I hate tripods.

The design is based on a balanced arm lamp I have in my office. This prototype is at a point where I’m going to use it for a while before making adjustments to the model, but it’s doing great for a proof of concept.

  • j4k3@lemmy.worldMEnglish
    4·
    11 months ago

    Very nice. I want something like this go a computer monitor I could use at a desk and in bed (partially disabled). There is so much to this it would probably be useless to waste time writing it all out, but if you have any key lessons or tips, please share them.

    • DrumbeatF@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      5·
      11 months ago

      There’s some pretty good gas spring monitor arms, I use a few at my desk. The one I use for a fairly heavy 27inch monitor might fit your use case but they can get pricey. https://www.ergotron.com/en-us/products/product-details/45-241#?color=polished aluminum&attachment option=2-Piece Clamp

      The springs I used here might be a bit weak for a monitor, I think the long ones are four pounders. But I don’t know much about springs and I just got ones that looked right from Lowes :)

      As far as tips from this build, being able to change configurations and adjust positions did a lot to shore up the gap between what I wanted to do and how little I knew about any of this. Also, I’d probably do a 90 degree bend at the middle link.

  • thecitywelivein@lemm.eeEnglish
    2·
    11 months ago

    For the upper arm, will it eventually use all four springs or do you alternate the pair based on the direction you want it to lean?

    • DrumbeatF@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      Originally I was using all four, but after working with it a bit and changing the springs orientations I found it worked well with just the one set. I’ve left the other two in case I change my mind :)

      Now you’ve got me thinking of some sort of quick release system for switching these in case I do want the lean direction to change… That would be super useful.

    • DrumbeatF@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      I know this is way later and doesn’t really matter, but I really liked your idea and thought about it for a while.

      I ended up coming up with this spring “quick caps” for quickly moving, rearranging, or de-tensioning them for maintenance and it has really improved how the whole boom operates.

      Anyway, thanks for the idea!

      • thecitywelivein@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        11 months ago

        Those quick releases look great. Simple solutions are sometimes the hardest thing to come up with.

  • NataliePortland@lemmy.caEnglish
    2·
    11 months ago

    This thing is awesome!! It can go anywhere! See anything! This is so cool, and I love also how when you use it you won’t have tripods getting in your way. Oh!!! And you can pan it!!

    • DrumbeatF@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      3·
      11 months ago

      I greased the captured post that it spins around and I’ve only almost hit myself with it a couple times.

  • phx@lemmy.caEnglish
    2·
    11 months ago

    Are you planning on motorizing it or just setting it manually?

    • DrumbeatF@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      Just manual, it only needs to be moved into position and remain there for my purposes.

      But I have been tinkering with a camera slide made from almost all 3d printed parts that will be motorized (when I get around to it lol)

      • phx@lemmy.caEnglish
        2·
        11 months ago

        I’ve always wanted to make something like a Glados model on a moving extension, with a built in mic+speaker+camera. :-)

    • DrumbeatF@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      2·
      11 months ago

      The rods are 3/8ths inch and the bolts are 1/4 20 hardware, plus 4mm machine screws assembling smaller parts and as grub screws. I think it’ll stay together fine, but there’s enough load over a long distance that it does have a little sway and bounce after moving it. Although, after a few seconds it settles and I haven’t had any issues. I figure that my phone’s video stabilization will filter out the small stuff.

      Oh yeah, and I printed the components with an 0.8mm nozzle and 0.5mm layer height. They’re chonky.