
Timelapse dolly project - first build stage
Hello,
There's been a while now, since I got keen on timelapsing, so I felt the need to get some more dynamics in my timelapse shots. I started building a motorized timelapse dolly. I wanted to keep it quite simple and stiff, to end up with nice, fluent movements, so I went for a screw-driven design (which is in progress). Here you have a small video with what I have, so far. Sorry about the rough editing and doubtful quality, but I just wanted to upload it as fast as I could.
The rail is aluminum, it was a single rail, 2.5 meters long, and I cut it down in half, so the length of the dolly is 1,25 m. The sled is made of steel corner-fittings for... furniture, I guess (or whatever they're used for). The 4, big wheels are skateboard wheels (ABEC 3 bearings), and the rest, are bearings (also ABEC 3). The sled weighs about 3 kg, and will be fitted with a video head (0,5 kg). The camera (D7000, with 2 batteries, a medium weight lens and grip) is about 2 kg. So, the stepper motor I've bought, will have to lift/push about 5 kg. I will be pleased if it can lift the whole thing vertically.
I'm not very good at electronics, so I've asked a friend of mine to help me with the electronic controller part. Hopefully, in the end, it will be able of ramping, various speeds, photo/video modes etc.
As far as I've seen, I had similar design and functionality ideas with the Jack Ripper's Chronos system. Hope you haven't patented it, yet.
I don't really know if i should use reduction gears for the screw... I've taken a look at Jack's system, and he said that the motor could lift 25 lbs (almost double what i need). As far as I know, my stepper is a 12 V, 2 kg/cm motor, with 1,8 angles/step.
Should I use reduction gears?
Do you, guys, think, with the right controller, I will be able to lift my camera vertically?
Sorry about any language mistakes.
Any comments/opinions/questions are highly appreciated!