homemade Lightforce monopod

OK, Knockemdown,
This is my new version. If I would have listened to "KEC" I wouldn't be doing all this work. Here is how I change mine and still kept the light in line with the gun. Take a PVC "T" as you see and I cut it in half on my bandsaw. You have to get the one that has a 3/4" hole to fit the Gander Mtn. monopod. Then plastic tie it and put in short piece of pipe. I did not glue pipe in T, just use silicone rubber so you can take everything apart if you need to. Also, I slid the rubber grip down so the light is as high and close to the gun barrel as I could get. The rest is obvious in the pics. I need to put a new shroud on my light, I didn't like the one I had. I hope this helps you, or maybe you already changed yours with a better Idea. Pete

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Peterjc,
You won't believe this, but I bought that same 3/4" PVC fitting from Home Depot yesterday! I guess we were both thinking at the same time...good stuff! I didn't see your post until just now...looks real good! What I was thinking of is only minutely different than your setup. You'll see soon enough...

Before I went to the Depot, I discovered that the foam grip is removable so there is no need to cut the PVC T fitting. Just work the grip off and slide the PVC T down the shaft. A thin strip of masking tape works great as a stopper for the fitting.

I've built a bunch of custom fishing rods, so that knowledge is kind of spilling over into this project. Just need to cut the dowel to length and mix some quick dry epoxy to keep it all tight.

I will post up pics of my variation when it is finished...
 
OK, I got this far here @ work...

First, got the Hypalon grip slid off the top of the monopod and slid down the same PVC t-fitting as Pete used. I think it cost $0.63! I re-served the decoy string into two smaller pieces for stiffening up the connection and to give something for the epoxy to soak into for strength.
duckhunt1-12011.jpg


I used a zip tie for a "stopper" so the string wouldn't move when I slid the t-fitting down. Then mixed some 5 min epoxy, applied it to bottom string and slid the PVC down over top of it. (You could also substitute masking tape for the string. Just keep wrapping it around the monopod and build up enough tape so that the PVC fits snugly over it) Finally, used a flat head screwdriver to push the top section of string down into the PVC...
duckhunt1-12014.jpg


Had a 6" length of 3/4" dowel cut & ready for the 90` mount and generously used the rest of the epoxy for strength...
duckhunt1-12016.jpg



I don't have my Lightforce with me, but this is how the setup looks after the re-furb...
duckhunt1-12017.jpg


Hopefully, the Lighforce will sit nicely centered below my rifle with the mount the way it is now...
I'll get the light mounted up and snap another pic soon!
 
Knockemdown,
Yours looks great too. If you look at my pictures you'll notice I have my light at the top right under the yoke. and the grip below that. That was for a reason. My beam will be higher than yours. I felt I wanted it closer to the rifle bore and sometimes when you get into a field with fairly high grass or weeds the light may be able to shine over it, thats why I didn't want it lower. I set on one of those web stools from H.S. Struts and I have the telescopic pole so high and thats it. Unless you are going to mount the light upside down. And from the looks of your mount, it looks like thats the way your going to mount yours. I didn't like that because then your fighting the weight wanting to flip back down the other way. To each his own /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Peterjc,

Looks good....Guess I'm gonna have to make mine "pretty" now too as mine doesn't look as good as it works...lol.

Good Luck with it...glad I could help. Any more ?'s...feel free.
 
OK, got it finished off this morning!

Pete,
You'll see why I mounted the T-fitting lower down the monopod...


Cut down the dowel and hit it with some sandpaper & black paint for athestetics. The preds ain't gonna see through the light anyway...
finishedLightforcemount001.jpg



Got the light mounted up snugly & used two zip ties to fix the switch in a convenient spot...
finishedLightforcemount002.jpg


I used a wood dowel for the front arm so that the Lightforce mount would squeeze down into the wood for a firm hold. It worked out great and the epoxy dried rock solid. The monopod balances better with the weight of the light mounted closer to its center. And the light actually rides closer to the gun with the T-fitting lower down in this position. You can see in the pic below, the top of the light is just about even with the bottom of the gun cradle...
finishedLightforcemount004.jpg


The shooter can easily scan for eyes while keeping the gun shouldered comfortably.
Pan to the right...
finishedLightforcemount006.jpg

and to the left...
finishedLightforcemount007.jpg


Thanks again for posting up your ideas & pics! I'm very happy with how this project turned out and it should hunt like champ!!!

good shootin'!
 
OK Knockem,
You're gonna have to do something with those feet...I can smell them from here lol /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Pennsylvania is downwind from NY ya know...
Seriously, that looks good. I'm going out tomorrow night so I'll let ya know how mine works. Good luck with yours, Pete /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
Thanks Pete. I knew I'd take some ribbing about that after I posted /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
And thanks again for taking the time to share your "in-line" version in the first place. That lit a fire under me...
Good luck to you tomorrow /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif Real anxious to know how she hunts for ya...

KNOCK ONE DOWN!
Fred
 
rem6mm,
Don't know what to tell ya buddy. I guess you just haveta drive to the closest Gander Mtn store and get one. I could hardly believe they didn't have on-line sales but you are correct, cause I checked. Oh, KnockemDown, I got out tonight with a partner and we did not see a thing but I went to the range today in daylight and used it just like I hunt with my stool and put up a target at 100 yds. I only tried 3 shots but I had a 2 3/4 inch group. For accuracy you can't beat shooting sticks but thats not bad for a monopod. I kept it against my left leg as best I could, Would have killed a dog. Just wanted to let ya know.
 
Pacecar,
If the top swivels, then I don't see why it wouldn't work the same. I made my first one homemade out of a wooden dowel and my yoke did not swivel...not good. So learn from my mistakes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
this set up gets me above the grass etc. top of chair rotates 360. Whole rifle unit and light moves with me.
 
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