Secure Drawingboard Tripod Mount

It was time to update my flimsy method of connecting my sketch board to a tripod (it was just a ¼” nut glued onto the back of a plywoodboard).

I had been given a wonderful little connector which can be hammered into the board (I now know they are called T-Nuts ¼” or maybe barrel nuts and used extensively in prefabricated furniture manufacture). I decided to add a separate piece/pad to hold the nut securely in place (with gorilla glue this time).

I have a variety of tripods and camera plates to allow connection to tripods and other stands, and they are different sizes. Also, the tripods they serve have different heads allowing different movements. I made this extra pad square with the maximum dimension of connector plates (70cm) so I could mount this either way (with the board either vertically or horizontally aligned). Importantly with the rotate/tilt handle easily accessed from the front, so you don’t need to get up to adjust the drawing/painting surface. I also added a layer of the “bubbly” rubber sheet sold for lining kitchen pot and pan draws to provide a very sound surface for the plate to screw into and hold firm.

The result is versatile and holds firm, from my lightweight portable tripod to a desk mounting position and all other options.