1)   If using our Light Weight Tripod or DV Column, the Porta-Jib must be equipped with either our Light Weight Tripod Base or our DV Column Base. Drop the Main Center Assembly into the Tripod or Column opening and secure by tightening the 3 Kipp Levers. Skip instructions 2 and 3 and proceed to step 4.

2)   For Jibs using the Mitchell or 150mm Base, the tie down assembly (1) consists of a 3/8-16 threaded rod (1a), a washer (1b), and a threaded knob (1c). Thread the 3/8-16 rod (1a) into the base of the Main Center Assembly (2). No tools required, finger tight is enough.

(Note: some confusion occurs with customers who are used to seeing the tie-down assembly of a fluid head as a fixed assembly where the 3/8-16 threaded rod is pinned into the knob. They are accustomed to mounting the bolt into the bottom of their fluid head by turning the entire assembly of knob, washer, and threaded rod. Our system does not work this way. If the threaded rod is in our knob, turning the knob does not turn the rod. One may think he is securing the Main Center Assembly to the tripod or dolly, when in fact he may only engage a thread or two for his efforts. This mistake can be very dangerous.)
To repeat: thread the independent 3/8-16 rod (1a) into the base of the Porta-Jib's Main Center Assembly (2).

3)   Position the Main Center Assembly (2) onto the Mitchell plate (or 150mm bowl if you have a 150mm based Porta-Jib) of your tripod or dolly. (Note: the Boom Lock Arm (11) will be pivoting freely as you handle the Main center assembly. Avoid pinching fingers.) From below the Mitchell plate, connect with the 3" washer (1b) and tie down knob (1c).

4)   Check the bubble level on the Main Center Assembly, and level the tripod accordingly. It is much easier to adjust it now, rather than later after the jib is built.

5)   Locate the 3" diameter Main Tube (3), 1 Through-Pin (4), and 1 MainTube Clamp (5). Place the Clamp on one end of the Main Tube between the through-holes and the end of the tube. Slide the Main Tube onto the Main Center Assembly's pivoting 3" post, and secure with the Through-Pin. (Note: depress the button of the Through-Pin when inserting or removing to retract the ball ends.) Tighten the MainTube Clamp.

6)   Locate the 1" diameter Secondary Arm (6), and the 2 Nylon-tipped Locking Knobs (7). (Notice that the Secondary Arm is two pieces threaded together. This allows you to change the overall length of the arm, which is used to level the front plate.) Attach the 1" Diameter Secondary Arm to the 1" pivoting post of the Main Center Assembly and secure with a Nylon-tipped Locking Knob.

7)   Locate the Main Front Assembly (8), 1 MainTube Clamp (5), and 1 Through-Pin (4). Slide the Tube Clamp onto the end of 3" Main Tube. Slide the pivoting 3" Post of Main Front Assembly into the 3" Main Tube, and secure with the Through-Pin. Tighten the Tube Clamp.

8)   Connect the 1" diameter Secondary Arm (6) to the Main Front Assembly's pivoting 1" post and secure with a Nylon tipped Locking Knob (7).

At this point you are temporarily finished with the front section of the Porta-Jib. You will adjust the length of the Secondary Arm after you have added your pan-tilt head and camera.

9)   Locate the 1.5" Steel Weight Bar (9) and Locking Knob (10) (which looks similar to the secondary arm's lock, but is longer and has no nylon tip. Also notice that one end of the weight bar is threaded to receive the safety cap (16). This end will be the back end of the Jib.)

10) Slide the non-threaded end of the 1.5" Steel Weight Bar (9) through the Boom Lock (11), and then into the Main Center Assembly's 3" diameter pivoting post. Line up the 3/8-16 threaded hole on the Steel Weight Bar with the through hole on the pivoting post. Lock Weight Bar into place by threading in the Locking Knob (10).

Position the cylindrical portion to the 1.5" Steel Weight Bar approximately 2" down the Bar. Before locking it onto the Steel Weight Bar. First tighten the boom lock knob (star shape) to make sure the cylinder is perpendicular to the boom lock arm. Now tighten the cylindrical clamp to the Steel Weight Bar. During operation, the star knob is unlocked, which lets the arm slides up and down its channel. Warning: If the cylinder lock is not clamped tightly on the Steel Weight Bar, the following occurs: As you lock the star knob, which should act as the boom lock, the cylinder incorrectly slides up and down the Steel Bar; and, therefore, you will have no lock. Be sure that you have firmly secured the cylindrical clamp onto the steel weight bar so that it cannot slide.

