DIY Articulated Magnetic Camera mount

[robrenz]

Following Daves "EEVblog#493 DIY Video Camera Dolly For Workbenches" thread finally made me get off my but and design and build what I thought would be the Ideal camera mount system for use in my shop. I had been constantly frustrated with not being able to quickly and easily get the camera where It needed to be.  It took a while because that pesky "real" work keeps getting in the way of my fun work.  There are things that I would improve on future versions but I am pretty happy with how this first attempt turned out.
 

[GeoffS]

Excellent stuff! 
Love the video, lots of ideas to use for my next metalworking project.

[ablacon64]

Very good! Thanks for the video!

[EEVblog]

Awesome 

[dr.diesel]

Rob, most excellent!      If you ever decide to make a few of these, count me in!

[IanJ]

Rob, most excellent!      If you ever decide to make a few of these, count me in!

Me too.......I'll have one.....cash waiting.

Ian.

[firewalker]

Any reason for using silver ans not brass?

Alexander.

[robrenz]

Any reason for using silver ans not brass?

Alexander.

Lower temperature and better flow than brass. I use 56% silver solder for lots of other things so it is just what I have on hand.
Brass (brazing) would work also.

[firewalker]

I forgot the most important: Excellent job!

I really like watching video like yours (machining). One of my favorite yt channels is myfordboy.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNC9gjgYrzLfyMQmp31DnjA

Alexander.

[BillyD]

Absolutely brilliant piece of work.

[DarkPrince]

Awesome! Enjoyed the walk-through of the making too. Thanks.

[jaxbird]

Awesome work 

[robrenz]

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments.  I am trying to find the level of construction detail coverage that more viewers will enjoy.  There are not many who enjoy my longer videos that cover every detail of making things.

[sync]

I really like your videos which shows the making. I learned machinist at school. But never work as one. I find the kelvin probe videos very fascinating. Working at such tiny dimensions is impressive.

Using a magnetic base is a real machinist solution. I really like it!

[quarks]

Thanks a lot for sharing your great work!!!
If you are not already interested in professional foto/film accesory,  you should really begin to look into it. Because with your fantastic skills you are able to compete with premium brands like ReallyRightStuff, Kirk, Gitzo and others I have stuff from.

[JackOfVA]

Nicely done indeed, both in the design and execution.

A couple questions as an EE who had to learn a bit of machining to build my projects.

1) I have been under the impression that lapping compound and the like should be kept far away from the lathe and mill and other precision tools as you don't want specks of the lapping grit to wind up in places where it shouldn't. That didn't seem to bother you much. I keep my bench grinder, for instance, 30 feet or so from the lathe and mill. What's the real story?

2) Over time, will the ball-to-carbon fiber surface become work polished and hence not develop enough friction to hold the arms in place? Or is that expected and the solution is to tighten the plates to increase pressure between the plates and ball surface?

[robrenz]

1) I have been under the impression that lapping compound and the like should be kept far away from the lathe and mill and other precision tools as you don't want specks of the lapping grit to wind up in places where it shouldn't. That didn't seem to bother you much. I keep my bench grinder, for instance, 30 feet or so from the lathe and mill. What's the real story?

2) Over time, will the ball-to-carbon fiber surface become work polished and hence not develop enough friction to hold the arms in place? Or is that expected and the solution is to tighten the plates to increase pressure between the plates and ball surface?

Thanks, I think of you every time I look at those 2 new bipolar power supplies I got because of your post

1.  Generally good advice but IMO it really depends on how your equipment is protected. If you notice my lathe has neoprene sheet covering all the ways and slides so no grit is falling on sliding surfaces. I also have paper towels down to get the worst of it. The chuck jaws were removed and washed in the ultrasonic cleaner and the chuck scroll and slots were completely cleaned and re-lubed. Then all the covers were wiped clean to get any stray grit off. So I take a lot of care to make sure the damaging effects of abrasives don't get a chance to destroy my toolmakers dream (that is the industry nick name for the Hardinge HLVH tool room lathe)

2.  I expect that will occur to some degree over time. The 2 bolts apply the preload have nylock nuts so tweaking the drag force later on will not be a problem.

[JackOfVA]

1) I have been under the impression that lapping compound and the like should be kept far away from the lathe and mill and other precision tools as you don't want specks of the lapping grit to wind up in places where it shouldn't. That didn't seem to bother you much. I keep my bench grinder, for instance, 30 feet or so from the lathe and mill. What's the real story?

2) Over time, will the ball-to-carbon fiber surface become work polished and hence not develop enough friction to hold the arms in place? Or is that expected and the solution is to tighten the plates to increase pressure between the plates and ball surface?

Thanks, I think of you every time I look at those 2 new bipolar power supplies I got because of your post

1.  Generally good advice but IMO it really depends on how your equipment is protected. If you notice my lathe has neoprene sheet covering all the ways and slides so no grit is falling on sliding surfaces. I also have paper towels down to get the worst of it. The chuck jaws were removed and washed in the ultrasonic cleaner and the chuck scroll and slots were completely cleaned and re-lubed. Then all the covers were wiped clean to get any stray grit off. So I take a lot of care to make sure the damaging effects of abrasives don't get a chance to destroy my toolmakers dream (that is the industry nick name for the Hardinge HLVH tool room lathe)

2.  I expect that will occur to some degree over time. The 2 bolts apply the preload have nylock nuts so tweaking the drag force later on will not be a problem.

Thanks - makes sense.  I suppose if the ball joints were exercised 24/7 some sort of replaceable friction material could be used, like a brake pad.

I have a friend with a Hardinge toolroom lathe - he spent over a year restoring it to the point where it looks and works like it was just delivered from the Hardinge factory.  I have a long bed, gearbox Myford here.

[notsob]

your workshop is still on my xmas list

[robrenz]

Thanks a lot for sharing your great work!!!
If you are not already interested in professional foto/film accesory,  you should really begin to look into it. Because with your fantastic skills you are able to compete with premium brands like ReallyRightStuff, Kirk, Gitzo and others I have stuff from.

I did not research what was available before I made this but your post prompted me to look. You are right, I could find nothing of this size/range of motion.  Maybe I should try a Kickstarter project to see if there is enough interest.

[alm]

Wouldn't costs be prohibitive if you factor in labor and the fact that you might get hundreds of orders?

[SeanB]

Can be cost reduced at the expense of increased mass. You can have aluminium hollow balls made and machined round, with the threaded mounting built in. Then use a threaded rod for the tension member. The rest is easy to have CNC made, though you would probably just have them tumbled to do the edge finish. Other than that it is a very good design, very stable and a lot better than any others out there.

[BravoV]

Robrenz, just ruined my keyboard again from uncontrollably drooling after seeing those metal working tools, and of course your skill. 

Great video, learned tons from there, thank you ! 

PS : Where are those recently acquired two HP precision lab psus ? Can't see them in your shelf there.

[robrenz]

Wouldn't costs be prohibitive if you factor in labor and the fact that you might get hundreds of orders?

This was a first pass "breadboard" design using mostly junk box components/materials. I would do a complete redesign for even better functionality and a thorough DFMA analysis before I even showed it on Kickstarter.  It would be totally outsourced other than possibly assembly/shipping depending on # of units.

[robrenz]

I definitely think there is a market for it.

Interest level in this thread will give us a hint as to whether you are correct.

I think I covered your other points in my response to alm above.

@ SeanB  Yes and Thanks.

@ BravoV  Thanks,  they are on other shelves at the moment and the 6115A still needs a restore video