Frozen/Corroded Tiltall Tripod

MurrayMinchin · Jan 13, 2023

Hi there.

I have an aluminum (unpainted) Tiltall tripod that has been neglected for a couple decades and the knurled stopper at the bottom of the centre post is not budging. I've tried WD-40 & vice grips and it's still bound up tight, refusing to move.

Any tips on dissolving aluminum corrosion inside a threaded tube?

I want to have the head at the bottom of the post and use the tripod as a permanent support for copying 4x5 negatives and photographing salt print step wedges with a digital camera.

Murray

mshchem · Jan 13, 2023

Is a hacksaw an option? Aluminum is horrible like this. Maybe try really hot water? Beautiful old tripods.

MurrayMinchin · Jan 13, 2023

mshchem said:
Is a hacksaw an option? Aluminum is horrible like this. Maybe try really hot water? Beautiful old tripods.

Plan B is the hacksaw.

They are good tripods, and I used it a lot back in the day. Now have a drool-worthy wooden Berlebach, a whiz-bang carbon fibre, and a "lightweight" Zone VI, so the Tiltall can be sacrificed to this ignoble task.

tom williams · Jan 13, 2023

MurrayMinchin said:
Hi there.

I have an aluminum (unpainted) Tiltall tripod that has been neglected for a couple decades and the knurled stopper at the bottom of the centre post is not budging. I've tried WD-40 & vice grips and it's still bound up tight, refusing to move.

Any tips on dissolving aluminum corrosion inside a threaded tube?

I want to have the head at the bottom of the post and use the tripod as a permanent support for copying 4x5 negatives and photographing salt print step wedges with a digital camera.

Murray

Murray, the insert with the knurled rim unscrews from my Tiltall center post pretty easily, perhaps on account of the pasty residue on the threads of the inner sleeve, which I take to be plumber's putty, or something akin to the anti-oxidant that one uses - for instance - on some aluminum electrical components to retard corrosion. The sleeve with the knurled collar is aluminum, as is the center post - a regretable scenario that allows 'welding' of the components under the right conditions.

It would be a shame to mangle that tripod - have you tried heating the tube, perhaps while cooling the sleeve that terminates in the knurled ring? A mild butane torch flame outside, ice on the inside? A clothing iron might work for heating, or sun exposure, cigarette lighter etc. A pipe wrench with taped jaws (to prevent abrasion) might be helpful, but I would apply such to the knurled ring only.

Good luck
Tom

MurrayMinchin · Jan 13, 2023

tom williams said:
Murray, the insert with the knurled rim unscrews from my Tiltall center post pretty easily, perhaps on account of the pasty residue on the threads of the inner sleeve, which I take to be plumber's putty, or something akin to the anti-oxidant that one uses - for instance - on some aluminum electrical components to retard corrosion. The sleeve with the knurled collar is aluminum, as is the center post - a regretable scenario that allows 'welding' of the components under the right conditions.

It would be a shame to mangle that tripod - have you tried heating the tube, perhaps while cooling the sleeve that terminates in the knurled ring? A mild butane torch flame outside, ice on the inside? A clothing iron might work for heating, or sun exposure, cigarette lighter etc. A pipe wrench with taped jaws (to prevent abrasion) might be helpful, but I would apply such to the knurled ring only.

Good luck
Tom

Thanks, but I read this too late.

Managed to get it moving a bit. Got to about a 1/16" gap, and now it spins without exiting the tube. Stripped.

"Honey...where's the hacksaw"?

It's not going to ever move again when I get the copy stand set up. Once I join that great herd of photographers in the sky perpetually and happily chasing sunset around Earth for ever-more, whoever cleans out my darkroom can decide what to do with it.

Sirius Glass · Jan 13, 2023

A job for a BFH*

* Big Friendly Hammer

If I had a hammer ...

tom williams · Jan 13, 2023

MurrayMinchin said:
Thanks, but I read this too late.

Managed to get it moving a bit. Got to about a 1/16" gap, and now it spins without exiting the tube. Stripped.

"Honey...where's the hacksaw"?

It's not going to ever move again when I get the copy stand set up. Once I join that great herd of photographers in the sky perpetually and happily chasing sunset around Earth for ever-more, whoever cleans out my darkroom can decide what to do with it.

Drat! There are folks who posit unconditional forgiveness in the hereafter, so proceed without compunction. Just break it to the herd gently.

MurrayMinchin · Jan 15, 2023

Hacksaw 1
Tripod 0

First stage mock up...**in other words**...I know the rig needs a 'tad bit' of refinement.

Exciting stuff, because it means I can take consistent/controllable photos of step wedge prints to enter into Peter Mrhar's EDN (easy digital negatives) system, and can start digitizing 40 years of 4x5's to make digitally enlarged negative for salt prints, maybe kallitypes, and maybe even.....

MurrayMinchin · Jan 15, 2023

First try with a gold toned salt print (test print with manual curve) using a Saunders 4 bladed easel to hold the print. Will need a 4 light set up me-thinks, as the corners are a bit darker.

Anybody have a DIY copy stand who wants to share some wisdom?

MurrayMinchin · Jan 16, 2023

Yup, 4 lights it is, but the colour temperature cooled off a bit:

guangong · Jan 16, 2023

For what it’s worth. My tripods were in room that caught fire. Painted Tiltalls and crackled Gitzo suffered no damage, but unpainted aluminum required a bit of cleaning up. Confirms earlier above posts regarding unpainted aluminum vulnerability.

MurrayMinchin · Jan 17, 2023

For anybody following along...indents in table top for tripod spikes...almost at a useable stage:

BMbikerider · Mar 3, 2023

MurrayMinchin said:
Hi there.

I have an aluminum (unpainted) Tiltall tripod that has been neglected for a couple decades and the knurled stopper at the bottom of the centre post is not budging. I've tried WD-40 & vice grips and it's still bound up tight, refusing to move.

Any tips on dissolving aluminum corrosion inside a threaded tube?

I want to have the head at the bottom of the post and use the tripod as a permanent support for copying 4x5 negatives and photographing salt print step wedges with a digital camera.

Murray

Aluminium when it corrodes it really sticks together.
I restore old motorcycles and I have yet to find one where the alloy portions on the engine casings are particularly prone and almost bonded together as one will not part company given time and patience

My method to free parts is to use a blow torch, but that is far to aggressive on tubular alluminium used on a tripod. As an alternative you can use a hot air gun which is far more gentle but will get hot enough after a few minutes. When it is too hot to touch is about right. When it is hot, allow, a spot of diesel oil to dribble down into the join when the tripod is upside down that way it will penetrate quite well when it is hot

When it has cooled off, repeat the exercise. If you then GENTLY wrap the gnurled ring with electricians tape so the alloy is not defaced too much apply a set of grips tightly enough to grip firmly but not 'pinch' the collar because alloy is soft and all you will be doing if it is too tighten it further and possibly distort it too make it tighter. It will come loose eventually, it just need patience and care.

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