The simplest tripod is made from rope and bolt. Please note that the bolt is needed with an inch thread (we have a metric thread), it is not everywhere, but if you wish, you can find it, some even make it for 50 rubles to order. I think every photographer should have such a device in their bag. I used to have a problem with the rope, it was constantly getting tangled, and I found a solution to this problem that ensures that you will always be comfortable using a homemade tripod and you will not look stupid when untangling the rope.
Stage 1: Materials and tools
You will need the following materials:
- Ordinary elastic band, 1 piece
- Ordinary rope (nylon), 3-3.5 meters
- Piece of plywood 80x40 mm and 9 mm thick, 1 piece
- 1/4 inch bolt, 37 mm long, 1 pc
You will need the following tool:
- Drill with a diameter of 7 mm, 1 piece
- Drill or screwdriver
- Socket head or wrench (for bolt), 1 piece
- Sandpaper
- A hammer
- Scissors
Stage 2: Stencil for the "winder"
We print a stencil and cut it out of paper.
We check if the bolt fits to the camera mount and how deep it can be screwed there. We make a mark on the bolt to where it spun. We attach it to the stencil and check if the size of the winder is suitable. The head of the bolt should stick out a couple of millimeters.
After that, you can transfer our stencil to the plywood.
So that you do not have to redo the drawing or adjust the picture for printing so that the scale is 1 to 1, I attach a pdf file with a stencil drawing.
trafaret.pdf
Stage 3: Making a "winder"
We cut out the "coiler" from plywood, drill a hole (diameter 7 mm), make slots for the rope.
I had the opportunity to do all the work on the machines, but all operations are quite feasible with a hand tool. The only thing is that you still need a vice for drilling, and the cuts can be made with a file.
After that, we carefully grind our product using a sanding cloth, but we want the tripod to be smooth and pleasant to the touch.
Stage 4: Securing the Rope
From the side of the slot for the bolt head, we stretch both ends of the rope and place them in the specially prepared slots. We insert the bolt into the hole to fix the ropes, it should fit tightly there. We cut off the excess ends of the ropes, and singe the short ends with a lighter. When they melt, they will sit tightly in the slots.
Step 5: The tripod is ready
We put on an elastic band so that the rope does not get tangled while the tripod is in the bag.
Congratulations, you did it. It's time to try the tripod!
Most cameras have a typical tripod mount, but it's still best to find the exact information before looking for the correct bolt.
I was very pleased with this DIY tripod, it helps to avoid the negative effect of shaking hands, especially if you set the self-timer and watch through the display.