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Cure mild bottom-heaviness by loosening the
Locking Knobs and reducing the Arc Size
with the Caliper Hinge Adjusting Knob.
Cure moderate bottom-heaviness by removing
weight from the Lower Spar.
Again either ‘cure’ will require re-trimming fore-
and-aft.
Drop test
A Merlin that’s in correct top-to-bottom balance can be moved rapidly back and
forth laterally and it will essentially stay upright! It is technically bottom-heavy,
but only slightly!
Hold out the lower spar sideways and let it go, If it falls slowly, if it takes
a full second (say “Go…one-thousand-and-one”) until it passes through
vertical, in Merlin terms that’s the magic!… That’s just where you want it
to be! This is the famous Drop Test and your Merlin is ready to shoot!
This Drop Test is the way Steadicam Operators worldwide discuss and calibrate
the elusive quality of slight bottom-heaviness. Some prefer as long as three or
four seconds for their full-sized rigs to fall through vertical.
Experience, however, has shown that the Merlin works best with a Drop Time of
about one full second.
Once your Drop Time is correct, touch up the Side-to-Side Trim Roller so
the Merlin hangs level on its gimbal.
And finally, adjust the Fore-and-Aft Trim Roller so the Merlin’s tilt angle
helps maintain the headroom of your shot.
The Merlin’s Gimbal is like the pivot point on a see-saw
There are three ways to change the balance of a see-saw:
• you can change a weight
• you can move a weight
• you can change the location of the pivot point itself
In Merlin terms:
• you can add and subtract weights at the Lower Spar
• you can move a weight by expanding or contracting the Caliper Hinge
• you can move the fulcrum laterally by Trimming fore-and-aft or side-to-side
• remember that Guide Ring – you can move the fulcrum up or down by counter-clocking,
or clocking the Guide Ring, which is a super-ne adjustment of bottom heaviness.
Check bottom-heaviness with a careful Drop Test. How long does it take for the spar to fall from
sideways through vertical? Now counter-clock the Guide Ring one full turn, and note that the drop time
is just a little slower.
Trim
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