Clapperboard/ about $20 + labor

Not finding a decent cheap one on the internet that looked worth the cost(it was $50) I decided to make my own. With just a few skills and a couple of basic tools, you can too. Be sure and use a harder wood(like oak) for the clapper itself. It will take more abuse and give a nicer clap sound. Probably the hardest thing to find was the tiny hinge. If the hardware store doesn't have one, try a hobby or crafts store. I would find your dry erase board first, then look for the wood for the clapper so you don't end up with an odd match up of sizes. Then go back and buy the board when you've found a good match up.Good idea to take a tape measure with you. My wood was actually a little short, and that's what gave birth to the handle idea, which was just a spare part from a sink drain repair kit. A neater handle would be one that has a plug or screw-on cap to put your marker pen in. Several times the pen clipped to the side went missing, and don't you have better things to do than look for that? If you can't paint the 4 colored circle, maybe a simple sticker that has the basic colors in it will work. Most importantly and what probably holds everybody back a bit, is that groove in the bottom wooden piece. I did mine hand-held with a skill saw, but not everybody is gonna want to try that. A table saw will be easier and safer, or find someone who has the saw and give them $5 bucks or so to cut your groove for you. Make sure it's close to exactly what the width of the dry erase board is, or you'll create problems. Best of luck if you decide to try it, and I would be happy to try and answer your questions or help you thru a problem.Only requirement is you type in English please. Thanks!
By the way, sorry the video is not a better quality of a how-to video. I just bought my 1st video camera (Canon FS100) about 5 months earlier and editing computer(15" MacBook Pro) about 3, so this is only about the 4th video I uploaded when I first got my Youtube account in March of 2009.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• clapperboard
• slateboard
• how to video's
• indy filmmaker
• video equipment
• make your own

[shapeworkstudios1]

how did you mount the marker on??

[armeeuff1]

@shapeworkstudios1 If you mean the 'marker' pen, it came with the dry erase board, but like I think I said in here somewhere, if I was to do it again, I'd make any markers fit into the handle with a screw-on or pop on cap to hold them in, as about every time I take this somewhere, there's always time that ends up being eaten to find the marker, that popped off somewhere, usually under the car seat, but sometimes it's a search mission instead. Frustrating and time consuming.

[armeeuff1]

Random sounds? Haha, yea, this is only the 3rd video (of over 300) I did and uploaded since I started about 2 years ago. I had just gotten a MacBook Pro laptop and was just starting into editing in iMovie 08 and Garage Band(both which I still do nearly everything on)when I did this and was just trying out stuff. What's funny to me is it continues to draw most my hits, day after day, week after week, always been in the top 3 and is usually #1. I'm amazed but I admit, it's pretty bad!

[Bruce177]

I have made a couple of clapper boards now (big and small) & I love your idea of the handle, nice touch! Something I do -and would be an easy mod for yours if so required (I believe it it done with pro boards) I add two small round neodymium disc magnets (e-bay) to open end of the the clap sticks just drill a suitable size hole and epoxy them in. This helps make a good strong single "Clap" and would also help keep the sticks together in transport. Awesome job! Thanks for posting the vid. :)

[armeeuff1]

@Bruce177 Noedymium disc? Sorry man I have NO way to get to Mars, which is where these things are for all I know!LOL Seriously tho(but not for long), I had seen use of magnets before, but sorta assumed they were only to hold the sticks together when not being used. So if they actually hit and make the clap, I wonder if any type of wood can be used if the clap is now coming from something else? Maybe something even besides wood?

[jrm637]

I have to admit, I've looked at a lot of different slate boards and yours is pretty cool. Especially if you needed to clap with only one hand available. Very cool, bro!

[armeeuff1]

@jrm637 - Thanks.Thought about redoing the video or making another board AS I build it (I tend to build 'on the fly' much of the timer), but always too busy to backtrack it seems, and like the saying goes, 'If it ain't broken..."

But I just built a collapsible stage knife for a video I shot last night, and this time I DID start with the basic parts but didn't video as I built it, but in steps before and after the ideas came to me.Should go over pretty well.

[hnatkowicz]

Great job. I am always amazed at the DIYer's ingenuity versus the standard/accepted method of doing things. You have made some wonderful improvements to a piece of hardware that probably hasn't changed much in 90 years... awesome!

[shapeworkstudios1]

@armeeuff1 ya thats what i meant. I got one of those cheap clapperboards u can buy for 5$ and printed out a custom clapperboard sheet from frugal filmmaker, that's taped on (i changed it a bit) i got one of those little dry erase markers, that has an eraser ON the cap, and i'm trying to figure out a way i could mount in to the claperboard, so i don't have to carry it sepratly. any ideas? thanks!

[AndreasSheiLT]

what's with the random sounds?

[Gubbymanden]

haha mac sounds ;D

[Bruce177]

@armeeuff1 lol I have the magnets just flush with the clapping face of the clapper so it is still the wood making the "CLAP" it just helps them come together nice and clean snap without a bounce. I have used oak and mahogany for the clap sticks myself both have worked as well as each other.