Hi folks We do a show called "Stupid Comedians from NJ Making NFTs" This name is very appropriate... as we are all of the above. We are doing 3d photography (Multirow 360) to create NFTs. As, if you make sculptures or anything else in the 3D real world it's very hard to show that in the 2D world of NFT's Briefly explained. You use a turntable (readily available that we already own) synced to your camera and computer to get (for example) 100 pictures as it spins and put them together to create a seamless 360 view. Multirow goes one step further and takes that camera and moves it so that it's shooting that same 100 pictures from the front, then another 100 from directly above and maybe 4 more (what's called) rows in between. (CONTINUED AFTER PICTURE) Currently the options are to purchase an extremely expensive booth or system to do this OR use a tripod, an extension arm AND a tape measure etc to work out EXACTLY where the camera needs to go. Upon looking at the picture above, which shows a prototype one of the turntable companies are working on, we realized that the expensive rigs really are just fancy versions of this. To do MR360 correctly you must make sure the camera is the exact same distance and angle from the piece at all times. The easiest way to do this is to not have the camera move around at all but to keep it fastened to a bar that moves it in an arc around the piece. Here are the main things that the rig needs to do. Most importantly the side arms need to be able to elongate depending on how big the piece you are shooting is. This allows the camera to be nearer or further from the piece. The same length at any angle. The side arms need some sort of gear and sprocket type device to allow you to move and lock the arms into place . Something like how you lock in the height of your front mower wheels but with a lot more accuracy. This might be on both sides or just one side with the other just attached to a bar so it can move freely. Sure a motor would be nice... but sprockets are just fine if it saves us $300 etc The camera needs to have a simple cold shoe to screw the camera down to, in the middle of the front bar. It cannot move at all. It must take the same exact picture all through the arc. We have many of these and could easily just sandwich one between the bar and an attached plate. There must be a bottom piece with adjustable legs (for leveling) that this "C" shaped arm must lay on that holds it into place. The one in this picture seems to be balanced enough that no weight is needed to anchor it and no back wall is needed. However we can see adding small photography sandbags to hold it down. Or even to attach a plywood bottom so that these bags could easily be put inside to keep it held down. Below we insert an extremely pathetic drawing of what we describe above. This is to both educate and amuse you. Look we are comedians... stupid ones from NJ at that! Anyway, this is where you come in. We think with the right parts we could build one of these pretty easily and cheaply and we were hoping you might be able to suggest to us what we need to purchase from you to do the job?? If you can't help us with that, any idea of someone that might??? Seems like the rig in the picture is pretty much put together out of parts in the first place so we are hopeful. Thank you! Bo www.twitter.com/BLAZOArt
Timewise not in a position to help much but I'll throw this at you. What you seek is fairly simple. You'll need a couple of large diameter belts from Timing Belt Pulleys, Timing Belts, Pulleys, Sprockets, and Chains for Power Transmission Applications - SDP/SI (sdp-si.com) to make it work. First give up on the idea of gears lifting the arm. Counterbalance the weight of the camera arm by extending the arms past the pivot and adding weight to balance the camera. A balanced system takes negligible effort to move. Second, build your rotational actuators. Envision what you're seeing in the picture as nothing more than a large disk below the top of the turntable that has a belt running the perimeter except for where it's pulled away to go around the motor gear. There is probably another slightly larger (but thinner) disk just below this to make sure the belt doesn't work its way off the bottom. All this is setting on a Lazy Susan turntable. Now envision another similar belt and disk and motor system is off to the right side oriented vertically. When attached at the pivot point of the camera arm it will have no problem raising and lowering the system due to the lack of force needed in a balanced system. Pull the motor back and attach it to the frame. The number of teeth in contact with a reasonably sized disk will provide more than sufficient friction to roll the camera up and down. Obviously this is just a starting point. I suggest you get familiar with Sketchup as it'll make designing this much easier. There are references here in the forum and online to get to a downloadable version. Sketchup has a learning curve but you really only need to understand it at a basic level to get to where you need on this project.
