Introduction: Make Your Own Tripod Stand
A Tripod stand is a very important tool when documenting what you are working on. I discovered this when I got tired of looking for ways to hold my projects in place and take pictures/videos. After searching for long on the internet I could not find any to meet my needs. So I made one, besides this is way cheaper than buying a new one (^^)
Supplies
At least 2 different pipes that fit into each other ( at least one should be PVC)
2 Bottle covers
Some nuts and bolts (4)
One long bolt and a nut
Glue
Others:
Pliers
Saw
Soldering bit
2 Bottle covers
Some nuts and bolts (4)
One long bolt and a nut
Glue
Others:
Pliers
Saw
Soldering bit
Step 1: Making the Head
Cut out two 4cm of the PVC pipe.
Cut straight through them
Use the soldering bit to soften the plastic. by passing it through. Try not to let the soldering bit touch the plastic.
When the plastic is hot enough it should bend easily. Just spread the pipes
Use the soldering bit to make two holes in each pipe to allow free passage of the 0.5cm bolt( made only one hole in the first PVC because my bolt was not long enough - longer would be better).
Before passing the nut in the lower hole of the first PVC, ensure there is a nut on the bolt.
Pass the bolt through both pipes and glue the lower pipe in place.
Take two bottle covers and glue them together. Ensure the two covers together are not wider than the internal diameter of the original PVC pipe.
Make a hole through it to the back along the diameter.
Pass the nut through this too and glue in place. Leave as much space between the cover and the clamp as needed.
Make a hole through the cover close to the center.
Cut straight through them
Use the soldering bit to soften the plastic. by passing it through. Try not to let the soldering bit touch the plastic.
When the plastic is hot enough it should bend easily. Just spread the pipes
Use the soldering bit to make two holes in each pipe to allow free passage of the 0.5cm bolt( made only one hole in the first PVC because my bolt was not long enough - longer would be better).
Before passing the nut in the lower hole of the first PVC, ensure there is a nut on the bolt.
Pass the bolt through both pipes and glue the lower pipe in place.
Take two bottle covers and glue them together. Ensure the two covers together are not wider than the internal diameter of the original PVC pipe.
Make a hole through it to the back along the diameter.
Pass the nut through this too and glue in place. Leave as much space between the cover and the clamp as needed.
Make a hole through the cover close to the center.
Step 2: The Centre Column
Cut out 18cm of the smaller pipe (say pipe A)
Cut out 5cm and 18cm of the larger pipe (say pipe B and C respectively)
Take 'pipe B' and cut a slit large enough to fit the cover made in Step 1 (but not straight through)
Make a hole through it like the hole in the covers, for them to fit.
Take 'pipe A', make holes through one side of it on a straight line downwards, leaving at least 3cm space above.
Pass the upper part of 'pipe A' through 'pipe B'. Do not obstruct the slit you made
Glue it in place
Take 'pipe C' and make one hole up and another set below like 'pipe B'
Pass the rest of 'pipe B' into 'pipe C'
Ensure it moves well
Cut out 5cm and 18cm of the larger pipe (say pipe B and C respectively)
Take 'pipe B' and cut a slit large enough to fit the cover made in Step 1 (but not straight through)
Make a hole through it like the hole in the covers, for them to fit.
Take 'pipe A', make holes through one side of it on a straight line downwards, leaving at least 3cm space above.
Pass the upper part of 'pipe A' through 'pipe B'. Do not obstruct the slit you made
Glue it in place
Take 'pipe C' and make one hole up and another set below like 'pipe B'
Pass the rest of 'pipe B' into 'pipe C'
Ensure it moves well
Step 3: The Legs
Take some PVC
Heat them until they are soft
Straighten them out
Heat them up again
Bend them into a sort of 'u shape' as in the picture
Ensure the part of the 'U' surposped to be curved outwart is cuved inward, sort of like a 'W' or 'M'
Cut out a PVC pipe of 3cm (the larger pipe)
Cut a straight through it on one side.
Heat it up until it is soft (a little)
Just make the internal diameter wider so that it can accommodate 'pipe C' in 'step 2'
Cut out 20cm of the smaller pipe. Cut three.
Make a hole straight through, close to one side (On each).
