Poll: How much does your sled weigh?

[Jason Ivan]

I've been heavily customizing my sled (reducing weight, adding features) and I'm wondering what to shoot for in terms of weight.

I'd be very interested in what the different manufactures target as an ideal weight for a professional sled minus the battery(s) and monitor.

So far my sled weighs in at 12 pounds. I think I can shave off another two pounds without going to carbon fiber.

I've attached a picture of my sled in progress... some you may recognize the original basson components. Thanks to Jon Collins for inspiration....

Jason

[charles]

I must say byn the looks of your pic, you have a done a fine job on your basson sled. Really, it's impressive. Way much better better than the original sled ;) Just the gimbal that puts me off but on the whole it's really nice. I like the tilt stage too. Cool. You've really been to town on this. :)You've got a bigger pic of it?

I can tell you this. The Steadicam Sk weights in at about 4kg. The Steadicam Master weights in at about 8kg. So you have something to compare your own weight of your sled. :) Again, nice job.

[Jason Ivan]

Thanks Charles.

Yeah the gimbal needs work, but it's surprisingly functional. I used this prototype on a doc series for 22 days and it stayed in a reasonable dynamic balance for the whole shoot.

Eventually I'll end up replacing everything right back to the vest, just because I enjoy doing things the hard way.

Here's a larger picture.

My goal is to get the structure as light as possible and to spread out the CG with dual batteries mounts for 12/24v.

[Jon_collins]

Hi Jason,

Nice mods to the ol' Basson sled, a bit like 'wot I dun'? Just need to hard black anodize and it looks almost pro? Have you got the steel centre post on yours?

Jon

[Jason Ivan]

Yes Jon. A lot like yours, you we're definitely the inspiration for this design. The center post is alluminum. Did you change yours to steel? I was thinking of going to CF if anything.

[TomW]

My sled's quite a light one, it comes in at around 7 pounds with battery and monitor (the sled's all aluminum). 12 pounds seems decent, especially for a Basson. Those junction boxes look terrific, and the rod mounts really look quite nice!

[Jon_collins]

Hi,

My Basson post is aluminium, If I am correct, I think the post on Ant's was steel? If you sled has the tilting top stage, that would put is after Ant's, so they must have gone from ally to steel, then back to ally?

I considered carbon fibre, and found a supplier, but I dont think you will save a great deal, verses the effort involved?

Jon

[Jon_collins]

Hi Jason,

Just thinking, Those Ally Basson posts are quite thick anyway. I see you also went for the big donut shaped monitor clamp like I did. I am acutally working on a more streamlined post at the moment. Also, I trimed off some of the excess on the top sliding plate, in the left-right direction. It was too long and looked untidy. You would never need to adjust that much in that direction. This could save some weight?

See pics

Jon

[Jason Ivan]

Jon,

Your new monitor mount looks pretty sleek. Here's a couple more shots of the one my machinest designed. You can see where some weight was removed from the collar.

I was also planning to chop down the top sliding plate but I haven't looked at it closely. Did you have to re-tap into the end of the worm gear after you cut it down?

Are your rods hollow/solid alluminum or carbon fibre?

[Jon_collins]

If your plates are the ame as mine, the manfrotto ones, loosen the allen screw in the end of one of the adjusting knobs, and unscrew the knob from the end of the screw shaft. It all comes to bit then, and slides it apart. I cut it down from one end of the slot to the other and skimed the end on the mill. Then cut the screw shaft down to suit and re-assemble.

All rods are solid ally.

Jon