Thanks @Rick 2.0 I get the counter balance idea and we definitely don't need a motor, we can easily just lift the arm but I just needed a way to lock the arm into various angles sorry if I'm not understanding but we ARE stupid comedians from NJ after all
If all you're looking for is a propped frame to hold the camera that's fairly simple. Uses a star knob through a plate threaded into a T-nut set in the channel in the prop leg to set the height. You'll probably want to add a washer between the plate and the prop leg and you'll need to cut the star knob to an appropriate length. The system is hinged using Adjustable V-Slot Hinge - OpenBuilds Part Store. Rough Sketchup file attached. Full connections not shown and you'll need to adjust what is shown to be more in line with what you're needing.
I think this could work but just need a few changes Please note I have no idea how to use this program and I attach my version of skp file and screen shot below I think if we flip the prop leg so the star knob is at the top, and move it up the frame a bit that would make it work better. Note that the plate on the rear is not in the right place Also we had mentioned that we needed the side arms to telescope so we can make the entire piece longer. I added a set of star knobs to hold in place but perhaps there is something sturdier to hold the 2 arms and let them slide along their side? what do you make of this mess?? thanks Here is the skp file, thought it's quite ugly lol https://drive.google.com/file/d/16esCnNVHpjvMXEdS2mxBvw0nTeJqCfhO/view?usp=sharing
Seems workable. Also an admirable first time effort with Sketchup. As for the extension part in the center, I suggest taking 4 of the idler plates and trimming them down to around 38mm wide, trimming off the single hole and leaving the 6 hole pattern. Mount the plates near the end of one side and connect to the opposite side with a star knob and t-nut as shown below. Ideally both plates should be on the bottom side buts spatial constraints may require them both on the top. Sketchup file attached. Please show us a final build on what you come up with.
You guys are the best, THANK YOU... OK, so here is my final purchase list (see attached PDF) Can you please make sure that I have everything, especially small screws, nuts etc that I might not know I need to make things work. Or anything I have more of what I need. The pdf shows you what I"m buying and let me explain how I came to order those parts Lets say this is in 3 parts. 1. The sled that anchors the following 2. The prop arms and 3. the expandable arms that holds that camera 1. The sled uses 1/2 of a 1@1500 20x60 V Slot that I will cut in half 2@1500 20x20 1500 V Slot to attach to the above to form the sled 2 90 angle T nuts approx 10 screws (8) to attach 20x60 to 20x20s 4 Vslot hinges to hold #2 and #3 2. The Prop arm uses 2@1500 20x20 1500 V Slot to attach Sled to #3 2 plates, 2 star knobs, 4 washers, 2 Tnuts to tighten Prop arms to #3 3. The expandable arms The other 1/2 of a 1@1500 20x60 V Slot that I will cut in half 4@1000 20x20 1000 V Slot. 2 each used to create each arm 4 plates, 4 star knobs, 8 washers, 4 Tnuts to to create 2 expandable sliding arms QUESTIONS Will it really take several weeks to get this out?? Are we ordering the right screws for the 90 angle tnuts? Any reason we shouldn't or anything we need if we cut the 20x60 in half as noted above? What type of cutting tool is best to cut this material? Does the pdf reflect what I'm describing above https://drive.google.com/file/d/16ffdAMMdqc88PDpIZaXYLm_dBG0BByWs/view?usp=sharing THANKS AGAIN!!!
Hey @Rick 2.0 Could you please take a look at my last, above and give me your thoughts. Want to place the order immediately thank you
I will but it'll probably be tomorrow night. I've had a couple very long days and I need sleep in order to focus on it.
