Re: Twin SLR bars

[P3D Michael Watters <mwatters@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Since folks are discussing places to buy or how to make them, I figured I'd throw my  
approach in:

I also use the 1.5x1.5 Aluminum angle iron.   It'll rotate on you if you make a bar that's too  
long or use cameras that are too heavy though.

I drill holes in the bar to match the cameras I'll be using on the bar.  This is done so the  
back of the camera rests against the back of the bar.  That's to prevent them rotating on  
the bar.

I attach a piece of cork gasket material (auto supply store) to the bottom (where the  
cameras sit) using a strip of heavy duty double sided carpet tape (hardware store).

The bar itself is finished off by drilling and tapping a hole between the cameras (so the bar  
can be mounted on a tripod) and drilling small holes in the upper corners of the verticle  
part of the bar (for attaching camera straps, only if the cameras themselves don't have  
them of course)

For attaching the cameras to the bar I use carbarator bolts.   They have a 1/4-20 thread  
and easily handled base (no screwdriver).   They are usually too long though, so you'll  
probably have to cut them off a little shorter (that's what Dremel mototools are for!).   They  
are finished off by grinding off the last 1/4" worth of threads (Did I mention the camera  
mounting holes are TAPPED).  This gives you a captured bolt so it doesn't fall out when  
you are unmounting the cameras.  That's a REAL bonus when you're changing film in the  
field.

That's essentially the bar I was using for the XA-2 rigs I was selling a couple years ago.   
The bar design is what changed the most and this is what I finally settled on.  After you  
buy the angle bar, cork and carpet tape you'll have enough material for about 10 small  
bars (you'll have WAY more cork and tape than that though).  It's sort of labor intensive,  
but works very nicely.  It's especially nice for small cameras.   I wouldn't try mounting a  
pair of Nikon F's at a 2ft spacing on that kind of bar though.  The Aluminum used for those  
bars just can't handle that kind of torque.

mike
watters


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