Premium Member Jason Anderson Posted June 27, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 27, 2008 I began looking for the material that the french flags are made out of on filmtools.com http://www.filmtools.com/clamfrenflag.html. I found that aquarium stores sell it, as well as a few places online, its about 5-10 dollars a foot comes in 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...e=12-55321098-2 Also I have a plan to buy a pipe cutter and modify it so that it does not cut but clamps to the camera rods, mini cardellini clamps are about $50 dollars vs the 10 dollar pipe cutter. http://www.buy.com/prod/prima-tools-27504-...1/90140336.html Ill post some pictures when I finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Tim O'Connor Posted June 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 28, 2008 I began looking for the material that the french flags are made out of on filmtools.com http://www.filmtools.com/clamfrenflag.html. I found that aquarium stores sell it, as well as a few places online, its about 5-10 dollars a foot comes in 1/2 inch and 3/4 inchhttp://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...e=12-55321098-2 Also I have a plan to buy a pipe cutter and modify it so that it does not cut but clamps to the camera rods, mini cardellini clamps are about $50 dollars vs the 10 dollar pipe cutter. http://www.buy.com/prod/prima-tools-27504-...1/90140336.html Ill post some pictures when I finish. That sounds cool but if you're making the clamp and arm are you also buying the $18.00 flag? Granted, making everything else still comes in less expensively than $80.00 for the whole thing but the flag by itself is as the site says an 8" X 13" piece of plastic. At that point you probably could buy a couple of pieces of plastic or some other material, cut them to suit you and paint everything black or whatever color you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Jason Anderson Posted June 28, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted June 28, 2008 That sounds cool but if you're making the clamp and arm are you also buying the $18.00 flag? Granted, making everything else still comes in less expensively than $80.00 for the whole thing but the flag by itself is as the site says an 8" X 13" piece of plastic. At that point you probably could buy a couple of pieces of plastic or some other material, cut them to suit you and paint everything black or whatever color you want. Another AC I work with has some plastic that has a metal sheet in between the pieces, good sturdy and not to heavy, I think I'll use some of that. I think it might already be black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Chris Keth Posted June 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 28, 2008 I would stick with attaching the arm to a No.2. The idea for a clamp to go on rods is a good one but it's not very adaptable. There are a lot of different places you might want to put a frenchie other than on rods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Jason Anderson Posted June 28, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted June 28, 2008 I would stick with attaching the arm to a No.2. The idea for a clamp to go on rods is a good one but it's not very adaptable. There are a lot of different places you might want to put a frenchie other than on rods. A No.2 grip clip? My first frenchie was made with a desk lamps bendy tubing, and a grip clip. I suppose your right about the adaptable features of a pipe clamp, grip clip is cheaper also what do you think a good length is for the arm? I suppose I can always carry extra pieces to adjust it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Paul Bruening Posted June 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 28, 2008 Aren't we still calling them freedom flags? This is precisely the kind of stuff that a MIG welder from Home Despot is good for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Chris Keth Posted June 29, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 29, 2008 I would get a couple feet of arm to work with. I think 16 or 18 inches will generally be the length you'll want. If you go with the No. 2 solution, line the jaws with tennis raquet grip tape. It will make it clamp much more securely to rods when you need to do it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Hartman Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 The stuff you liked to from the "Dr." site are actually snap together coolant fittings. Instead of retail, try an industrial supply like MSC (Manhattan Supply Co), Graingers, or McMaster-Carr, www.mcmaster.com. The first and last company I listed will ship items to anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Jason Anderson Posted July 8, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted July 8, 2008 The stuff you liked to from the "Dr." site are actually snap together coolant fittings. Instead of retail, try an industrial supply like MSC (Manhattan Supply Co), Graingers, or McMaster-Carr, www.mcmaster.com. The first and last company I listed will ship items to anyone. Already bought some from fosters, probably would have been cheaper at mcmasters, thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Jason Anderson Posted July 13, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted July 13, 2008 http://www.coloradoplastics.com/ is going to cut me a black ABS plastic 9x11 sheet, for 10 dollars. Right now I am using a piece of FRP panel ( the fiber glass board found in many budget shower installations. ) I thought about spray painting it black, but by the time I buy the paint and the primer, its going to cost the same as the ABS plastic, which is a stronger material anyways, and is already black. How thick is a standard flag 1/8th? 3/32nds? , Ill probably go with 3/32nds. I'll have some pictures up by the beginning of next week. I am coming in about 50% of the cost of a store bought french flag. $10 dollars for 9x11 sheet $1 misc nuts bolts $2 grip clip $26 Loc Line/Adjustable Arm Jason Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Jason Anderson Posted July 15, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted July 15, 2008 Finished the French flag. ended up using a .1 inch piece of ABS plastic, very strong at that thickness. Detailed steps on Instructables. http://www.instructables.com/id/French-Flag-Freedom-Flag/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Metzger Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Finished the French flag. ended up using a .1 inch piece of ABS plastic, very strong at that thickness. Detailed steps on Instructables. http://www.instructables.com/id/French-Flag-Freedom-Flag/ Just wondering if the thickness really matters? Are you worried about it holding up strength-wise, or light being able to permeate it? My family owns a plastic company on the east coast, too bad I read this post now....though it does give me ideas to make some funky stuff of my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Jason Anderson Posted July 16, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted July 16, 2008 Just wondering if the thickness really matters? Are you worried about it holding up strength-wise, or light being able to permeate it? My family owns a plastic company on the east coast, too bad I read this post now....though it does give me ideas to make some funky stuff of my own. even the thinnest ABS black sheet does not allow light through, yeah it was mostly for strength and then secondly weight. Well thats handy that your folks have a plastic company! Let us know what you come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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