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Worrall Geared Head For-Sale


Ryan Patrick OHara

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I'm not thinking that there were ever two models being sold at once, as if the buyer had a choice, but more like discovering there is a Mini-Worrall MKI and a (possibly 'Super') Mini-Worrall MKII.

 

Either way, it is certain that a MiniWorrall MKI and MKII type units exist... so in my report I might just put 'Super' in quotations for the MKII type unit. Maybe it'll stick :P

 

 

I wonder if it's a simple as this.

 

The original pan cable had a join in it that stopped the head from panning. Eventually they worked out how to make a cable that had no join. Instantly you could then just keep panning. Same head. New pan cable ? just guessing.

 

 

jb

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John,

 

I would LOVE to have a copy of your Mini Worrall service Manual! Is it just a few pages.. any chance of getting it scanned? I tried searching via google and could not find it.

If that happens, you think you could pass one my way? I'd like to check it out!

 

Take a look at this:

http://www.RyanPatrickOHara.com/download/MiniWorrall.zip

 

From that book I've been talking about. Not what you asked for but it can't hurt to have.

 

-ryan

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Would you happen to know what they called it to tell it apart from my 'original' sized Worrall?

 

I found another old photograph of the same large (bigger then my original) Worrall head. It had some words printed on the back, which might be something or it may be a rental house name and such. It was hard to make out but it looks like the back of the base reads, "Armistead 130" or "Armistead 180"... does that ring a bell?

 

I don't know of it being called anything other than just a Worrall head. There are no markings on it, but of course they may have been lost thru the years. Mark Armistead Inc. was a rental house in the old days, so heads with that name on them just identify the owner.

 

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

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Eventually they worked out how to make a cable that had no join.

 

I'm not sure it was done like that. IIRC, they changed to a system in which there were several turns of cable around the pan drum, which woud have given you over 360 degrees, maybe 720 or more, before you ran out and hit the limit. A spliceless or smooth splice cable would be rather difficult to make. Several wraps with both ends attached to the drum would be much easier, but you did have to keep track of where you were, and turn it back to be in the middle of the range.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

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Hey thanks Ryan. Hopefully John can steer us to or send us a copy. If I get one I will certainly share ;)

 

 

Hi Daivd And Ryan. My head is located in Melbourne at the moment and I'm in Sydney. The manual is with the head. As soon as I can, I'll get something to you both. (all i have is a photocopy of the manual mind you).

 

And I have certainly seen inside the head and certainly can confirm the pan cable is a wire loop with a near invisible join where it's woven together ( i think) There are various cogs and gears but they are more for adjusting the tension of the cable (and therefore the friction i guess). That's separate to the wheel *gearbox* too of course. When I bought my head the pan cable was frayed and I replaced it. You can actually get a pretty good look at whats going on by locking off the tilt, and resting it upside down and turning the pan wheel. Give it a try.

 

The tilt cable is not a loop, but a single length with two stops on each end. Obviously the tilt only moves through 90Deg.

 

jb

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Thanks John. We would really appreciate a copy!!! :) Wonder where one can get the replacement cables(?). CP is long gone from my understanding.

 

I suppose that is an advantage for cable driven heads, as replacing the brass gears is probably way more of a hassle.

 

In other news, my auction for the Original Worrall is coming to a close in about 24 hours! Thanks for everyone's interest.

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3) In 1994 the Professional Cameraman's Handbook 4th Edt. is published and refers to the Mini-Worrall Geared head formally twice, both times as the "Super Mini Worrall Geared Head"... and within the rather detailed operating instructions clearly leaves out the now seemingly nonexistent portion about pan limitations.

 

I'm not thinking that there were ever two models being sold at once, as if the buyer had a choice, but more like discovering there is a Mini-Worrall MKI and a (possibly 'Super') Mini-Worrall MKII.

 

Either way, it is certain that a MiniWorrall MKI and MKII type units exist... so in my report I might just put 'Super' in quotations for the MKII type unit. Maybe it'll stick :P

 

If you can't find the history just rewrite it, right? That's Wikipedia's philosophy.

 

 

OK, so I finally dug out my CP Mini Worral service manual.

 

As discussed, there is no question at all that the head continuously pans forever. They talk about using continuous loop wires from the aircraft industry. There are two cables used in the tilt mechanism.

 

They did make a "super" variant, the CP Mini Worral Super, that was different in only one way.

 

It was designed for rental houses that wanted Sachtler quick release plates as the camera interface instead of the arri sliding dovetail. That's it.

 

JB

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I hope it isn't one of these monsters!

 

post-30598-1260850027.png

 

 

PS: To correct myself earlier. I called the Worrall Mini a chain driven head... It's high tension cable... not a chain.

 

That monster is what I have. As far as I can tell, it could pan and tilt a Buick. It had to handle Mitchells along with their ginormous metal blimps, car battery heavy motors, obies and other metal accessories that, collectively, really add up (as shown in the picture). My Worral is an old Panavision unit that has loop rings affixed to it at each corner so technicians can put poles through it and lift it Raiders of the Lost Ark fashion. It takes almost every thing I've got to heave it up onto a standard tripod.

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Either way... it takes a gear to turn the chain.

 

btw... the Mini Worrall is Gear driven on the Pan and Cable driven on the Tilt.

 

*Correction.

 

John Brawley just sent me a copy of his Mini Worrall Geared Head Manual (thanks John!) and it states "it is the only Geared Head utilizing cable drive for both Pan and Tilt" and that it is capable of continuous Panning due to the 'continuous cable' used on the Pan.

 

Thanks again John!

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