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Broken carbon post during static balance


Tete

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I have no hope... ;(

I've bought used Ultra rig recently. Today I had time to take it to hands first time. I put broadcast camera on it, started to static balance, and top post section under stage top stage broke down.

I noticed that under docking ring (broken down exactly under them) was some scrap covered by tape, so I suppose he had to know about...

I don't know what to do? How to repair it? Is option to get money back from seller? Any ideas?

 

Regards hopelessly

Stan

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post-16472-0-49900400-1455195427_thumb.jpg

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Hello 'Tete', everyone.

 

I was the seller of this rig. Thought I'd write publicly as it breaks my heart to see something so terrible happen to someone's very expensive investment, so soon after making the deal - but I feel I have to emphasise that there was nothing wrong with that post when I shipped it! I had been using it on set happily and exclusively for three years with some ungodly loads until I opted to upgrade, and it never so much as squeaked (though I often did). It was a fine rig (the tape you refer to, Tete, was there only to provide a bit of grip underneath the docking rig and stop it sliding up slowly, as it tended to do over time). That such a catastrophic structural failure could happen during a simple static balance is baffling - it looks like that post has been through something much more serious than that. But, to re-iterate, never while in my possession.

 

I'm sorry this happened to you, Tete, truly. I'm not sure how I might help, but if you'd like to call, anytime, you have my number.

 

Emilio Schlappi

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Could it be that the gimbal was over tightened on the post? First, reach out to your insurance company (you do have insurance right?), then send the rig to Tiffen for a diagnostic and quote. It should only be a replacement of one section of the carbon post and might not be as dramatic as it looks.

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I doubt insurance will cover this but I'll leave that to them. Carbon fiber can fail BIG TIME once compromised. I suspect the tape was covering a crack that may have been caused from an over-tight docking ring or just from repeated docking. THIS IS NOT TO SAY Emilio knew it was there or covered it - just that it may have been hidden from him too. I suspect it started with a hairline crack some time back and like I said, Carbon fiber can be dramatic when it does go. Get a repair estimate from Tiffen and then I think the two of you should talk it through as to the cost (maybe split it?). That part is not really my business but since this was dragged into public, here we go!

 

Good luck.

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Just curiosity, what is the condition of the tape? (very old, new,.... adhesive is still tacky or dried out...)

 

Frankly, I don't know why one puts tape under the docking ring to prevent it from slipping.

I don't.

Manufacturers don't.

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Hi everyone

At the begining sorry for Tete, I log in via facebook and it's my nick. I'm Stan Marcinkowski. I was heart attack almost when it happened. I didn't think about introducing and my nick. Apoligize.

I made balancing many times before, with my Floatcam, Archer, many other rigs in my job and at workshop. It's really strange for me. I think Alec is right. When I take sled to hand everything seemed to be ok, it's hard to see such thing. I didn't scope on tape, but I'm sure under was some crack, photos are not good quality so it' hard to see them
Solution is to cut/replace broken part of carbon pipe and assambled it to top stage. It's not such dramatic as I thought at first moment. Sled will be shorter, but what else should I do?
But I'm seriously afraid what else is uknown and if can I trust the rig. I'm confused
Regards
Stan
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Thanks for that, Ken. If that's what we're questioning here: one puts tape under the docking ring, because on this particular sled, it rides up very gradually, and the stage cannot be tilted without a bit of a gap below it. I am glad you have never encountered this minor hindrance in your own day-to-day.

 

Best,

 

Emilio

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