T-Rex Photomacrography Stand

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dgarnick
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Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:56 am
Location: Berkeley, California
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T-Rex Photomacrography Stand

Post by dgarnick »

I built a stand using components from 8020.net
I use it for macro as well as for photomacrography.
t-rex-stand.jpg
I was inspired in part by Mike's (mawyatt) WeMacro Stand on Steroids:
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... nd#p271036
But I was starting from scratch, without the WeMacro base. Like Mike, I used the solid extrusions.

Detailed parts list and assembly instructions are posted on Petapixel at:
https://petapixel.com/2022/06/11/how-to ... otography/
and on my own site at:
https://davidgarnick.com/blog/macro-stand

I like the 1.5" x 4.5" solid extrusions because they not only add weight, but the side slots are great for attaching things. I'm very happy with the kamerar.com Tough articulating arms for positioning lights - they're more solid and reliable than other arms or goosenecks I've tried.

It's easily adapted to a horizontal configuration; one can either re-orient the angle plates and feet, or just put the WeMacro on the horizontal extrusion.

The 8020 parts came to about $250 including shipping. About another $100 went into Arca-style rails and clamps from Amazon (Haoge and Suwayfoto brands).

David

ray_parkhurst
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Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:40 am
Location: Santa Clara, CA, USA
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Re: T-Rex Photomacrography Stand

Post by ray_parkhurst »

Very nice build! But I do see some room for improvement.

The basic stand with massive extrusions looks very solid, so the limiting factor for stability and vibration and such is the stepper rail itself. Once a camera is mounted, the moment about the rail mount becomes quite large, and thus the potential for movements and related slow damping response can limit system recovery to stepper movements or external shocks. My suggestion is to add an idler rail similar to what I did for the original WeMacro system in a long-ago post:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=37224

It is a relatively simple modification, and I would expect a big improvement in stability and settling times versus what you are showing here. It also makes the entire long Arca rail available for mounting photo equipment rather than just for placement of the stepper rail. Win-win.

dgarnick
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:56 am
Location: Berkeley, California
Contact:

Re: T-Rex Photomacrography Stand

Post by dgarnick »

Thanks, Ray, for the idler rail suggestion. That will be a definite improvement.

For up to 5x, a 1 second delay has given me good results (unless a truck drives by the house). For 10x I think the idler rail becomes really important.
David Garnick

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