From: "Rich Ball" 
To: "ATM" 
Reply-To: "Rich Ball" 


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Bight idea or useless information?:

Because of my profession, 30-some years as a motion picture cameraman, I =
own an obsolete motion picture tripod and fluid head.  For the record =
it's an O'Connor 50 head, with wooden (Peter Lisand) legs.  It's been in =
my closet for 10 years,  replaced by a spiffier carbon fiber Italian =
system.  But there are similar old tripods in closets throughout the =
inhabited world.

I have just found a superlative use for mine:  I'm in the figuring stage =
on my first mirror.  So I put my Foucault tester on it. =20

It's wooden legs make it  perfectly solid, vibration-free, strong enough =
to sit on.  It can be raised or lowered easily.  It has a sliding, =
quick-release baseplate that allows me to move the tester forward or =
backward an inch each way and detach the tester quickly.   It can lock =
down securely, rotate, tilt and fold away for storage, everything but = play Mozart.

I have not finished my scope but when I do I'm pretty sure I will be = able
to mount the primary axis of the tripod head facing the north star, =
attach a bit of counter weight and have a useable equatorial mount at =
least for testing purposes.  But for that I will use the very short =
"Baby legs."

I don't know who else may find this a useful tool but I know there are =
lots of these things floating around having outlived their intended =
utiltiy.  Anybody who's been in the film or video business for a long =
time is a likely source.  The price $1500, more or less, when new should =
be depreciated near zero.  Most of the older ones have leaked out their =
fluid (silicon) for the last time.  But this won't matter for ATM use.

There are bigger heads such as the OConnor 100 etc. beefy enough  to =
carry a 60 pound load. There was also an older head with the name NCE.  =
It might do just as well for this purpose and should cost even less if =
you can locate one.  But it will not have a sliding, quick release base =
plate, just a 3/8-16 screw.  Just find the filmmakers in your community =
and haggle.

I'd love to hear if anyone else has had the opportunity to use such a = tool.

--Rich Ball



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Bight idea or useless =
information?:
 
Because of my profession, 30-some years as a =
motion=20
picture cameraman, I own an obsolete motion picture tripod and = fluid=20
head.  For the record it's an O'Connor 50 head, with wooden
(Peter=20 Lisand) legs.  It's been in my closet for 10
years,  = replaced by=20
a spiffier carbon fiber Italian system.  But there are
similar = old=20
tripods in closets throughout the inhabited =
world.
 
I have just found a superlative use for =
mine:  I'm=20
in the figuring stage on my first mirror.  So I put my Foucault =
tester on=20
it.  
 
It's wooden legs make it  perfectly =
solid,=20
vibration-free, strong enough to sit on.  It can be raised or = lowered=20
easily.  It has a sliding, quick-release baseplate that
allows = me to=20
move the tester forward or backward an inch each way and detach the = tester=20
quickly.   It can lock down securely, rotate, =
tilt and fold=20
away for storage, everything but play Mozart.
 
I have not finished my scope but when I do =
I'm pretty=20
sure I will be able to mount the primary axis of the
tripod = head=20
facing the north star, attach a bit of counter weight and have a useable =

equatorial mount at least for testing purposes.  But for that I =
will use=20
the very short "Baby legs."
 
I don't know who else may find this a useful =
tool but I=20
know there are lots of these things floating around having outlived=20
their intended utiltiy.  Anybody who's been in the film
or = video=20
business for a long time is a likely source.  The price $1500, more = or=20
less, when new should be depreciated near zero.  Most of the older = ones=20
have leaked out their fluid (silicon) for the last time.  But this
= won't=20
matter for ATM use.
 
There are bigger heads such as the OConnor =
100=20
etc. beefy enough  to carry a 60 pound
load. There was = also an=20
older head with the name NCE.  It might do just as well for this =
purpose=20
and should cost even less if you can locate one.  But it
will = not have=20
a sliding, quick release base plate, just a 3/8-16 screw. =
 Just find=20
the filmmakers in your community and haggle.
 
I'd love to hear if anyone else has had the =
opportunity=20
to use such a tool.
 
--Rich Ball
 
 
 

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