Yes, you could make something like this out of a 1x4 piece. But these things actually work great if you're trying to attach a large sheet of drywall to your ceiling yourself. There is a guide that prevents the device from rotating. The guide also places the beveled edge at the correct distance to allow the drywall to slide. I installed the remote as suggested. The middle one I installed then removed the screw and turned it to the side. After I had the flagstone in place, I grabbed my screwdriver and tightened the nearest support to fully support the drywall. Very good.