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Cure mild bottom-heaviness by loosening the<br />
Locking Knobs and reducing the Arc Size<br />
with the Caliper Hinge Adjusting Knob.<br />
Trim<br />
Cure moderate bottom-heaviness by removing<br />
weight from the Lower Spar.<br />
Again either ‘cure’ will require re-trimming foreand-aft.<br />
Drop test<br />
A <strong>Merlin</strong> 2 that’s in correct top-to-bottom balance can be moved rapidly back and<br />
forth laterally and it will essentially stay upright! It is technically bottom-heavy,<br />
but only slightly!<br />
Hold out the lower spar sideways and let it go, If it falls slowly, if it takes<br />
a full second (say “Go…one-thousand-and-one”) until it passes through<br />
vertical, in <strong>Merlin</strong> 2 terms that’s the magic!… That’s just where you want it<br />
to be! This is the famous Drop Test and your <strong>Merlin</strong> 2 is ready to shoot!<br />
This Drop Test is the way Steadicam operators worldwide discuss and calibrate<br />
the elusive quality of slight bottom-heaviness. Some prefer as long as three or<br />
four seconds for their full-sized rigs to fall through vertical.<br />
Experience, however, has shown that the <strong>Merlin</strong> 2 works best with a Drop Time<br />
of about one full second.<br />
NOTE: Typically, if the <strong>Merlin</strong> 2<br />
is not operating properly, 9 times<br />
out of 10 the solution is to correct<br />
the drop time.<br />
Once your Drop Time is correct, touch up the Sideto-Side<br />
Trim Roller so the <strong>Merlin</strong> 2 hangs level on its<br />
gimbal.<br />
And finally, adjust the Fore-and-Aft Trim Roller so<br />
the <strong>Merlin</strong> 2’s tilt angle helps maintain the headroom of<br />
your shot.<br />
The <strong>Merlin</strong> 2 Gimbal is like the pivot point on a see-saw<br />
There are three ways to change the balance of a see-saw:<br />
• you can change a weight<br />
• you can move a weight<br />
• you can change the location of the pivot point itself<br />
In <strong>Merlin</strong> 2® terms:<br />
• you can add and subtract weights at the Lower Spar<br />
• you can move a weight by expanding or contracting the Caliper Hinge<br />
• you can move the fulcrum laterally by Trimming fore-and-aft or side-to-side<br />
• remember that Guide Ring – you can move the fulcrum up or down by counter-clocking,<br />
or clocking the Guide Ring, which is a super-fine adjustment of bottom heaviness.<br />
24<br />
Check bottom-heaviness with a careful Drop Test. How long does it take for the spar to fall from<br />
sideways through vertical? Now counter-clock the Guide Ring one full turn, and note that the drop time<br />
is just a little slower.