Speaking of grip ...

TMR Design wrote in post #11897811
Do you know if they'll do a black powder coat?

No I don't, Rob, but I will be calling them a little later today and I'll ask.

EDIT: Okay, I spoke with them. The pieces are steel with a gold zinc plating. They will apply black powder coat BUT only for pallet-sized orders.

Dave F.

hm.

Whats Dave cookin this time around, i wonder.

Guess i'll have to tune in next week.

You could probably start a show between you, TMR, and Kacey, tho, i don't see kacey around much.

tetrode wrote in post #11898381
No I don't, Rob, but I will be calling them a little later today and I'll ask.

EDIT: Okay, I spoke with them. The pieces are steel with a gold zinc plating. They will apply black powder coat BUT only for pallet-sized orders.

Dave F.

Yeah, I could understand that. The gold zinc looks sharp!

My wheels have been spinning now that I know it's that easy to have parts fabricated.

tetrode wrote in post #11898381
The pieces are steel with a gold zinc plating.

Was the plating extra or was that included in the original cost?

I don't know if it was extra but I believe Dave mentioned that they could have produced the part without the coating but then it's going to rust. The zinc plating will keep it rust free.

Most places that fabricate with steel will use galvanised steel as standard for small pressings and pieces.

When you go above a few mm in thickness, you're into the territory of structural ties, brackets, e.t.c. where they'll be more likely to use uncoated steel to work with, and then coat the finished piece in something heavy duty like red oxide.

Never found a fabricator who will just sell you uncoated steel unless you've asked them to. That's one of the reasons its cheaper & quicker to work with aluminium wherever possible, even if it means going a bit thicker to get a similar strength.

Rob, if you find a small powder coating workshop, they will coat small items like this for next to nothing. They'll have white and black loaded very often. Just make sure there's nothing plastic or nothing with threads that's likely to get clogged by the powder.

isoMorphic wrote in post #11901333
Was the plating extra or was that included in the original cost?

No, the plating was included in the original cost. Good deal, huh?

Dave F.

Incidentally, Modern Studio also makes light stands that are fabricated from stainless steel (rather than chromed steel like Avenger). For example:

http://www.filmandvide​olighting.com …ouble-riser-004-1448.html

There are C-stands and roller stands, and .... The problem is that there are no specs to be found anywhere (it seems). Modern Studio directed me to the CinemaGadgets.com site for specs but, again, there aren't any.

Dave F.

tetrode wrote in post #11902025
Incidentally, Modern Studio also makes light stands that are fabricated from stainless steel (rather than chromed steel like Avenger). For example:

http://www.filmandvide​olighting.com …ouble-riser-004-1448.html

There are C-stands and roller stands, and .... The problem is that there are no specs to be found anywhere (it seems). Modern Studio directed me to the CinemaGadgets.com site for specs but, again, there aren't any.

Dave F.

I was looking through some of the Modern Studio stuff and came across a grip head that looked very familiar other than the fact that it wasn't chrome plated. The grip head looks exactly like the Impact grip head and rod I ordered from B&H (because they were out of the D520L) which I wasn't really impressed with, design-wise. I wonder if the Impact grip stuff are sourced from Modern Studio.

PacAce wrote in post #11904399
I was looking through some of the Modern Studio stuff and came across a grip head that looked very familiar other than the fact that it wasn't chrome plated. The grip head looks exactly like the Impact grip head and rod I ordered from B&H (because they were out of the D520L) which I wasn't really impressed with, design-wise. I wonder if the Impact grip stuff are sourced from Modern Studio.

Slightly off-topic..... when B&H is out of stock on Avenger grip gear, look at Matthews before going to Impact.

TMR Design wrote in post #11904442
Slightly off-topic..... when B&H is out of stock on Avenger grip gear, look at Matthews before going to Impact.

That's exactly what I'm going to do from now on. When I read that the Impact one was similar to the D520L, I naively believed it.

PacAce wrote in post #11904399
I was looking through some of the Modern Studio stuff and came across a grip head that looked very familiar other than the fact that it wasn't chrome plated. The grip head looks exactly like the Impact grip head and rod I ordered from B&H (because they were out of the D520L) which I wasn't really impressed with, design-wise. I wonder if the Impact grip stuff are sourced from Modern Studio.

Leo, here's a photo showing 2-1/2" grip heads from Modern Studio, Impact, and Matthews:

tetrode wrote in post #11905293
Leo, here's a photo showing 2-1/2" grip heads from Modern Studio, Impact, and Matthews:

http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …73580833_d58b96​9a79_o.jpg

It's the upper two that you think are exactly alike? Considering the Impact head sells for $19 while the Modern Studio head sells for $40, I doubt Impact sources their grip heads from the guys in California. More likely, they bought one and sent it to China to be copied as cheaply as possible. Interestingly, the (cinema) industry standard Matthews grip head is most lacking in matinee idol good looks.

Dave F.

Dave, despite what the picture shows the Impact grip arm I got has a head exactly identical to the Modern Studio head with the only difference being the Impact head is chrome plated. But you could be right about Impact buying the Modern Studio head and having it made elsewhere.

I know of a number of pros who swear by MSE (above gear). It does get confusing as folks use 'MSE' when speaking of Modern Studio Equip and Matthews ;>

Nice service Dave - I've always looked at the wide variety of gear they carry (well beyond what you'll find at B&H) with my inner McGyver going at full bore.