Red Epic Gimbal (and a Catalyst Machineworks Cage mini-review)

fpmurphy

Member
I've seen a couple people on here asking about the Gearhead (Now Catalyst) motor cages, so I thought I'd throw in a little review on top of this build log. I needed to build a gimbal that could hold a Red Epic with an Anton Bauer battery on the back. It needed to be a little bigger than the Freefly Movi M10.

Photos are here: http://imgur.com/a/BINa0

Overall I'm happy with the gimbal. It has a lot more room to work with than the M10.

I wish I would have started taking pictures from the beginning, but I was too excited to get this up and running. Everything arrived packaged well. The cages were wrapped in bubble wrap and there was a ziplock bag for each, with a note detailing what was inside (screws, fasteners, etc.)

The best part of the cages is the ability to change out how they connect. With an adapter plate I was able to put the Freefly Toad in the Hole on the top of my gimbal while using different adapters for the roll and tilt axis. You can also use the supplied 25mm clamp to attach tubes, which would be super useful for a handheld rig.

The downside to the cages is that they're heavier than a carbon fiber cage. However, I feel like my motors are more protected in the event of a crash.

The cages are rigid and the bearings are smooth. There is no play in the motor once it's mounted in the cage. I believe this is part of the reason why I haven't had a ton of problems with my phobotic controller. It seems to be a lot pickier about gimbal quality than an alexmos controller.

I would have bought all of my parts from Catalyst if they were available. I had to source a couple parts from Aliexpress.com. Those parts will probably be upgraded in the future. As of right now, I don't have the ability to balance the camera without tools. I have my eye on some Freefly parts and I check Famoushobby every now and again for improved pieces.

Here is a parts list for anyone considering building their own:

3x Catalyst motor cages
~1000mm of 25mm carbon fiber tube
3x 8018 iPower Gimbal motors
Phobotic Centerpiece HV
MV036 Camera Tray from Famous Hobby
MV005 Tilt Mount bearing from Famous Hobby
CS011 and MV039 Shaft clamps from Famous Hobby
T-Connector for 25mm Tubes

I'd also recommend getting the Freefly toad in the hole. It's a simple and well designed quick release. I plan on using my gimbal for more than aerials and this lets me quickly change between setups.

I needed to order several types of screws, but what you need will depend on your setup. Catalyst uses standard thread screws, but Neill will send you what you need for pretty much any setup.

I'm working on getting some test footage up. I'm getting a little bit of shake, but no jello. It's easily fixed by post stabilization, but my goal is footage that doesn't need stabilization except in extreme circumstances. I'll be going out later this week to film some stuff and get my copter gains tuned for the new weight.

If anyone has questions about building their own gimbal, I'd be happy to help.

NOTE:
Neill at Catalyst was super helpful in getting this gimbal built. He helped me pick out parts to build the camera tray, even though none of the parts were made by them. He also made a couple of parts specifically for my needs. In a hobby where good customer service is rare, this was a nice change of pace.
 

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