DIY Phone Tripod Mount

I take all of my photos using my iPhone's camera, even my product photos for my shop's website.  I decided that it was time to invest in a phone mount for my tripod, so I can take better photos and selfies (for when I model the clothes I sell).  Then I thought, "Hey, why should I buy one when I could probably just make one?"  So I looked online, and sure enough, I found a DIY video.

If you watch the video, he shows everything a bit more clearly.  And I didn't have the exact same tools that he did, but thanks to Dad, I was able to improvise.

Here are the things I needed:

     

• Flux (or whatever you have that attaches solder to things)
• A pencil
• Some 1/8" solder
• A 1/4" nut
• A binder clip
• Sandpaper
• Something to cut the solder with (hence the giant shears)
• A torch
• A thick rubber band.  I didn't have a thick rubber band, so I used fabric glue and some thick elastic to make a decent substitute until I can find an actual rubber band.

First, I used the sandpaper to remove the paint from the bottom of the binder clip, until it was mostly just the metal.

Next, I wrapped some solder around the pencil, to make a little spiral.

Then, I secured the binder clip using a vice (in the video, the guy uses a second larger binder clip, which I didn't have).  I put some of the Flux on the binder clip and on the nut.

Then I made a nut/solder sandwich, with the nut on top, some Flux, the solder, more Flux, and the binder clip at the bottom.

Next, I had my dad use the torch to melt the solder, so that it secured the nut onto the binder clip.

We waited for it to cool down, and we were a little skeptical that it would work at first, but it seems to be holding on pretty well!

I brought the clip inside and used it to hold the makeshift band.  If you watch the video, you can see this next part more clearly than I can explain it.  I wrapped the ends of the band around the corners of the binder clip, so that it looked like this (I know it's tough to see, since the elastic is the same color as the clip... just watch the video!):

I used it to hold a phone, and then I twisted the mount onto my tripod.  Voila!

So far, it works really well!  I can set a timer on it to take photos of myself, or I can just keep the phone in one place while I switch products out and take photos of them.  It's super useful!  And if the nut happens to break off or something, I can just make another one!

I hope you guys find this project as useful as I did!  :)