A $6 DIY binocular tripod mount

[Paul in Idaho]

My binoculars are over 15 years old and don't have a threaded mount option to put them on a tripod. I finally got a lightweight tripod for backpack hunts, and found a cheap solution for putting my binos on the tripod. My total materials cost was about $6. Here's the info in case anyone else may want to try it.

Materials:
1: 4" ABS pipe coupler
1: 1/4"-20 3/4" bolt
1: 1/4" lock washer
1: 1/4" flat washer
1: 1/4"-20 rod connecting nut
16 to 24" of bungee cord
2 small hog rings

Holes are drilled on one side and the bungee ends inserted through them and connected with hog rings underneath. The other side has notches for the bungee loop to lock into. I ended up using about a third of the pipe coupler to keep the ends high enough to fit over the tripod head.

The total weight is a bit over 4 ounces now. I may switch to a lighter bungee material to reduce the weight. The bungee I had available is stronger than necessary.

 

[Sytes]

Swarovski's version is approx $130(?) I enjoy people that craft items with quality function. Very nice!

 

[std7mag]

Schweet!!
I will definitely experiment with this myself!

Thanks!

 

[geetar]

My binoculars are over 15 years old and don't have a threaded mount option to put them on a tripod. I finally got a lightweight tripod for backpack hunts, and found a cheap solution for putting my binos on the tripod. My total materials cost was about $6. Here's the info in case anyone else may want to try it.

Materials:
1: 4" ABS pipe coupler
1: 1/4"-20 3/4" bolt
1: 1/4" lock washer
1: 1/4" flat washer
1: 1/4"-20 rod connecting nut
16 to 24" of bungee cord
2 small hog rings

Holes are drilled on one side and the bungee ends inserted through them and connected with hog rings underneath. The other side has notches for the bungee loop to lock into. I ended up using about a third of the pipe coupler to keep the ends high enough to fit over the tripod head.

The total weight is a bit over 4 ounces now. I may switch to a lighter bungee material to reduce the weight. The bungee I had available is stronger than necessary.

Nice ingenuity!

 

[LandPro]

nice diy ingenuity!

 

[Jeffminokla]

Great thinking! I envy creative people. Good job!

 

[Baerman]

Nifty! Thanks for sharing. I will have to give this try.

 

[ediggity]

Good stuff man. Thanks for posting!

 

[ZBB]

That’s awesome! I made one out of some scrap wood and a bungee that had laying around. Could possibly reduce the weight 20-25 percent if I honey combed it with a forstner bit but it works fine the way it is.

 

[ol_spark]

Those are great ideas. Thanks for the tip. If Randy was running a save money on hunting stuff contest, you guys would get a hat for sure.

 

[schmalts]

Nice work!

 

[get-n-birdy]

Nice, like the latching system notches a lot, great idea. Made one similar and worked good for a long time.

 

[Dsnow9]

Whether you are a serious wildlife watcher or just want a better view of the antics of the blue tits in the garden, decent binoculars will bring you an awful lot of pleasure. Just be sure to have a good think about how you will use them before you buy. Will you be tramping around misty marshes looking for rare birds where optical excellence is at a premium, or do you need a tiny pair you can stuff into a pocket? You can definitely choose the

^ That’s not spam..........

 

[Dave N]

Whether you are a serious wildlife watcher or just want a better view of the antics of the blue tits in the garden, decent binoculars will bring you an awful lot of pleasure. Just be sure to have a good think about how you will use them before you buy. Will you be tramping around misty marshes looking for rare birds where optical excellence is at a premium, or do you need a tiny pair you can stuff into a pocket? You can definitely choose the

Gee, every single post this guy has made has an embedded link to something. I smell a rat...

 

[MTLabrador]

So you guys are saying I shouldn’t have traded in my Swarovskis for The World’s Best Compact Binoculars..?

 

[Sawtooth]

So you guys are saying I shouldn’t have traded in my Swarovskis for The World’s Best Compact Binoculars..?

Nor should you be looking at the blue tits in your neighbors garden....

 

[Cav1]

Thank you Paul. Many's the time I wished I could hold my Swaro binos just a little steadier, but they are an older model lacking the threaded hole. I just happened to see your post the morning before I was going to the hardware store and now I just got done testing the finished product on the tripod. This really ought to do the trick and I didn't even need any duct tape. Thanks again.

 

[schmalts]

Gee, every single post this guy has made has an embedded link to something. I smell a rat...

Warning was sent, link deleted. We will see who wants to stay around