DIY Shoulder mount DSLR rig
All parts and tools found in Lowe’s, Home Depot & Walmart. By: Ted Ramasola
CAUTION! Always observe safety practices in your work place. [Link]
Use proper tools and protective gear for your hands and eyes.
Do first the DIY basplate tutorial. I personally prefer to Then make the 2 handles attached to
add a QR adapter to the baseplate for quick set ups. railblocks. ( refer to DIY rig handles )
(refer to DIY baseplate and rods )
A shoulder pad is needed for comfort You’ll need longer rods. I use For balance place counter
and also stability.( refer to the guide 1/2” rods at 22” long. Tubes weights at the rear of the
to make DIY shoulder pad ) are available at 3’ lengths at rig. (refer to DIY counter-
lowe’s & home depot at either weight for dslr rig)
steel or aluminum.
On one of the handle bars you For initial use you might have to slide around
can attach an LCD monitor or the components to till you get the right
an EVF. balance.
DIY Rig Handles
All parts and tools found in Lowe’s, Home Depot. By: Ted Ramasola
CAUTION! Always observe safety practices in your work place. [Link]
Use proper tools and protective gear for your hands and eyes.
2 pcs. x2
6.7
5i
n.
The handles I found cheaply at Lowe’s or any home Make 2 rail blocks excluding the Cut two 12 inch long steel flat bar that
improvement store are paint rollers. Heat the metal holding the steel flat bar clamp. is 1/2” wide, 1/8” thick. Bend the bar
roller and you can slowly pull off the handle. I used my grinder (Refer to separate guide to making at 6.75” mark.
to heat the metal part which softened the plastic handle. a DIY rail block.)
BE CARFUL WHEN DOING THIS.
Taper the short end using a grinder and while its hot hammer it carefully Drill carefully through the handle going through the metal
into the handle. Leave about 1/2 inch of metal. bar inside the handle. The bit size I used is 5/32” since I
8-32 x 34 round head bolt with nut.
Insert bolt and thread nut on the other side. This is a precaution so the On the other end, drill a 1/4” hole 40mm from the
handle will not accidentally slip from the flat bar. end. This end becomes your metal clamp for the
railblock. This holds down the rods in the railblock.
cm
11
A 3/4” winged screw or thumb screw will To add functionality to these handles I cut another piece of flat bar at 11cm long with
hold the handle and the rail block together. a 1/4” hole on one end for holding any accessory. I riveted this piece to handle bar.
I used 5/32”-6mm long rivets spaced 3cm apart.
Together with the baseplate and rods you can now configure the rig for hand held shooting, for tight spaces, run and gun, and
with the addition of a shoulder pad and counterweight configure your camera for shoulder mounted shooting.
Go to the link on DIY shoulder mounted rig to see how its made.
DIY Shoulder pad for DSLR rig By: Ted Ramasola
All parts and tools found in Lowe’s, Home Depot & Walmart. [Link]
CAUTION! Always observe safety practices in your work place.
Use proper tools and protective gear for your hands and eyes.
1st make 1 rail block. We’ll need an 8” long 1/8” thick 2” wide aluminum bar. You Using a pipe and piece of wood I
(refer to separate guide can cut this from a 2” angled aluminum or if your budget bent this down at around the 5”
for rail block) permits, you can get a 2” wide 1/8” thick bar. mark for 45 to 50 degrees.
im 1in
Tr
7mm
Here’s how it looks like after Cut 2 pcs from the 2” angled Drill 4 holes on each bracket. On your rail block, drill 2 holes
bending. Lets call this the plate aluminum. At 4cm wide. Cut off 2 on each end 1” apart. Use on each side aligned with the
for the cushion. about 1” from 1 side of each. 5/32” drill bit for the holes. holes on the brackets.
These are your 2 L-brackets.
