Ebony Owners - question re. reverse engineering from pictures - a little hard!

[nick mulder]

Hi,

I can figure out most of what is going on with the Ebony cameras - seems to be a KISS and keep it well made thing going on...

But the rise/tilt knobs are of interest:

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They hint at some functionality that I cannot otherwise discern - are they just undo and adjust then tighten knobs ? or is there some sort of quick release or gearing going on ?

If anyone had an exploded diagram of an extension model of some variety that 'd be great - or partially disassembled photos ...

 

[Timothy]

Hi Nick,
It is much simpler than you are imagining. There are two functions for the knobs you are looking at (assuming that I understand your question correctly). In fact, they really are two knobs in one. The round knurled one will affect tension on the rise and fall mechanism, while the square-ish central one affects tension on the tilt mechanism. I hope this explains what you were after. It would all be so clear in an instant if you got to see one in real life.

 

[nick mulder]

Hi Nick,
It is much simpler than you are imagining. It would all be so clear in an instant if you got to see one in real life.

I bet !

so, hmmm, ok I haven't given it much thought yet - but it'll be a good mental design challenge for the idle times at work tonight on the Ballet (I work back stage)... But in lieu of mechanical inspiration and finding myself at a loss to draw a system in the next 11hours , could anyone find a way to describe how this physically works (the nuts and bolts) ?

 

[glbeas]

The tilt screw goes through the rise screw (hollow). The nut grabs the rail to lock the rise and the square nut clamps the tilt swivel against the rise block to lock in.

 

[nick mulder]

So the titanium (?) plate stock sandwiched between the standard and the lensboard slides up and down (with a little bit on it to keep it sliding in line with the standard channel) and is held on by pulling it against the standard by the compression force of the thread on the knurled knob (?)

Meanwhile the milled outer knob has yet another threaded bolt that goes through the middle of the rise knobs construction, loosening this allows the wooden lens board to rotate with respect to the first plate mentioned above, which acts kind of like a second tilt only 'standard' (?)

If I have it right - then, cool ! I like, and with the mill and lathe here reckon I can give it a go...

But exactly how does the tilt knob not bite on to/compress the rise construction and cause it not to be a catch 22 when you're back to a one knob tilt/rise combo of a more conventional system ? Some kind of system of spacers, what not and something simple I am yet to crunch with my grey matter ? I think maybe I can learn something from the way the lead screws on my lathe are set up here...

Anyone keen to disassemble one and photograph it ??? - ok, no, fair enough

 

[nick mulder]

I don't have a pencil and paper here - and CAD drives me loopy by the way - I hope at least someone else enjoys mental design/construction as I do