High elevation camera stand

[Tigherland]

Ok folks I'll try to make this as easy as possible. The only thing I ask is this. You can make all the copies of this file if need be. But just give me the credit. That's it!
You can modify this design if need be, but give me the credit. Just remember this is not some companies design. I built this devise in under two hours and without blueprints. It was something that I needed at the time.

I use this design doing portraits of people sitting on the floor so I can get a high elevation with them looking up. But this devise would be great if you came to an airfield and it butted up to a road. You could use this devise to set your camera up and get that photo of the runway over the trees, bushes or fences.

On the items needed, Im not going to get into the tech-no of each size of screw, washers etc. All these items were pick up from Lowe's. All hardware was under $20.00

You are going to need to view the photo's from

http://community.webshots.com/album/553742213ajHFCi?start=24

in order to understand what I'm referring to. Have both sites pulled up to see both pages at once.

Items needed-
=A step latter- In photo it's a 6' but this height is your choice. The taller the more weight and price.
= I had a cheap Wal-Mart tripod that I wasn't using anymore. It cost $20.00.
= Fig 1 shows you the top of what it should look like for this design that I made.
= Fig.4 I made a cross bar from Aluminum angle. I think it was 2" wide. I cut these the length to fit the inside of ladder shown in Fig. 4.
=Fig. 2 I cut from the same Aluminum left over, making (4) short lengths to fit the inside ladder as shown as in Fig.2. I then stacked them on top of one another and riveted them to the ladder as shown in Fig. 3. You may have to pre-drill the mounting holes to the bar and brakets first. So it can be fasten together.
=Stay close to the brakets when drilling the bar. You will need the extra space later. There wasn't much room to work with.
= You can swap out threaded screws and/or sheet medal screws instead of rivets if you have them. I used rivets because it gave a cleaner look on aluminum.
= Fig.5 shows a torn down version of this cheap tripod from Wal-Mart. I got a little happy and took it more apart than what I wanted. I had to do a little (fixn' up) on it later. The only thing that needs to come apart are the legs and braces.
= Insert this into either one of ( A-B ) holes of Fig. 1. Let it come to rest on the crossbar of Fig. 4. Keeping it align, and drill a hole into the cross bar of Fig. 4 on ( A B ). So it will mount like this, Fig. 9. Now this hole needs to align up with the same size that the camera mount is on. The hole needs to be the same size as the screw on Fig.7 ( E ).
=Fig. 6 shows the hold down mount as it keeps the camera mount in place while on the latter.
= Fig.7 consist of, A-Camera mount the bottom view, C- screws with spacers and washers, E- holding screw, D- thumb nut and G- rubber flat washer.
=Take ( E ) from Fig. 7 and measure it about half way of it's length from the bottom of this mount and drill a hole (F) all the way thru. This hole needs to be the same size as ( C ) screws.
= ( C ) From Fig. 7 I used a fine thread screw with a nut and beveled washers and a hollow plastic spacers. I cut this hollow spacers into. The flat end of (E) and the plastic spacers need to fit inside of the hollow camera mount so (C) can go through (F) and the spacers and (E) out to the bottom.
= The hollow plastic spacers prevent the thin camera tube from being flatten or crused when it's all tighen. The beveled washers seem to hold it all together better.
= Once (C) has fasten (E) of Fig.7 it should look like Fig.6
=Slide the fasten end through one of the top holes of Fig.1 and fasten it to the bar on Fig. 9
= It should come together as Fig.10. The weight of the camera will hold it in place as Fig. 8. With the mount leaning it applies pressure against the base of the latter. As Fig.11 shows.
With this design you can stand on the latter to take the picture or you can use a remote, cable shutter or use a timer on the camera itself.
The height of this is the limit of you latter. The latter in this picture was a 6' and entented of the camera mount it became about 10'.

Safety note. Becareful of you and camera on this devise the wind could blow you and/or camera over. The drilling on the latter will void it's warranty so take that into thought aswell. You could be injuried using this devise if you fall so, YOU take the responsibility for you own action.

Have fun with it. If for some reason you can't download this from Webshot. Send me a e-mail and I will send you the photos of this designs.

Once again just give me the credit for this, OK.

Thanks for looking.
_________________
J.Barbour

[Tigherland]

There are some rigs out there, called Booms. This is an cheap way of getting the job done, but it does get the job done.
_________________
J.Barbour