Also make a hole on the 'W - like' thing made earlier. The hole should be at most 2.5cm far out ( depending on you)
Pass a bolt through the Two parts holes were made earlier in this step and put the nut on the other side.
Do the same for the three
Glue the 'W - stuff' to the 3cm pipe made earlier.
It should look like in the picture.
Heat them until they are soft
Straighten them out
Heat them up again
Bend them into a sort of 'u shape' as in the picture
Ensure the part of the 'U' surposped to be curved outwart is cuved inward, sort of like a 'W' or 'M'
Cut out a PVC pipe of 3cm (the larger pipe)
Cut a straight through it on one side.
Heat it up until it is soft (a little)
Just make the internal diameter wider so that it can accommodate 'pipe C' in 'step 2'
Cut out 20cm of the smaller pipe. Cut three.
Make a hole straight through, close to one side (On each).
Also make a hole on the 'W - like' thing made earlier. The hole should be at most 2.5cm far out ( depending on you)
Pass a bolt through the Two parts holes were made earlier in this step and put the nut on the other side.
Do the same for the three
Glue the 'W - stuff' to the 3cm pipe made earlier.
It should look like in the picture.
Step 4: FINISHING
Pass the column part into the leg part
Find some screws that would fit in the holes on the column
Find bolts and put it through the uppermost column hole and the bottle covers of step 1 and put the nut
Ensure the head now moves on the column
Glue the bottle covers to the bolt ( optional)
Find some screws (2) you can pass through the small holes along the column, this is to regulate length.
Extra:
Find pipes smaller than the small pipes used before
Fold the buttom of the legs a little, so that you can pass longer pipes in the legs that would hold due to friction.
Find some screws that would fit in the holes on the column
Find bolts and put it through the uppermost column hole and the bottle covers of step 1 and put the nut
Ensure the head now moves on the column
Glue the bottle covers to the bolt ( optional)
Find some screws (2) you can pass through the small holes along the column, this is to regulate length.
Extra:
Find pipes smaller than the small pipes used before
Fold the buttom of the legs a little, so that you can pass longer pipes in the legs that would hold due to friction.
Step 5: Tips and Notes
Do not let the soldering bit touch the PVC, the PVC only needs little heat to make it soft
When the PVC is hot, place it on a surface and handle it with tools like pliers.
For the head, I forgot to let it move side ways. It would have made certain things easier including portrait mode on phones. To do this you can glue a nut on the bottle cover hole and screw in the top.
For the legs the 'W-like' part for the legs are made that way so it can fit on the cylindrical shape of the Pipe.
Before starting I measured the height my phone needs to be for a clear picture of something small ( my handwriting) and ensured
* Oh and soon I discovered I don't really need the screws that much, there is more than enough friction.
When the PVC is hot, place it on a surface and handle it with tools like pliers.
For the head, I forgot to let it move side ways. It would have made certain things easier including portrait mode on phones. To do this you can glue a nut on the bottle cover hole and screw in the top.
For the legs the 'W-like' part for the legs are made that way so it can fit on the cylindrical shape of the Pipe.
Before starting I measured the height my phone needs to be for a clear picture of something small ( my handwriting) and ensured
* Oh and soon I discovered I don't really need the screws that much, there is more than enough friction.
Step 6: FINAL REMARKS
I got the idea of using pipes on a YouTube video https://youtu.be/6ew3Iks7PKM. The working mechanism, I got the idea after searching on Google - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/buying-guide/the-tripod-explained. I think this should be about the best homemade tripod stand I have seen ;-)(^^) at least before I made this stuff.
Uses:
Table-top tripod stand
Normal tripod stand
For watching long videos
Phone holder
Selfie stick ( if you can design it more, the column would make a good selfie stick)
Features:
Multiple uses
Adjustable, everything, makes taking different angles easy
Portable - you can easily detach everything and fit it in a bag pack
This so far currently my only complete and working project, I hope you enjoy making it and find it very useful.
Uses:
Table-top tripod stand
Normal tripod stand
For watching long videos
Phone holder
Selfie stick ( if you can design it more, the column would make a good selfie stick)
Features:
Multiple uses
Adjustable, everything, makes taking different angles easy
Portable - you can easily detach everything and fit it in a bag pack
This so far currently my only complete and working project, I hope you enjoy making it and find it very useful.
Participated in the
Build a Tool Contest
