Dunno if this has been posted before. But here is a tutorial for a pretty cool home built stabliser that was broadcast on UK Channel Five's Gadget show (this is an official video so it's legally on Youtube).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzys5Sv0KF0&eurl=http://gadgetshow.five.tv/jsp/5gsmain.jsp?lnk=900&id=150&description=Build%20a%20Camcorder%20Steadycam

Hey Simon, pardon the ignorance, but the host mentions currency in Quid and I can't convert that as I don't know its relationship to the British Pound.

Can you enlighten this Yank?

-gb-

1 pound = 1 quid

But there are other meanings, too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quid

1 pound = 1 quid

But there are other meanings, too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quid

Well there you have it. I'm going for the first explanation as it makes the most sense.

-gb-

That "cheap" home made stabilizer probably cost as much as the real deal.
Monopod+manfrotto clamp+LCD monitor+mini tripod plus the connectors and joiners used to connect it all together.

where's the utube video of the hot chick wearing the steadicam vest made of duct tape, salad tongs and screen door hinge springs?

I'm not knock'n slumming it though.... one of my favorites is deep fried oreo cookies!

At least in a roundabout way, he realized what all the DIY stabilizers (or most anyway) are missing, the Gimble.

Without that it's just a monopod you carry around. I have a small Glidecam unit that I got a number of years ago from a well known retailer for under $300, worked prefectly.