Anyone have any designs or ideas to make a hand grip side mounted on my rig or as a lower grip on a shoulder rig? Obviously an Arri rosette will be the attachment point, but I'm looking for shapes and maybe some suggestions for cutting the wood down. I have a large chunk of 2.5 inch square hardwood sitting here from another project that I can use (think it is oak).
DIY hand grip?
- Thread starter Greg_E
- Start date
Jacob_A_Hauser
Member
Glad to see more folks interested in making wooden hand grips! I'm going to link you to a post I made a little over three years ago: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?287546-Wooden-Handgrip-DIY
Tips for cutting down the wood:
1. Draw your intended shape on the block. It will help you not to cut too much off.
2. Work your way around each side of the block one at a time. After you cut a chunk off you may want to reevaluate.
3. Get the rough shape through sawing (coping saws work the best)
4. Fine tune your shape with rasps (round edge rasps are your best friend)
5. Once you are happy with the shape sand it down as smooth as you like.
6. Stain the wood if you like and coat your piece. I used tung oil and paste wax.
Hope that helps.
Tips for cutting down the wood:
1. Draw your intended shape on the block. It will help you not to cut too much off.
2. Work your way around each side of the block one at a time. After you cut a chunk off you may want to reevaluate.
3. Get the rough shape through sawing (coping saws work the best)
4. Fine tune your shape with rasps (round edge rasps are your best friend)
5. Once you are happy with the shape sand it down as smooth as you like.
6. Stain the wood if you like and coat your piece. I used tung oil and paste wax.
Hope that helps.
Thanks, it does help. Finally started cutting yesterday on a block that's a little bigger than yours. After shaving some corners off I need to go back to a saw and slim it down a little and then start over. Lots of rosettes on the market now so I'll probably go that direction, but figure I have a while before I need to decide.
Guess I should grab pictures while I'm working.
Guess I should grab pictures while I'm working.
homestar_kevin
Well-known member
Jacob, I remember being really inspired and impressed with your thread when you posted it.
How has your grip held up? the ball socket and arm set up still holding well?
I really would like to make one of these when I have some time.
How has your grip held up? the ball socket and arm set up still holding well?
I really would like to make one of these when I have some time.
Jacob_A_Hauser
Member
Thanks Kevin!
The wood grip is holding up as good as ever, using it over the years has added character to its appearance and the surface has actually smoothed out even more.
The ball and socket are still solid attachment points, they give only slightly under a full load which I think helps with doing handheld, kind of like how a fluidhead dampens camera movement.
My only issue has been the threaded attachment between the rubber ball and the rail clamp. It has the tendency to loosen depending on how you hold the camera. I used high-strength thread lock and it hasn't loosened again. It is because of this issue that I have kept the grip from being used on larger camera rigs (>20lbs). For a medium DSLR rig it works perfectly.