Rig2 was built in July 2002. The Canon Rebel X was bought in September 2000 from Walmart. I purchased an EOS 28mm lens off of Ebay about a year after that. The final motivating force needed to get me to make Rig2 was the loss of Rig1 when my kite line was accidentally cut by another kite flyer in April 2002. I also finished school in May 2002 and suddenly had more time for KAP.
Rig2 uses a direct drive tilt servo and a continuously rotating pan servo. The shutter is tripped electronically using a device called The Simple Switch by Tejera Microsystems Engineering. Inc. that plugs into the receiver on one end and the cable release hole on the Rebel X on the other. I think it has been discontinued.
The landing gear are made from 1/4" wooden dowelling. They are inserted into brass tubing that has been flattened on one end and riveted to the frame. Small pins hold them in place. The antenna rod is made in the same way.
The black plastic clip used to attach the Picavet line to the kite line is the Crocodile Clip tarp clip made by Homax Products, Inc. I bought them at Home Depot. They grip kite line nicely without damaging it. Using these clips I can attach the camera rig to the kite line in a matter of seconds. I've used welded metal rings and a larks head knot to hold the suspension line in the past.
"How much does that thing weigh?" -- Rig2, including Rebel X loaded with 24 exposure roll of film, Picavet line and clips, and landing gear weighs 45.6 ounces (1.29 Kg). The Rebel X with film and the 28mm lens weighs in at 20.5 ounces (580 grams).
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