COLLAPSIBLE SELFIE-WALKING STICK

This instructable will show you how to turn a selfie stick into a collapsible combination Selfie-Walking Stick. The intended purpose for this stick is to provide a compact multi-use outdoor “tool” for walking or hiking.

The Selfie-Walking Stick is made up of easy to obtain items that can be readily purchased in a store, online, or you may already have on hand. The Selfie-Walking Stick components include: a selfie stick, of course, a walking stick, monocular / cell phone telescopic zoom lens, compass, thermometer, and two small storage compartments for pills, personal items, survival items or whatever.

The length of the Selfie-Walking Stick measures 16" long when fully collapsed and 40" long when fully expanded. When the handle is unscrewed from the collapsed selfie stick, each of the two pieces will measure more or less 8", making it easier to store, pack and transport when not in use.

The photo shows the Selfie-Walking Stick when it is collapsed. (Shown on the Selfie-Walking Stick is the large bluetooth camera button that came with the selfie stick. It is held on with a velcor strap and can be easily removed if desired.)

The overall project time should be one to two hours to assemble and complete once you have gathered together all the items required. (It took me way longer to write this instructable than to make this Selfie-Walking Stick!)

This is considered an adult project that requires some knowledge of how to use everyday tools and a cutting instrument.

Items needed for this instructable:

Shown in the photo are the items listed below, with the exception of the rubber stopper.

1. A collapsible selfie stick. (I purchased the one shown online. It is a Foneso. I chose this one for its ability to retrofit well with the other items to be used to make the finished product. Also, because the selfie stick's extension poles lock into place once fully extended, which is required when using it as a walking stick... this is very important!)

2. A black 8X, 10X or 12X optical telescopic zoom cell phone camera lens. The end with the small threaded lens will need to have an outside diameter of 5/8"... this is also important. The telescopic lens used here is for an iphone 6S plus. Obtain one that suits your needs or cell phone. (Get from a big box store or online or a camera store.)

3. One 1-1/8" rubber furniture leg tip. (Get at home improvement store.)

4. One 5/8" plastic furniture leg tip. (Get at home improvement store.)

5. A black 3-1/2” x 1” diameter metal mini flashlight. (Get at a tool store or online.)

6. One 3/4” button compass. (Buy online.)

7. One 5/8” button thermometer. Optional. (Buy online)

8. A 1” long screw. (Its diameter size will be determined by the tripod hole at the end of the selfie stick. (Get at home improvement or hardware store.)

9. One 7/8" outside diameter / 3/8" inside diameter metal washer. (Get at home improvement store or hardware store.)

10. Two rubber hose washers with tabs. (Get at a home improvement store or hardware store.)

11. One 0.85 oz. bottle of a rapid fuse all purpose adhesive (a.k.a. glue). (Get at home improvement store or hardware store as well as some gel or silicone type adhesive.)

12. A 1” diameter top and 3/4” diameter bottom black rubber stopper. (Get at home improvement or hardware store.)

Tools needed for this instructable:

1. Screwdrivers (flat head and Phillips head.)

2. Portable drill with drill bits, mainly 7/16" and 1/4" drill bits.

3. Straight edge ruler.

4. A white color pencil.

5. A pair of protective gloves to wear when cutting the rubber stopper.

6. Razor knife or similar tool to cut the rubber stopper.

7. Hammer.

8. 1/2” diameter x 6” metal pipe piece.

Unscrew and remove the button switch cap and battery pack from the flashlight tube. You will not need the battery pack for this project.

Screw the button switch cap (a.k.a. cap) back on the flashlight tube (a.k.a. tube). Remove the rubber button top from the top of the cap with a small flat head screwdriver.

Stand the tube up on end with the cap end facing up. Place on a hard surface. With the hammer and pipe, punch the button switch into the tube.

Remove the cap and switch from the tube.

Stand the tube up on end with cap hole facing up. Place on a hard surface. With the hammer and pipe, punch the light head (located at the bottom of the tube) down then pick the tube up and punch it completely out.

Shown is the completely gutted and disassembled flashlight unit.

Push the rubber stopper, small end first, into the non-threaded end of the tube so it fits snug.

With the white pencil, mark a white line all away around the stopper where the rubber meets the metal rim.

Pull the stopper out and measure from the white line 3/8" towards the smaller end of the stopper and make another white line all the way around it.

Make sure the rubber stopper is on a nonslip surface like a rug prior to cutting.

Put on protective gloves then cut the rubber stopper into three pieces along the white lines shown in the photo from the previous step.

Place the screw, metal washer, the piece of rubber stopper, and one of the hose rubber washers in the order shown. Drill a hole in the center of the rubber stopper piece smaller than the screw shaft itself so it will be tight and the screw will need to be inserted with a screwdriver. Note: the smaller end of the rubber stopper piece is to face up and the hose washer tabs are to face down.

Assemble the pieces in the order shown in the photo. Make sure to glue the metal and rubber hose washers to the rubber stopper piece first. Let dry. Put glue on the underside of screw head area. With the proper screwdriver, screw the screw into the rubber stopper piece from the metal washer side, making sure it seats tightly against the metal washer. Let dry. Prior to inserting the assembled pieces into the non-threaded end of the tube, run a seam of glue around the outside surface edge of the rubber stopper.

