built your own tripod?

[Bill Kelleher]

Question for the group,I have a tripod that has seen better days. Has anyone attempted to build their own tripod and how did it turn out?
Thanks Bill

[TheDeardorffGuy]

I've built several. Wood and Telescoping tubing. I really like wood. Fewer vibrations. I needed one that was at least 12 foot tall and I incorporated a ladder on one side. Now I can go to menards and get a tripod deer blind for 150.00. Looks the same. The biggest issue I see is getting clear Maple in 6 foot lengths. I sold mine and want another one. I went to a lumber store and the wood was crap. Knotty as all get out.
Do you have access to someone who can cast alum?

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Yep, built two ULF tripods.

[Bill Kelleher]

Negative on cast aluminum. However I have found a great source for long lengths of hardwoods. Check out the custom stairs manufacturers I pick up 10 - 14 foot lengths That have a knot in the middle making it unusable for them. Best part is they THANK me for taking it because other wise it goes into the dumpster!!$$$$most of what I get is oak but every once in a while their are other hardwoods. another great source are the local custom cabinet shops. (My other mid life crisis is making furniture!)

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Hello from France !

Has anyone attempted to build their own tripod and how did it turn out?

Not me, but a LF-friend of mine, Marcel Couturier, has fabricated several wooden tripods. He is a professional carpenter. He uses ash tree wood exactly like for Berlabach tripods.

An idea of those tripods here, presented at our recent friendly LF meeting in the Jura on May 1-st, 2011 (http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5189/5739975243_a8affaebf3_b.jpg) Note the nice wooden levelling head on some models.
Marcel Couturier tells Henri Gaud about his tripods (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/5741864843_161d26757e_b.jpg)

Not tripods, but Marcel's wooden rack & organiser inside his back pack (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/5750193625_5a8289dc27_b.jpg)

[Jim Michael]

How thick can a water jet cut? Might be an option beside casting aluminum.

[Warren Clark]

Hi Bill,
One option utilizes wood or aluminum crutches and a web search will
give you some information on specific designs--these are used also
by amateur astronomers.

Warren Clark

[chassis]

I have built one tripod and one tilting head. It works great. Not pretty, but highly functional. The legs were made of 1x2 pine, and the head was made from 1/2" plywood and pieces of 1x pine, with bits of bend aluminum for pivots, and the requisite nuts, bolts and screws to hold it together.

I am working on the second generation in my mind. The overall structure will be mostly the same but I want to refine the details, including the metal hardware and using walnut, most likely.

[Herb Cunningham]

Can't say I would unless time was not a problem. I have a telescoping ash tripod with an aluminum column plus the huge Manfrotto head I would part with cheap.

Reis is still my favorite.

[Tracy Storer]

How thick can a water jet cut? Might be an option beside casting aluminum.

WJ can cut thick material, 1" aluminum plate is no problem. Thicker is also possible, bear in mind that WJ is NOT tooling, so it is only so precise.

[TheDeardorffGuy]

How thick can a water jet cut? Might be an option beside casting aluminum.
I do lost foam casting. You make a master of say the tripod head out of styrofome. You cut all the parts with a hot wire and glue them together. OR you CAD it and mill it out of foam Then you invest the foam in a cement like material, burn it out and pour your metal.. Great for prototypes. I use water jet too. Theres a built in kerf. It is nearly dead on at the entry point but at the bottom the dimension narrows out. Mant thou the thicker the material. The company I use does alot od marble. They did a floor using a one of van Goughs Sunflower paintings. Hundreds of pieces. Then he did Motorcycle parts. Water jet is neat. Between WJ, Cad Cam and Laser cutting any tripod can be made. Oh I forgot about my Sears Electronic Radial Saw and Table saw....

[banjo]

I used a Surveyor Wooden Transit Tripod just put a plate on top with a 3/8 bolt
put a head AND it looks a lot like a ZONE VI tripod
ebay $45.00 + $25.00 S&H the top plate $5.00 1 hr of time and it good to go!!!
banjo

[Bill Kumpf]

One of the better article's for DIY tripods.......

http://www.skgrimes.com/library/old-news/dick-streffs-camlock-tripod

[Jim Fitzgerald]

One of the better article's for DIY tripods.......

http://www.skgrimes.com/library/old-news/dick-streffs-camlock-tripod

The guide I used to build my two ULF tripods. Great design.