3D Printed Camera Slider Project Pt. 1

Three years ago I designed and built a piece of camera equipment called a camera slider.  This piece of equipment helps create a panning view of a scene that you cannot duplicate by hand holding a video camera. You've seen it in practically every movie you've watched on TV or at the theater.

Here's a link to a short video that I put together about my first design and use of the camera slider.

My original design for the camera slider worked ok.  That was about the best I could say for it.  It was heavy, clunky and was not motorized. So it's been sitting in my closet taunting me every time I look at it and for the past three years or so has been collecting dust even though I want to use it.  Very few of my projects end up this way thank goodness but I am still disappointed with how that one turned out.

The reason I had not built a new one was that I could not find the right electronics to make it all work and not have to get an engineering degree in electronics to understand how to make it all go together in the first place. 

This all changed in the past week or so.  No I did not get a degree but I came across a video online of a camera slider that had the electronics that I understood right out of the box.  Simple easy to understand components that anyone could assemble in a matter of minutes. The only issue I had with this persons design was that I wanted something more refined, less toy like.  So off to my computer I put together my new design that would be motorized, sleek, lightweight and best of all inexpensive to build compared with a professional camera slider that can cost hundreds of dollars.

Here is my new design that I put together using Fusion 360 CAD software.  The main beam for the camera slider is a 20mm square extruded aluminum bar that is 30" long.  The length of the slider is 34 inches. It stands 5.7 inches tall from the ground to the camera quick release mounting surface.  Width comes in at only 4.5 inches.  The camera travel with the motorized timing belt is 26 inches. So it will be a nice size to work with.

The video camera is mounted to a quick release mount (in black). This in turn is mounted to the slider platform (in red).  A timing belt is mounted to both sides of the slider platform and is routed around pulleys at both ends of the camera slider.  One is an idler pully that just spins and the other is mounted to a 6-12 volt battery powered motor.  The camera mount is moved by the motor and timing belt and rolls on three separate rollers that are held in place by the V-slot aluminum guide bar.

In the image above you can see the pulley for the motor and the timing belt at the top of the assembly. The rather large looking red enclosure is actually quite small in size. The enclosure is only 4.8 inches tall, 4.5 inches wide, and 2.4 inches deep.  In this enclosure is speed controller, 2-way switch, and a 9 volt battery to power the camera slider. 

In this image you can see a green tube that goes from the motor to the speed controller that is housed inside of the red enclosure. This tube contains the wiring for the motor to the speed controller so it keeps things nice and tidy while the camera slider is in use. On the back of the enclosure is a two way switch to make the motor move either in forward or reverse to in turn move the camera either left or right.  Below this switch is a small knob that controls the speed of the battery powered motor.

 Here is the little speed controller that is mounted inside of the red enclosure for the camera slider. There are four connections that are need for the controller so it is an easy setup. The cost of the controller is only $5.75

The little DC motor is 6-12 volts with a high torque gear drive costing only $6.64 from Gearbest.

The timing belt that helps make the camera slider actually move is very inexpensive as well for this project coming in at only $2.19.

The rollers for the main beam I tracked down on Ebay and managed to get four of them for around a dollar a piece.  Other sites wanted four times that amount so I thought it was a good deal. 

The last major piece to this project is the V-slot linear rail that is needed for the main beam. This was the more expensive piece that I need for this project and a piece a little over 39" long costs around $10 but shipping brought that up to almost double that at $18.84.  As I said more expensive but needed for the project.

Lastly all of the other components for the camera slider I can purchase at my local hardware store (nut, bolts, etc.) and the rest I will 3D print.  I figure the grand total for the project should be just under $40.  Considering that a camera slider that is already made by an outside company can run into the hundreds of dollars the price for this project is pocket change in comparison.   

I have all of the components on order and should be able to start 3D printing the remaining parts as soon as everything shows up at my door and I can double check dimensions to make everything work properly for the build.  It should be a fun project once I get into it full tilt.  I'll post my progress as usual and let you know how it all turns out.