( Smooth-Ride ) Frictionless GoPro Zip Line Rig. Guide.

Materials used:

Broken fishing pole
B.B. gun scope rail mount
2 Eye bolts and a matching Coupler
Flex mount for GoPro
Fishing line
GoPro

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Let’s take into consideration the gopro and its plastic housing weigh around 12 oz. depending on the distance you want the camera to move will depend on the weight capability of the line. 35 to 50 works best if it’s smooth line and not braided, but braided will work.

The pole we will be using must have its laminate still intact on its retaining rings and preferably still straight. The size doesn’t matter and can change according to your project. For example the smaller the shaft that follows the line the faster it will move and the longer the shaft will result in a smooth as warm butter glide.

Counter balances are not really justified for this project as we are trying to reduce the weight of the whole overall package we will be sending down the line. The weight of the camera will supplement just fine.

A proper way to fasten the line that will be traveled is needed in order to move from angle to angle without having to use 1000 yards of line for 2 camera shots. The use of D and O rings will be implemented along with other preventative maintenance precautions for the camera which will be traveling at higher speeds due to the angles used.

I have tinkered with adding a remote horizontal control but have found the line is too thin. A pulley system will work well and is easily adapted to the design.


What you will need :

GoPro and its Housing
Bolts matching the housing to the GoPro
Rail mount for a pellet rifle scope
Fishing Pole Rod
Fishing Line
D & O Rings

Step 2: Assembely of Materials

1. Attach the rail mount to the fishing pole at the poles center of gravity.

2. Attach the eye bolt screws to one another with a coupler and obtain a washer and a nut matched to the bolt in the rail mount.

3. Attach the eyebolts to the rail mount and pole via one of the screws in the rail mount.

4. Obtain GoPro mounting hardware, through bolts and any washers needed to close the spaces between the plastic casing and the metal eye bolts so we don’t break the plastic by tightening the rig together.

5. Connect through bolt to adjoined “smooth ride sled” and GoPro mounting hardware.

Step 3: Testing Your Creation

HAVE FUN !

Step 4: Implementing Your Creation

With thousands of applications the possibilities are limitless with this small compact durable and best of all easily portable to remote locations without worry of hauling an expensive rig up a sixty foot tree canopy just to drop it.

Most fishing rods are fiberglass and are relatively light weight. With the bolts thoroughly tightened you will have no worry of breaking this due to the speeds it can reach. The bridge video has made me start development on a “Smooth-Stop” breaking system using gravity as the main stopping force and wih as little means of mechanical energy being applied into braking.

RHTR - or, the Remote Horizontal Traversment Rig issue actually had higher grades in performance and assembly with a lot less issues than I had expected. With the motor axle housing built adjustable allowing the guide line to be raised, leaving gravitational friction to do most of the gripping along the fishing line literally made it a blessing to build. With a remote control, I was able to move RHTR from left to right along a relatively tight and perfectly straight fishing line. The RHTR is made from parts removed from a 3 channel IR mini helicopter you see flying in the mall with an old school Lego tire to grip the fishing line. In this picture the motors are not in and the groove hasn’t been cut into the center of the tire. This is what happens when you have a  lot in your brain and only 24 hours in a day…