Variation 18 on a Theme

I know my creation is not the 18th PVC camera mount on instructables because I haven't put my instructions there.  All of the other "original" creations would claim I used their idea and presented it as my own.  I did see an example mounted on the same model motorcycle as I have at the local Makers group so I made a variation of it.

I used 3/4 inch schedule 40 pipe fittings.  Note T is slip/thread where the threads are the center of the T.  Also I have three 3/4 plugs.  And last, but not least, is the top section of a Targus mini camera tripod with telescopic legs.  I think it was about $10 dollars at Walmart.   When I removed  the legs from the tripod,  I took the bolt to the local home megastore and measured it in the hardware section.  It was a M4-.7 x 16mm metric bolt.  (Machine Sxrews Pan Head Slotted). I needed a longer one to fit through the top of the plug.  I did notice, that some PVC plugs have the threaded end filled in.  Notice the plugs I use are solid at the top and not the threaded end.  The other type will not work.  I will describe what is done from left to right based on the picture above.  A 5/32 inch hole is drilled in the top of the plug center.  

A washer is slipped onto the metric bolt and then pushed through the hole and a nylon lock not is tightened on the top side.  See the ordering in the picture above.  The bolt, washer and lock nut are not stainless Steel since they were not available to me and the Targus camera mount was not stainless steel.

The T fitting was too wide to fit between the handle bar mounts so 1/8 of an inch was removed from both ends.

  

A band saw makes this easy, but a hack saw will work also.  On the bandsaw, if you raise the blade guide up higher than the fence, then you can cut really thin sections with the fence. (don't forget to cut both ends).

I don't have a picture cutting the bottom of the T so you can position the T on the handle bars.  See a later picture for the pieces as they get painted.

There are three plugs so the Targus head can be removed and a plug can be inserted to keep water out.  The third plug is used to directly mount to a camera without using the nice swivel head.  This plug has a 1/4 inch hole drilled into it and a 1/4-20 x 1-1/4 in. Socket Head Cap Screw is assembled through the hole with washer and lock nut.  The cap screw was used because it was the only stainless steel bolt that I could get that was threaded its complete length.  Note, the standard camera thread is 1/4 inch, with 20 threads per inch.  This is a very common size.

Each of the pieces for the direct mount plug are stainless steel.  See the first photo for the order of the pieces.  Insert 1/4 in. bolt into washer and put the bolt up through the plug. Tighten the 1/4 in nylon lock nut to the top.  Now place the wing nut on the bolt upside down so it will tighten up on the bottom of the camera you mount.  

Since I assembled the pieces, I had to mask the the threads so the paint will not make life difficult later.  The plug fittings are inserted into the threaded pieces to prevent the paint from making the pieces stick together.   I then painted the pieces with "Chrome" paint from the local auto parts store. Note the sliced T fitting.   Also I purchased two 3/4 SCH 40 Riser Extenders so I could adjust the height of the camera.  There is one 3/4 plug that is not drilled.  This one is to plug the T when the other mounts are removed. I moved outdoors and painted the pieces.  

Targus tripod head is tightened onto the plug with the metric bolt and then mounted.  The stainless steel clamps must be unscrewed completely to  slip around the center of the handlebar.   It looks pretty good with the paint.  It doesn't stand out as the white PVC would.   The last picture is the very inexpensive 640x480 video camera ready for a test run.  

And now for the test run.  Below is the result.  Its interesting what sounds the camera is more sensitive to.  There is quite a bit of reflection in the windshield.  You can see it in the photo above.