machine_punk
Well-known member
After posting my first project, I decided I needed a better way to keep the camera ready for recording my progress, so I can show my projects to everyone in the Garage Journal. I use a VERY small digital camera, made by Sony. I've carried this camera with me all over the world and I like having a small camera with me to take pictures of things which interest me. I also use a digital video camera by Sony. It records high definition video straight to a memory card.
For portability, I like the little 'grip everything' tripods, like the blue and black one below, but they are 'just one more thing on the bench' while I am trying to work.
View media item 11688
Unfortunately, that picture above was taken with my cell phone, because my digital still camera and digital video cameras are the stars of this thread and it is hard for a camera to take a picture of itself.
So, I needed something to hold the camera at any angle, to take pictures while working on my projects. A regular camera tripod is the easy answer, but I wanted something a little more versatile (and I wanted an excuse to build something!)
Here are my basic requirements. It had to hold two cameras (both the digital still and video cameras), so I don't have to do a lot of swapping cameras in the middle of a project. It had to be fully adjustable. It had to hold the cameras in nearly any position to record projects in my shop, including 'looking over my shoulder' and looking straight down from the top. It had to be easy to move out of the way and easy to adjust. Oh, and it had to be made of aluminum and solid rivets.
I usually work in aluminum and solid rivets. Why? I like the look of solid rivets and I like the challenge of making rivets work in situations where others would choose a different joining method.
The digital still camera I use is so small, it will not fit the normal thread for camera tripods and brackets, which is 1/4-20. It comes with a special adapter, which has the 1/4-20 threaded hole on the bottom and screws into a smaller hole on the camera above. I like the curve of this adapter, so I decided to integrate that shape into my camera bracket.
Here is the aluminum sheet and angle stock I chose for this project.
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I have rough cut all the stock to nearly the correct length and width.
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All of the layout lines are complete and ready for final fabrication.
View media item 11669
I reached most of the final dimensions with a bench belt sander, but that won't do inside curves, so I roughed out the inside curve with an air saw (I don't like using the guard...it just scratches up the metal you are working on). This is the heavy duty Ingersol Rand air saw and I highly recommend it! I finished the inside curve by hand with files and sandpaper. I know there are better and faster ways...I just don't own them (YET).
View media item 11670
Here are all of the parts in their final shape, with the location of the holes center punched and ready for drilling.
View media item 11671
The holes are now drilled and all the fasteners are ready for final assembly. I cut the rivets here to their correct length. It is vital that your rivet sticks out just about 1.5 times the diameter of the rivet, which gives you enough material to grip solidly, without too much sticking out. There are a few hardware store parts here, including the black plastic handle, the nylon washers, and the brass screws and wing nuts for holding the cameras in place.
View media item 11672
The carriage bolt for the tilt mechanism needs a square hole, which I created by drilling a hole and filing in the corners by hand. I had originally planned to put a rubber grommet at this joint, but it holds well enough with just the aluminum-against-aluminum surfaces.
View media item 11673
Several views of the piece in final mockup...using clecos to hold everything together for final fitting...
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A couple more views, with the solid rivets in place...
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A picture of the final product, with cameras in place. This was also taken with my cell phone, since the cameras were busy being the stars of the show...
View media item 11687
A picture of the final product, with the digital still camera adapter and the video camera in place. The are mounted on the boom of a microphone stand--something I have a few of around the house. This will let the camera 'look over my shoulder,' or look straight down at the bench...both things which would be difficult with a standard camera tripod. I used the nylon washers on the joint where the dual camera mount attaches to the microphone boom, so I can pan the camera smoothly, without loosening the mounting nut.
View media item 11692
A few better pictures of the final product, taken with the camera this time...
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View media item 11681
There you have it...the project I completed this weekend. Now that I have a better way to hold my camera, I plan to start on a thread called, "Solid Rivets 101." Then, I'll get a thread going for my garage, which I have chosen to call The Aerodrome Studio.
Kev
For portability, I like the little 'grip everything' tripods, like the blue and black one below, but they are 'just one more thing on the bench' while I am trying to work.
View media item 11688
Unfortunately, that picture above was taken with my cell phone, because my digital still camera and digital video cameras are the stars of this thread and it is hard for a camera to take a picture of itself.
So, I needed something to hold the camera at any angle, to take pictures while working on my projects. A regular camera tripod is the easy answer, but I wanted something a little more versatile (and I wanted an excuse to build something!)
Here are my basic requirements. It had to hold two cameras (both the digital still and video cameras), so I don't have to do a lot of swapping cameras in the middle of a project. It had to be fully adjustable. It had to hold the cameras in nearly any position to record projects in my shop, including 'looking over my shoulder' and looking straight down from the top. It had to be easy to move out of the way and easy to adjust. Oh, and it had to be made of aluminum and solid rivets.
I usually work in aluminum and solid rivets. Why? I like the look of solid rivets and I like the challenge of making rivets work in situations where others would choose a different joining method.
The digital still camera I use is so small, it will not fit the normal thread for camera tripods and brackets, which is 1/4-20. It comes with a special adapter, which has the 1/4-20 threaded hole on the bottom and screws into a smaller hole on the camera above. I like the curve of this adapter, so I decided to integrate that shape into my camera bracket.
Here is the aluminum sheet and angle stock I chose for this project.
View media item 11667
I have rough cut all the stock to nearly the correct length and width.
View media item 11668
All of the layout lines are complete and ready for final fabrication.
View media item 11669
I reached most of the final dimensions with a bench belt sander, but that won't do inside curves, so I roughed out the inside curve with an air saw (I don't like using the guard...it just scratches up the metal you are working on). This is the heavy duty Ingersol Rand air saw and I highly recommend it! I finished the inside curve by hand with files and sandpaper. I know there are better and faster ways...I just don't own them (YET).
View media item 11670
Here are all of the parts in their final shape, with the location of the holes center punched and ready for drilling.
View media item 11671
The holes are now drilled and all the fasteners are ready for final assembly. I cut the rivets here to their correct length. It is vital that your rivet sticks out just about 1.5 times the diameter of the rivet, which gives you enough material to grip solidly, without too much sticking out. There are a few hardware store parts here, including the black plastic handle, the nylon washers, and the brass screws and wing nuts for holding the cameras in place.
View media item 11672
The carriage bolt for the tilt mechanism needs a square hole, which I created by drilling a hole and filing in the corners by hand. I had originally planned to put a rubber grommet at this joint, but it holds well enough with just the aluminum-against-aluminum surfaces.
View media item 11673
Several views of the piece in final mockup...using clecos to hold everything together for final fitting...
View media item 11674
View media item 11675
View media item 11676
A couple more views, with the solid rivets in place...
View media item 11683
View media item 11684
A picture of the final product, with cameras in place. This was also taken with my cell phone, since the cameras were busy being the stars of the show...
View media item 11687
A picture of the final product, with the digital still camera adapter and the video camera in place. The are mounted on the boom of a microphone stand--something I have a few of around the house. This will let the camera 'look over my shoulder,' or look straight down at the bench...both things which would be difficult with a standard camera tripod. I used the nylon washers on the joint where the dual camera mount attaches to the microphone boom, so I can pan the camera smoothly, without loosening the mounting nut.
View media item 11692
A few better pictures of the final product, taken with the camera this time...
View media item 11677
View media item 11678
View media item 11679
View media item 11680
View media item 11681
There you have it...the project I completed this weekend. Now that I have a better way to hold my camera, I plan to start on a thread called, "Solid Rivets 101." Then, I'll get a thread going for my garage, which I have chosen to call The Aerodrome Studio.
Kev
