Build a Horizontal Sliding Camera Rig (Analog/Digital)

The inspiration for this project came from watching allot of downhill biking videos , and wondering how the amaeture video/photographers got such smooth shots. After some research a tripod mounted sliding camera rig was the source of the videos/pictures. So heres how to build one. It is a relatively cheap project ($20ish) if you have the camera and the tripod.

Step 1: Materials

3 feet of thin wide wood (4x1) (6x1) not sure exactly what my specs were but it was cheap ($1.50)
6 feet of pvc pipe (.75") (or if your local harware store is sold out and has been for 2 month 3/4 inch wooden dowel)
4 pvc T connectors (cut off on the top of the T is best as it allows for easy detachment)
handful of screws
4 caps for the T connectors
A piece of wood about 6"x4" (or just 4x4 if you have cut-off T connectors)
a 1/4 inch bolt that will go through the 4x4 piece of wood and still have enough left over to screw into the camera
TOOLS:
drill
saw
1/4 inch drill bit

Step 2: Resize Pvc

If you bought one 6 foot piece of PVC then you need to cut it in half to get 2 three foot lengths. Obviously because I used two three foot wooden dowels I don't have a picture of this, sorry.

Step 3: Secure Sliders to Camera Holder

put the caps into the T connectors and slide two onto one pice of dowwel and two onto the other. place the dowels (and t's) so that they are square to the edge of the tree foot board, and then screw the smaller (4x4) piece to the T connectors.

Step 4: Secure Camera to Slider Module

using a strait edge draw a line from one corner of the4 4x4 to the diagonal corner of the 4x4 to get a big X with the overlap being the center of the 4x4 block. Drill a 1/4 inch hole through the center. Secure the camera by putting the 1/4 inch bolt through the hole and screwing the camera on.

Step 5: Secure Rails and Slider to Base Board

next if you have cut off T connectors you can just screw the PVC/Dowels directly onto the base board (make sure there square). If you have full T connectors first screw the smaller boards that were cut in half earlier (4x2) to both ends of the mail 3 foot board. Next put the dowels into the slider module and square them up with the base board (3'x4"). Then screw the dowel/PVC to the risers on either end (4x2).

Step 6: Secure Base Board to Tripod

My tripod had a convenient bolt that easily held the main board on (drilled hole screwed on), I don't know if this is true of all tripods if it isn't then you'll have t be more creative with your mounting technique.