DIY (Homemade) Fig Rig Anyone? at DVinfo.net

Jim Karrels · November 16th, 2005, 12:26 AM

Anyone have any luck building a homemade "Fig Rig" (with all due respect to Manfrotto of course!). I love the Fig Rig, but cannot afford it.

There has to be an off-the-shelf lightweight (aluminum?) 'circular tube' that I could use as the basis for creating my own Fig Rig. I know a welder who could easily secure the other parts -- I just can't think of what may work? Does anyone make a steering wheel that does not have anything inside the interior of the circle?

Thanks -- sorry for such an obtuse message.

Alan Craven · November 16th, 2005, 04:26 AM

An aluminium rim for a cycle wheel would be the obvious starting point?

Available in 16", 20" and upwards diameters in the UK.

Evan C. King · November 16th, 2005, 11:04 PM

There are people here that have built one.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=33841

Curt Talbot · November 21st, 2005, 12:33 PM

I have been thinking about building one myself. You could cut a circle out of plywood to your own liking. Might be a bit heavy though.

You might also wonder why such a rig needs to be round. Why not use aluminum pipe or stiff PVC and build a rectangular shape with the assistance of molded corners? Perhaps a rectangular shape would better enable the shooter to keep the camera level when shooting.

Dennis Wood · November 21st, 2005, 06:42 PM

A circular mold, some carbon fibre cloth/ribbon, a few ounces of West System Epoxy......

Laurence Kingston · November 22nd, 2005, 10:08 PM

How about just using some black bicycle handlebars like these:

http://texomacyclingcenter.com/site/...ls.cfm?ID=2883

Some foam handgrips on either side and a bolt-on camera mount in the center should do it.

Evan C. King · November 23rd, 2005, 03:27 AM

Yeah Laurence that's probably better than the fig rig! You'd loose the ability to mount stuff on the top but that'd probably be a lot lighter and it's cheaper and just as manuverable.

Jim Karrels · November 23rd, 2005, 10:13 AM

I like the handlebar idea... but do people think using a non-circular (i.e., square, triangular, etc.) rig would work as well? Is there something especially useful/helpful with the round shape of the Fig Rig? (FWIW, I tend to doubt it, but perhaps someone who uses it can attest)

thanks for all of your good comments / suggestions.

November 16th, 2005, 12:26 AM	#1
Jim Karrels Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: DC Area, MD Posts: 128	DIY (Homemade) Fig Rig Anyone? Anyone have any luck building a homemade "Fig Rig" (with all due respect to Manfrotto of course!). I love the Fig Rig, but cannot afford it. There has to be an off-the-shelf lightweight (aluminum?) 'circular tube' that I could use as the basis for creating my own Fig Rig. I know a welder who could easily secure the other parts -- I just can't think of what may work? Does anyone make a steering wheel that does not have anything inside the interior of the circle? Thanks -- sorry for such an obtuse message.

November 23rd, 2005, 10:13 AM	#8
Jim Karrels Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: DC Area, MD Posts: 128	is a "round" fig rig better? I like the handlebar idea... but do people think using a non-circular (i.e., square, triangular, etc.) rig would work as well? Is there something especially useful/helpful with the round shape of the Fig Rig? (FWIW, I tend to doubt it, but perhaps someone who uses it can attest) thanks for all of your good comments / suggestions.

November 16th, 2005, 04:26 AM	#2
Alan Craven Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: York, England Posts: 518	An aluminium rim for a cycle wheel would be the obvious starting point? Available in 16", 20" and upwards diameters in the UK.

November 16th, 2005, 11:04 PM	#3
Evan C. King Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 532	There are people here that have built one. http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=33841

November 21st, 2005, 12:33 PM	#4
Curt Talbot Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Regina, SK Canada Posts: 104 Images: 1	I have been thinking about building one myself. You could cut a circle out of plywood to your own liking. Might be a bit heavy though. You might also wonder why such a rig needs to be round. Why not use aluminum pipe or stiff PVC and build a rectangular shape with the assistance of molded corners? Perhaps a rectangular shape would better enable the shooter to keep the camera level when shooting.

November 21st, 2005, 06:42 PM	#5
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	A circular mold, some carbon fibre cloth/ribbon, a few ounces of West System Epoxy......

November 22nd, 2005, 10:08 PM	#6
Laurence Kingston Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clermont, FL. Posts: 941	How about just using some black bicycle handlebars like these: http://texomacyclingcenter.com/site/...ls.cfm?ID=2883 Some foam handgrips on either side and a bolt-on camera mount in the center should do it.

November 23rd, 2005, 03:27 AM	#7
Evan C. King Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 532	Yeah Laurence that's probably better than the fig rig! You'd loose the ability to mount stuff on the top but that'd probably be a lot lighter and it's cheaper and just as manuverable.