My "no tools necessary" design for repurposing an "Orbit" two-hour mechanical hose watering timer as a timer for creating panoramic time lapse videos uses off-the-shelf, ready-to-use parts available at most hardware stores.
I bought the PVC parts at a nearby Loew's hardware store where the shortest length of pre-cut PVC pipe is two feet (2') ... so that's what I bought. After only one field test I knew I needed to use a shorter PVC pipe for mounting the "Orbit" timer on a photography tripod. The longer pipe in my original design worked well but isn't as portable as I would like. I found a vendor on Amazon that sells one foot (1') long pieces of PVC pipe; I ordered one and it was delivered the next day.
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| Wider view showing one foot (1') long PVC pipe. |
The last photo shows a closer view of the "Orbit" dial face, revealing my "cludgy" way of mounting a GoPro flat adhesive mount on the dial.
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| Closer view showing temporary attachment of flat adhesive mount. |
Whenever possible my preference is to "do things the right way," meaning using official parts as they were designed to be used, rather than jerry-rigged solutions. In this case that would mean attaching the adhesive mount directly to the dial face, more or less permanently, but I just couldn't do that.
In Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, the beer can tab is a pivotal, symbolic, and practical moment where the narrator uses a piece of aluminum from a beer can to fix a slipping handlebar on his friend John's high-end BMW motorcycle. Source Credit: Google AI Overview.
So I added two pieces of clear packing tape to the "Orbit" dial face and attached the flat adhesive mount to the tape. The packing tape extends past the edge of the dial and is folded over on itself, forming a "pull tab" that can be used to remove the tape. Like I said, "cludgy" but it worked and I am comforted by the idea that I can remove the adhesive mount more easily than if it were mounted directly on the dial face.
As a result of my positive experience using the adhesive mount attached somewhat temporarily, I have softened my hardline opposition to using GoPro adhesive mounts. That being said, I will probably continue using my "cludgy" mounting method until I overcome my fear of long term commitment. Hah!
Related Resources
- VENTRAL PVC Pipe Sch40 3/4 Inch (0.75) White Custom Length 1FT Feet [~3/4" inner diameter, ~1" outer diameter]
- GoPro Flat Adhesive Mount
- Panoramic time lapse rig using "Orbit" two-hour mechanical hose watering timer - a blog post by Walter Sanford
- First field test: "Orbit" panoramic time lapse timer - another blog post by Walter Sanford
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