Of course we'd all love to get our hands on a gimbal stabilizer to steady our shaky images, but most of us don't have thousands of dollars to spend on things that aren't -- rent or food. If you're in desperate need for a stabilizing solution, but finding yourself with either a near-empty bank account or zero easy access to a local professional photography retailer, you're going to have to l get a little creative. Luckily, Chad Bredahl of Krotoflik shares a tutorial that shows you how to build your own DIY pistol grip out of jump rope handles, something that is not only accessible, but won't cost you more than a few bucks.
Okay, maybe a plastic jump rope handle pistol grip won't be your forever stabilizer, but if you're in a bind -- you dropped your fancy handheld rig into the Potomac and you literally only have three bucks worth of change in the ashtray in your car -- this tutorial may save your project. (Also, it feels amazing to pay so little to achieve a steady image.)
So, all you're going to need to make this thing is a jump rope, a 1/4 inch washer, a lock washer, 1/4-20 lock nut, and a 1/4-20 bolt. To make it really sturdy (or as sturdy as it's going to get) you'll need a Phillips head screwdriver and a pair of pliers to fasten everything nice and tight. At the end of all of this, since, as we all know, jump ropes tend to have two handles, you could potentially make two grips (you know -- just in case you drop your first one in the Potomac, too).
Check out Bredahl's nifty tutorial below:
Does this sound like a good stabilization solution for filmmakers in a bind? Do you have any quick/cheap/easy DIY pistol grip ideas, or perhaps any helpful modifications to this design? Let us know in the comments below!
[via Chad Bredahl & Filmmaker IQ]
