Whenever I can, I like to tether my camera to my computer so I can see the shots on a real monitor. One night trying to do some star track shots I wanted to tether my camera, but had no where to put my computer... until now! I checked out this 'ible, but wanted something a little more engineered for my big, heavy laptop. Using mostly recycled materials, I made a platform which can be connected to a tripod mount (3/8ths in screw) or a camera mount (1/4 20 screw) and two clamps, one on either side, to hold the computer down.
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For the base material I used some MDF type board from an old picture frame. Since it was less than a 1/4in thick I had to use multiple layers of this, adding up to about 3 square feet (this area will depend on the footprint of your laptop). I used a small 3in x 8in steel plate (less than 1/8th in thick) for the mounting plate and 4 small wood screws to attach it. For the clamps, I used two small knobs, some 1/4-20 threaded rod, 2 1/4-20 nuts, and 4in of shower door framing (for the clamp frame). A thin piece of foam protects the computer from the clamp. The clamps are connected to the base of the stand with two 1/4-20 tee nuts. Finally, a short piece of 1/4-20 threaded rod and short piece of 3/8th in threaded rod are used to store the two mounting wing nuts, one 1/4-20 wing nut for the standard camera mount and a 3/8th in wing nut for tripod mounts. Just to avoid any confusion, let me clarify that most tripods use the 1/4-20 standard and connect directly into a camera. However, for some tripods that you can change the head on, a 3/8ths in thread is used to connect the head to the tripod base.
Heres the summary of items to get-
Heres the summary of items to get-
- Baseboard
- steel mounting plate
- 4 small wood screws to attach steel plate
- 2 knobs
- threaded 1/4-20 rod (or just hack a long bolt)- about 4in long
- 2 1/4 20 nuts
- 3/8ths in threaded rod (or just hack part of a bolt- about 1 in long
- Some U shaped extruded aluminium for the clamp frame ( size will depend on laptop thickness
- A little bit of thin foam to pad the clamp
- Drill and a set of bits (up to 1/2in) for metal and wood
- 1 1/2in and 1 1/4in hole saws
- Angle grinder (for metal)
- Clamps (the more the better)
- Wood glue
- Epoxy
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If you have a tripod with a quick release mount then you could machine a replica mount to be permanently and securely fixed to the baseboard. That would make for easier assembly.
Another thought - if the laptop is going to be clamped to a foam mat it may be worth having some ventilation holes in the baseboard and mat that match up with those in the laptop.
Me too!