Getting Started with the Camera Ashe Idea
So, I’d been trying to get these really low, smooth shots for a while. You know, the kind that glide just above the ground. My regular gear just wasn’t cutting it. Too bulky, too high up, or just shaky as heck when I tried to move low.
I messed around with different sliders and gimbals, but nothing felt quite right for what I had in mind. Needed something simpler, more direct, something I could build myself without breaking the bank. That’s kinda how the whole ‘Camera Ashe’ thing started in my head. Just a nickname I gave the project, felt right.
Building the Rig – Trial and Error
First thing, I went rummaging through my workshop. Found some old aluminum scraps, a few spare wheels from a broken skateboard, and some basic bolts and nuts. Figured I could make a sort of low-profile dolly.
The initial steps were pretty straightforward:
- Cut a flat piece of aluminum for the base. Had to make sure it was wide enough for my camera but still low.
- Attached the skateboard wheels. This took some fiddling. Had to drill precise holes and find the right length bolts so the wheels spun freely but didn’t wobble too much.
- Mounted a simple ball head on top. Just screwed it right into the aluminum plate. Easy peasy.
But here’s where things got tricky. The first version was way too wobbly. The camera’s weight made the whole thing unstable, especially on slightly uneven surfaces. It just wasn’t smooth.
So, back to the drawing board. I added some counterweights – just taped some heavy washers to the back at first, real classy. Then I swapped the skateboard wheels for slightly softer, wider rubber wheels I salvaged from an old office chair caster. That helped a lot with vibration.
Also realized I needed a handle, something to push or pull it gently without touching the camera. Attached a simple rod to the back. It wasn’t perfect, still required a steady hand, but much better.
The Final ‘Camera Ashe’ Setup
Okay, so the final ‘Camera Ashe’ isn’t exactly high-tech. It’s basically a low-riding metal plate on wheels with a camera mount. But it does the job I wanted it to do.
How it works now: I mount my mirrorless camera onto the ball head, get the balance right, and then I can just gently push or pull the whole rig across a smooth-ish surface. The low profile and the soft wheels give me those ground-level gliding shots I was after.
It’s not a professional gimbal killer or anything. You gotta be careful, move slow, and the surface needs to be decent. But for certain shots, especially indoors or on smooth pavement, it’s surprisingly effective. Got some really cool footage with it that I couldn’t easily get before.
It was a fun little project. Took a couple of afternoons of tinkering and adjusting. Definitely satisfying to build something yourself that actually works, even if it looks a bit rough. That’s my Camera Ashe story.
