The Oldest Arm in Use Today (as well as other fun stories about old gear)

[Christopher Moone]

Great thread!

My sled is the PROII of the late BoB Ulland (RIP). It's awesome to think of the great work done with this rig before my time and I like to think that I do justice to it's legacy! Unfortunately his nameplate was missing when I bought it but the DB2 is s/n 10. Everything still works perfectly! A well made item will last a lifetime and I can't say enough good things about PRO.

[Tommy Stork]

Now we're talking. That is an oldie! RIP Bob. I have some photos of Bob using that rig while Rob Carlson (a 1st assistant back then) pulls focus. I'll see if I can find them and post them later.

[Mark Stitzer]

I checked again and was incorrect on my model number for the arm. The arm is actually #173, the Vest (Steadicam Suit) is #179. You can see in the pictures that even the Arm bones are stamped with the serial number.

 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwuhzoBfEMgvUDc1NDhoTTdILTA&usp=sharing

 

The old Sled, which I still have and still works, is marked with #153. It still has the AB power mount that Jerry Holway added decades ago, and it still works. The original monitor is long gone so I just mount a light weight LCD on it if I need to use it. The original electronics have been hacked to simply supply a video signal up to the stage and power to the monitor. It still has the TK-76 control module in the Sled body...for weight I suppose. I'll have to find a recent picture if it.

 

I own the gear, but I kind of feel like a curator of the gear as well. Lots of history in these old rigs and hopefully more life in them too.

 

Mark

 

[Beau Cuizon]

MARK: That's awesome stuff. I had read somewhere else on the forum, someone else refer to the vest as a "suit", and I thought it was a slang term...but I guess that's what it was actually called when they were producing these rigs! everything looks like it's in great shape, even the springs...no rust, or corrosion...amazing.

 

EDIT: ...it was Brant's post on the last page that mentions "The Suit"..after re-reading it, he does say that CP called it such...and with with Mark's pics, we can see that first hand.

[James Puli]

I have CP arm no 53 ... which is alot older then me!

 

It was sold to me as a 3a arm. But when I bought it I got Rob Luna to give it a service and he found the date that the original hinge was changed out for the elbow (which was while he was still working at CP all those years ago), and also at some point along the years it looks like the bones were switched out as well.

 

Its my backup and doesn't see that much use, but it still performs like it was brand new!

 

Plus some of my other backup parts (monitor bracket, gimbal etc) are from my dads model 2 / 3a HotRod which was previously owned by Bob Gorelick, who sold it to my dad in 1991 after using it on films such as The Abyss!

 

<edit ... I actually have a Steadicam suit, which i think is earlier then the one in Marks pic above. Will dig it out and post the Sn>

[Christopher Moone]

Heh, just spoke with PRO to get a replacement nameplate for the sled, s/n 007! Plate comes with Bobs name, of course. What a great thread this is..

[Beau Cuizon]

CHRISTOPHER: That is awesome that the guys over at PRO would honor the man, and the machine in such a way. Make sure you take some pics when you get that plate installed!

 

JAMES: So you and your dad are both operators? That's pretty interesting. I'm sure there aren't too many father/son combos working rigs...and at the same time, to boot. I'm curious, when did you decide that you wanted to follow your dad into the family business? I'm sure there had got to be an interesting story there somewhere, filled with tales of flying vintage gear...must have trained on your pop's rig?

 

...sort of a side note, and random thought...I've never taken a class (hope to next year) but wouldn't it be cool if you could fly some of these old rigs at a class? Just to see how it was done back in the day, and to compare it to the gear/techniques we have available today? That might be interesting and informative for those getting into the craft...well, it would be to me at least!

[RonBaldwin]

James, did Bob Gorlick buy that sled from Jimmy Muro!? I know Jimmy did at least most of the Abyss and had an early hacked model2 before upgrading to a 3a (he gave me a lot of advice and sent me to Seitz to do the same to mine)

[Dave Isern]

Considering the torque and load bearing involved, it is testimony to the engineering that old arms are still going strong.

 

My Model 1 arm from around '78 was still working last I heard--Dave Isern, do you still have it?

 

Your old arm was great Charles,

 

I sold the arm #092 in 2013.

In 2007, Robert Luna modified the post-end into a full Model 3 arm.

A real workhorse that flew some of my finest work.

I had it since '98 but bought a PRO arm a couple years ago.

 

Guille Garcia from Peru bought it.

Seems like he's keeping it busy.

 

Dave Isern, soc

www.daveisern.com

[Brian Hart]

Here is my Pro 1 sled Serial #001. I bought from Kirt Jones and it's been in use with me for the last 13 years. It's now my back-up. I'll take some more detailed photos when I get into work on Monday. The upper junction has no serial # it just says DCE for De rose? I think.

 

 

The sled is working great and I really love it. Unfortunately, Cameras want more power so I wanted to fly a more modern sled.

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Brian, your picture did not show up. I know that sled well. It was Chris Haarhoff's originally and then sold to Kurt. Only three owners in all that time says a lot about it. I'd suggest that if you ever want to sell it, give GPI a call to see if they want to put it on display.

[RonBaldwin]

I remember when Kurt sold that sled. An amazing piece of history there...DCE is DeRose Cinema Engineering. That magic sled born out of frustration changed everything...and if it didn't come out we might be still flying 3A's ;-)

[Michael Desiderio]

We got an arm here from Janice, with SN 179 on it. Robert Luna said it was an old Model 1 upgraded to 3A standards. He said it was pre-79 because he has no information for it except that it was upgraded to 3A in 86 I think. Pretty cool stuff!

[James Martin]

I still see a lot of ARRI SRs in service various places, mostly film schools, they're fairly complex bits of kit which I guess are harder to repair than a Steadicam, so not too surprising (but still nice) to find many of these old arms still going :)

[Andy Stankovich]

Hi all,

I was reading the post on the oldest arms out there and wanted to share my arms history and age with you all. I am currently using an arm that initially came from a Mk2 sled. Its Sn. is U025. The sled belonged to ATV Ten In Australia and was first operated by Harry P in Melbourne. I purchased it with the Mk2 sled and original vest from Tristian Wake in London '96 and had

Hugo at Rig Enginerring in Melbourne, Australia give it the full treatment, new trunions spring covers and Steadyrig

Silver Springs. It has served me faultlessly for 15 years. There is a lot to be said for equipment so well designed it has remained virtually unchanged in its form or function for nearly 40 years.

Bravo Garrett