Camera Rig for 123D Catch
Description
The rig described here helps you structure the photos for best results. It lets you spin the camera around the object at a constant height and distance, while the object stays still. You can easily move the camera up and down to get top and bottom angles.
Instructions
You will need:
Wood materials
3x 36" long 1" dia dowel
1x 12" long x 3/4" thick x 2" wide plank
1x 8" x 8" x 3/4" board
1x 6" x 6" x 3/4" board
Printed parts
1x l-brace
1x 3-brace
2x 2-brace
2x 1-brace
1x collar
2x flange
3x shaft collar
1x camera ring
1x camera platform
1x extension arm (optional)
Hardware
38x #8 3/4" construction screws
4x #8 3/4" hex bolt
1x #8 1" hex bolt
5x #8 wing nuts (6x optional)
2x #8 lock washers (3x optional)
1x 1/4" x 3/4" thumbscrew
1x 1/4 washer
2x casters
Assembly steps
1. Print the plastic parts! The L-brace and the collar piece will benefit from printing with support material enabled. The other pieces print fine without support.
2. Take one piece of dowel, and cut it into 2x 4" pieces, and 2x 8" pieces
3. Mark center of 12" plank
4. Attach l-brace to plank with 4x #8 screws
5. Place a 4" dowel in each side of the 3-brace
6. Place an 8" dowel in the middle of the 3-brace
7. Insert the 8" dowel into the top of the l-brace
8. Fit a 1-brace onto the free end of the 4" dowels
9. Bring the one braces down to the plank. Make sure the 4" dowels are tightly seated, into the 3-brace on one end, and a 1-brace on the other end
10. Attach the 1-braces to the plank using 8x #8 screws
11. Secure the 4" dowels to the 1-brace and 3-brace by using 4x #8 screws (2 on each side)
12. Do NOT secure the 8" dowel
13. Attach the casters to the bottom of the plank using 8X #8 screws
14. Put a 2-brace on each end of one piece of 8" dowel (do not secure using a screw yet)
15. Attach the collar to the end of one 36" dowel
16. Attach the flange to the 8" x 8" board using 4x #8 screws
17. Attach the other flange to the 6" x 6" board using 4x #8 screws
18. Assemble the shaft collars by putting a #8 hex bolt through one side, and secure it with a #8 wing nut (do not tighten)
19. Slide one end of the 8" dowel with the 2-braces over the other 8" dowel (in the 3-brace)
20. Put a shaft collar on the dowel with the collar, and slide it down towards the center
21. Fit the long dowel with the collar through the other 2-brace and then through the bottom of the l-brace
22. Ensure the 2-braces are lined up and secure them with 2x #8 screw
23. Remove the 8" dowel and place it in the flange, secure it with 1x #8 screw
24. Put a shaft collar over the 8" dowel in the flange
25. Put the collar on the end of the long dowel over the short dowel in the flange
26. Adjust the height of the shaft collar so that the long dowel is level
27. Place the other long dowel in the top of the 3-brace, threading it through the loose 2-brace
28. Place the small platform (with flange) over the short dowel that is attached to the bottom plate
29. Place a shaft collar on the outside of the long horizontal dowel
30. Assemble the camera adapter by putting a #8 hex bolt through the two tabs, and secure it with a wing nut
31. Attach the camera platform to the camera adapter with a "1 #8 hex bolt, and placing a lock washer between the adapter ring and the platform. Secure with a wing nut.
32. Attach the camera mount assembly to the vertical pole by slipping it over and then tightening the wing nut
33. If you need to get the camera below the level of the target object, use the extension arm between the adapter ring and the camera platform.
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Just finished building my rig. Less introductions and more pictures (close ups) would be awesome. Thanks!!
Went to go use my rig for the first time yesterday and a flange failed when I picked up the rig to move it :( I print another and try using a smaller / thinner / lighter piece of ply for the base, but just thought I'd post a pic of what CAN happen when your base is a bit too heavy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/z...
Once I got all the parts for my rig printed, assembly was super easy. Great work! However, I wanted to note that your instructions say you only need one flange, but the assembly notes made it obvious that two flanges are needed.
When I put the STl files into my 3D printer software they are HUGE! What scaling should I use?
The only thing I don't like is that 123D Catch, 123D and the other 123 apps require a login on their server that, when reading the terms, includes granting them a license to do ANYTHING they want with your design including producing it for commercial purposes. Just FYI
So I got it all together and functioning. Works great, though I feel like all of the tubular pieces could benefit from a bit more thickness. I had a couple pieces break when I was screwing the dowels in place. I learned quickly to be more gentle, but another millimeter of thickness and they'd be bombproof. Or maybe it was my print settings?
I made a new camera mount too. I couldn't get a DSLR to stay in place on the printed platform, though it worked great for a compact. I had a mini tripod that I never use with a nice aluminum ball-joint head that was really easy to remove, so I modified one of the collar pieces to hold it. I'll
post a derivative in the off-chance that anyone has a similar piece they may want to use.
I think you missed uploading a piece. The collar maybe? It would be the 90
Ë piece that connects the object pedestal to the swing arm.
I've got everything else printed and I'm heading to the hardware store in the morning. The turntable system I have set up works, but I'm certain this will work better.
Great job, everything printed beautifully. Slic3r complained th
at a few of the pieces weren't manifold, but when I ran them through Netfabb it "fixed" them but said that they were manifold to begin with.
I kept getting a warning from 123D that the object remained in one place and pictures from different positions was needed, do you move the camera (off center) as well?
Wow, how's this working for you? I'm working on a 123D Catch (god, I hate that name) rig, but ended up deciding to turn-table the object with LED lights. It works, but has to be used in a dark room or environmental lights mess up the scan.
I feared the complexity of what you did. Awesome.
License
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Instructions with better pictures:
http://www.instructables.com/i...