Spike feet (ries) covers, caps, or protection

[David Carson]

I've got a recently made Ries, and I like the spike feet. Love the tripod. But, I don't like scratching my car, poking myself (or others). Switching out the legs to the rubber feet each time I transport it is a hassle, especially during multi-stop excursions.

I called Ries and they don't have covers or caps for the spike feet...so I'm looking for some home-brew solution. I'm thinking of rubber balls? Some sort of rubber cap? But how would I fasten them so they don't fall off? I'm sure someone out there has the chops to figure this out.

The photo shows both the spike and rubber feet. To switch them out, one must slide the whole lower leg out, flip it, and slide it back in.

[Ash]

why don't you grab some 35mm film containers, the plastic type with the pop-off lid.

Fill the containers with foam or polystyrene or something that will compress but keep form. That way you can push them onto the spikes and the pressure in the foam/poly compression will keep them in place, and easily pull them off in use.

[John Kasaian]

Drilling some spike diameter holes in golf balls will give your kit a country clubby look ;) Of course if you shoot on hillsides there is the risk they will roll away if left unattended.

Champage corks will provide an elegant, sophisticated atmosphere. If you have a 'dorff, keep in mind they in themselves are chick magnets so bneautiful women will be hovering about all the time. If they see that you're portecting your Ries spikes with corks from your last three bottles of Moet Chandon be forewarned---yuo'll probaly get unsolicited proposals of marriage.

For overnight camping trips sausages will provide the evening's repast as well flame hardening the ol' Ries (you may even be mistaken for the spirit of Ansel Adams is you're illuminated by pale moonlight while camping in Yosemite)

Sections of rubber tubeing of the appropriate diameter will make you look like Tim the Tool Man. Stranded motorists (or worse, someone with a bum pacemaker) will flag you down, expecting you to be able to MacGyver their Toyotas back to health with only two bent 18d nails and a tube of Gleam toothpaste.

[David Carson]

Hahahahahahahahah! Touche!



(My handheld doesn't have an accent mark for the "e")

[resummerfield]

I use a Surveyor's tripod with large spike feet. I fold the tripod, then cover all the feet at once with a leather pouch, which was once a leather tool pouch.

[Vaughn]

Just use the darn thing! LOL! My Ries spikes have worn down to wimpy rounded stubs. Actually, I need to get a file and sharpen them back up...I can't fight off the mountain lions and other beasties with what I have now.:eek:

The leather pouch idea sounds good, though. I'll have to remember that if I do sharpen them up!

vaughn

[David Carson]

Hey, found these screw protectors (http://www.widgetco.com/screw-protectors) after a bit of a search...

[Vaughn]

Hey, found these screw protectors (http://www.widgetco.com/screw-protectors) after a bit of a search...

I thought maybe it would be a link to condoms:p

I think the leather pouch still might be the better idea -- I certainly do not need more small things (pencils, lens caps, cable releases, etc) to lose or leave behind!

Vaughn

[Phil]

The spikes on my Ries legs will unscrew...

[Deane Johnson]

Hey, found these screw protectors (http://www.widgetco.com/screw-protectors) after a bit of a search...

When I purchased my Zone VI heavy tripod back in the 70s, it came with those in bright orange. They worked pretty good.

[matthew blais]

Tennis balls..pretty pink ones..

[Andrew_4548]

Push-on rubber feet for walking sticks - if the store looks at you strange, say you've only got three legs on your Zimmer frame as one fell off and you don't need it... ;)

[Ken Sinclair]

For the past few years, I have had to humph around a piece of carpet to place between the metal spikes and wood floors. I have been keeping my eyes open for that folding protective floor ‘device’to fit under the tripod’s spiked feet, introduced by Fred Pickerthat that now seem to have disappeared. I feel somewhat confident that if some generous owner could provide measurements I could make something similar while leaving that scrap of carpet on which my dog to used to sleep.

Ken

[matthew blais]

For the past few years, I have had to humph around a piece of carpet to place between the metal spikes and wood floors. I have been keeping my eyes open for that folding protective floor ‘device’to fit under the tripod’s spiked feet, introduced by Fred Pickerthat that now seem to have disappeared. I feel somewhat confident that if some generous owner could provide measurements I could make something similar while leaving that scrap of carpet on which my dog to used to sleep.

Ken

A friend (whose Zone VI pod I'm selling for him) had made three square plywood pieces with a hole drilled in the middle. On the bottom he glued some half inch rubber padding, fairly rigid for use on non-spike areas.

[Ken Sinclair]

Hi Mathew,

Unfortunately, I had tried Fred’s ‘other cure' for the problem… a cord attached within the legs to reduce the ‘spreading” of the feet on smooth surfaces under the mass of the camera…it was mostly unsuccessful in that I felt I was not the rigidity I am feel necessary and that am used to getting with the tripod ‘in the field’… ande the cord became (too many times) a pain in the a** to untangle. I guess Fred’s ‘design’ reasoning was that with the 'floor 'thingy' (I’m damned if I can remember what it was called) the feet became ‘solid and secure’ and at one with whole, the thus eliminating any yaw or vertical movement of the lens axis through slippage of the feet after everything was ‘set’.

Ken

[David Carson]

Vaughn and Matt, you witty bastards :-)

I too think the leather bag idea will work the best. And it'll keep the dirt from the spikes from spoiling the leather in the Rolls!

So, something like this (http://www.toolup.com/occidental-leather/5019.html) only not new, ideally. Craigslist, here I come!

[Vaughn]

Vaughn and Matt, you witty bastards :-)

Glad you smiled when you said that, sonny...my parents were married when I was born, and as odd as it may sound these days, they were even married to each other.

Vaughn;)