close-up tornado video devise

[Kem Poyner]

I have some old video camcorders that I could use for this contraption. If place near a tornado path, would it weathervain toward the tornado? The camera would be in a padded strongbox. I figure the inflow would work to its advantage. I know a direct hit would destroy it or atleast tip it over. Do you think it would work? Thought I would get some imput before I start welding.

 

[Gerard Jebaily]

cool idea, but i dont think this would work particularly well. Inflow winds can be turbulent and not from a steady direction. Anybody that has watched a wind vane in strong winds knows that the tail flaps side to side irradically even though the average direction is steady. But the side to side flapping + or - 30 degrees or so will make the camera shake violently along the horizontal plane and make for a sickening image to watch. A motorized 360 degree camera is still the best idea in my opinion. You could always try it and see, but i think you will find when you watch the video that you will be shaking your head "no" the entire time if you catch my drift...

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Using your diagram: Make the base plate heavy. Drill 4 holes in the corners that allow you to drive some quick rebar rods with welded flat heads into the ground to anchor it. Make a pipe with a cone pointed nose (housing) to sit the camera in facing out the back. You could even put a plexi glass cover on the back and add some metal wind deflectors to force air over the glass as an air windshield wiper of sorts.

The cone housing would help stabilize the camera in the wind, add weight and protect the camera.

If the whole thing that is free spinning is heavy enough and has some bushings/bearings that are somewhat tight it would help reduce the flapping. Maybe something that would take at least 60 mph winds to turn....

 

[Kem Poyner]

devise

I thought about the remote R/C turning idea. I fly giant scale airplanes in IMAC competitions and have tons of servos and receivers laying around. The problem is I would need to transmit video image to a monitor to know the camera is pointing towards the tornado. Since there is a good chance I will lose the whole devise, i wanted to keep it cheap and simple.
Maybe I will just put some tension on the turning shaft and hope it doesn't wobble too much.
I like the wind deflection/visor idea to keep the plexiglass clean.

 

[D. Hayes]

I think if you used the above image design. made the strong box big enough for the camera to spin inside the box, then used a slip clutch to allow the camera to move with the vane but not rapidly back and forth then you might have a better design. That is if you understand what I mean.

 

[Chris Rice]

Here's a shot I took of a probe the DOW crew deploys...

 

[Kem Poyner]

I plan on using the base of an old barber chair. The two handles on that base of the DOW probe looks like a must.