[philbaum]

All,
Well you know the drill. I'm going on a camping trip tomorrow and want to be able to use my flash as a wireless slave on a tripod. But I don't have an adapter to mount the flash on a remote tripod (i have a small tripod i want to use) Of course, the local camera store has no such thing and the nearest big city store will require gas and ferry trickets and an all day trip.

What to do, what to do?
Make my own of course :-)



I'm not guaranteeing this for anyone else and won't be resp. for any flash damage, but i'll just tell you how it works for me.

I have a small quantity of 1/8" thick by 1/2 wide aluminum barstock so it was free. One also needs a 1/4"-20 thread tap to put threaded holes in the base of the bar. I had one, but they can be purchased relatively inexpensively and last a long time. Some sort of oil is necessary to help the tap cut threads in aluminum, but its not too fussy. Get someone to advise you if you've never tapped a thread before.

Ah the secret though, is to buy some double-backed tape to go between the flash and the barstock bracket. BE sure its not the "permanent" double backed tape, but the "removable double backed tape. Why: because you want to be able to get the flash off the bracket when you're through using it. The double-backed tape provides enough friction against the flash to allow a simple rubber band to hold the flash up.

The picture shows using only 1 rubber band, but i advise 2 so if one breaks.... (After I tried it out, i removed the rubber band and the flash stuck to the bracket fine with just the tape, but i wouldn't advise relying on just the double backed tape). This tape was for temporary use in attaching banners to home walls, etc. Obviously, you don't want to use any tape that will damage the plastic of the flash so read the instructions carefully.

I know it looks half-assed, but dang, two rubber bands and the double-back tape lock it into the tripod really well. I was going to bend some more barstock to form a cage all around the flash, but don't think that is necessary now. I wouldn't be swinging this flash by the tripod around my head or anything.

Obviously, if the flash falls off the bracket, it will probably ruin the flash. But after i attached my flash to the bracket, it feels just as solid as the flash itself so i'm going to use it that way.

Again, I'm not recommending this to anyone else, just reporting my own temporary fix for the lack of any adequate store in the area.

Aluminum barstock and the tap are so easy to use, that i'm now wondering whether i could build a flash holder to attach it to my camera but a foot away to get more contrast on subjects, more like a professional bracket but much cheaper. Of course, use a real shoe adapter this time :-)

Best wishes, and be careful with your work,

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Last edited by philbaum; 09-12-2008 at 02:34 PM. Reason: clarity