Camera Mount

This is a prototype camera mount for in-car video recording. I built the mount based on designs I've seen online. I used 1" square aluminum tubing with 1/16" walls and some 1" U-Bolts. The U-Bolts, in this case, are stainless, but only because the mild steel ones in stock at Home Depot were too short for the application.

For the time being, the 'bushings' between the apparatus and the headrest posts are cut from some packing foam I had around the house. I think a medium density rubber would be a good medium here - maybe some thick pressure hose material would work well? I feel the main vibration issue is due to the lack of rigidity in the seat bodies themselves, compounded by the currently weak damping between the seat and the mount. I think a thick rubber bushing between the bar and the tripod head will help with the fine vibrations, as well.

 

Prototype Photos, v 1.0

 

Well, I have to say, I think it's worse now. I've added some thick rubber bushings around the headrest posts (plumbing part), which I think are helping, but I also added a sway bar end-link style connection for the tripod head. It consists of a 1\4 X 1" fender washer, a rubber bushing (also a plumbing part), and a rubber washer on either side of the main tube. I was hoping to dampen some vibrations, but I think I ended up loosening the connection to the bar by too much, and it seems like the camera and mount want to wobble as a unit. I'm going to try it with just the rubber washer.

The first photo shows I upgraded to nylon-insert stop nuts on all the u-bolts. This is because one of the standard 1/4-20 nuts acutally loosened itself up on the first test. I also moved to 1/4 X 1 1/2 X 2 1/2" mild steel u-bolts (the originals were 2 1/4" long) to make sure I'd have some threads in the nylon with the bushings in place.

Prototype Photos, v 1.1