Zephyr Arm broke during a shoot yesterday

[Victor Lazaro]

Just got a quote from Derek over at Tiffen today. It's $117 and thats including shipping. Good news for sure. I'm looking forward to hear what locking pin works best so I can upgrade.

 

Cheers

Are you sending your arm back to them?

[Brent Johnson]

I drove down to LA last week to drop it off/help out on a buddies set. Derek will be mailing it out tomorrow I believe.

[Chris Van Campen]

Ok so the pin ordered thru McMaster-Carr fits perfectly and is bombproof. You cannot push it out without actuating the button.

 

It's actually branded as a Jergens 806427-4B. I haven't knocked myself out on the Jergens website, and it's unclear how to get the 4 ball 806427 without a phone call. Might be a couple $$ cheaper than through McMaster.

 

Huge hat tip to Brent for raising this issue, and others for sharing as well!!

 

-Chris

[Brent Johnson]

Nice Chris,

 

Thanks for the follow up about the pin, and the hat tip, haha.

 

Cheers

[Victor Lazaro]

Is it this one? https://www.jergensinc.com/site/account/cStockpricecheck.aspx?item_cd=806427

List Price for this item: $24.58

[Chris Van Campen]

Victor - I think minus a -4B on that catalog page you might find yourself a couple balls light on your pin, if you catch my drift...

 

Seriously though a locking 2 or 4 ball is going to trump the stock spring pin all day long. The stock pin doesn't even deserve backup status unless you're flying Fisher Price IMO.

[Darren McDonald]

Well the exact thing has happened to me. The system ( arm and sled ) has never been or close to have been overloaded and in fact it was carrying a C300 at the time the pin came out. We were moving a lot as we were running after talent for a shoot and the pin worked it's way loose and bending everything just like Brent's arm. The arm was going up and down repeatedly for the shot and popped out on the up movement. The rig isn't used a lot and on taking it to Lemac in Sydney found the ball in the pin which retracts when the button is pulled with the ring attached will come out regardless if the release button is pulled or not....so the pin will eventually work it's way loose and out regardless. The first time it happened was 2 months out of warranty and just recently again nearly a year out of warranty in July. The brackets on the arm are bent back to the original position....but it isn't the same and the pin is and has been defective all this time.

[Darren McDonald]

Hi Guy's,

 

Well had the bracket and pin part replaced under warranty (thanks Tiffen !!) but it isn't good. The pin is so loose that my 9 year old blew on it and it popped out of the socket. Turn the arm upside down and the pin will fall out when moved......so urgently for a job I've had to get made up a new pin made up with a bolt on one end and a wing nut on the other. Not the ideal solution but there is an obvious problem with the pin for the Zephyr arm...but at least mine won't come out now !!

 

 

 

[Sanjay Sami]

Nothing is Idiot Proof, and operator error can hardly be blamed on a manufacturer.

If you buy a piece of gear that clearly states what it is intended for, and you knowingly abuse it, be ready for the consequences.

I have done it a number of times with various kinds of gear.

Climbing gear, harnesses, cranes, dollies, fan descenders, industrial cranes, capstan winches etc.

Sometimes they have failed. Sometimes with near lethal consequences.

But I abused these pieces of equipment knowing that I may pay a price .

If that does happen to you (installing a safety pin upside down ... or something like that) dont go complaining on a public forum.

Call the manufacturer ... tell them you made a mistake, and their product is not Idiot Proof.

Ask them how best they can help you out.

Tell them that you will read the manual the next time round.

This may result in a better response than if you try and blame them for something that very obviously had nothing to do with them or the quality of their product.

[Chris Van Campen]

The stock pin on the Zephyr is a joke, and should be upgraded by anyone who uses one - if they value what they're flying.

[Darren McDonald]

AAhh SanJay, I've been around and operating Steadicam systems ( 24 years ) long enough to know when something isn't right. My personal Zephyr had a Red Scarlet 6.8 kgs the first time the pin came out and the second time it had a C300 5.2kgs on it. No where near the load limit !! At our TV station we have 2 heavier Steadicam units both suffer from breaks from wear and tear....that is a fact of life !! The reference to the pin falling out when upside down was purely and example of how easy it can come out with this new bracket installed.....I'm not that dumb !!

 

Unfortunately it might be hard to understand that there might be a fault with anything with the name Steadicam on it. We have a new Exovest at work and have had a few teething issues with it......not our fault as that's the way it came out of the box. I still think Steadicam is a Superior product however my issues ARE NOT OPERATOR ERROR !!! and neither with the brand new bracket and pin installed. That came from the factory and was like that when I picked it up from the service center and before I took it home.

 

Thanks Sanjay for letting me know my flaws that I and the others here who have the same issues abuse our equipment and need to read the manual. Next time I argue with my wife i'll get her to ring you first since you know a lot about me.

[Sanjay Sami]

Ok ...

[Kyle Wullschleger]

We have a new Exovest at work and have had a few teething issues with it......not our fault as that's the way it came out of the box. I still think Steadicam is a Superior product however my issues ARE NOT OPERATOR ERROR !!! and neither with the brand new bracket and pin installed. That came from the factory and was like that when I picked it up from the service center and before I took it home.

 

Darren, can you elaborate on any issues with the Exo-Vest? What are they and how are they being addressed?

[Evrim KAYA]

Hello Darren,

 

If you have something specific to say about the exo-vest; do you think it will be more beneficial to write it under the exo-vest topic? That way all the people involved or interested about this subject would be given a chance to learn from or respond to your comments.

 

I’m not a moderator of course, my suggestion is about efficiency. You can take or leave it as you like.

 

http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=17143

 

Fly safe.

[RonBaldwin]

Thanks Sanjay for letting me know my flaws that I and the others here who have the same issues abuse our equipment and need to read the manual. Next time I argue with my wife i'll get her to ring you first since you know a lot about me.

 

 

Darren,

He must have been close to the mark to get yer dander up? Sanjay makes Don Juan look like Erkel, so be warned -- if you bring him into your home to resolve marital conflict he will not only show your wife that his steadicam is bigger than your steadicam, he will also no doubt find a new and exciting place to put that newly strengthened zephyr arm.