Homemade Cell Phone Mount

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Recently I got my first smart phone. Since I wanted to be able to use it as a GPS, I needed a new mount that would hold it securely while I was riding. I like the RAM mounts for their function, but I wanted something for the S10 that didn't look quite so utilitarian, so I made one to my own liking. I designed it to be fabricated from easily available materials like aluminum angle, aluminum plate, and ABS sheet plastic. All of the aluminum angle, nuts, bolts, U-bolts, etc came from the hardware store. The 1.5mm aluminum sheet is leftover scrap from an old pannier project, but can be purchased online from places like Metals Depot. The ABS sheet was bought from TAP Plastics. I did have to buy the short double socket RAM connector; I was originally going to build my own ball and socket armature, but without a drill press, it makes it a lot more difficult. The ball mounts are homemade, from 1/4” aluminum plate, aluminum tubing, and a 1” threaded phenolic ball from McMaster-Carr.

As with all my projects, it was made with simple hand tools (hacksaws, files, electric drill, sabre saw, etc). No drill presses, milling machines, etc were used. All the bending was done with a little 4” bending brake that mounts in my 4” bench vise. On this project, I did buy a simple tap and die set; it was the first time I've used that in one of my projects, and it worked out well.

Because of the double socket armature, the phone can be set in a variety of positions, which will be nice when I use my tank bag. It can be moved into my line of sight, or set off to one side, or mounted low over the fuel tank. The phone can be rotated. Once the mount is adjusted for the particular phone, the phone is easily removable; the two thumbscrews on the rear are loosened and the top clamp slides up, releasing the phone. All of the thumbscrews are spring loaded, so there is some back pressure on them to keep them from vibrating loose.

The mount can hold a variety of phones, up to about 5” wide. The side supports can be placed in different slots, to accommodate differing positions of the buttons on different phones. The mount will hold a phone securely even without the side supports, but they are there for added security on really bumpy roads.

I've uploaded some photos into a photo album that shows the mount under construction, if you want to see how it was accomplished. As always, if it provides inspiration to try your own design, feel free to use it. Here is the link to the album: http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=89
 

Attachments

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
Staff member
Global Moderator
2011 Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
11,489
Location
Damascus, MD
Always feels good to create something on your own.
::008::
 

neilbarnwell

Member
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
58
Location
Worcester, UK
That's excellent. My bike came with the Touratech locking bracket for a Garmin Zumo 660, but I don't have the satnav, and with the Google Voice + Scala Rider bluetooth combo (and now offline routing in Google Maps) I actually MUCH prefer my phone to the Garmin. Something like this would be excellent, though I wonder about waterproofing. Have you found a phone cover that is watertight that still allows a charging cable to pass-through, or are you just going to avoid having it out in the rain?

Lovely work.
 

scott123007

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2012
Messages
1,461
Location
Jupiter, Florida
Beautiful work RC. That looks like about 20 hrs worth with hand tools. Just don't trade your phone on an Iphone or you'll have more drillin' to do! LOL
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Checkswrecks said:
Always feels good to create something on your own.
::008::
Totally agree. I'm a big believer in the "I wonder if I can build this myself?" school of thought.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Doug C said:
Very nice work again, amazing craftsmanship with simple tools. Way more patience than me.
Thanks, Doug. I get what you mean about the patience thing, though it's kind of relative. I can spend all day making a part, but I would never have the patience to sit in front of a TV all day binge watching a show, for example. This sort of thing is actually relaxing to me.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
neilbarnwell said:
That's excellent. My bike came with the Touratech locking bracket for a Garmin Zumo 660, but I don't have the satnav, and with the Google Voice + Scala Rider bluetooth combo (and now offline routing in Google Maps) I actually MUCH prefer my phone to the Garmin. Something like this would be excellent, though I wonder about waterproofing. Have you found a phone cover that is watertight that still allows a charging cable to pass-through, or are you just going to avoid having it out in the rain?

Lovely work.
Thanks, Neil. So far there seems to be a lack of available waterproof covers for the Droid Turbo with the ballistic nylon cover, but it's of no matter, as I probably wouldn't use one anyway. My solution for waterproofing on the bike is pretty simple. I'm going to get one of those heavy duty waterproof zip-loc bags that they sell in camping and outdoor stores for whitewater rafters to keep their valuables in (though that's probably overkill, and a regular bag would work just fine). Way cheaper than an Otterbox. My charging port is at the bottom of the phone, so I'm not too worried that, if I poke a hole in a bag for a charging cable, a damaging amount of water is going to work its way inside the bag. I've covered my Garmin Nuvi many times with a zip-loc during a rainstorm, with no leakage issues.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
scott123007 said:
Beautiful work RC. That looks like about 20 hrs worth with hand tools. Just don't trade your phone on an Iphone or you'll have more drillin' to do! LOL
Thanks Scott. I'd have a hard time guessing how much time I put into it; I never keep track. Construction time was spread over several weeks, but of course, I was doing other stuff during that time.

I'm good if I have to trade. The mount can handle a device up to about five inches wide and probably eight inches high. I had an iPhone 5s in there to test it, and it works well.
 

ace50

Active Member
Joined
May 19, 2015
Messages
640
Location
VA
Nice work! I prefer to make things myself if I want something.
I'm going to have to look into that bench vice bender. I like that.
My bends always come out wonky doing it freehand.
 

JV

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
64
Location
NE Arkansas
Very nice RC. Those raised strips on the back of the ABS, are they glued or...?
Your hand drilling looks great!
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
The strips on the back are glued on with a solvent cement made specifically for ABS plastic (Weld-On 2354). It creates a super strong bond.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
TheHelios said:
When are you going to start selling them? ;)
LOL, like most of my projects, if I actually charged someone for the amount of time the projects take to build, then the commercially available ones would start to seem like a real bargain!
 

motoguy

Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
206
Location
wisconsin
Looks great. I took the easy way out, got a Life Proof case (water proof) and belt clip. Mounted the belt clip on the wind screen mounts. Just snap the phone in and go. Works great.
 

Attachments

Top