A riff/revise on the DIY steadycam

[Ryan Gilchrest]

Some of you have read about/made a version of the '$14 steadycam' (http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/steadycam/). For those of us long on ideas and short on cash, it's a very useful thing to have. I and one of the photogs here in Macon developed an even easier version using a monopod.

Most places with a photography staff already own a monopod or two, and this modification attaches to the monopod, so you gain a steadycam without ruining your monopod. This version also allows you to extend the monopod, lowering the weight to give you better balance on larger video cameras.

Here's how we did it (consult the plans on the link above for the basic idea, then follow the modifications below). You'll still need the small weight mentioned in those plans, and you will need to drill two holes. However, you'll be drilling holes in wood instead of metal, which is a much easier thing to accomplish with lesser tools.

Go to the hardware store and buy the following:
- A single-bolt rubber-padded repair clamp (http://images.orgill.com/200x200/6409858.jpg) that fits around the monopod. Make sure you choose a size that can be tightened all the way. This will allow you to remove it without taking the monopod apart.
- A solid shaft collar (http://www.lucasindustrial.com/products/shaft_collars_couplings/sol...) that fits as closely as possible the tubing at the bottom of your monopod.
- A extra nut that fits the bolt on the repair clamp.
- A wooden handle or dowel rod at least an 7/8-inch (1-inch is probably better) in diameter and 15 inches long (this will allow you to cut it down to a size comfortable for your needs). If you have a spare broom handle laying around the house, that will work just fine.

Now it's assembly time:
1) Remove the rubber stopper from the bottom of your monopod, slide on the small barbell weight. Use a solid shaft collar to keep it there. Most tighten using a hex wrench, which means you can easily add and remove the weight as needed.
2) Clamp your wood handle firmly in place (a vise or drill press clamp is recommended) and mark the center. Choose a drill bit just a tiny fraction smaller than the bolt on your repair clamp. Drill your hole as deep as the bolt is long. Then drill a shallow hole wide enough to sink the extra nut into. If you drill the hole the right size, the nut will wedge in tightly. If you drill it a bit too wide, you might need to glue it in place. The nut will protect the end of your handle and guide the bolt when you're threading it on.
3) Attach your repair clamp to the monopod, and screw your newly-made handle in place. It will be a bit of chore to thread on the first time because you'll be creating grooves in the wood. It will go on easy after that.

And that's it. You'll probably want to add a few customizations. I used metal tape to reinforce the area of the handle where I drilled the hole. I also put grip tape on my handle, but that was mostly just to make it look a little more professional.