The better swing arm camera mount

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I saw an Ikea swing arm lamp converted into a camera mount and realized I could go one step better and make a more flexible combination lamp / camera mount.

A camera you can position wherever you want over your worktable is very useful for documenting your projects or streaming video for a live demonstration. It’s easy to add a tripod mount to a swing arm lamp without affecting the lamp’s normal operation.

This setup is suitable for small digital camera or a webcam with a standard tripod socket.

Materials -

I picked up a swing arm lamp with magnifying glass at a yard sale for $5. Typically these units retail for about $15 new.

A 1/4"-20 bolt, about 1.5 inches long.
A 1/4"-20 nut.
A 1/4"-20 free spinning washer nut.

The hardware is available at any decent hardware store for about $1.50.

Step 1

Use something sharp to make a small hole on the lamp’s plastic case in a suitable place. Use a drill with a 1/4 inch bit to make the final hole. Clean any burrs out the hole.

A suitable place is place which won’t interfere with the light or magnifying glass. After my first experiments I realized it would be better to mount the camera on the side of the lamp which faces the back of the desk (e.g. away from you).