Phone Tripod

This project is a handsfree support for your phone in the form of a 3D printed tripod.

The tripod will accommodate phones with a width between 76 and 92 mm and can be adjusted for landscape or portrait orientations.

Additionally, the legs of the tripod can be adjusted for flat or uneven surfaces.

The legs can be adjusted to vary the base vertical height of the tripod from 0 to 78 mm.

Height from tripod base to claw centre bolt: 140mm

Weight: 148g

M2 x 6mm self tapping screw

M4 x 35mm Allen key head screw (a longer screw can be used but will stand out, although it could be sawn shorter)

M4 X 8mm Threaded insert nut

May prove more cost effective to buy a range of values/sizes rather than individual values/sizes unless you already have them available. Some components may also have a MOL greater than the quantity specified in the component list.

No affiliation to any of the suppliers, feel free to obtain the supplies from your preferred supplier if applicatble.

Links valid at the time of publication.

Tools

3D Printer

Needle files

Sanding paper

Craft knife

Soldering Iron

Screwdriver (tip profile subject to screw head)

Drill

Drill bit 1.5mm

Drill bit 4mm

Silicone Grease

Know your tools and follow the recommended operational procedures and be sure to wear the appropriate PPE.

The majority of the 3D printed parts were designed using BlocksCad.

Whilst a few parts were designed using TinkerCAD these are the Tripod_nut_tall, Tripod_nut_wide, Tripod_tri_screw using the screw thread generator and additionally the Tripod_tri_clamp.

1: CamclawA 87(L) x 24(W) x 29(L) mm, Weight: 12g

2: CamclawB 75(L) x 24(W) x 27(L) mm, Weight: 9g

3: Clampknob 32(dia) X 19(H) mm, Weight: 10g

4: RetainerM2 10(W) x 20(L) x 8(H) mm, Weight: 1g

5: RetainerM4 10(W) x 20(L) x 8(H) mm, Weight: 1g

6: Riser 40(W) x 121.5(L) x 50(H) mm, Weight: 30g

7: Trileg40 20(W) x 96(L) x 8(H) mm, Weight: 5g

8: Tripod_nut_tall 40(dia) x 20(H) mm, Weight: 14g

9: Tripod_nut_wide 60(dia) x 10(H) mm, Weight: 21g

10: Tripod_tri_clamp 41.9(W) x 48(L) x 10(H) mm, Weight: 8g

11: Tripod_tri_screw 42(W) x 47.9(L) x 48.4(H) mm, Weight: 29g

Links to TinkerCAD files.

Tripod screw

Tripod Clamp

Tripod tall nut

Tripod Wide nut

Filament: PLA (Blue), but any colour as suits personal choice.

Layer Height: 0.15mm

Infill: 100%

Bed Adhesion: Skirt

No supports

All parts are correctly orientated within the files for printing directly.

All parts where sliced using Cura 5.8.1 and printed on a Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro.

Disclaimer

Due to the natural limitation of 3D printed objects with regard to stress and deformation over time, do not subject to excessive temperature by leaving in direct sunlight or close to a heat source, particularly when under load. This could result in toppling due to sagging.

Be aware that the maximum supported weight will vary as a result of the leg and phone angle.

Do not overload the tripod that may create exessive strain on the elements.

Ensure all elements are tight to prevent the phone slipping and that the tripod is balanced to prevent toppling.

Only mount on a stable surface.

Use at your own risk.

Some post processing may be required to remove aberrations in the cavities and around the edges with sanding paper and needle files.

These may include the rectangular cutours in ClawB in particular the corners were they interface with the raised rectangular locators.

Some pre assembly of the clamp knob is required.

Sit a M4 x 8mm threaded insert into the large opening in the clamp knob.

Using a soldering iron apply the tip to the top of the threaded insert and applying light pressure push the insert down into the body of the knob until the insert is flush with the top of the knob.

A cocktail stick (or other slim non conductive rod), can be used to adjust the insert if its off vertical, as its an insulator it will not cool the insert during adjustment.

Orientate ClawA with the raisied end on the right and facing uppermost.

With a 4mm drill bit widen the hole in the centre of the claw.

Orientate ClawB with the raised end on the left and facing uppermost.

Align ClawB over ClawA such that the long rectangular cutouts in ClawB align with the raised rectangular and cylindrical locators on ClawA.

Once attached it should be possible to slide the two claw elements to narrow or widen the gap between the claws.

If the claws cannot be opened to the full extent it may be due to narrowing of the rectangular cutout, this can be remedied by filing the inner edges of the rectangular cutout close to the short side.

Additionally a little silicone grease can be applied to the surface to increase the slip.

Next align the retainerM2 to the right of the claw assembly and fix in place with a M2 x 6mm screw but do not over tighten as the claw assembly needs to slip freely.

Taking the retainerM4 fit a M4 x 35mm Allen socket head screw, driving in the screw until the head sits in the cylindrical recess. Do not widen the hole to ease insertion of the screw as it needs to fit tightly in the retainer.

It may be necessary to hold the retainer in a vice during this process to ensure the screw is correctly aligned.

Worst case if the screw spins than apply a little strong adhesive to the retainerM4 and the screw head.

Pass the threaded part of the M4 x 35mm screw from the front and into the centre hole of the claw assembly.

Widen the centre hole of the riser with a 4mm drill bit.

Orientate the riser with the large hole at the bottom and facing forward.

Pass the protuding part of the M4 screw in the claw assembly into the 4mm hole in the riser.

Drive the clamp knob (threaded insert facing away from M4 screw), onto the M4 screw.

Prevent the screw from spinning with an Allen key in the screw head whilst the knob is fully fitted in place.

Test the claw assembly can be opened, closed, rotated and retains it position when the clamp knob is tightened or relaxed as required.

Place the tri screw on a flat surface.

Orientate a trileg with the ball end into the spherical cavity and the rectangular beam aligned with the rectangular slot.

Repeat this process for the other 2 legs.

Fit the tri clamp over the tri screw with the spherical cavities facing down and aligned with the ball end of the trileg.

Screw on the tri nut wide onto the tri screw and tighten down on the tri clamp to hold the legs in place.

Tighten the screw sufficiently to prevent the legs falling out of the socket and adjust into a position to enable the tripod to freestand. Continue to tighten the nut until the legs are held firmly in place and the gap between the tri clamp and the tri screw is ~1mm.

Do not apply grease to the legs or the ball joints as these need to grip.

Fit the large hole of the riser over the tri screw and fit the tall nut over the tri screw and tighten.

If the tall nut does not hold, tighten the wide nut a little more.

Adjust the legs by slackening the tall nut to enable adjustment of the wide nut and position the legs as required.

Once the legs are positioned tighten the wide nut than the tall nut.

Resist forcing the legs if there is significant resistance to movement to prevent breakage, even if the legs can be moved with noticable resistance this can result in excessive wear on the ball joint which can reduce the ability to lock the legs.

Rotate the clamp knob to slacken the claw and adjust the width by pushing in or pulling out the end of the claw to accomodate the phone to be held.

Press and hold the claw against the edge of the phone and tighten the clamp knob.

Ensure the clamp is firmly tightened and that the phone is securely held in place before releasing.

The claw can be rotated to hold the phone horizontally and vertically or any angle in the vertical plane.

Positioning in the horizontal plane can be achieve by rotating the riser.

Adjusting the angle of one or more legs enables further adjustment.