Head Rest Camera Mount

Instructions on how to build a camera mount for your car that is positioned inbetween front bucket seats with adjustable headrests with two support rods. (Was that... 1 simple sentence with 5 prepositional phrases?).

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As a warning. A BIG varningslarm :P

In the event of a collision, this has the capability of causing severe personal injury. If you have active headrests, this will likely interfere with their operation. If your bar extends too close to the B pillars, side impact air bag (especially the type built into the seat) operation could be compromised. So please, take note of this.

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I made a similar mount for a friend (this one is for myself). He likes taking pictures of and in his car. Soooo, I'm making him a suitable mount so he can take pictures from a stable location while moving. Long exposure + night time on highway = really cool effect ;)

Step 1 Materials

4 Rubber Coated "C" rings -- not sure on the name, but they have a rubber piece to protect what it wraps around
4 Screws of your choice
4 Nuts to match screws
1 piece of angle iron OR aluminum to span your headrests
1 Screw to fit your camera or swivel mount


Optional: Screw Caps

Comments

[ve2vfd]

As so rightfully mentionned, this is VERY dangerous. Most headrests are designed to bend away in the event of an accident to absorb the blow of a head smacking into them (take it from a guy who rescues people in mangled cars for a living...) Also having both seats attached to each other is another recipe for disaster, again you are compromising their impact absorbing design. A much safer alternative would be to have the camera held only on the UNUSED passenger side headrest. A few years ago, for a roadtrip I had made a camera holder from a 12in gooseneck (from an old desk lamp), with a C-Clamp at one end, and a screw that fits the camera on the other. It's safer AND you can give the camera any angle needed. I clamped it to the passenger headrest. Pat

[ve2vfd]

Here is a quickie photoshop with my suggested modification... I would trim it, round the ends and put some sort of foam or rubber padding on the ends to avoid impalement in the event of an accident. .

[mbainrot]

To stop the seat from bouncing around (because there are no passengers of course...) i use a non-plastic rope to lash the seat to the child restraint anchor in my old car. It stops the seat from vibrating to a point where the video stabliser found in most video cameras can remove all shake)

Working on one for my new car which will clamp onto the back passenger seat, be lashed to the child restraints to stop it from going for the windscreen in an accident and counter weights that sit in the cup holders for the rear arm rest.

[Bartboy]

Yes, thats what kipkay did.

[trebuchet03]

That's a very good idea :) Use a thicker bar than I did -- my bar's thickness is 1/6." That will not be stable enough (it will twist and bounce). I sanded my edges, but I think treating them with a nice thick coat of rubber/plastic dip would be much better.

[SirGrok]

What works well is a tripod in the backseat. If you have a nice tripod, it is very easy to do. What I've used is a Manfrotto 3001BPRO. You can kick 2 of its legs out across the back seat, and then leave one leg headed straight down the middle. Weight down the center pole (for stability), and then you are good to go. Works REALLY well.

[zachninme]

Cool! Great documentation, although I would not like to be in the car with that while something is being filmed, because chances are it would be stunt related :P

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Instructions on how to build a camera mount for your car that is positioned inbetween front bucket seats \ with adjustable headrests \ with two support rods. (Was that... 1 simple sentence with 5 prepositional phrases?).
I counted 6 Prep Phrases, but I'm not sure about "on how" 2 verbs, Build and is, but is can be a "helper". So yeah, you are right.

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[trebuchet03]

No, no stunts for several reasons... Mainly -- Insurance Risk | New Tires Are Expensive | I really can't afford a new car | etc. Within a week or two -- you'll see my purpose for it :D

[canida]

It's actually a sentence fragment.

[mrmath]

Nice instructable. It looks very good as well. Definately glad you mentioned the safty issues! Question: What size screw did you use to attach the camera? I'm curious about what the standard size/trhead count is on a camera mount screw.

[trebuchet03]

It's either 1/2-20 or 1/4-20 ;) I think it's the 1/4" one though.