Proxxon Set-up

Tony T · Post by **Tony T** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:13 pm

I purchased a Proxxon table based on this post by Wim: CLICK HERE
But I have set it up in reverse of Wim's set-up; I will use the short Y-axis to move the subject forward.

Received my Proxxon milling table yesterday and spent part of today making adjustments for it to fit
my current set-up. My interpretation is that it is far too delicate to hold and move a digital SLR and lens.
But seems ideal for moving a photo subject.
1st thing I did was to mount it on a 3/4" plywood base with the plywood covering the entire base of the table.
There are 4 mounting holes in the base of the milling table.
Because the longest part of the base is beneath the shortest part of the table I reckoned on
getting the most stable set-up by having this long base of the table attached to the camera bar I use. This means that the
normal X-axis (the one with the longest travel) of the milling table now functions as the Y-axis.
A 6" RRS rail is bolted to the bottom of the plywood. This rail is clamped at each end to a RRS clamp making for a very stable system when clamped to a camera bar.
I took a 6" length of 1.5x1.5" length of pine, cut 2 slots to hold the clamps that came with the table and bolted this
wooden block to the milling table.
A small ball & socket at one end is to hold the object being photographed, allows for adustment in 360 degrees.
Finally I found the turning wheel much too small so I cut a 3" diam of rubber, cut out a central hole and friction fitted it to the turning wheel.
The camera is mounted on the end of the 2nd camera bar and the camera is adjustable in the Z-axis.
Thanks to the use of camera bars everything is lined up on one axis. The milling table and its base can slide along the top camera bar and the top camera bar can slide along the bottom camera bar.

acerola · Post by **acerola** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:20 am

This Proxxon table seems good. And I can purchase it locally. Thanks.
It is a bit expensive thought for just trying out photo stacking. I have to ponder on it.

Tony T · Post by **Tony T** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:29 am

Peter: The Manfrotto Bogen is about $90.00. The Proxxon about $100.
Remember that the Manfrotto moves in only 1 axis, the Proxxon moves in 2 axes.

acerola · Post by **acerola** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:12 am

A little bigger the difference here, the Manfrotto is cheaper the Proxxon is more expensive. But you are basically right.
I'm not thinking about buying Manfrotto any more. I understand it is waste of money. I thinking about trying the stacking for free. Maybe with a borrowed Manfrotto or with a vice. If I will buy something I will consider Proxxon.

I like the way you used wood for your gear. Its easy to make.

acerola · Post by **acerola** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:18 pm

I had my first "free" experiment with a positioner. But I could not move a decent platform yet. So I think I will buy some proper equipment in the end.