The "Scorpion" Handle - a Camera Caddy on the Cheap

This is something I threw together in a couple hours from various household items that I had lying around, and you can do it too!

What you'll NEED:

2x L-brackets (if shopping for them, bring your camera to check the fitting);

4x zip-ties (choose a size that won't fail - mine are 35mm wide);

1x 1/4" screw, preferably a hand screw for ease of use (spacer, lock washer and washer are optional if you can get them, but they do help secure the camera better);

1x PVC Pipe (mine is 3/4");

Heat shrink tubing that fits the PVC Pipe snuggly *after being shrunk* (if it's too small it'll warp the pipe or even rip apart during the shrink process);

Furniture end cap;

Hot glue and hot air gun (or a stovetop);

Scissors, x-acto knife, screwdrivers... IMO just keep the toolbox nearby just in case.

Not strictly necessary, but matches my final result:

2x pieces of rigid plastic tubing covered in heat shrink to help fit the PVC Pipe snuggly on the bracket;

1x pin that fits the tripod pin hole under the camera (mine is a piece off a water faucet - I believe it's a plunger but i haven't found what it's actually called);

A spent spool of (kapton) tape that's made of plastic, or a big ring made off a wide (~3 3/8") PVC Pipe;

A wood screw (countersink, 5/8")

Rubber feet

1. Attach the two L-brackets together with the zip-ties (making sure to cut off the excess as close to the "lock" as possible, to avoid leaving sharp edges that could hurt you or your clothes later on);

2. Make sure the hole nearest to the tip of the bottom L-bracket can fit the 1/4" screw through it. If it can't, enlarge it so it does, but try to keep it as snug as possible! (I used a flathead screwdriver to slowly eat away at the metal until the screw slip through);

3. Test-fit the PVC pipe and cut it to length (I did it by eye and feel, just cut something that either looks or feels right for you);

4. Cut a slot (1/16" to 1/8") to fit the PVC pipe against the bracket, so it doesn't spin freely;

5. Hot glue the pipe to the bracket;

6. After it cools down a bit, take a piece of the shrink tubing and fit it over the pipe, making sure it is about 3/4" longer than the pipe;

7. Push the tubing back until there's about half of the oversize hanging out of the tip, heat it from there first, and make your way towards the brackets. Once you hit the back, make sure you heat it enough that some of the hot glue spills out, and press the back of the tubing over it on a cold countertop or piece of metal, wait for it to cool down, then simply pull it off. You'll get a very flat area, and the glue and heat shrink combo will "lock" the handle in place.

For the basics, you're done! Attach the screw through the bracket hole into the camera, and film away! But if you want the "deluxe, by me" version, here's a few more steps:

8. On the bottom side of the brackets, the hole you didn't enlarge will fit the wood screw and enough rubber feet to completely embody the screw. Stack the rubber feet together, screw into them, cover them in a thin layer of hot glue, and put a piece of heat shrink tubing on them, heating it to lock the "rubber block" in place.

9. Get the wide PVC pipe piece or spool, squeeze it to fit over the hand screw and the rubber block, measure where it touches the bracket and the pin, and cut slots for it to fit over them (~ 1/16" for the bracket side, and as much of the pin on the other). Put heat shrink on the pin, and this will be your "foot" piece done!

10. Finally, add heat shrink tubing to the bracket that will sit below the camera (it'll help it not slip).

And that's it! Hope this is helpful for everyone!

You'll likely have a bag if you go around filming, but if for some reason you're just out and about and you still want to be able to get the camera to sit on the ground by itself, you can simply slide the "foot" piece through the handle and keep it behind the camera. Doesn't get in the way of anything, easily accessible, and won't leave a weird bulge in your pockets (lmao)!

Have fun y'all!