Handmade walking stick/mono pod combo

Griz · Oct 26, 2012

Finally came to the conclusion that I could no longer hold 1/30th without support. Carrying surplus equipment, even on short hikes, has become more than my old body can handle, so I came up with the following solution:

The cap above the leather grip unscrews from the top to reveal the tripod stud, with the platform right at 60 inches, I have my viewfinder exactly at eye level. Made from a sugar maple sapling, it should be around longer than I am!

Griz

erikg · Oct 26, 2012

Great idea!

Newt_on_Swings · Oct 26, 2012

Wow thats a beauty! Nice work! Did you put a metal spike at the foot? or rubber pad?

Griz · Oct 26, 2012

erikg said:
Great idea!

Thanks Erik!

Griz · Oct 26, 2012

Newt_on_Swings said:
Wow thats a beauty! Nice work! Did you put a metal spike at the foot? or rubber pad?

Thanks Newt, I left a "Y" at the bottom, seems to get good traction so far in most situations. Probably wouldn't work well on sheer rock, but I doubt I'll be doing much rock climbing any more!

Griz

daleeman · Oct 26, 2012

Like it. I had a commercial walking monopod from LL Bean, well they resold them, was never as nice as yours. Good job.

Griz · Oct 26, 2012

daleeman said:
Like it. I had a commercial walking monopod from LL Bean, well they resold them, was never as nice as yours. Good job.

Thanks, after the first few hours with the round file, I was wondering if it was such a bright idea. Tried it without the grooves first, but it was just too heavy. It's down to just over 1 lb. now.

Griz

tkamiya · Oct 26, 2012

You could SELL this!

Griz · Oct 26, 2012

tkamiya said:
You could SELL this!

LOL, yeah, but too many hours of work in it, no way to charge an affordable price, and still make a profit. Had the same problem with my leather shop. Sold bass guitar straps for anywhere from $100 to $300, but I was spending 10 to 12 hours on a project. Had very happy customers, but no profit margin.

I'm glad you like it though!

Griz

StoneNYC · Oct 27, 2012

Or you could just buy this....

http://www.rei.com/product/809073/mountainsmith-trekker-fx-monopod-trekking-pole

Or this...

http://www.rei.com/product/745686/rei-hiker-shock-light-staff

Cheers

~Stone

http://www.stonenyc.com

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

StoneNYC · Oct 27, 2012

Oh somehow I missed the point of this, yes very nice design, was trying to save you energy, the photo didn't load the first time :/ lol

~Stone

http://www.stonenyc.com

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Griz · Oct 27, 2012

StoneNYC said:
Oh somehow I missed the point of this, yes very nice design, was trying to save you energy, the photo didn't load the first time :/ lol

~Stone

http://www.stonenyc.com

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

No worries Stone , If I had the money, I probably would have saved the energy! In my younger days when I was racing sprint cars, most of the other teams were buying parts off of the shelf, while I was building my own. Always preferred to do it myself when I can.

Griz

StoneNYC · Oct 27, 2012

Griz said:
No worries Stone , If I had the money, I probably would have saved the energy! In my younger days when I was racing sprint cars, most of the other teams were buying parts off of the shelf, while I was building my own. Always preferred to do it myself when I can.

Griz

One of those is only $30, if you don't have that, how can you buy film? Haha but seriously what a nice design! Yours is unique so that's worth more than $100 if you sold it.

Griz · Oct 27, 2012

StoneNYC said:
One of those is only $30, if you don't have that, how can you buy film? Haha but seriously what a nice design! Yours is unique so that's worth more than $100 if you sold it.

Glad you like it Stone!

Cheers,
Griz

John Koehrer · Oct 27, 2012

^ nowhere near as satisfying.

Griz · Oct 27, 2012

John Koehrer said:
^ nowhere near as satisfying.

That's for sure John, and I love your signature...been riding since I was 8 years old!

Griz

Renato Tonelli · Oct 28, 2012

Griz said:
LOL, yeah, but too many hours of work in it, no way to charge an affordable price, and still make a profit. Had the same problem with my leather shop. Sold bass guitar straps for anywhere from $100 to $300, but I was spending 10 to 12 hours on a project. Had very happy customers, but no profit margin.

