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[Iacopo]

I made a couple of tops with inox steel and plexiglas.

[Jeremy McCreary]

Absolutely stunning new design!

And the video left me speechless. Brilliant contrast between order and chaos in 4D (3D + time).

[the Earl of Whirl]

Yes, amazingly beautiful!!!

[ta0]

What winter beauties!  The setting for the video is perfect!

The myth, the legend .  .  . a Simonelli top!

[Iacopo]

Absolutely stunning new design!

And the video left me speechless. Brilliant contrast between order and chaos in 4D (3D + time).

Thank you, Jeremy !  I discovered plexiglas recently, I tested the material making the stand ring of the Nr. 51, I found it beautiful, and I thought that it would be nice to use this material more extensively, so I designed these two tops.  When it is polished, this material looks very much like glass.

I built a mechanism for to help to drive the movements of the camcorder in various directions with a relatively smooth motion, it is not perfect yet but I like it and I will improve it.  I couldn't shoot the sequences of this video as you see them without it.  The movements of the camcorder make the scene appear more three-dimensional in the video, (or four-dimensional, if you want).
 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Absolutely stunning new design!

And the video left me speechless. Brilliant contrast between order and chaos in 4D (3D + time).

Thank you, Jeremy !  I discovered plexiglas recently, I tested the material making the stand ring of the Nr. 51, I found it beautiful, and I thought that it would be nice to use this material more extensively, so I designed these two tops.  When it is polished, this material looks very much like glass.

I built a mechanism for to help to drive the movements of the camcorder in various directions with a relatively smooth motion, it is not perfect yet but I like it and I will improve it.  I couldn't shoot the sequences of this video as you see them without it.  The movements of the camcorder make the scene appear more three-dimensional in the video, (or four-dimensional, if you want).

Looking forward to more plexiglass artistry from you. Love the optical effects.

Unfortunately, good clear top-making parts are rare and of low optical quality in the LEGO realm.

[Texture]

Amazing new design! Your backdrop really adds a lot to the picture and video.

[Iacopo]

Thank you all for the compliments !

This is what I built for to hold the scene and the camcorder;

The platform is mounted on a big bearing and can rotate, this is where I put the setting.
The camcorder is mounted on a mechanism of arms which allow movements about two different axes of rotation, so some variety of movements are possible.
There are two white large counterweights which can be moved to balance exactly the mechanism about the main axis of rotation, which allow for the vertical movements of the camcorder
Then there is a littler movable counterweight, (above at the right in the photo below), which is for to balance the weights about the secondary, horizontal axis of rotation, which allows for the tilting of the camcorder. 
So the tilting is independent from the vertical movements of the cam.
The movements are all on bearings and when everything is well balanced, even just blowing is sufficient to move the cam slowly and very smoothly.

I added some thin arms which are levers which link the two rotations together in some different ways;
depending on the way these arms are linked, I can move the cam up and down keeping it always horizontal, or, I can make it tilt so that it stays always pointed towards the same spot in the setting, or intermediate movements are possible.

With one hand I rotate the platform, with the other one I control the vertical movements of the cam, and the levers control automatically the tilt of the cam.   
 
 

[ta0]

This is what I built for to hold the scene and the camcorder;

Nice setup!
I see that on the first long scene on the video it's set to point towards the same spot as you raise it, while on the one starting at 2:50 the camera stays pointing horizontally.

Now I not only look forward to your new tops but to the videos you make about your tops!

[Jeremy McCreary]

If you gave Da Vinci a Simonelli top and a video camera, betting he'd come up with a camera stand almost as good.

Please, please, if you can, a video of your stand in action and the main specs on each top.

[Iacopo]

I see that on the first long scene on the video it's set to point towards the same spot as you raise it, while on the one starting at 2:50 the camera stays pointing horizontally.

Exactly.
The joint 1, (there is a bearing, a bolt and a nut in each joint), of the horizontal lever, can be shifted anywhere to position A to position B;
this controls how the angle of tilting changes when the cam is moved up and down;
in position A the cam never changes its angle of tilting.
In position B it tilts staying pointed always towards the same point.
The joint 2 can be moved from C to D, this controls the angle of tilting of the cam.

[Iacopo]

Please, please, if you can, a video of your stand in action and the main specs on each top.

If I can find a bit of time, I will do it... maybe tomorrow..
The Nr. 52 has diameter of 60 mm and weighs 261 grams.  Its tip is a bit more deeply recessed and for this reason it precesses more slowly.
The Nr. 53 has diameter of 55 mm and weighs 130 grams.

[Iacopo]

[Jeremy McCreary]

@Iacopo: Brilliant! Thanks for the video.

Eager to see where these new lines of top design and videography take you.

[Iacopo]

@Iacopo: Brilliant! Thanks for the video.

Eager to see where these new lines of top design and videography take you.

You are welcome, Jeremy.

I will improve a bit this stand which is not perfect yet, (the platform is not sufficiently stable and it is difficult to turn it smoothly with the weight of the setting on it).
The next two tops will be probably the malachite ones, which could be ready in January.