Custom Knee Brace Camera Mount

A few years ago, we faced a unique challenge during a shoe commercial shoot, which led us to custom-build a knee brace rig.

Having scoured the internet for a brace strong enough to support added attachment points and with open areas suitable for drilling, we sourced one we thought would work from Amazon.

Wherever we drilled, we reinforced the area with metal plates to ensure the rig remained both durable and lightweight even with ⅜” aluminum rods and gags.

Custom knee brace camera rig

Sourcing metal from Home Depot and manually bending it, we created the above custom mount solution. Since the brace lacked any proper mounting points at the back, we devised a metal band system from which we could secure a baby pin.

To prevent the metal band from tilting it is anchored to a lower point in the front using a metal tab.

For added comfort, the interior nuts (not shown above) are padded, so the rig can be worn for extended periods of time without discomfort to the wearer.

Ultimately, the custom knee brace setup performed well on set we successfully captured the shot and it’s got a place on our Grip Truck!

However, there are improvements to be made and a V2 version is already designed. The only challenge is that the ideal hard brace for the upgrade is only available in Europe!

Any friends of Legacy Grip want to ship it over to us in Hollywood?

Baby pin attachment points

Softbox Kit

When built correctly, softboxes are as beautiful as they are functional and a clean softbox build is something every grip crew can be proud of.

Different grip crews have their own methods for constructing softboxes, especially for larger sizes, but we’ve developed a highly effective solution for the most common smaller sizes.

Among the softbox sizes we frequently use are 8x8 and 12x12 with 4’ drops.

12x12 softbox made with 3/4” square stock

On our grip truck, we carry eight 8’ and eight 12’ ¾” square stock tubing that is dedicated solely for softbox construction.

My ¾” softbox stock lives in my truck on the rack

This square stock is distinct from my 1” frame sets and has been cut short by 2” to account for the 1” of spacing on each end that’s needed for three-way corner hardware. So, when configured, the 7’10” lengths form a true 8’ OD box!

The same happens for the verticals.

Our 4’ verticals are really 3’10”. When set up with 3-way corners on both ends you wind up with a perfect 4’ total height!

But what makes this setup truly special?

Here’s the magic: The ¾” square stock has velcro on 2 sides.

If you line up all the lengths in the correct orientation as you piece together the box it’ll give you hard-side velcro on all your outer facing edges!

For the exterior, we use custom-made softbox sides with soft-side Velcro along the edges!

We carry 4’x8’ black/white side panels for our 8x boxes and 4’x12’ panels for our 12x boxes.

The same principle applies to softbox diffusions - ¼ grid, ½ grid, and full grid, which Velcro right to the bottom.

Custom softbox rags

Note: the ¾” box with sides and diffusion is not structural. So, to ensure stability, we build a skeleton for the box out of Modulus-X truss (configured in a “H” shape) and rest the ¾” square stock box on top of that skeleton.

Take a deeper dive into our softbox construction techniques, check out our comprehensive guide on softbox rigging for grips.

Large Diameter Washers

This is a simple, inexpensive, essential item that has proven invaluable on every film set.

½” thick 3-½” diameter washers with ⅜” holes in the center have saved us more times than we can count.

Large diameter washer from Modern Studio Equipment

These work great for when you’re trying to mount points to holes that are just as wide or a little wider than standard ⅜” washers.

Note: Just be careful your point doesn’t shift around inside the hole once it’s attached.

Pillow Block Bearings

Pillow block bearings are a versatile and budget-friendly addition to your grip truck. They come in all shapes and sizes, but we use ones that fit 1-¼” speedrail.

Pillow block bearing

Pass the speedrail through the shaft and secure it with grub nuts. The mounting holes on either side allow for easy attachment of clamps and cheeseplates, making these pillow blocks ideal for custom rigs.

A pipe rainbow rig built with pillow block bearings

Pillow block bearings create the rig movement

Locking Pulleys

My pulley kit contains both regular snatch blocks and locking pulleys.

Locking pulleys, also known as progress capture pulleys, are great for lifting heavy loads. They are designed to lock automatically before you start the lift, allowing the rope to move in only one direction. This feature eliminates the need to hold the load and tie off simultaneously.

Our grip truck stocks Petzl Traxion locking pulleys

For efficiency and safety, we prefer to keep our locking pulleys at ground level whenever possible. This approach has several advantages: it allows easy access to unlock the pulley when you need to release the load and keeps excess rope on the ground. If the pulley is positioned high, you’ll need to climb up multiple times—once to rig the pulley, again to tie off the load, once more to unlock and release the line, and finally to de-rig the pulley.

So, ground-level pulleys are preferable, provided you have a strong anchor for a secure tie-off

The pulley swivels open for mid-length line attachment

Note: As an added safety measure, once your load is up, always tie the excess line around the pulley to your lifting length. This redundancy knot acts as a backup in case of pulley malfunction or failure and ensures that your load remains secure.

Importance of Being Prepared

A solid grip truck is more than just stands and apple boxes—it’s the custom-built, problem-solving tools that give your crew the edge when the unexpected hits. In this article, we walked through five specialty items we carry on our grip truck that have saved our butts more than once: from a custom knee brace camera mount born out of necessity on a commercial shoot, to our slick, modular softbox kit that builds fast and clean on set.

We also broke down why large-diameter washers, pillow block bearings, and locking pulleys have become staples in our truck—each one a low-key game-changer when you’re deep in a rig build or mid-lift. Whether you're dialing in your own truck or renting one for a shoot, these curated add-ons might just be the tools you didn’t know you needed until you're out there and wish you had 'em.