DIY stabilizer, step 1

I'm basically following this gentleman's design (he's got several videos on youtube under his user name, "wsclater"), plus various other tips I'm picking up here and there.

There's no way I could do this without youtube.

Step 1: The handle.

I drove down to the local indoor skateboard park and purchased a box of eight skateboard bearings ($10). I spent some time wandering around in Lowe's and Home Depot, and bought a 1/2" pvc threadless coupler, and a $5 metal flashlight, from which I removed the lens, bulb/LED, and reflector. I heated the pvc coupler in the oven for 15 minutes or so at ~200 degrees F and then was able to press one of the skateboard bearings inside it. Then I jammed the coupler/bearing combo into the flashlight head. The inner ring of the bearing spins smoothly and freely, which will allow the camera to pan left and right (or conversely, allow the handle to be twisted left and right while the camera points straight ahead.)

So far, so good...

I've ordered the u-joint (for all other directions of motion).