My version of the Edelkrone Pocket Rig

A

abbac2

Member
Hello folks,

Some time ago I made a post about a DIY striker that I had put together. http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthrea...o-Striker-For-75&highlight=diy+zacuto+striker This was fun to build and worked well but has been somewhat abandoned by me because my style of shooting developed into a minimalist, low profile, run and gun type. If I can't fit all my gear for a shoot into my backpack then I have too much. The striker was a bit big for that so it was left home a lot of the time. It also doesn't pay to DIY one anymore as the prices on similar rigs are so cheap like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DLC-DSLR-V1...137?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336d976f91

About a week ago I discovered the Edelkrone Pocket Rig http://www.edelkrone.com/the-pocket-rig/ and instantly knew that it was what I was looking for. After looking at it online for a while I said "I can make that!"

So after stoping by the local steel yard to pick up some aluminum and spending some time in the shop here is what I came up with:

(It's not done yet but it's coming along nicely. I plan to polish everything up and anodize it black!)
IMG_5519.jpgIMG_5520.jpgIMG_5524.jpgIMG_5534.jpgIMG_5538.jpgIMG_5539.jpgIMG_5541.jpg

Most of it is aluminum except for the hinged shoulder rest part which I made from a chunk of nylon. Aluminum can actually be cut and drilled using regular woodworking tools (like I used) if you know what your doing. Also you probably noticed that I didn't put rods on it like the Edelkrone one has. That's because of two reasons:
1) I don't have a FF yet.
2) As soon as I add a FF I lose the portability I want. I like the ability to just put my camera it my back pack without having to disasemble anything.

If I ever wanted to use a FF I would just create a way to quickly mount a set of rods like these http://www.ebay.com/itm/DSLR-VCR-Sh...210?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0f564732 with a FF attached. To me this would have the same amount of portability as just mounting a FF and I have a smaller rig on my camera most of the time.

This is a somewhat complicated DIY so there won't be any tutorial. But I will be glad to answere any questions.
 
Finally, this pocket rig DIY-ed

My life is now completed.

Care to show me how you done the folding shoulder brace part ?
 
songkhi said:
Finally, this pocket rig DIY-ed

My life is now completed.

Care to show me how you done the folding shoulder brace part ?
Click to expand...

The adjustable arm itself is actually not that hard to make. I used two different sizes of aluminum C channel (http://menards.com/main/tools-hardw...nnel-for-3-8-plywood-4ft/p-1466221-c-9215.htm & http://menards.com/main/tools-hardw...nnel-for-1-4-plywood-4ft/p-1466219-c-9215.htm) and a piece of 1/8x3/4" flat stock (http://menards.com/main/tools-hardw...num-flat-1-8-x-3-4-x-3ft/p-1466197-c-9215.htm) that I ripped down to 1/8x5/8". I cut off one piece of both sizes of channel and two pieces of the flat bar all at 4". The ID of the smaller channel is 1/4" so to pieces of the flat bar fit side by side inside of it. The larger channel (ID 3/8") then fits over the top of the smaller channel and creates a sort of tube that the pieces of flat stock can slide in and out of. Sliding the two pieces of flat bar 3/4" out each end makes room for a small hole and a #6 machine screw along side the bar with a wing nut to tighten the two pieces of channel together and thereby clamping the flat bar in place. It actually works pretty awesomely.

The hinged shoulder pad is a bit more of a challange. I don't have any real plans or dimensions. All I had to go by were the pics on Edelkrone's website. I just took a piece of nylon made a few quick measurements and started cutting. It's 1.125x3" folded up. It's attached to the adjustable arm by a hole tapped in the end of the flat bar with a nylon washer in between.

The arm is attached to the main part of the rig by a piece of angle (also using nylon washers) that I cut which provides a two way pivot. I think you can see that well enough in the pics.

Hopefuly you can make all that out. If you need more detailed pics let me know.
 
HA ! I'm having real PITA-time finding items needed for this project.

In the end i bought a ready made shoulder brace that is similar to that manfrotto 361 shoulder brace, cost less than $30 US.

I think i'll post some pics soon.
 
songkhi said:
HA ! I'm having real PITA-time finding items needed for this project.

In the end i bought a ready made shoulder brace that is similar to that manfrotto 361 shoulder brace, cost less than $30 US.

I think i'll post some pics soon.
Click to expand...

Yes that is a nice looking option. It hast to be taken off more often but hey for $30...
 
Thanks!

Just got my anodizing dye today so now things are going to start looking real cool!

The next thing I'm looking at making is a hand strap like Edelkrone's http://www.edelkrone.com/hand-strap/. This should be really easy. I would like to hack an infrared remote and put a button where the forefinger goes so I can start and stop recording easily. I think this is something Edelkrone should look at doing with their hand straps. BTW Edelkrones modula rigs are pretty cool. If i had an EVF or swivel screen I'd make one.
 
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