Tripod Spikes

[Jim Rhoades]

I would like to make some extra long legs for my tripod. Does anyone know of a hardware supplier who has tripod spikes for 1" diameter wood legs? The rubber feet I can get in any hardware store. Any ideas for something that would work as well?

[Eric Woodbury]

Years ago when I made my tripod, I made my own spikes. I wrapped the bottom of the legs in brass. Then I put lag screws in the bottom, cut off the heads, and sharpen. They worked fine.

Altho spikes work well some places, they are dangerous to transport or if you fall with the tripod in hand. I slipped on the ice once and put a nice hole in my leg with the tripod.

[ronald moravec]

buy the spikes as spare parts for the aluminum tripods from Gitzo. These can be covered with rubber caps.

[Bob Salomon]

Giotto's makes 3/8" screw thread aluminum spikes for their MT series of tripods. They come with protective rubber ball covers and list for $8.00 each. They also make metal tipped spike feet as well as sunction cup feet with the saame 3/8" thread.

[Dan Dozer]

The wooden legs on my Ries are 1" diameter. The spike base is a metal tube the same size as the tripod leg with the spike out the bottom. The base just attaches to the leg with a screw into the side of the leg. It looks like a pretty simple arrangement to do your self. All you would have to do is trim down the diameter of the legs a little so the base would slip over. I have heard that Ries sells replacement parts for their tripods so you might be able to purchase the spike feet directly from them.