Category Archives: video

A fig rig is a stabilization device designed for shooting video on a smaller camera, such as a DSLR. The premise behind it is that because your hands are further apart, it provides a better, wider base for the camera and will give you a more stable shot. The commercial version of the Fig Rig is made by Manfrotto, and it sells for $300. While I am sure the quality is worth it, it’s outside of my price range…

Indy Mogul‘s Backyard FX has a video tutorial on how to build your own fig rig for around $30. (Be sure to check out their other videos, too).

I put one together this weekend using the instructions provided in the video, and wanted to add a few lessons learned for anyone else interested in building their own rig.

1. Make sure your pipe cuts are correct. The measurements are pretty exact, so if you have uneven pieces, the assembled rig could be bowed or otherwise misshapen.
2. Use a small bladed hacksaw for more accurate cuts. Also have an extra blade or two on hand incase the PVC “melts” on to the blade and ruins the teeth.
3. Have a diagram of how the pieces fit together in front of you, and mark the pieces to show their size. When you’re dealing with wet PVC cement, a 2.5″ and a 3″ piece of PVC look very similar, and it’s easy to grab the wrong one and glue it in place. (Ghetto iPad-drawn image included).
4. It’s really difficult to get the bolt assembly stable enough to not spin around when you’re trying to attach the game. I did three things. First, I didn’t cement the top cap, so I can pop off the bolt assembly and attach it to the camera easier. Second, I used 2 nuts and an extra washer towards the bottom of the bolt, which will fit in to the PVC cross connector and prevent the bolt itself from pivoting. Finally, for the nut underneath the cap, I put some tape on the bolt and worked the nut on to the tap so that it won’t turn. I did the same for the bolt on top of the cap. That helped keep the bolt from turning a bit. There’s probably a better way to do it, so I am still experimenting. That’s another reason to not cement on the top cap.

Lowe’s

I purchased all of my hardware at Lowe’s. To help you find all the pieces, here’s a shopping guide…

All of the metal hardware was in the first aisle of my Lowe’s where the screws are. Most of the items were in the toolboxes that have with the special hardware, between the packets of stuff handing on the top half of the shelves and the loose stuff in bins that take up the bottom half of the shelves.

Make sure you get a fully threaded bolt, not a screw. It needs to have the flat end that will go in to the camera. All the hardware will be marked with 1/4 inch (or 1/4-20). That includes the bolt, the washers (I picked up a few extras), the nuts (I picked up a 10 pack instead of individual nuts), and the wing nuts (these came in a 4 pack, I didn’t see individual wing nuts).

For the lawnmower grip that is mentioned, I found that over by the lawnmower parts. The only had one type with the brand name “Good Vibrations.” You just need one of them; you’ll cut it to fit the frame.

For the PVC, I picked up a 10 foot piece of PVC (enough to make the rig), a 10-pack bag of 45 degree connectors (you will need 10 of them), and the rest of the connectors. Be sure you pick up “slip” versions of all the connectors; there should be no threads on any of your connectors.

Here is my complete part list. I already had a hacksaw, a tape measure, and a Sharpie.