This instructable shows you how to make a saddle to hold your iPhone steady on a tripod in one afternoon.

Additional Images added Jan 2012..

All but one picture in this ible was taken using the iPhone and emailed to my
account.

Be sure to look at the last picture in full detail, not bad for an iPhone.

Step 1: What Do You Need

Tools you need to do this fast and easy are arranged in order of Ferocity.
Don't worry you can make do without the power tools,
except for a hand-drill, heat-tape and shrink tube blowgun.

Table or radial arm saw.
A band saw
A drill press
A bench vice
A hot air hand blower
Electric heat tape
An assortment of hand files
A hand hack saw
A strong spring clamp
A #7 drill bit 13/64"
A 1/4" x 20 Tap and Tap wrench
A tape measure and red felt pen

Materials you will need.

A small piece of 3/8" thick acrylic-plexiglass-sheet 3" by 5".
An object to simulate the iPhone thickness with the case you use
I used the shoe (1/4 x 20 thread) for my tripod

Step 2: Select and Cut a 3/8" Thick Plexiglass

Pulling a piece of 3/8" acrylic plexiglass, see pic_2.
Cut a 3" wide segment using any saw method available.
Cut that into two 4¾" and 5" long using any saw.
Mark an use the 5" piece.
Mark the edges also, helps to align the heat-tape.

In this step I confused which piece I was using.
These things happen to me now and then.

Step 3: Heat Bending the Glass

Plexiglass even 3/8" Acrylic is heat bendable.
Pic 2, see the heating set up on the unrelated projects bench.
Pic 3, note the slightly off center red lines for aligning the heat-tape.
Pic 4, see the application of the heat-tape to both sides of the acrylic sandwiched between wood with a weight canister holding it in place.
Pic 5, is another view
Pic 6, when everything is properly set plug the heat-tape in for 20 min.

Step 4: Bending

Using a welding glove bend the plex around the iphone thickness simulator.
Placing it into the the vice and heating it with the heat-shrink gun while pulling
it tighter with the vise.

Important Heating Note

Always keep the heat nozzle moving back and forth.
Heat both sides of the bend to make it square.
Don't spend more then 20% of your time on the center.

When the saddle sides become parallel or nearly so.
Using a welding glove place the plex assembly into the vise horizontally and
use the vice to push the iphone thickness simulator as seen in the third pic.
Apply the clamp and allow the saddle to cool down to touch temperature.

After an hour of cooling to touch temperature,
you should have an item as in the fourth picture.
Notice the uneven ends an interesting fortuitous error
which makes it easier to insert the iPhone into the saddle.

Now you can drill a #7 ( 13/64" ) shoe mounting hole.
If you don't have a drill press, use a hand drill.

Step 5: Cut and Tap It

First outline your next cuts by looking through the plastic at your iPhone.

Make your cuts through both sides of the acrylic at the same time.
The material is thick enough to easily do this.

Now is a great time to use the tap and make the ¼ 20 threaded
hole for attaching the tripod slide in shoe as the pics show.

Step 6: Using the Saddle

See the iPhone in the saddle.

See the saddle mounted in the tripod.

See the iPhone taking a pic of flowers.

Step 7: Steady 10 Meg Saddled IPhone Picture

Actually it is a 9.61Meg cropped pic to meet Instructables 10 Meg Upload Limit.

The point is I Could NOT handle the picture steady enough by myself !!!

"Great and dandy" you say "but why did I make this iPhoneSaddle ?"

Well I needed a very steady platform to capture the images of my next ible
about a couple of magnetic pennies for Burning Man.

Step 8: Short 6" Tripod Works Too ! !

Self portrait through mirror sees the small tripod.

And a better view of the but blurry of the legs folded for hand work.

The last pic demonstrates how to use the amazing tripod brace
to get those rock steady pictures
Just hold your breath :-D

And look at these two ibles to see this saddle in action,
LUCKY PENNY FOR YOU
and SOOT have fun ;-D