After adding glue around the edge of the rubber stopper piece in the last step, quickly insert it, screw head end first, into the non-threaded end of the tube as indicated in the photo.

The items needed for this part of the project are: telescopic zoom lens, the large telescopic lens cover, the metal tube cap, button compass, plastic 5/8" furniture leg tip, button thermometer (optional), and the last rubber hose washer. Lay the items out in the order shown in the photo.

Line up all the required components for this part of the project in the order shown in the photo for gluing and assembly. Glue the button compass to the top of the large lens cap as shown. Let dry.

Update: You may need to use some type of exterior gel or silicone adhesive to get the compass to stick to the lens cap.

Assemble the tube cap pieces in the order shown in the photo here. Make sure to put glue on the plastic tip's outside rim area first then push the plastic tip through the threaded end of tube cap opening to the thickness of the washer. Glue the rubber washer to the tube cap. Let glued pieces dry over night.

Update: I found it is better to secure the telescopic zoom lens to the tube cap by eliminating the rubber washer noted for this step. Make the plastic tip's open side flush with the top of the cap after inserting it into the cap opening from the cap's threaded end. This will allow the telescopic lens threaded lens rim to screw firmly down into the plastic tip's opening in the tube cap, making for a tighter fit. Make sure to put glue around the outside rim of the plastic tip's opening before inserting it into the tube cap opening. I also put an O-ring down over the plastic tip's solid end and tamped it in between the tube cap rim and the plastic tip wall with a small flat head screwdriver for extra support. Let dry over night.

(When using the plastic tip as a pill storage area, place a small cotton ball at the opening to keep the pills in and to protect the telescopic lens. Also make sure to put pills in plastic wrap or a smaller container prior to inserting it into the pill storage area to protect them from moisture.)

The photo for this step shows the tube cap unit assembly between the telescopic zoom lens threaded end and the tube threaded end. Glue the thermometer to the bottom center of the plastic tip. Let it dry. The telescopic zoom lens, tube cap assembly and the tube itself make up the Selfie-Walking Stick's handle. (The tube's inside area is intended to be used as a small storage compartment.)

Photo 1 for this step shows the telescopic zoom lens with the large lens cap, tube cap pill storage unit, and the tube storage unit prior to being screwed together to make the handle.

Photo 2 for this step shows all the pieces screwed together making the completed handle for the Selfie-Walking Stick.

Photo 1 for this step shows two white lines drawn perpendicular to the rubber furniture tip's rib. The lines need to be 3/4" apart.

Photo 2 for this step shows where the 3/4" area between the two white lines and the rib edge was cut out. Make sure to wear protective gloves when making these cuts. Discard the 3/4" piece that's cut out.

Take the remaining piece of the previously cut rubber stopper (from step 7) and glue it to the outside of the solid bottom of the rubber furniture tip. Make sure it is centered and the smooth side of the rubber stopper piece is facing out away from the rubber furniture tip. Let it dry.

The protective foot (rubber furniture tip with rubber stopper piece) for the walking stick part of the Selfie-Walking Stick will be on the cell phone clamp end of the selfie stick. Two holes will need to be drilled into the protective foot. First remove the tightening screw from the cell phone clamp for this step.

A 7/16" hole will need to be drilled to the left of the cut out hole (the solid end of the protective foot should be facing up) and a 1/4" hole will need to be drilled to the right of the cut out hole.

The centers of both holes will need to be drilled 5/8" from the edge of the rubber tip rim (see dimension A on the photo) and 5/8" from the edge of the cut out hole (see dimension B on the photo).

Note: All holes (on the selfie stick as well as the protective foot) must line up exactly. Some adjustments may need to be made, especially if a selfie stick your are using differs from the one being used here.

The photo shows the protective foot placed over the selfie stick end of the Selfie-Walking Stick with the tightening screw screwed back into place. The protective foot must easily slide over the selfie stick end and against the cell phone clamp.The tightening screw must be able to go through all holes and into the 1/4" nut (located on the backside of the protective foot, which is not shown on any photos) easily without forcing it. Make adjustments as needed.

Assemble the handle and the selfie stick as shown in the photo to the left. Screw both pieces tightly together to make the finished Selfie-Walking Stick. Your all done!

Note: You can leave these two pieces apart when packing it away for traveling.

The photo to the right shows the Selfie-Walking Stick in its various forms of use.

In the photo to the left is the cell phone clamp end of the Selfie-Walking Stick shown partly extended. To use the cell phone clamp, you will need to take out the tightening screw and remove the protective foot first, then put the tightening screw back in. (Reverse the process when you are done using the selfie stick.)

The photo to the right shows the Selfie-Walking Stick in its collapsed state ready for storing, packing, and traveling. (The round thing on the handle is the removable bluetooth selfie camera button that came with the selfie stick. It is held in place with a velcro strap... you do not need to keep it on the handle.)

Note: The Selfie-Walking Stick is not intended to be used as a cane, crutch, or as an aid for those needing physical assistance. As a walking stick, its only intended use is as a trekking pole (to steady the user while walking or hiking, as an instrument to help the walker / hiker maintain a consistent rhythm, as a probe, and to deflect nuisances while outdoors).

Make sure the Selfie-Walking Stick is tightly locked in place when it is fully expanded as well as when it is fully collapsed.

I hope you have fun making this Selfie-Walking Stick!