I'm glad you like it though!

Griz

You could do what a lot of American companies have done: outsource it overseas for about $1.00 per stick and sell them for... Let's say a low ballpark figure of $100.00

bobwysiwyg · Oct 28, 2012

My wife had been after me to make her a walking stick for a year or so. This spring, while removing some small trees on the property, I recalled her request. Since she usually carries my tripod, thought I should accommodate her. We recently returned from a trip to the U.P. where we did do some more difficult hiking along the Sturgeon River. Not terribly bad, but rough surfaces, low rock outcroppings that doubled as steps along the trail and of course, they were uneven. Anyway, we found our selves "sharing" her walking stick in some of the more difficult places. I decided to make myself one since the 4x5 kit (backpack) on level ground is not much of a problem even at its 25 or so pounds, but when having to climb up or down, the stick would be handy for balance. Here are my first two attempts. I never thought of the mono pod idea, might steal that one. I put rubber tips on ours, it seemed more practical for the use we will get out of them.

Griz · Oct 29, 2012

Renato Tonelli said:
You could do what a lot of American companies have done: outsource it overseas for about $1.00 per stick and sell them for... Let's say a low ballpark figure of $100.00

Having been outsourced myself after 24 years at the same company, I kind of doubt that I would do it to myself again!

Griz

Griz · Oct 29, 2012

bobwysiwyg said:
My wife had been after me to make her a walking stick for a year or so. This spring, while removing some small trees on the property, I recalled her request. Since she usually carries my tripod, thought I should accommodate her. We recently returned from a trip to the U.P. where we did do some more difficult hiking along the Sturgeon River. Not terribly bad, but rough surfaces, low rock outcroppings that doubled as steps along the trail and of course, they were uneven. Anyway, we found our selves "sharing" her walking stick in some of the more difficult places. I decided to make myself one since the 4x5 kit (backpack) on level ground is not much of a problem even at its 25 or so pounds, but when having to climb up or down, the stick would be handy for balance. Here are my first two attempts. I never thought of the mono pod idea, might steal that one. I put rubber tips on ours, it seemed more practical for the use we will get out of them.

Very nice, and you're more than welcome to use the idea!

Griz

Katie · Oct 29, 2012

Beautiful!!!

Griz · Oct 29, 2012

Katie said:
Beautiful!!!

Thank you Katie!

bobwysiwyg · Oct 29, 2012

Griz,

The more I have thought about your mono pod arrangement, the more I like it. I rarely use, or have had a need for one, but when those times arose, it was "darn, wish I had one with me," built into the walking stick it always would be.

By chance, could you detail the arrangement for the stud and more importantly, the screw-on cap?

Griz · Oct 29, 2012

bobwysiwyg said:
Griz,

The more I have thought about your mono pod arrangement, the more I like it. I rarely use, or have had a need for one, but when those times arose, it was "darn, wish I had one with me," built into the walking stick it always would be.

By chance, could you detail the arrangement for the stud and more importantly, the screw-on cap?

No problem at all Bob, After sizing the length of the stick, and keeping the cut off for the cap, I simply drilled a hole the size of the shaft of a 1/4-20 grade 5 bolt. Then I used the bolt to cut its' own threads into the wood. After the threads were cut, I removed the bolt, and cut the bolt head off on a band saw, to make the stud. This is a good time to mark the hole you will need in the cap. I cut a pencil the same depth as the hole, with a bit of the point sticking out, I was able to put the cap in place, and mark where I would need to drill.

I then double checked the length of the installed stud, so as not to puncture the body within the tripod socket, then applied a very thin layer of 5 minute epoxy in the hole, double nutted the stud, and re-installed it. I covered the camera platform with contact cement, then a thin layer of leather for the camera to seat against.

I used the mating surface of the piece I cut off the stick to make the cap. The cap was made by drilling a hole (deep enough to accept the stud) just smaller in diameter than a 1/4-20 nut, and pressing the nut into the wood using a table vise. Before seating the nut, I used another very thin coat of epoxy to help hold the nut in place. All that remained was to do the shaping on a disc sander, and apply the finish.

Griz

bobwysiwyg · Oct 29, 2012

Very well explained. Thank you very much.

Handmade walking stick/mono pod combo

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