Adapting a car phone mount into a tripod mount so you can take steady photos/videos with your smart phone.

1. I bought this
cell phone
car mount
at Best Buy to
adapt it into a
tripod mount

2. It comes in two
parts… the
holder and a
swivel bracket
that attaches to
a car’s air /
heating vent

3. The back of the
holder has a
slot to attach
the bracket

4. … like so …
But I don’t
need the
bracket part
because I want
to mount the
holder on a
tripod to shoot
photos and
videos with my
smart phone.

5. The holder has
a release
button to
expand the
grippers …

6. … like so …

7. Two feet swivel
out at the
bottom of the
holder

8. You set your
phone in it so
that none of
the buttons or
connectors are
covered …

9. … and squeeze
the grippers
until they are
snug

10. It holds a
phone securely

11. … at all angles

12. To prepare the
holder for a
tripod, first drill
a 7/32” hole in
the center of
the “box” as
shown.
Then drill a
1/8” hole 9/16”
away from the
first hole
(center to
center)
Fortunately, this unit
has spaces under this
area so drilling doesn’t
affect any of the rest of
the unit.

13. I chose this
location for the
holes to
provide better
balance once
the cell phone
is mounted

14. Next step is to
find a 1/4” bolt
with the same
standard thread
as a tripod
mount, heat
the thread end
up over an
open flame (I
used a lighter),
then carefully
thread the bolt
into the 7/32”
hole. (I used
lock-tight pliers
to do this.)

15. The result
should be a
threaded hole.
(If this didn’t
work for you or
the threads are
stripped, you
can always
superglue a
1/4” nut over
the hole on the
inside of the
channel
instead.)

16. Match the
holes up with
the tripod shoe

17. Be careful not
to over tighten
the connection

18. Here’s what the
holder looks
like on a tripod

19. … without the
phone

20. … and with the
phone
The phone’s
screen and all
phone buttons
are fully
accessible … as
is the power
connection

21. Here are the
product details

22. Roger Rayle
Video Producer & Venture Catalyst
rmrayle@gmail.com