Rivet the L-brackets to the rail Mark the cushion plate for drilling using Drill using 5/32” bit.
block using 5/32” rivets. the holes of the bracket as your guide.
cu
t
On the underside of the plate, widen the entry holes using a For my cushion I used a “cup
5/16” bit so the rivet heads will be sunk and flushed. cozy” drink holder. Remove
Fasten the brackets using 5/32” rivets. the bottom. Cut on the side
and straighten out.
Trace the area that will come in Using contact cement, glue the “cup Finished shoulder pad.
contact with the plate. Cut around cozy” cushion to the plate. Don’t forget to file the edges
the cup cozy material leaving a 1/2 to prevent injury.
cm “margin” around the plate.
DIY Counterweight for a DSLR rig By: Ted Ramasola
All parts and tools found in Lowe’s, Home Depot & Dick’s. [Link]
CAUTION! Always observe safety practices in your work place.
Use proper tools and protective gear for your hands and eyes.
aligned holes
m
7m
aligned holes
Make 1 rail block.(refer to separate 1 pc 5/8” hex bolt, 3 nuts. Using a 3/4” hole cutter bit, I cut a hole on one side
guide for rail block) Cut 40cm piece 3 pcs 5/8” washers 1 3/4” in of the angle bar then trimmed off 1/4” from one side.
from 2” wide 1/8” thick aluminum diameter. I drilled 2 holes through the short side and through
angle bar. the rail block.
Put the bolt with a washer On the other side, another washer then Add another nut to the bolt Attach the angular bar to
through the hole. securely tighten with a nut. the rail block using 2 bolts
as shown.
nuts
nuts
For added safety I used 2 nuts per Insert standard dumbell weights as Secure with a washer and nut. If the Finished counterweight attached
bolt placing them as shown. shown. weights are loose you need to add to the rails of the rig.
a thick material similar to the cushion
used in the shoulder pad.
DIY Chest Pad Support for DSLR rig
All parts and tools found in Lowe’s, Home Depot & Walmart. By: Ted Ramasola
CAUTION! Always observe safety practices in your work place. [Link]
Use proper tools and protective gear for your hands and eyes.
4cm
bloc
k 3.5cm
Rail
4cm 4cm m
1.5cm 2c
3.5c
m 2” C cm
3.5
B
3/4”
3/4” be
A
alu m tu
11”
C
Do first the DIY basplate, and DIY Shoulder pad tutorial. With the finished rail block cut 3 pcs of Taper the 3.5cm side of part C.
Then make 1 DIY Railblock. angled aluminum. 1/8” thick.(A,B,C) From a width of 4cm to 2cm.
(refer to DIY baseplate and rods, shoulder pad, railblock) An 11” long 1/2” round aluminum tube,
same one we use for or DIY rod/rail rig.
For rivets C C
C
For rivets
Drill 2 holes on the rail block and Use 1/4” bit to drill on center of Rivet part C to the rail block. Rivet the teenut to part C. Round off
the tapered side of part C for rivets. the 4cm side of part C. Drill 2 the edge using a grinder or file.
Space the holes to avoid blocking 1/8” holes on side to rivet a tee
the rail rods when inserted into nut. Widen the entry hole with 1/4”
block. bit to sink the rivet heads.
A A
A A
Drill a 1/4” hole to fit a 1/4-20 hex Drill the hole in a way that one side Drill holes for rivets on Part A & B Close up view of part A riveted to rod.
head bolt 1.5” long. of the hex head is flat against the and the 11” rod. See photo above
side of the angle bar to prevent it for reference on hole positions.
from twisting.
3/4”
B
A B C
B
Close up view of part A riveted to rod. Close up view of part B and Round the edge of part B using a grinder Place a rubber washer between part C and B
the 1/4” hole at the center, and a file, then rivet to the rod as shown. then fasten with a 3/4” 1/4-20 winged screw.
3/4” from the edge.
Drill a 1/4” hole on the support Insert the bolt of part A to the hole of the Finished chest support. Chest support attached to DIY baseplate.
brackets of the shoulder pad. shoulder pad bracket.
Fasten with a winged nut.