11) Slide the Tuning Weight (12) onto the 1.5" Steel Weight Bar (9) and lock it down (anywhere along the shaft is fine for the moment).

12) Attach Weight Shaft Coupler (13) to the end of 1.5" Steel Weight Bar (9) by threading in the Vector Bar (14).

13) Thread the two Threaded Weight Shafts (15) into the Weight Shaft Coupler (13).

14) Thread the Safety Cap (17) into the end of the 1.5" Steel Weight Bar.

This completes the basic assembly. You are now ready to add your pan-tilt head and camera to the front and the counterweights to the back, and to fine tune the set up.

15) If adding a lightweight camera and head, under 25 lbs., rotate the Porta-Jib so that the front arm is parallel to one of the tripod legs to minimize chance of tipping. For heavier cameras, bring the front of the Jib down onto a camera case or some object that will carry the weight of the camera and fluid head until you have added the appropriate amount of counter weight.

16) Mount your fluid head to Front Plate receptacle (100mm, 150mm, Mitchell).

(Note: 100mm and 150mm and Mitchell inserts can be removed and reinstalled downward if desired for underslung heads with these bases. Helpful hint: a Weaver-Steadman head will not pan 360 degrees unless a Mitchell-to-Mitchell 6" riser is used to let it clear the front support of the Porta-Jib.)

17) Make sure Boom Lock is unlocked. Add the appropriate amount of counterweight to balance the jib in a horizontal position. Add threaded Weight Bar Locks (17) to secure weights. Use the Tuning Weight for fine tuning the balance.

18) After the jib has been balanced horizontally, remove some of the weight from the weight bars and transfer it to the Vector Bar. The amount needed is usually no more than 5 or 10 lbs. for a light weight camera, but may be as much as 1/3 of the overall weight for heavier cameras.

The Vector Bar gives the jib more stability in coming to a stop. Without it, the jib will want to seek its original balancing point, requiring the operator to apply force to overcome this inertia. With the Vector system, a small amount of weight is tilting forward or backwards when it is not horizontal, thereby countering the inertia. It works as if you were automatically moving the tuning weight. This is why it is important to begin your balancing in the horizontal position, before transferring weight to the Vector Bar.

19) Check the bubble level on the front plate. Tighten the Boom Lock (11). Loosen the Locking Knob (7) of the front of the Secondary Arm a quarter turn. Adjust the level as needed by threading in or out the Secondary Arm (6). (To relieve the pressure on the threads, have someone assist you by supporting the weight of the camera. If you also need a slight adjustment side-to-side, it means that the front is being affected by the way in which the through pins were positioned in the 3" Main Tube. The outer hole for the through pins is elongated to aid alignment, but this can sometimes cause the front plate to be slightly off-level. Simply loosen the two Main Tube Clamps, tweak the front plate until level, and then re-tighten Tube Clamps.)

20) Fine tune the amount of desired Boom Drag and Pan Drag.
Warning! The boom drag feature only works properly with our Light Weight Tripod Base, our DV Base, or our Mitchell Base. If you have a Porta-Jib with a 150mm Base you will not have a pin locking into a key-way as you would with the Mitchell Base, nor the Kipp Lever locks of the LWTB or DVB. Consequently, if you apply an amount of Boom drag and then boom the jib counter-clockwise you may begin to unthread the jib's tie-down assembly. This could become very dangerous. Jibs with 150mm bases should use this knob for Pan Lock only, not for drag.

Extension Kit Users -- We recommend no more than 45 lbs. of camera and fluid head weight when using 36" Extension . Mount the extension kit's secondary arm to the Main assembly first, then extend by connecting the normal secondary arm. If you reverse these arms, the level adjusting mechanism will not be at the front of the jib where it needs to be. Be aware that you will need about 30 lbs. to balance the additional front leverage, and the extension changes the weight ratio from approximately 1:1 to 2:1. Be sure to anticipate enough counter weight.