Introduction: Easy, Hanging Camera Mount

Hello!

This is a very easy to make camera mount, constructed out of basic materials.

Also, please vote for me in the contests (near the top right hand corner of the page)

Tools:

  • Drill
  • Saw

Materials:

  • Screw
  • Nut
  • Branch
  • String/Rope
  • Weight (Water Bottle)
  • U Nails

Step 1: Collecting Materials

Most of these materials can be collected in any shape or form. The only materials which matter is the screw and nut, as the screw has to fit into your camera and the nut has to fit the screw.

You also want to drill a hole smaller than the screw so that you can make a thread in the wood, whilst if you have a small screw, you will need a second drill bit which is bigger than the width of the entire screw, so that it doesn't matter how long the screw is, as you can make the whole screw fit part way through the branch.

The size and shape of the branch don't matter but I found a nice straight one about 1 inch (3 cm) thick.

I also found some strong string which should work well.

Step 2: Transforming the Stick

  1. Start by drilling a hole through the wood (it doesn't matter where)
  2. Place the screw through the hole and attach the nut
  3. Cut the wood to a desired length
    • Mine is about 16 cm long with the screw in the middle (roughly 6 inches)
  4. Attach string
    • You can attach as many pieces as you want and place them wherever, with each piece as long as you want
    • The minimum amount is two (one on each side of the screw)
    • However, 3-5 pieces is the desired amount, as it allows for more adjustments (e.g. x, y and z axis)
    • The length doesn't really matter but each of my pieces is about 50 cm (roughly 19 inches)
    • You can tie them however you like, as long as they are tight

Step 3: Counterbalance

This isn't necessary, especially if you have five pieces of string but I thought it would be handy.

  • I used a water bottle as you can easily empty it at take it off (and I had one lying around)
  • I hammered a U nail into each end of the piece of wood around where the center was, however I made them perpendicular to each other (for no reason imparticular)
  • I then attached a piece of string to the top of the drink bottle (just with a knot) before going UP trough one U nail, across the top of the stick (where the screw is coming out) and DOWN/ACROSS through the other U nail.
  • Then attach the string to the top of the drink bottle again

Due to friction, you should be able to move the string through the nails to may the camera level with the ground or at another angle, depending on how tight your string is

However the camera may still want to roll forwards or backwards depending on it's center of balance. Therefore it is handy to place the camera on, then attach as string from the stick backwards from the camera to another point

OR ELSE you could place the camera on the stick upside down, so it balances itself.

Step 4: Tie Down and Modifications

To tie each rope of and maintain a tense piece of string I recommend using a tautline hitch to a tree or somewhere else.

THUS, allowing you to make a camera mount almost anywhere!!!

However you could attach clips to the end of the string to make it easy or use some bingy cord/stretchty cord for cool effects.

To make a moving camera system you could get a really long piece of string and throw it over a high branch and then pull the camera up. To make a horizontal camera system one string (attached to the mount) could go around one branch and another piece of string (also attached) could go around another branch and the ends of the string could then be tied together.

THANKS!!!

and please vote,

The Not Very Good Maker