new ALCS crystal sync motor for Arri 16S

[Aapo Lettinen]

the idea is to start working on a new Arri16S crystal sync motor this Summer if there is orders and enough general interest. I talked about this project briefly earlier and now when it looks like I have nothing else to do this Summer than design circuit boards and write software, I could as well move this project forward too 🙂

Generally speaking, I am planning a multi-speed motor with a small display and film counters, all integrated into the motor body and relatively compact. Planned price is about 1600usd + shipping to allow using higher quality parts (very high quality brushless motor drive, proper machining for metal parts, enough resources to test thoroughly, etc) and would need couple of orders to move the project forward. There will be a deposit charged (amount depends on how many orders there is, something between 30% and 50%) which will enable me getting a used Arri16S body for tests and the materials for one prototype motor so that I can finish the device this year.

Sounds expensive, about 1600 for a motor? well, the used Tobin motors are not cheap either (about a grand a piece, very hard to find, they are old and used and likely not serviced in last 20 years so not in pristine condition anymore) and this is much more advanced device with better speed options and counters etc, completely newly made and made of high quality parts. I was originally trying to make a new motor for 1k a piece but that does not seem to be possible without cheaping too much on the materials and motor drive so I will rather make it more expensive and add extra features instead to make it worth it.

 

[Ivan DImitrov Alexandrov]

This actually sounds great! what voltage do you plan for the motor to work on? The Tobin ones were 12V but I find that problematic when using the 400ft mags that run on 8V.

[Aapo Lettinen]

2 hours ago, Ivan DImitrov Alexandrov said:

what voltage do you plan for the motor to work on? The Tobin ones were 12V but I find that problematic when using the 400ft mags that run on 8V.

it is planned to work on 12V.  the magazine motor could be run with a separate converter which lowers the 12v battery voltage to 8v, that is easy to do so users can likely make that kind of cable by themselves if needed.  Some users would likely use the motor with v-lock batteries which should work fine if a similar style down converter is used to lower the 14.4v to 12v

[Aapo Lettinen]

This Arri16S motor is on hold as there has not been orders yet, possibly indicating that there is not enough potential buyers to make the "advanced, about 1600usd" project possible.

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I am probably making a collab project with another designer who is specialised in mechanics to release a simpler (maybe 2-speed?) crystal motor for the 16S which would be cheaper than my proposed "high-end model".

You can let me know on this thread or by DM if a simpler 2-speed crystal motor would be more useful for your needs and if possibly wanting to order one. We are assuming the price point maybe being something between 1k and 1300usd but will know better when there is people interested in buying one so that it is possible to estimate the batch size and exact specs possible to make.

[Scott Barton]

On 7/29/2024 at 2:03 AM, Aapo Lettinen said:

This Arri16S motor is on hold as there has not been orders yet, possibly indicating that there is not enough potential buyers to make the "advanced, about 1600usd" project possible.

-----------------

I am probably making a collab project with another designer who is specialised in mechanics to release a simpler (maybe 2-speed?) crystal motor for the 16S which would be cheaper than my proposed "high-end model".

You can let me know on this thread or by DM if a simpler 2-speed crystal motor would be more useful for your needs and if possibly wanting to order one. We are assuming the price point maybe being something between 1k and 1300usd but will know better when there is people interested in buying one so that it is possible to estimate the batch size and exact specs possible to make.

 Aapo -

Are you still going to offer this VS motor, and if so, will it also be easily compatible with an Arriflex 16 mm model M camera?

I am aware of your 2-speed design also, but was wondering if the VS motor was still in the works...

Please advise, thanks.

[Aapo Lettinen]

6 hours ago, Scott Barton said:

 Aapo -

Are you still going to offer this VS motor, and if so, will it also be easily compatible with an Arriflex 16 mm model M camera?

I am aware of your 2-speed design also, but was wondering if the VS motor was still in the works...

Please advise, thanks.

I work "preordered batch" based so will collect enough orders of a design and then can start working on it and will make a single manufacturing batch when they are paid for. So if there would be at least 4 orders of the 1600usd model then it could be made too, typically takes from 6 to 9 months after the funding is secured (orders at least partially paid for). 

So I will only design the very basics of a new system at first so that I can calculate the price and schedule, maybe 3d printing a basic model how it would approximately look like, and then putting a project on hold until there is actual paid orders. Only when the orders are in place I can move forward to finish the motor. This saves resources for other projects to make it possible to design these in the first place as otherwise I would design tons of extra stuff which people don't buy and all the limited design resources would be wasted, thus not possible to make anything else. 

So the 1600usd model might stay in hibernation even for years until there is paid preorders to make it possible to continue it 🙂

 

And yes, it can be made sure that it works with the 16M camera too. should not be a problem, just checking that the motor is powerful enough to run it with the larger film amount

Edited August 1 by Aapo Lettinen

[Aapo Lettinen]

On 7/29/2024 at 12:03 PM, Aapo Lettinen said:

This Arri16S motor is on hold as there has not been orders yet, possibly indicating that there is not enough potential buyers to make the "advanced, about 1600usd" project possible.

-----------------

I am probably making a collab project with another designer who is specialised in mechanics to release a simpler (maybe 2-speed?) crystal motor for the 16S which would be cheaper than my proposed "high-end model".

You can let me know on this thread or by DM if a simpler 2-speed crystal motor would be more useful for your needs and if possibly wanting to order one. We are assuming the price point maybe being something between 1k and 1300usd but will know better when there is people interested in buying one so that it is possible to estimate the batch size and exact specs possible to make.

This 2-speed Arri16S crystal motor project seems to move forward soon. Let me know by DM if interested in ordering one. target price point is "less than 1200usd" and has 2 crystal speeds and wild variable speed by the current plan