Modding the EFP Vest

[Charles King]

Thanks Todd. will keep this post updated. I'm making a new design to the brest plate and spars. Since I won't be using the original spars, which were cracked, I'll make new ones out of steel instead of the aluminum that CP company used and just keep them. Since the only part that I'm using are the curved braces and back padding from the original vest.

[Charles King]

Okay, here are the new paddings I had made. New and fresher ;) Things are slowly moving ahead and the results are becoming apparent.

 

Back padding:

 

Waist padding:

 

Chest padding:

 

Now I have the chest spar, vest shoulder connectors and a new socket block bracket to complete the new and improve EFP vest. :)

[Charles King]

Been a while since I got back to this project. Been very busy and now things seem to be back on track with this major modification. Here is a Pic of the parts for the vest. These parts will replace the EFP aluminum vest bridge, chest plate parts, which will be more sturdier than the original parts. It will be able to handle much more heavier loads. The adjustment is more robust...The original spars were broken and a litte difficult to fabricate. So I decided to make a whole new front construction and not just the spars.

 

I'll be bending the varies parts to follow the contur of the original EFP vest. I also design a new arm vest bracket and as you can see I made a new female socket block, which had a slight issue connecting to the male socket block, that will also be bent.

 

 

[luis castro]

where bay this beatiful ratchet buckles? the modified is perfect good evolution

[Jess Haas SOC]

Was there any problem with the original socket block and bridge plate? If not(and maybe even if there is) I might be interested in buying them from you. How much do you want? Actually, once you are finished with all of your modifications how much will it be to buy the entire original vest from you? Doesn't look like you are keeping much of it :-)

 

Have you thought about making and selling these vests? Or even a vest kit of some sort. Looks like you are rather close to being able to make one from scratch.

 

~Jess

[Charles King]

where bay this beatiful ratchet buckles? the modified is perfect good evolution

 

 

Thanks. I bought the rachets at a sporting good store that sold it to me for little or nothing. Thanks for the compliment.

[Charles King]

Was there any problem with the original socket block and bridge plate? If not(and maybe even if there is) I might be interested in buying them from you. How much do you want? Actually, once you are finished with all of your modifications how much will it be to buy the entire original vest from you? Doesn't look like you are keeping much of it :-)

 

Have you thought about making and selling these vests? Or even a vest kit of some sort. Looks like you are rather close to being able to make one from scratch.

 

~Jess

 

 

The only thing I did not feel right about was the fitting of the EFP socket block together with the male block i had. Fo some reason it did not meet home when put together. I do not know if it was an EFP female block issue or the male block. All I know the two did not meet all the way. Here is a pics. I am sure they are not suppose to be this way:

 

 

 

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Here is a pic of the EFP vest which I have now dismantled. In this pic you will see that both spars were already broken I purchased it. So this is a darn good enough reason to make a complete new vest plate, which will be stronger and more long-lived compare to the old thiner plates. :)

 

 

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I not sure if I will sell the parts...I will think it over. Let me get this vest completed first.

 

As for selling these vest...I and my partner are working on doing such things. We have started up a business particularly in dealing with such mods. The business is called Aeronamic Systems. We want to do mods for minor system parts like the Steadicam EFP vest and Glidecam V16 sleds and vest. We've been trying to set up everything for about 3 years now. Hopefully we wil lhave something to show by autumn. Want to finalize everything before an official annoucement.

So if everything goes well, and you guys like what you see we might be doing some business.

Edited April 6, 2008 by Charles King

[Jess Haas SOC]

Yeah it doesn't look like those fit quite right. I have a modified older action cam rig that uses a non standard socket block. I really like the design of the socket block but I want to make adapters so that my gear will be somewhat interchangeable with some of my friends gear in town and so that I can upgrade my arm at some point.

 

Is the EFP socket block the same size as that used on Tiffens current higher end rigs? If so and you will let that bridge plate and socket block go for a reasonable amount of money then I am very interested.

 

Of course I also want to buy a whole new vest at some point. So let me know when you have something available, especially if you are looking for a beta tester :-)

 

~Jess

[Charles King]

Well, as far as I know the EFP vest female block is standard steadicam specs but why it doesn't go all the way home..I do not know. The female blocke looks to be concaved...if you look closely.

 

As for modying a complete vest I will surely let you know. Thanks for the interest.

[Pascal Jolink]

Well, as far as I know the EFP vest female block is standard steadicam specs but why it doesn't go all the way home..I do not know. The female blocke looks to be concaved...if you look closely.

 

As for modying a complete vest I will surely let you know. Thanks for the interest.

 

 

If I remember correctly the original EFP male socket block didn't have that concave thingy where the thumbscrew threads sit, it was just a flat surface.

Edited April 6, 2008 by Pascal Jolink

[Charles King]

Thanks Pascal. That is what I thought too.

[Jerry Holway]

Thanks Pascal. That is what I thought too.

 

Charles-

 

I doubt it was any different; that would have meant a new part and new "threads" for the operator.

 

I do not remember any of that - especially the threads changing, so I suspect it was all the same.

 

But we need a response from someone with an EFP in their hands for this.

 

It looks like the mating of the two parts is okay as well.

 

Jerry

[Pascal Jolink]

Thanks Pascal. That is what I thought too.

 

Charles-

 

I doubt it was any different; that would have meant a new part and new "threads" for the operator.

 

I do not remember any of that - especially the threads changing, so I suspect it was all the same.

 

But we need a response from someone with an EFP in their hands for this.

 

It looks like the mating of the two parts is okay as well.

 

Jerry

 

What I mean is the lip on the male end where the threads sit, which is part of the arm. At some point in time they've added that lip. I probably got that from the Steadyrig site

 

A picture to illustrate (borrowed from the Steadyrig site)

 

 

 

Also: That male block was manufactured 2 decades after the female block, by a different manufacturer

[Charles King]

Herry, thanks for your view. Always a pleasure to get your views on things. :) Pascal.. now I am confused. What exactly are you're saying? Sorry but it is still unclear to me.

[Pascal Jolink]

Herry, thanks for your view. Always a pleasure to get your views on things. :) Pascal.. now I am confused. What exactly are you're saying? Sorry but it is still unclear to me.

 

What I'm trying to say is that because of that lip on the male socket block, the part that's in focus in the second picture, the threads of the thumbscrews don't sit right. It used to be a flat surface, and probably a bit shorter as well, judging by the gap in between the male and female block.

 

Can't make it any clearer than this I'm afraid...

 

And it definitely seems as if the side of the female block is slightly concave

 

Perhaps the female block is an after market part from Movcam... who knows :P