The size of the base plate for the vertical setup

[Adalbert]

Hello everybody,

My vertical setup should be ca. 500mm high and could weigh max. 3kg.
The base plate should be made of glued beech 30mm thick.
What about the length and width ?
Would the size of 300x300m be good enough or better 500x500mm ?
BR, ADi

[ray_parkhurst]

Hello everybody,

My vertical setup should be ca. 500mm high and could weigh max. 3kg.
The base plate should be made of glued beech 30mm thick.
What about the length and width ?
Would the size of 300x300m be good enough or better 500x500mm ?
BR, ADi

My vertical setup is similar height, ~600mm. I use a composite "granite" material for the base, 125mm wide by 250mm long. More length is needed in the "yaw" direction to stabilize the camera, but not as much is needed in the "roll" direction since there is not much sideways torque. I put a thin layer of sorbothane dampener (1/16") on the bottom, more to give the system some friction and protection for the desktop than as a dampener, but it does help.

Edited to add: I have always favored small setups as I like to have the setup on my desktop next to my keyboard, and for it to be easily portable without disassembly. I don't see much use for a larger footprint, unless there is a lot of traffic and it could get bumped. My 125mm width base could allow the setup to be knocked over, but it would take quite the jolt, and would probably damage something anyway, so I look at that as an event to be avoided on any size setup.

[Macro_Cosmos]

I recommend 600x600 at least. I use a 300x300mm Newport SG Honeycomb breadboard and it's not enough. I have to put the specimen setup on another 300x300mm aluminium board.

For sorbothane feet, do be careful. Overloading them will result in amplifying the vibrations rather than damping it. Underloading it would yield no effect, so it's as good as nothing. Wood is pretty good damper as well actually.

[ray_parkhurst]

I recommend 600x600 at least. I use a 300x300mm Newport SG Honeycomb breadboard and it's not enough. I have to put the specimen setup on another 300x300mm aluminium board.

For sorbothane feet, do be careful. Overloading them will result in amplifying the vibrations rather than damping it. Underloading it would yield no effect, so it's as good as nothing. Wood is pretty good damper as well actually.

For what reason do you recommend such a large base? Why not 1 meter x 1 meter or 2 meters x 2 meters?

[Saul]

Just for statistics:
My high density granite base (Black Galaxy granite, density:2.83 g/cm3) is 76x51x3cm, so weight should be (just for base) around 33kg. Plus, all stuff on the top. Setup is on the carpet, 2nd floor, condo, street - behind the window. No problem with vibrations at 50x.

[Adalbert]

Hello guys,
Many thanks for your comments!
So, I have just calculated the average value:

BR, ADi

[Saul]

Hello guys,
Many thanks for your comments!
So, I have just calculated the average value...

FYI - I built my setup kind a backwards - first I got 8020 leftovers, made a main frame (only later got longer column), base was later, during my kitchen remodeling, counter-top company kindly agreed to make me this base ...

[genera]

. . .
For what reason do you recommend such a large base? Why not 1 meter x 1 meter or 2 meters x 2 meters?

Yours seem extreme on the small side. If it's dedicated to a single task or available space is very limited it makes some sense. Is that your only vertical setup?

My vertical setup is mounted on an 18 x 18" granite slab with the optical axis about 12.5" from the back of the column. This gives me a great deal of flexibility when mounting stages and lights and the broad base gives great stability.

[ray_parkhurst]

Hello guys,
Many thanks for your comments!
So, I have just calculated the average value:

BR, ADi

That works, though I still think it's too big

Just for statistics:
My high density granite base (Black Galaxy granite, density:2.83 g/cm3) is 76x51x3cm, so weight should be (just for base) around 33kg. Plus, all stuff on the top. Setup is on the carpet, 2nd floor, condo, street - behind the window. No problem with vibrations at 50x.

I completely agree that more mass is a good thing, but my question was about XY dimensions. You can get more mass by going thicker. I've seen granite gauge blocks that are 150x150x300 that would make a great base.

I can see if you want to have all the lights, controllers, etc on top, then having room to spread out is nice. I personally attach everything to the vertical, or to the stage, depending on whether I'm stitching or just stacking, so I don't take up any more room on my desktop. That part is just personal preference, and from that perspective perhaps the average that ADi took might work well.

[Deanimator]

Mine is on a thick wooden cutting board with sorbothane feet.

The Wemacro and camera are mounted on a furniture leg mounted to the board with a threaded rod and threaded inserts.

There are a couple of T-tracks along the sides of the board for magic arms to mount flashes or other accessories.

[elf]

I use an 12"x18"x3" granite surface plate. Weighs 79 pounds. If you live near a machinery supply, they are fairly inexpensive. Shipping can be expensive.

Holes are easy to do with masonry drills.

[Deanimator]

I use an 12"x18"x3" granite surface plate. Weighs 79 pounds. If you live near a machinery supply, they are fairly inexpensive. Shipping can be expensive.

Holes are easy to do with masonry drills.

How do you mount things to it? Threaded inserts in the holes?

[ray_parkhurst]

I use an 12"x18"x3" granite surface plate. Weighs 79 pounds. If you live near a machinery supply, they are fairly inexpensive. Shipping can be expensive.

Holes are easy to do with masonry drills.

How do you mount things to it? Threaded inserts in the holes?

I just use metric screws with washers. I treat the granite or composite just like wood or aluminum...drill just larger than the screw or bolt...countersink just larger than the screw/bolt head. Only thing different is I use a washer.

Edited to add: don't even think about inserts, and especially not tapping!

[Deanimator]

I use an 12"x18"x3" granite surface plate. Weighs 79 pounds. If you live near a machinery supply, they are fairly inexpensive. Shipping can be expensive.

Holes are easy to do with masonry drills.

How do you mount things to it? Threaded inserts in the holes?

I just use metric screws with washers. I treat the granite or composite just like wood or aluminum...drill just larger than the screw or bolt...countersink just larger than the screw/bolt head. Only thing different is I use a washer.

Edited to add: don't even think about inserts, and especially not tapping!

I was thinking more in terms of a threaded insert epoxied into a hole.

My rig can be easily switched between vertical and horizontal, and can accommodate multiple flashes, etc that can be repositioned easily.

Now that I have a real job, I may switch to an aluminum breadboard.

[elf]

I use an 12"x18"x3" granite surface plate. Weighs 79 pounds. If you live near a machinery supply, they are fairly inexpensive. Shipping can be expensive.

Holes are easy to do with masonry drills.

How do you mount things to it? Threaded inserts in the holes?

Epoxied inserts work well. I used through bolts which were overkill. The ideal base would be a granite surface plate with a 3mm (or thicker) steel top. This would result in a stable platform and easily adjusted holders, lights, etc.