dynamic balance

[Joel Laliberte]

Hi guys, sorry to be such a new fish, but i have been seeing a lot of dynamic balance in the forum without being able to understand what it means.

Could someone tell me or send me to the right post with the answer.

Joel

[Trevor Crump]

Dynamic balance is the ability to spin the post (with your fingers) and the post will spin around without going out of balance.
In other words the camera on the top will spin without wobble and so will the bottom of the post.

Dynamic balance is usually adjusted by moving the battery pack (on the lower back side of the sled) and or the monitor (0o the lower front side of the post) inwards or outwards to achieve centrifugal balance equal to the head (camera)

[Joel Laliberte]

Oh, okay; that clears up a lot of questions. Thanks a lot for the help. It's a good thing to know before making a sled with non-moving parts at the bottom. 

Since I don't have a monitor yet,  i had planned to use a few weightlifting plates and screwing them into the bottom of the vertical shaft that carries the camera (sorry about the lack of use of the correct words). Would I still encouter the same problems and would i need to improvise some way of moving the weights back and forth to acheive dynamic balance? I thought every vertical shafts needed weights at the bottom to keep the camera from rocking sideways while shooting and walking. Is the weight of the monitor at the bottom enough to keep the image from  rocking?

Again, thanks alot! I have noticed the forum and its members are a tight knit community and it's great how everyone helps each other out. 

[Trevor Crump]

Oh, okay; that clears up a lot of questions. Thanks a lot for the help. It's a good thing to know before making a sled with non-moving parts at the bottom. 

Since I don't have a monitor yet,  i had planned to use a few weightlifting plates and screwing them into the bottom of the vertical shaft that carries the camera (sorry about the lack of use of the correct words). Would I still encouter the same problems and would i need to improvise some way of moving the weights back and forth to acheive dynamic balance? I thought every vertical shafts needed weights at the bottom to keep the camera from rocking sideways while shooting and walking. Is the weight of the monitor at the bottom enough to keep the image from  rocking?

Again, thanks alot! I have noticed the forum and its members are a tight knit community and it's great how everyone helps each other out. 

Using weights on the lower platform is quite acceptable, the normal is large washers and 2 bolts one in front of the post  and one behind, you can then add washers as required to either, to correct dynamic balance.

OK how much weight.... this comes about by 'drop time'.  the accepted normal ranges between 2 - 4 seconds for the lower platform to drop to the normal position after being held parallel to the ground.

[Joel Laliberte]

As Arnie Schwarzenegger says often: FANTASTIC!!

I understand what you mean, Trevor, and thanks alot for the input.  Joel Laliberte

[chuck colburn]

I think this might be a good place for this. If not toss it in the trash.

[chuck colburn]

That is if I had put it in the post. ooooops

http://www.steadicam-ops.com/docs/dynamicPrimer.pdf

[Charles King]

That is if I had put it in the post. ooooops

http://www.steadicam-ops.com/docs/dynamicPrimer.pdf

I see you havn't been reading the HBS website Chuck. THat's been up since Jerry put it out. But thanks for the help.