Step 6: Adjusting the balance

These photos show the camera and stabilizer balanced on my kitchen counter, and how many washers I used for the counterweights during my first video test.
The forward weights can be used to fine-tune the left-right balance of the stabilizer, since the center holes of the washers are much bigger than the #8 bolt and I can position the washers a little bit off-center. Here I've used a single 1-1/2" washer sandwiched between two 1-1/4" washers.
For the lower weights, I used J-B Weld to attach a 1/4" nut to the end of the aluminum tube. This allows me to attach the weights to a threaded rod which I can adjust fore and aft. Here I've got five 1-1/4" washers and a single 1" washer.
The current setup tends to pitch and roll a little, which I understand means it's a little bottom-heavy. So I'll be fiddling with the counterweights some more.

a few other DIY stabilizers on youtube

These DIY stabilizers have some beautifully machined parts.
1. from Japan, I think
2. patterned after the Steadicam Merlin

And...

• this one's made out of easy-to-find parts — wood, aluminum bars, threaded rods, etc.
• it's interesting to watch this guy using his workshop tools, including bending an aluminum bar — "He can actually find things in this shop"!
• and this is very similar to my original design, but seems to have some pitch and roll (tilt/cant) problems.

Step 5: Slow but steady progress over the holidays

I decided that my handle was too big and bulky, so I built a new one. It consists of two PVC threadless couplers connected to each other by a short length of 1/2" PVC pipe. To give it a good grip, I stretched a narrow-tire bicycle inner tube around it. I attached the panning ring (a fender washer) to the vertical shaft with J-B Weld.

I shortened the camera platform (the top plate) by more than two inches, and I finished making the bend in the arc and attached some counterweights to it. Then I set about trying to balance the whole thing. For the time being, I've simply attached the camera to the platform using duct tape.

I've tested it a little bit and am reasonably pleased with how it works, but it still needs some tweaking. Here are some sample videos. Note that I do some running in both videos.

• without using the stabilizer (hand-held, about as steady as I can get it)
• using my DIY stabilizer
  

Step 4: bending the new arc

I did return to Discount Steel (third trip in a week), and bought a five-foot, 1/8" aluminum pipe. The outside diameter is very close to 3/8".

Now I'm carefully bending this pipe to match my pattern (Stabiliser #2 at diycamera). I'm making a series of very small bends in the pipe, using a bench vise. My workbench is in the garage where it's 12 degrees F, so I'm repeatedly running outside, clamping, bending, unclamping, and running back inside to plan my next bend. Slow progress...

Step 3: resizing

After working with these materials for a bit, it's becoming obvious that I'm making this thing way too big.

Half-inch conduit (the arc) is actually closer to 3/4" outside diameter, and my pipe bender doesn't make bends any sharper than what you see in the photo.

Additionally, after starting to work with the flat bar of aluminum, I realized it's much bigger than I need. I had intended to get a piece 3/16" thick, but finally realized I had brought home a 1/4" bar. And what I really need is probably just 1/8". So I went back to Discount Steel yesterday and found a thinner and narrower bar (1/8" x 2" wide instead of 1/4" x 3") for two and a half bucks.

I think I'll go back tomorrow and look for a 3/8" (outside diameter) aluminum tube or pipe to replace the conduit. That'll be much closer to the design of this stabilizer.

Camera stabilizer, ready for step 3

Ahh, the benefits of living in the big city. I was able to make a quick trip over my lunch hour to Discount Steel, where I found a flat bar of aluminum (3" wide) that I'll use for the camera platform. It was in the "drop" section (scrap metals) of the "aluminum barn", so I got a four-foot piece for just 5 bucks.

Ooh I see Steadicam now makes a "Smoothee" model, for small cameras like the iPhone. It's under $200, which is much more reasonable than the price of the Steadicam Merlin. Time to abandon my DIY project?

And there's also the Manfrotto Modo 585 for under a hundred bucks. It's gotten very mixed reviews on Amazon and at B&H. Hmmm.

DIY stabilizer, step 2

Step 2: Add panning ring and universal joint to the handle.

As described by wsclater, I fixed a ring to the vertical shaft of the gimbal between the bearing and the universal joint. This allows the system to be panned without upsetting the level of the camera. The panning ring is just a big ol' 1.5" fender washer.

My u-joint (Traxxas model 1951) arrived in the mail today, so I set about putting it together. This turned out to be more difficult than I expected, and I had to build a special tool for the job (google search to the rescue!). Attaching the u-joint to the handle turned out to be pretty easy - just screw it on to the 8x35mm bolt which forms the vertical shaft of the gimbal.

I'm rethinking the arc portion of my steadicam... I'm now planning to use a round tube instead of a flat bar. I returned the steel bar to Lowe's and bought a 10-foot section of 1/2" metal conduit (cheap at about $1.75!). It's galvanized steel and seems stiff and strong enough, and is easy to manipulate with my friend Eric's pipe bender. I've already started shaping it but haven't yet achieved the desired contour.

Notes and resources:

• DIY Steadicam by Videopia on vimeo
• pan, tilt and cant (camera terminology) are analogous to yaw, pitch and roll (airplane piloting terminology)
  
• The Homebuilt Stabilizer Group discussion board