[crazysaint222]

After breaking a folding camping chair, I decided to see what I could make from it's poor remains. The answer I came up with, was to make a pair of lightstands to use on the very rare occasion that I would use one (raher than buy new ones to use so little), and here is what I have come up with so far.

First the materials...

From the donor chair:
6 x 23" tube, 5/8th dia. (585mm x 16mm)
2 x 27" tube, 5/8th dia. (681mm x 16mm)

From my workshop:
60" of 1/2" tube (6 x 10" lengths for braces) ((6 x 250mm x 12mm))
15" of 3/4" tube (2 x 2" + 2 x 5 1/2") ((2 x 50mm + 2 x 140mm x 18mm))
Perforated strap, 3/4" wide (18mm wide)
Medium length pop rivets 3/26th" dia (4mm)

Tools:
Rivet gun
Drill (a drill press would be best)
Tin snips
Pipe cutter
Press vice

Step one is to prepare all the components ready for assembly.

Cut 12 lengths (6 for each stand) of perforated strap at 3" approx, and 6 (3 for each stand) at 5" approx.
Cut 6 lengths (3 for each stand) of 1/2" tubing, at 10".

Then carefully drill holes in your tubing as follows:
N.B. ALL HOLES MUST BE AT THE SAME ANGLE AS THE OTHER HOLES IN THE SAME LENGTH OF TUBE.
10" lengths, all the way through each end, approx 1/2" in from the end.
23" lengths, all the way through at one end, and all the way through half way along the length.
27" lengths, one hole, half way in at one end only (there will be three but the other two are easier once the braces are attached)

Now bend the six 5" lengths of strap, around the 23" tubes as in the photo. Once this is done you can rivet them to the tube.

Now rivet the 10" lengths to the stap attached to the 23" tubes as in the photo.

Now shape the twelve 3" lengths of strap to roughly the right angle, this isnt too important as the construction of the stand pulls these into shape.

Attach one of these 3" lengths of strap to the hole in the 27" tube. Then rivet the free end of one brace to this strap. You can now rivet the end of the next strap to the opposite hole in this brace, then the next brace the the other end of this strap etc. etc. until the three straps and three braces form the shape you normally find on a tripod. You can now drill the other two holes through the strap into the 27" tube, and rivet, to hold it solid on all three sides.

Moving to the end of the 24" tubes ( now attached to the 27" tube via the three braces) you can begin riveting the other 3" straps as in the photo. DO NOT rivet these to the 27" tube, only around it, as this needs to move up and down to allow folding of the lightstand.

Fallen asleep yet? No? Good.

Now wrap some rubber strip around one of the 2" x 3/4" tubes, slide over the 27" tube and crimp the strapping you've just attached, so the rubber is held firm between the strap and the 2" tube. I used a couple of small PC fan mounting bolts through the straps, to help clamp them.

Now drill two holes through your 5 1/2" lengths of 3/4" tube (in the first half of the length) into the free end of the 27" tube, and rivet through these. Making sure the 27" x 5/8" tube only goes half way into the 3/4" tube. This allows you to slide in another 5/8" tube at a later date, to hold your lights/strobes/umbrellas.

And thats about it. If you look at my photos closely before starting, it should all make sense as you go. Hope this has been of some use.

Attached Images

         

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Last edited by crazysaint222; 03-01-2011 at 05:32 PM. Reason: typo

[crazysaint222]

Here are some of the other photos from the DIY lightstand build. I couldnt fit them all on the original post

[johnmflores]

wow. pretty ingenious!

[alohadave]

Or, you could use a regular tripod. Works fine in many cases.

[crazysaint222]

Or, you could use a regular tripod. Works fine in many cases.

very true. I just wanted to use some junk I had laying around, make something useful out of it

[calicojack]

very true. I just wanted to use some junk I had laying around, make something useful out of it

... and it looks like you did a real nice job!
Congratulations.

[fotaki]

Or, you could use a regular tripod. Works fine in many cases.

Reminds me when I attempted something similar with Copper pipe left over from a plumbing job. Big advantage with Copper is it can be easily soldered.

Short story - job got put back and put back and put back......ended up buying two cheap and cheerful tripods. Still got the Copper pipe though.

crazysaint222.....well done !

[crazysaint222]

Thanks, still trying to find a way to attach my strobes to the top, but I'll keep you posted if I find a decent/cheap method.
Heres a quick snap of one of these stands with my first attempt at a homemade reflector umbrella.

[crazysaint222]

sorry about the photos by the way, all taken with my Nokia N86.

[Jools]

Great stuff and many thanks for sharing!

[crazysaint222]

I'll keep all updated with any new projects in the future, Thanks for the appreciation

[Ex Finn.]

Nothing beats "home-brew", well done.