Building Shooting Table. Have a question

Hello,

 

I am planning to build a shooting table like this one...

 

<p><a href="http://www.vistek.ca/prodimg/129566.jpg" target="_blank">1</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.vistek.ca/prodimgalt/129566_3.jpg" target="_blank">2</a> </p>

<p><a href="http://www.vistek.ca/prodimgalt/129566_1.jpg" target="_blank">3</a></p>

 

 

I plan on using 1" electrical metal tubing (basically electrical conduit) and a white formica table top. The

EMT seems to be a little overkill for the job, but I like its sturdiness. I like that the fact that the

construction is straight forward and it is easily collapsible. I went to my local hardware store and found

everything I need except a good joint/clamp system to join the lengths of EMT. I like the screw-lever clamps

that are seen in the above mentioned product, but I have been unable to find anything similar in design to this

anywhere, even online. I considered forgoing the lever-lock clamps shown and go for a more permanent type

joint, but it seems like EMT joints are extremely basic and only join single straight lengths of tubing together.

I need something that would join 3 tubes together, as in a T, but alas, I can't seem to find anything. If only

they made EMT joints in the same variety as PVC joints, i'd be all set, but PVC is too flimsy for my needs.

 

Anyone familiar with hardware? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks<div></div>

That's an awful lot of work and expense for parts to create something which could be made with 2 sawhorses, a 4'x4' piece of 1/2" plywood for the table top and a light stand to hold up the rear of the sheet of formica.

Brooks has a good solution on this one. Another idea if you want somthing with a sturdier back would be to just cross cut a 4x8 sheet of the 1/2" ply and put a couple hinges on at the cut. then you can fold up the one half and secure it by tacking some nails into the corners on the edges and tying rope to create the angle of choice. Now bend your laminate into position in the corner created and clamp it with some spring clamps. Set the whole mess on a table or saw horses and away you go.

I just don't get the DIY lighting equipment fringe. For the cost required just to think about this kind of product, a commercial version with all sorts of features can be purchased from a reputable manufacturer that has invested lots of time, countless people hours, and many thousands of dollars in research and design, and commercial manufacturing resourcing.

>>I just don't get the DIY lighting equipment fringe....

 

A quick search reveals a table like that starts around $350 and can go up to thousands.

Kieth, like myself and tens thousands of others, might enjoy building projects like this, as evidenced by the popularity of sites like Strobist. He might want to see if he'd be interested in table-top work before investing hundreds of dollars.

 

He may simply have more time and creativity than money.

 

Keith-- What about copper pipe?

Lots of fittings available, but might cost a few more dollars than emt. Copper's gone up lately.

 

Best of luck with the project.

Summer,

 

Not all of us have super deep pockets that we can go out and buy the best commercial items available. Especially if we are doing this as a hobby, and may only shoot the occasional tabletop pic.

I've been shooting table-top, food and products commercially for over 25 years. When I was first starting out I bought an adjustable shooting table. I think I used it for maybe a year or two. I still have it disassembled in a closet in the studio.

 

Why? It was just too inconvenient to use every day. Often I need a look down point of view and the table was just too tall.

 

Why climb a ladder when you can easily create a shooting table that's inches off the ground with a couple of apple crates, glass blocks, cinder blocks, etc. and a piece of plywood..Other times I need a smaller width table to place softboxes or reflectors to the side below the table edge and right next to the subject and the table is too wide.

 

Assembled, the table just took too much space in the studio for the amount of use I was getting out of it.

 

So...using sawhorses of different heights and plywood of different widths I can set up a shooting table that fits the job exactly and it only takes a few minutes. When the shoot is over it comes apart into a couple of sawhorses and a piece of plywood.

 

It's not that commercially available shooting tables are that expensive, though mine cost about $900 back in the 1980's, it's that they are one-trick ponies and easily replaced by simpler setups..

1-inch EMT actually fits 1" PVC connectors pretty good -- just .024" oversize -- and makes a fairly good fit with

1-1/4" copper connectors -- just .085" off. If you want it sturdy enough to climb on, use Schedule 80 connectors

(twice the thickness, same pipe diameter); they're not usually carried at home improvement stores but an

industrial/commercial plumbing house will have them on can get them. Also, there are PVC pipe caps available

which will fit the EMT, just right to finish off a ragged end and/or make feet for the stand.

 

Plastic and copper connectors will also fit 3/4" and 1/2" EMT. I've used them for a number of projects.

Actually, it's really not that much work at all. shooting tables don't really have that many feature to speak of so i don't think i'd be missing out on much by making my own. all we're really talking about here is cutting some piping and fitting it together (i have better understanding after reading responses now) and throwing a piece of formica on top with some spring clamps. if im feeling extra crazy, i may even throw on a caster or two. haha.

 

nothing at all against the photo equpt. manufacturers, but we all know that just about everything is over priced. take a boom counterweight sandbag for example. if you buy it online, you'll spend 40 bucks and all you'll get is a canvas bag with a handle full of sand. why do that when you can get the same thing for maybe 5 or 6 bucks if you DIY. but i do understand what you are saying. i don't have a big budget right now and I can build exactly what you see above in a couple hours for about $200 bucks, rather than $650 plus about $100 shipping.

 

thanks for the info on the 80 pvc fittings. i think ill go that route. OR I just learned that a buddy of mine has a pipe threader so i may just do that. a screw in system actually sounds kind of cool now. I would like it to be as sturdy as possible.

<i>...I just learned that a buddy of mine has a pipe threader...</i><p>If he has a threader there's a good chance he has a conduit bender: you could eliminate half the joints AND have legs that set the Formica bend radii automatically.

after a lot of searching, i found exactly what i was looking for. thought i would relay..

 

https://www.simplifiedbuilding.com/products/2-kee-lite.html

Gack...I thought you were looking for an inexpensive solution. At 10-bucks-plus per joint you're going to be up into the commercially available "paint it black and call it professional" range pretty quickly. Anyway, be sure to post some pics when you get it finished.

will do! i expect to get it done next week. the total came out to $169 for the joints, and i expect the EMT to come out to about $60, and then $45 for a 4x8 sheet of formica coming out to around $275 plus tax. not super cheap, but the table it's modeled exactly after retails for $649 + shipping. decent enough savings for me.

All done. Photos and tutorial at:

 

http://www.slagermanphoto.com/blog/

Classy, functional, beautiful. And a great tutorial. Thanks!