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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