P3D Project One: Twin bar

[Tom Deering <tmd@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been busy since I started taking stereo pictures two weeks ago.  I
have completed some simple projects, and thought some of the new people or
lurkers might like to hear of my early success.  I built a twin bar, and
electronically synched a pair of point-and shoots, added a light box to my
Franka viewer, and adapted a Stere-All for modern flash.

I know these projects are far too rudimentary for many of you.  But the
other beginners might be encouraged by the fact that I have no experience
with camera repair or stereo photography.  If I can do this, others could
also.

Project one:  Before I ever shot a stereo picture, I had to build a twin
bar.  This was simple enough.  I found a foot long piece of square aluminum
tubing at a surplus store.  I also bought a strip of aluminum that would
fit inside.  I cut this into three pieces, and used them inside to
reinforce the hole I drilled and tapped for the tripod.

I cut an oval hole and hot glued in a tubular bubble level inside the
aluminum bar.  I just bought a cheap "line level" at the hardware store,
which is big and easy to read.  I cut off everything, leaving just the
glass tube.  I made sure it was flat against the bottom, and I double
checked with another level.

And I glued a piece of thin rubber on the top, like some tripods have.  I
measured the cameras precisely, and drilled two holes to accomodate their
tripod threads.  (A drill press would be better, but I'd have to go across
town.)  I cut two 1/4 inch brass bolts to hold the cameras in place.

Eventually I put a drop of hot glue between the two camera to stablize
them.  I love hot glue.  It stays where you put it, but it's removable if
you goof.  When the alignment wasn't perfect, I just stripped off the hot
glue and tried again.

At first, I just triggered the shutters at the same time, but that didn't
work very well.  So my next project was to electronically link the two
cameras.  Since the aluminum tubing is light and hollow, it was easy to
drill holes to accomodate the wiring and switches that control the two
cameras.

Cost: about five dollars for the aluminum tube, level, rubber strip and bolts



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