sabr190 0 #26 December 16, 2004 Damn Douva, this thread made me LMAO, you are to funny. Remember the old days of taking those cheap Wal-Mart cameras apart and hard wiring in shutter switches? I can still feel the shock from the flash capacitor going up my arm "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #27 December 16, 2004 I would rather you jumped MY HELMET than jump that. When you said you were working on it, i thought you meant for stills only. I had no idea you were going to strap a video on top. You could also pay me to jump and shoot video if you REALLY want to reduce snag points. Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #28 December 16, 2004 It's not that bad (sort of). 1. Loose the box, and the ringsight, and anything else besides the helmet and chincup. 2. Use a small piece of thin sheet metal inside the top of the helmet as a reinforcement for where you are going to punch a 1/4 hole through it for a tripod screw to hold the camera. 3. Mount the camera, level and center it, then fill in the gaps around the bottom corners of the camera with something. Newspaper, old socks, whatever, and wrap the sides with gaffers tape. Remove the camera, and tape over the top of the 'stuff', now you have a custom, flush mounting surface. 4. Draw a sight on your goggles with a sharpie marker. You're done. If you just need it for 'every now and again', you'll be changing tapes so infrequently, it shouldnt matter. Take the camera off, change the tape, replace the camera. Get tough and deal with it. Your winde angle lens is not a snag point. Every wide angle lens out there is just waiting to jump off the front of your camera. With surprisingly little force, it will just rip free of your camera. As a back up, your camera won't be all that secure anyway. It'l stay put in freefall, and hold through a mild collision, but if your stuff gets hung up on it, kiss the camera good bye. The last resort is that your entire helmet is only held on your head with a few snaps on the chincup. Modern camera helmets, with cutaway systems, are bolted to your head in a much more secure fashion, unlikely to ever come off unless the jumper intervenes. Your helemet would be easy to unsnap, provided the entaglement didn't rip it off your head first. Good luck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sabr190 0 #29 December 16, 2004 Hey Brains, you gonna show me how to fly my camera helmet this weekend? Just found out I will be down there tomorrow thru Sunday. I couldn't miss Heaths going away party "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #30 December 16, 2004 I have afamily x-mas thingy to go to in Ft. Worth. Drink one for me while you are there. Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sabr190 0 #31 December 16, 2004 Bummer, I guess I will tilt a few for ya Have a good time and be safe! "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douva 0 #32 December 16, 2004 QuoteDouva, I totally have the solution to your helmet woes. With only minor modifications you can completely eliminate any chance of snags with your current set-up. Please see the attached photo. Blue Skies Oh by the way I will disavow any knowledge of this post if you should attempt the use of my set up I'm sitting in the terminal at LAX getting strange looks from foreign tourists who don't understand why I'm cracking up. I don't have an M.D. or a law degree. I have bachelor's in kicking ass and taking names. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMO 0 #33 December 16, 2004 Man it's a small world! Just noticed who you are from your website. This is Papke from Skydive St. Louis, you know the guy who would have been the fastest AFF graduate if you hadn't come along and screwed things up. I don't remember but I may have even taught your first jump course. Glad to see you're still jumping your butt off and congratulations on the AFF rating. Next time I drop Rick Eddy a line I'll let him know what you're up to. Blue Skies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
docjohn 0 #34 December 16, 2004 You asked a serious question and received some smart ass replies as well as some good solid advice. Listen to all of it. It also sounds like you found a great deal on a camera helmet from the early 1990s back when we were all jumping heavy Sony Handycams and cameramen were getting killed by helmets like these. Seriously, what do you tell a jumper who just got a killer deal on a Strato Star and a chest mount reserve? Ditch it! Same goes for the junk you have. Don't risk your neck. Get rid of it. If finances don't allow you to spend $400 plus on a good, safe camera helmet, then this isn't your season to start filming. Save up and buy some decent gear to jump next year or the year after. I made 500 + jumps and a home modified Protec similar to yours with 20 plus pounds of camera gear with mega snag potential. Thank God I lived thru it and that helmet is now in my scrap pile. (but I'll make you a killer deal if you want it........ sorry, couldn't resist ) Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
docjohn 0 #35 December 16, 2004 Crap! I've been had! Should have read the whole thread before getting excited. Egg on my face. You got me. Good one! Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douva 0 #36 December 16, 2004 Thanks, everybody, for the input and the laughs. The general consensus seems to be that my lexan d-box design is beyond saving and that my old System 3 camera helmet should go the way of my old Clipper 195 canopy. If years of trial and error have taught me anything, it's that when a bunch of experienced skydivers tell you something is a bad idea, it probably is. Iwan is planning to pass the torch of "the hangar" to me at Eloy. That way I'll be able to look goofy and be safe at the same time. Blue skies, DouvaI don't have an M.D. or a law degree. I have bachelor's in kicking ass and taking names. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimoke 0 #37 December 17, 2004 I think your only options are wrap it with gaffers tape or if your handy you can use fibreglass tape and bondo to wrap it up. but, I also agree with everyone else.....buy a new helmet, it's not worth jumping something so hazard prone. disclaimer, it looks just like my first helmet Stay as safe as you can, Jim OkeThe ground always, remembers where you are! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #38 December 17, 2004 QuoteI can still feel the shock from the flash capacitor going up my arm Isn't that the flux capacitor....oh wait, that's another film project... ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #39 December 17, 2004 QuoteBut if nobody in this sport ever tried to make their own equipment, we'd all still be jumping military issue rounds. Some of the best fitting helmets still today are made from a plaster or fiberglass cast of the cameraflyer's head! Give it a try!! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #40 December 27, 2004 Glad to hear you are going to buy The "Iwan Cone Head" Perhaps you could sent the one you have for the USPA museum or some such thing.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #41 December 28, 2004 Another way to look at it is: a decent $400 helmet is far less expensive than an ambulance ride. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douva 0 #42 December 29, 2004 QuoteGlad to hear you are going to buy The "Iwan Cone Head" Perhaps you could sent the one you have for the USPA museum or some such thing. I put two jumps on "the hangar" today at Eloy. It flies great, despite its appearance. I'm already pretty sure that it's going to earn me about as much ribbing as the red tights I used to skysurf in did.I don't have an M.D. or a law degree. I have bachelor's in kicking ass and taking names. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheMonkey 0 #43 December 29, 2004 kudos to you man, good laughs and great pics! --------------------- Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #44 December 29, 2004 Quote I'm already pretty sure that it's going to earn me about as much ribbing as the red tights I used to skysurf in did. Umm - what ribbing? Never ribbed - And what do you mean "Used To"I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