1. The sled: Extrusions as noted above except 20x60 will need to extend beyond side rails approximately 25mm each side such that you have a place to mount the hinges for the prop arms. Side rails will butt into the 20x60 and be attached with cast corner brackets. 4 hinges 4 M5x8mm screws to mount hinges to sled 4 t-nuts to mount hinges to sled 8 end caps End Cap - OpenBuilds Part Store 8 M5x10mm screws for end caps 4 cast corner brackets 8 M5x8mm screws for cast corner brackets 8 t-nuts for cast corner brackets 2. The prop arms: Extrusions as noted 2 M5x15mm screws to attach hinge to end of prop arms. 2 idler plates 2 star knobs 2 t-nuts for star knobs 2 oversize washers 6 M5x8mm screws to hold plates to extrusion 6 t-nuts for screws to hold plates to extrusion 2 end caps 2 M5x10 screws for end caps. 3. The expandable arms: Extrusions as noted. Side rails will be attached to the camera support with blind connections. Blind connections are fairly simple. The screws are tapped and threaded into the end holes of the 20x60 member with just enough sticking out to where you can slide the facing channel of the 20x20 up over them to where the screw heads (with washers) are locked into the channel. Prior to doing this though you will need to drill 4mm holes through the center of the extrusion at 10mm, 30mm, and 50mm from the end where you can insert an allen wrench through the holes and tighten the screws embedded into the ends of the 20x60 channel. 6 M5x15mm screws for blind connections 6 Precision Shim - 10x5x1mm - OpenBuilds Part Store for blind connections. 2 M5x15mm screws to attach hinge lower end of extendable arms. 6 end caps 6 M5x10 screws for end caps. 4 idler plates 4 star knobs 4 t-nuts for star knobs 12 M5x8mm screws to hold plates to extrusion 12 t-nuts for screws to hold plates to extrusion Questions: 1. It shouldn't unless something is noted to be stuck in Long Beach Harbor. Shipping is M-F and if everything is in stock most orders are out the next day. 2. No 90-degree Makerlinks 3. One piece will need to be 130mm longer than the other. 4. Most use chop saws with aluminum cutting blades. But if you know what lengths you want just note it in the comment box on the order and the shop will cut it for you. You'll probably want to go through and recalculate the lengths as I have altered most of them. The base sled arms will need to be shorter and the prop arms will probably need to be longer. 5. You're gonna need to start over on the estimate. You'll need to organize the quantities listed above. Remember screws and T-nuts come in 10 packs. Good luck. I believe the listing above is complete but no guarantees.
Hi @Rick 2.0 Man we owe you a few beers after this. We have a few questions: you said 3. One piece will need to be 130mm longer than the other. But the only change in the extrusion lengths that I can see is that the 20x60 has to extend 25mm on each side, which would make the piece 50mm longer you said go through and recalculate the lengths as I have altered most of them. The base sled arms will need to be shorter and the prop arms will probably need to be longer I only see you saying to change the sled 20x60 by 50mm on each side. I don't see anything about making arms shorter, prop arms longer. how much longer and how does that change it. I can't picture why they should be shorter You do not mention the 90 angle tnuts anymore that attach prop arms to sled? Is there anyway you can make another drawing for us, doesn't have to be exact but I'm not understanding the changes you are talking about Why is the camera mount piece not the same as the sled using cast corner brackets. More than happy to do it that way if you think it's best, just curious.
Why the base piece is 130mm longer you can see in the sketch below. The base sits outboard of all the arms and the camera mount extrusion sits inboard of all the arm extrusions. As far as individual piece lengths of all the arms, it's up to you to determine how big you want this and to work from there. No, the 90-degree t-nuts will not work for this project. If you wish, you can use 90 Hidden Tee Nut - MAKERLINK (10 Pack) - OpenBuilds Part Store to mount the camera support extrusion to the side rails rather than the blind screw connection method. If you make the base support another 15mm longer you can also use the 90 Hidden Tee Nut - MAKERLINK (10 Pack) - OpenBuilds Part Store instead of the cast aluminum corner connectors. (You don't have to make the base support longer but if you don't the hidden t-nuts will stick out the end about 7mm) As far as 4mm screws for the hidden t-nuts you don't need them. All the Makerlink connectors come with set screws. New Sketchup file attached. The camera mount extrusion is connected the way it is because it offers greater strength. The base extrusion is mounted the way it is because there is no other choice. Sorry guys but this is as far as I take it. Best way to learn as a maker is jump in. Now it is your turn to take this to fruition.
