DIY R-STRAP

Intro: DIY R-STRAP

Having seen this new R-Strap device on the market, I took it upon myself to make an effective DIY version for as little as money as possible. Two reasons ran the making of this

1.) I'm a DIYer
2.) I don't want to dish out $50USD then have it shipped to Canada.

The strap is supposed to help with being able to retrieve your camera quickly for taking pictures without the strap getting in your way. Also it helps relieve the strain of carrying the camera around your neck for long periods of time.

STEP 1: Materials & Step 1

Materials:

- Nylon luggage strap: $0.99
- Grommet Kit: $2.99
- Table/Chair Leg adjuster: $1.99
- Neck.Shoulder Strap: FREE (took one from an old laptop bag I threw out)


Step 1:

- The first step that I took was to cut a piece of Nylon from the luggage tag, it was about 2 1/2 inches in length. I burnt/singed the ends of the nylon with a lighter to prevent fraying.

STEP 2: Strap Creation

To finish creating the strap, I next scored a small hole on each side of the Nylon and attached the grommets I had purchased. This made for a strong attachment area for the Neck/Shoulder strap.

STEP 3: Completion

Put it all together and you get a fairly decent DIY version of the $50 R-Strap. I have seen other DIY version of this, but for the most part they have an L-Bracket or such sticking off of the end that could dig into your side, I found that this design was very easy to create and did not jab me in the side as I was using the camera.

A Final note on the Neck/Shoulder strap, you can obtain one from pretty much anywhere I have even heard of people using Guitar Straps, the best ones have a little bit of length that allows the camera to hang down around your hip as it is the easiest location to grab it from.

Have Fun!

Comments

[Kendoway]

So where can I find the "Table/Chair Leg adjuster: $1.99"?

I have no idea where to look.

[kellythorn]

Hi all,

Nice work the bunch of you.

The bottom of camera's all have a 1/4 inch, 20 threads per inch female fitting.  Not everyone realizes this, so the word is out now.  Turns out this is the only imperial or non-metric size thread on a camera.

[TheDangsAllHere]

Nice strap dude. I went to strapworks.com and got pretty much everything I needed for about $11. They have some quality stuff. As for the camera mount, went to home depot and got a 1/4" - 20 eye bolt, 1/4" wing nut, and a 1/4" washer to distribute the load. Works just like the R-Strap sans the fake shutter noises.

[okelay]

I just made it from stuff I found around the house and it works great! thanks! it was a very good tutorial

[helifino]

I picked up all the materials (new) to make this at my local outdoor fabric store for less than $15, all of my other straps being used for their intended purpose. RE the sliding issue - instead of attaching clips to each end, I attached a belt clasp, with the d-ring of the clip riding free on the strap. The far end wasn't sewn, just looped backward through the friction adjuster to hide the end. I must say, though, nice use of the furniture adjuster - I hadn't known that the thread was the same.

[amyles]

Nice to see it worked well for you too! My new revision is very similar to what you have described, as it properly slides up and down the strap! Thanks for the comments!

[jdtwelve12]

Great Instructable. I built this last night, and am really pleased with the results. A few tips, based on my experience: 1. I used a thick and rigid piece of nylon webbing for the main piece. It was nearly impossible to cut holes for the grommets until I fitted the grommet kit's hole cutter into my cordless drill. I was able to clean up the few frayed ends with a lighter. This gave me nice, clean holes for the grommets. 2. I used smaller grommets than those pictured here. The smaller size fit perfectly around the 1/4" shaft of the furniture leveler, resulting in no wiggle. 3. I used two grommets rather than one to attach the shoulder strap. Mostly for aesthetics, but it also gives a little more stability in the use. One concern: I'm a little anxious about suspending my SLR from just a single attachment point. Also, I wonder about the swing of the camera (from walking, say)loosening the fastener.

[amyles]

definitely good additions to the instructable. I am actually working on a REV 2 that resembles the original R-STRAP closer than this version, but it requires more work, and this one was quick to do. As for suspending your camera from a single attachment point, I have not had a problem using it non-stop over the past few weeks. As well a single attachment point is exactly what the actual R-STRAP uses, so we're keeping with the same idea here.

[RadBear]

I hate to be a jerk but advertising your ible on someone else's when it doesn't realte is kind of in poor taste.

[camb00]

Well im sorry if it offended you in in way the you felt the urge to post a comment Oh yeah thanks for the view ;)

[RadBear]

You're welcome. Not offended. I've just seen some people get offended when others use thier featured ibles to because they want views.

[camb00]

ok.:P

[eBu]

The one big difference is that the original R-Strap's clip slides on the strap so the camera moves on the strap and the shoulder pad stays put when you lift the camera to your eye. Also doesn't have the strap sawing around your neck each time you lift the camera. This is a good DIY fix to have the camera hung upside-down at your hip which makes for easy grabs. Good thinking!

[amyles]

The next revision is coming soon, and is does incorporate the ring system =)

[ancahe]

I like your idea... thinking about having one..

[caitlinsdad]

Nice! I may make one and just pass the loops of the standard strap with the camera through the bottom grommet or sew a D-ring or keychain ring at the bottom. I suppose you can also sandwich this if you get a longer bolt for a tripod quick-release mount. That would make it extra handy for a quick setup.

[amyles]

Definitely great options for improvement, for the time being I went with the cheapest/quickest route and it works. Thank you for the comments!

[rimar2000]

Good idea, thanks.

[timheppner]

I like it! I will have to make one for myself. Thanks for the instructable :-)

[amyles]

My Pleasure, Have Fun!