Adam Savage builds custom phone rig to keep filming simple

Filmmaking often gets bogged down in heavy gear and endless settings. When you are a solo creator, friction kills creativity. Adam Savage knows this reality intimately. To keep his technical barrier to entry as low as possible, Savage films his solo workshop sessions using just an iPhone.

Good sound and flexible angles matter, but complex setups stall momentum. This guide details how to build a highly adjustable, professional-grade mobile phone mount. It combines a heavy-duty magnetic base, rigid modular hose segments, and a precision-machined clamp. This setup offers the perfect blend of stability and physical flexibility, ensuring you can capture any angle instantly.

Tools and Materials Needed

To build this rugged workshop camera mount, gather the following materials:

• Magnetic Base: A high-strength magnetic mount, specifically the Three-Footed Monster.
• Flexible Arm: 3/4-inch Loc-Line modular hose segments and compatible NPT threaded connector nozzles.
• Phone Clamp: A high-quality metal clamp, like the aluminum Stalman phone holder.
• Core Stock: A rod of Delrin (acetal plastic) to machine custom plugs.
• Fasteners: 1/4-20 steel bolts and matching set screws.
• Shop Machinery: A metal lathe, a band saw, a drill press, hand taps, and a mallet.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Machining the Internal Plugs

First, turn a solid rod of Delrin on the lathe. You need to match the inner diameter of your Loc-Line NPT threaded adapter. The fit must be exceptionally tight. Turn the plastic down to create a precise press-fit plug. Cut the plug to length using a band saw, then face the ends flat on the lathe.

Drilling and Threading the Connectors

Press the custom plastic plug directly into the hollow cavity of the Loc-Line adapter nozzle. Use a soft mallet to seat it completely. Mount the combined piece in a vice. Drill a pilot hole straight through the center of the plastic. Tap this hole using a standard 1/4-20 hand tap. This creates the primary mounting thread. To prevent the plastic plug from spinning inside the nozzle under weight, drill a small cross-hole through the outer plastic shell. Thread a set screw or pin directly into this cross-hole.

Creating the Mounting Studs

Thread a standard 1/4-20 steel bolt tightly into the tapped hole of your newly completed plug. Once seated, use a metal-cutting band saw to cut off the hex head of the bolt. This leaves a solid, threaded stud protruding from the connector. Use a file or grinder to gently round off the cut end of the stud to prevent thread galling.

Final Assembly

Thread the exposed steel stud of the modified connector directly into the top of your Three-Footed Monster magnetic base. Tighten it securely using pliers. Snap your desired length of blue Loc-Line modular joints onto this base connector. Finish the build by snapping the top adapter nozzle onto the flexible arm. Screw your Stalman phone clamp onto this top mount.

Tips and Troubleshooting

Adjusting Loc-Line joints requires physical force. If the modular segments feel too stiff to snap together by hand, use dedicated assembly pliers. Do not use heat. Heat weakens the plastic joints and ruins their holding strength.

If the camera arm sags under the weight of a heavy phone, shorten the arm. Every segment you add increases leverage. Keep the assembly as short as possible to maintain rigidity. Secure the magnetic base to clean, flat steel surfaces. Dust or metal shavings on the magnet drastically reduce its holding power.

The Professional Edge

This custom build eliminates the bulky tripods and flimsy plastic clips that ruin workflow. You gain a compact, incredibly stiff camera mount. It snaps to cast-iron machinery beds, steel workbenches, and toolboxes instantly. This design gives you the freedom to focus entirely on your craft.