Build an angle L bracket yourself

The challenge: Extend the useful life of my tripod pistol-grip head (Bogen 3265) which sags under the torsion caused by my 80-200 f/2.8. I determined that a homemade L bracket (elbow bracket) would prove useful by allowing me to keep the head mostly upright, where it doesn't sag. While the Bogen 3288 model bracket would be a good purchase, it is incompatible with my quick-release configuration (hex versus rectangular), so I set out to make my own. What follows is a short discusion of what I came up with.

I originally set out to buy 1/2" x 2" aluminum, but since my local hardware store lacked that, I bought a pre-bent 90° Stanley 6" steel L bracket (original dimensions: 1/4" x 1-1/16" with 6" sides). In addition, I bought two 1/4-20 3/4" hex head screws with a couple washers and a nut, and the fun began.

Steps: I cut the bracket to size using a carbon-blade hacksaw, and rounded and smoothed the edges using a bench grinder. I then clamped the bracket to my drill-press table and drilled two holes (one for 0° and one for 90°) using a titanium nitride-coated 1/4" bit. Be sure to set your press on low speed and use plenty of oil.

After de-burring and progressively sanding the bare steel down to 600-grit sandpaper and dusting it off, I padded the bracket with 1/16" adhesive-backed foam I found at a hobby store. I enjoyed the humor of walking into a children's aisle and buying "Darice Self Stick Foamies" for a purpose I'm sure never was expected by the manufacturer or the retail store.

I threaded the two screws through slightly modified bogen rectangular quick-release brackets, and tightened one into the camera socket and the other with a nut to the other "wing" of the bracket. Voila! I had a fully functional 90° elbow bracket. I was surprised and pleased that with the washers and QR bracket, the 3/4" screw did not need to be cut to fit the depth of the camera socket. Depending on the stock you use, you may need to cut and file down the screw so it doesn't break your socket; please be cautious when trying it.

Costs: Bracket: $5.79; Screws, washers and nut: $0.22; "Foamies" self-adhesive foam: $0.79. Total outlay (not including the quick-release brackets): $6.80.

The Bogen model that might have worked cost around $60, so even if it could have been modified, this homemade L bracket is an inexpensive and functional alternative, and took just over an hour to make. A fellow member of PhotoNet made a similar bracket after consulting with me, and as a nice touch, replaced the industrial-looking bolts I chose, with nice hex-head bolts. I may well follow his lead and replace mine at some point.

Here is a photo of part of the bracket. In case the directions and photo leave some question, I also drew it out in Visio (.GIF, 20k) . That drawing is nothing beautiful, but it's enough. Both links open in a new window.