Sticky Gimbal

[michael carstensen]

Hi Peeps

 

I recently did a daily on a feature in a very arid part of the Northern Cape in South Africa that was incredibly Hot and quite dusty.

 

I was given all of 10min with the camera (Millenium XL) and I had to hike my gear up the side of a mountain where we were gonna shoot.

 

I got to the top poped the camera onto my rig did a quick balance... but something just didnt feel great and in the rush of trying to do all of this under a minute because they were behind schedule It felt as if there was a gyro attached to my rig and the Gimbal was as stiff as a donkey.

 

My conclusion is that there must have been some dust that crept into the gymbal and jammed the bearing, but now im stuck everyone is ready to shoot and I have to man handle the rig, instead of letting the gimbal do the work. After 3 or 4 takes I had to tell the DP and he seemed uninterested.

 

How do I stop this from happening in future? I could make sure I cover the gimbal somehow or take it apart and clean it every-time but what a mission? What do you guys do in such a situation? Has it ever happened to you?

 

As soon as I swung over to Low Mode she behaved and there was a massive sigh of relief but since then I have cleaned her up and im just waiting for the day it happens again.

 

 

Help?

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

You might want to tell us what rig you're flying.

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

Unirig sled (italian)

[Victor Lazaro]

Use some lisigav on your gimbal.

[Janice Arthur]

Michael;

 

This doesn't seem like all dirt. You'd have had to accumulate 1/4 teaspoon of dirt to make it stick that badly.

 

I suspect the bearing wasn't seated completely. At some point it moved about up in the gimbal about 1/4" (sorry metric guys)

 

I've had my gimbal apart doing cleaning and if you don't get it 'reseated' completely the gimbal is very sluggish, like you describe.

 

The other clue is that in low mode it became normal again. I think upside down, the bearing got pushed back into its correct position and your problem was solved. If it wasn't this then ask yourself, did the dirt suddenly disappear when you went to low-mode?

 

Good luck,

 

JA

[michael carstensen]

@Eric Its exactly what Jens said, Its sort of a mash up between an EFP with a modernised batery hanger, The Gimbal is 3A (stand to be corrected)

 

@ Janice. I think you hit the nail on the head there, travelling to the location was a super bumpy road, I think thats a great thing to check next time It happens. Is it something I can try "seat" whilst on the post? Im guessing not. Its really not a nice thing to happen on set.

 

@Victor Thanks Victor haha vagisil why didnt I think of that???

[michael carstensen]

Thanks for all the help guys

[Peter Abraham]

Michael

The top cap is one of the few things you CAN do to most gimbals without removing them. Check the screws that hold the cap in place, IIRC the IIIA gimbal has a ring of them along the top. By comparison, newer CP/ Tiffen gimbals have a very finely threaded cap without screws.

The Blue Whale tool that comes with larger sized Tiffen gimbals is in part a tool used to tighten down that very cap. I cannot speak to other brands, but advocates of gimbals made by other manufacturers can no doubt chime in to tell you how to service their gimbals.

 

Best,

Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

[michael carstensen]

Thanks Peter

 

I have the screw top type.

 

I will take it up with manufacturer as you say