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Custom GoPro mounts

155K views 212 replies 87 participants last post by  ppilling13 
#1 ·
After almost losing (and / or destroying) my GoPro Wide and breaking my only seat-post mount, I decided to build a rock-solid seat-post mount and a new handlebar mount. I should be able to test them out this weekend and post a video.
Anyway, here are my two new mounts - made with a few dollars worth of hardware store PVC parts, SS clamps and 5-minute epoxy....


P.S.
I am always interested in seeing new mounts, so please post your photos. I know that Lee and others have posted some cool ones in other forums.
 
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#53 ·
i looked up that camera mount. If you pre order it it's only $50 or $75 if you want the bike mount.

After seeing this thread i decided to make some myself. The first one is a steadicam. It needs some improvements. the other one is a chest mount. I saw anthonyi post on his chest mount and used his to build off of.

It's my second time using Vegas 10. i'm still learning it, i'm used to using Final Cut Pro at school.

 
#54 ·
I just went simple with my needs :) No expenditure besides the Gorilla Glue & GorillaPod which I already had. The problem, as pointed out earlier, is that some of the mounts, in my case the tripod mount, requires you to unscrew the assembly. F that... That little nut can be a PitA to get in AND out of the hole it's in sometimes. Plus, out on the trail it's not something you wanna drop into the gravel.

I took a GorillaPod and the flat helmet mount from my GoPro kit and screwed a hole in the helmet mount the size of the screw on the GorillaPod attachment.


It took three different drill bits 'cause I wanted the screw to actually bite into the plastic so I started small and kept getting bigger until the screw would actually screw in. The plastic is quite hard and the screw from the GorillaPod isn't meant to work like a wood screw but it was sufficient to slightly increase the amount of contact surface between the screw and plastic.

Put some Gorilla Glue on the backside of the adhesive cover (probably won't do much good but it's a contact point so it can't hurt) and coated the inside of the hole I drilled with Gorilla Glue. Put a little water on the screw and mount and screwed it together. Let sit overnight to harden...



In the morning I had to do a little cleanup around the hole since the Gorilla Glue foams and expands slightly.

Now I've got a quick release mount for my GorillaPod to get off-camera footage :)

 
#56 ·
davidrhorn said:
The 3M tape they use on the mounts is so strong that I just cut away the area I needed and it has held tight ever since. And I toss it in my backpack and jam it in my jersey pocket all the time. If it comes loose I will try your gorilla glue method though.

That was my first thought but I didn't think it would hold up to getting banged around, rolled over, and landed on in the backpack. Good to hear it works...
 
#57 ·
That was my first thought but I didn't think it would hold up to getting banged around, rolled over, and landed on in the backpack.
Your system is much more secure, when I lose mine (which I will) I'll probably pull this thread up and do it your way. But so far it's held tight.

The problem with all of the mounting systems with Gopro is the fact that you have to screw and unscrew that thing. AND it's a pain to even turn the plastic knob, they don't leave enough space. And like you said, the little bolt is a major pain too! I lasted exactly one switch before brainstorming a way to make it a quick click switch. Not to mention how much of a pain it is to re-adjust the angle of the camera on your helmet everytime you take it off. With our systems there is no re-adjustments. I found myself much more willing to do a stationary shot knowing it will only be a matter of clicking it back on the helmet.
 
#58 ·
big0mike said:
That was my first thought but I didn't think it would hold up to getting banged around, rolled over, and landed on in the backpack. Good to hear it works...
Good thought.
The 3M tape will eventually release with constant slow pressure in one direction. I have manually removed many mounts using this method, and almost destroyed my old GoPro once by assuming the tape would hold forever. The tape is actually reusable if removed correctly. Now, I always glue, wire-tie, or bolt whatever I attach to.
NOTE:
5-minute, 2-part epoxy is the easiest to work with, as you can use, or machine, your work in 15 minutes. Excess glue is removable like putty in 5 minutes. I always keep the big bottles from Home Depot around. They last for years if stored in separate zip-lock bags.
 
#59 ·
davidrhorn said:
The problem with all of the mounting systems with Gopro is the fact that you have to screw and unscrew that thing. AND it's a pain to even turn the plastic knob, they don't leave enough space. And like you said, the little bolt is a major pain too! I lasted exactly one switch before brainstorming a way to make it a quick click switch. Not to mention how much of a pain it is to re-adjust the angle of the camera on your helmet everytime you take it off. With our systems there is no re-adjustments. I found myself much more willing to do a stationary shot knowing it will only be a matter of clicking it back on the helmet.
I agree, but also check to see if you received 2 different length stems with your GoPro. Mine has a short and also a slightly longer stem. The long one tightens easily, but the short one does not have enough finger space to grip it.
A few other tips:
If you seem to be tightening the stem excessively to get the camera stable, then try replacing the capped nut with a standard nut. The capped nuts have a tendency to run out of thread space, so you are tightening against the nut cap and not the mount.
The other reason to have to over-tighten the stem is because the friction points in the mount sections may be too smooth. Try roughing the 6 surfaces slightly in an X-pattern. This will allow the sections to bite without too much screw pressure.
 
#60 ·
Wow! All great advice.

My goal is to try to have as many mounts as possible simply click in place, with minimal adjusting. I would love for GoPro to have some sort of marking system so you could remember what angle it's set at instead of trying to guess. I loved being able to switch to the gorillapod and back to my helmet with no adjusting. But if I did have to adjust I would much rather just line up two markings, if they had that available. Does that make sense?
 
#61 ·
davidrhorn said:
Wow! All great advice.

My goal is to try to have as many mounts as possible simply click in place, with minimal adjusting. I would love for GoPro to have some sort of marking system so you could remember what angle it's set at instead of trying to guess. I loved being able to switch to the gorillapod and back to my helmet with no adjusting. But if I did have to adjust I would much rather just line up two markings, if they had that available. Does that make sense?
With the Wide, this is less of a problem, but if necessary, check out the back of the camera and try putting a line with a narrow file across the back of the mount section, then line up the lines.
 
#63 ·
That is a great idea for a mount, I will have to make one of those.

I have used the handlebar/seatpost mount on the top tube to get a similar view but I like yours better.

here is a vid trying different camera angles/mounting positions starting about 3/4 of the way through, the first 3/4 is using the chesty mount.

 
#73 · (Edited)
my GoPro mount

Sweet, I have a similar set up with the PVC but mine extends out about 4 inches from the bottom tube to give a goov view of the tire and shocks as well. I used a threaded piece of PVC for the arm so it can easily be removed. Also I drilled the end and ran a stainless screw which bolts to the tripod mount for the gopro its a 1/4x20 thread. Ill post some pics when im able. Im a new mtbr member so it wont allow me to post pics.
 
#74 ·
Sweet, I have a similar set up with the PVC but mine extends out about 4 inches from the bottom tube to give a goov view of the tire and shocks as well. I used a threaded piece of PVC for the arm so it can easily be removed. Also I drilled the end and ran a stainless screw which bolts to the tripod mount for the gopro its a 1/4x20 thread. Ill post some pics when im able. Im a new mtbr member so it wont allow me to post pics.
You can just throw a photo on line somewhere and copy the link (URL) as text into your post, in between these tags
IMG]https://www.your-site.com/your-photo.jpg[/IMG
(In my example above, you will need to replace the first and last brackets, which I removed as an example.)
Photos don't get uploaded in this forum as they do on Facebook, etc. You can only post the link to photos that are already on line.
You can also just post the link to the photo without the IMG tags.
 
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