I finally built my Jib!

It's not fully completed yet, I still have a couple things to figure out, but as it stands now, it works and operates as a working unit. I'm just testing the last few designs to see what will be the best way to hang the counter balance weights and a few other small bits. But otherwise it's done.

This does mean that now I do have to get serious about a monitor. That's another bridge to cross.

But here it is as it stands right now.

ChasWG wrote in post #14358295
But first I need to fully figure out a proper weight system and a way to solidly attach them to that back of the main beam.

What are the dimensions of the main beam?

Normally jibs are counterbalanced with barbell weights, of which the standard ones utilize a one inch hole, if you could run a one or even a three quarter inch length of all-thread through the main beam it would be simply matter of adding a couple of washers and nuts to secure the needed weights and the bar can also double as an operating handle.

BTW here's a calculator that can get you in the ballpark as to the amount of counterweight required.

http://www.engineersed​ge.com …/levers/page_le​vers_1.htm

PS once you have the weights secured put the entire assembly minus the tripod on a scale to be sure it will not overload and damage your tripod.

Wayne

Thanks Wayne. I think you posted that calculator up before, I probably should have taken a look at that before drilling any holes... The main beam measures 66" from center of the pivot point to the center of the camera mount point, but that position can move as I have several holes drilled on that camera mounting deck. And it's another 30" from that same center pivot to the rear.

I know I need a different/better tripod to do this kind of work, but at the moment this is what I have and it seems to hold the weight fine with little tensioning of the tilt lock. I do need to make sure that everything is alignment and is bubbled to level, but that's a normal thing I would do anyway. I'll have to find a way to measure the loaded weight of the jib. It doesn't seem to weigh much, but I know that kind of thing can be surprising when you actually weigh stuff.

ChasWG wrote in post #14360487
I'll have to find a way to measure the loaded weight of the jib. It doesn't seem to weigh much, but I know that kind of thing can be surprising when you actually weigh stuff.

Well if I have the calculations correct then you are looking at the following, the tubing looks like 1x.5x.125 which if it is, then its weight is .0303 pounds per inch, since you have a total of 162 inches of tubing that add up to 4.9 pounds.

As for load, the front load for the jib itself (again if it did the calculations correctly) will be 2.6 pounds which will be counterweighted by the tubing to the rear of the fulcrum by .6 pounds leaving you with a 2 pound load from the jib boom, add to that the camera mounting and you have maybe another pound and a bit for a total 3.6 boom load.

Now add to that a Canon 7D with grip at 2 pounds and a lens adds another pound for a total payload of 3 pounds and a total load of 6.6 pounds.

Now to counterbalance 6.6 pounds you will need to add 14.5 pounds of counterweights, that plus the weight of boom and hardware at 5.9 pounds gives you a tripod load of 27 pounds.

Wayne

Look at you with your jib Nice jobbie, that man.

Speaker stands (like bands use) make great tripods for rigs and are relatively cheap. A lot of the proprietary semi pro jibs go this route.

Another small add which my colleague has on his commercial jib is an up stand tube off the top of the beam and a tension wire from either end of the jib to the up stand. This takes out a lot of sag in the beam.

John Sims wrote in post #14382787
Speaker stands (like bands use) make great tripods for rigs and are relatively cheap. A lot of the proprietary semi pro jibs go this route.

Brilliant idea John, we are working on one and the total design weight with the counterbalances is getting up around 44 pounds which is over the capacity of any of my tripods, as such I was going to use a dolly to double as a spreader to keep the legs from kicking out under the overload, however based upon your comment I found a speaker stand with a 80 pound capacity on B&H for $30 that looks like it will be perfect for he job and will still fit on the dolly to boot.

All I need to do is come up with a way of mounting the rig to the stand and I will not only have the support required I will not be tying up a tripod in the process.

Wayne

Jib looks awesome, any chance of posting up a making of or a full spec list? I've been looking to build one for ages. Also, how much did it cost you in parts? Did it end up being more economical than buying a cheap one?

Thanks for the idea John, as AWayne said, escellent idea! I'll look into a speaker stand. The stand tube and wire is also a great idea, but those are usually seen on one tube jib arms. I could attach such a stand and wire system, but with the second lower beam that takes a lot of the load away from the upper beam. The images I posted here were all taken with my 10-24mm so any "bend" that you might see in that top beam is only attificially induced by the curve of the lens. Even under load you can look straight down the length of the top beam and there is no bend from front to back. This particular aluminium tube is a lot stronger in this orientation than if it was rolled over 90 degrees. Then it bends a bit.

As for the cost of the aluminium... errrr... well... It's been a while since I bought the stuff. This was all, literly, laying about in a corner of my garage. I used to make a suspension part for VW and Audi B5 series cars (VW Passat and Audi A4). It was a super simple and very, very effective solution to help improve body flex and steering response. I made hundreds of them over the span of 3 or 4 years. And then I stopped doing it. I ate too much aluminium and it was taking away too much time from the rest of my life. So I had this stuff to play with.

At current prices of aluminium I'd say you would spend about $60 to $80 on just the raw stock. If you could find a source for these beams. All the aluminum I used in this project is 6061 T6, basically aircraft grade aluminium. Very light and very, very strong as well as weldable, drillable and tap-able. Meaning there are lots of holes drilled into the thicker parts that are tapped with either 1/4-20 threads or 3/8-16 threads. This grade of aluminium will hold up to the demands I put on it.

It's not likely that a person can walk into a Home Depot or Lowe's store and buy this stuff. All the bolts, nuts, washers and brass bushings did come from Lowe's.
I have a reseller that I have to source this grade of aluminium from. He sells every kind, type, grade, length, girth, size and shape of aluminium. Tubes, beams, blocks and plates. Some of his aluminium is also up on Mars, crafted into parts for Mars exploration landers and rovers. Lockhead-Martin and Ball Aerospace are located here in the Denver area and buy stuff from this guy. The main beams for this project I had to buy in 20ft lengths and they cut them down in half for me to transport home. So this was really wierd stuff.

A lot of my inspiration and ideas came from what others on YouTube did in their designs. There are a lot of interesting ideas on there if you just type in Camera Jib or Crane.

[QUOTE=ChasWG;14392910​]At current prices of aluminium I'd say you would spend about $60 to $80 on just the raw stock. If you could find a source for these beams.[/bquote]

Around here 1x.5x.125 6061T6 sells at ADI for $.71 per foot in 24 foot lengths which they will cut once for free, additional cuts are $1.00 ea.

The .5 plate which is either 3X.5 or 4X.5 depending on how it was cut runs about $4-$5 per foot.

It is also used by the ton in the marine business.

That is pretty much a standard length, most of the stock I buy comes in 16, 20 and 24 foot lengths which by the way if one is going to use more than half a stick one is better off buying the full stick and taking the discount as half a stick cut with the runt going back on the distributors shelf costs as much as two thirds of a full stick.

And you are quite correct about finding that alumnium at a big box store in the lengths needed is both rare and expensive compared to buying it from a distributor.

Wayne