Introduction: Shoulder Rig for DSLR & Camcorders

Does your hand shake ?
Are your friends seasick while watching your home video's ?
Here a cheap,  very easy to build handheld shoulder rig for DSLR and camcorders.
Today's camcorders are very light, and many people shake after 2 minutes of filming.
This DIY rig helps to steady a DSLR or camcorder, so you can walk & film at the same time. 
All parts are easily obtainable, and some "harder to find parts", can be substituted for.
As you can see, I love to repurpose objects.
Estimated cost of the rig is between 15 US$ to 20 US$.

Step 1: List of Parts

1) Yellow Panel Carry Handle made by Stanley ref # 93-301
2) A 90* bracket (70 x 70 x 55 x2.5mm)
3) Pool swimming noodle, (can be substituted by padding foam or cotton rag)
4) Scrap piece of wood
5) a 1/4"  camera screw.

For shoulder piece I use a Yellow Panel Carry Handle made by Stanley.
Ref; Stanley 93-301 14-Inch Yellow Panel Carry Handle.
It can be bought at ACE ,Home Depot and many other stores. (Amazon too)
I bought mine in Belgium, at Brico,where it is sold under their own label.
As a shoulder pad, I use a short piece of pool noodle, but this can be substituded.
To the shoulder base, I bolted a scrap piece of wood.
To the wood, I bolted a 90* metal bracket.
One of the holes of the metal bracket has to be widened.
Building this rig is very simple, parts are easy to find and cheap to buy.

Step 2: Shoulder Pad

As a shoulder pad, I use a short piece of pool noodle
The Yellow Panel Carry  Handle has a few notches at its wider side.
Press the pool noodle against the notches, to mark it.
Use a permanent marker to draw where you are going to cut.
With a sharp cutter knife, cut the noodle.

Step 3: The Metal Bracket

Here you have a few options , just find out which will work best for you.
This metal bracket is a leftover from an old hands-free car phone.
I'll paint the shoulder rig black, it will look better.

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