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Hogster
12-02-2007, 09:59 AM
Hi all,

Over the past few months I have been working on a mount for my mast for my car. You can see how it's been developing here (including more information about the mast I use):

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701888

Here is my last update post from that thread - it's nearly ready to use! :)



******************************************

Some update photos for you! Sorry for the delay :)

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/29-11-07_partly_extended.jpg

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/29-11-07_turnbuckles.jpg
(you will notice that the original 'holy' beam coming from the mast clamp has been replaced by a natty device my Dad and I designed and a friend of my Dad's turned on a metal lathe. It works REALLY well and allows for very precise adjustment of the mast's position. And as you can see from the photo above, the mast is TALL, so the slightest adjustment at the bottom of the mast makes a noticable difference to the verticality of the mast ... :))


http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/29-11-07_mast_in_locating_block.jpg
(note the draining holes)

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/29-11-07_mast_clamp_close_up.jpg
(two coach bolts have been force-fitted into one of the mast clamp halves – the square section behind the head of each bolt being forced into square cut-outs in the clamp. Wing nuts then hold the clamp together ... with locking washers for safety ... although the compression of the rubber-foam also acts as a locking washer of sorts :))

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/29-11-07_rear_view.jpg

I've just finished painting the remaining parts and am about to put my website lettering on the mast.

Should be complete in the next few days I would say! :)


David

PS. I've got two exams next week and one the week after so progress has been a little slower than I'd hoped due to revision .... and 'other' distractions (... g/f :D)

******************************************


Cheers,


David :)

bullaculla
12-02-2007, 03:27 PM
Very nice David! :)
How tall is it fully collapsed? can you drive around with it all the way down?

Windbreaker
12-02-2007, 03:48 PM
That's a cool mount. Especially on such a small car!

A word of caution to anyone working with mast-mounted cameras:

Always look up carefully before raising the mast to make SURE you're not lifting into a power line.

There are stories of TV news crewmembers being electrocuted when they lifted masts without checking first.

Hogster
12-02-2007, 06:22 PM
bulla - Thanks! :) It's about 1.8m when fully collapsed and you can see how much it protrudes from the top of the car when collapsed here:

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/1-11-07_8.jpg

It makes no noticable difference to the way the vehicle behaves on the road ... just have to remember my car's a good half metre taller if I plan to go under any low obstacles ... like this poor smart car tried to do!

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2007/03/smart_450x359.jpg

:eek: :D

Windbreaker - good call! Particularly bad if one has a metal mast! :eek:


David :)

MarkD
12-02-2007, 06:25 PM
At last a use for a Smart Car :D

Looks good Bud

Hogster
12-03-2007, 06:18 AM
The photos you've all been waiting for! It's now completely finished!! :D

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/complete/complete_3-12-07_1.jpg

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/complete/complete_3-12-07_2.jpg

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/complete/complete_3-12-07_3.jpg

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/complete/complete_3-12-07_4.jpg

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/complete/complete_3-12-07_5.jpg

http://www.horizonimaging.net/smart/mast_mount/on_car/complete/complete_3-12-07_6.jpg

I look forward to using it for my first photography jobs! :)


David :cool:

SeaHawk
12-03-2007, 10:19 AM
I love the car! Can you get your helicopters in that thing? Because I do so much traveling, I bought a Toyota Prius to carry my two helicopters. Looks efficient.

Hogster
12-03-2007, 10:53 AM
Indeed I can :)

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/ap/all_ap_gear_in_smart_2.jpg

Here the mast was in the car as well! This was before I decided to build a mount to carry the mast outside the car :)


David :cool: