Loose tripod bushing on a B&J

KenS · Mar 19, 2009

The tripod bushing on my 8x10 woodie is now "loose"... The camera had a tendency to 'rotate' a little when inserting the film holder due to the 1/4 inch
metal bushing on the camera base having become so 'loose'. It now rotates quite freely.

I am aware that the local hardware store has threaded inserts of this size,
but I have to think that I might prefer to remove the existing insert then apply a small amount of epoxy and replace it. I am at a loss as to finding the best means of removing the current insert since it now rotates quite freely and a threaded 'bolt' with two or more locking nuts would be the solution for re-inserting but I need to get the original out first.

Any and all suggestions from experienced bushing replacers would be appreciated.

Ken

archphoto · Mar 19, 2009

A suggestion: get a piece of pipe of the same the same diameter and tap it out carefully, or use a round piece of wood the same size for it.

If the buhsing is threaded just rotate it out !

Peter

KenS · Mar 19, 2009

Peter,

I am unable to determine how 'deep' the bushing is inserted into the 3cm maple
wood.... it does not go all the way through, and, unlike many 'modern' bushing inserts
there is no screwdriver 'slot'. I may have to resort to using that stuff (gad it's terrible
getting old.. my memory fails me at the most awkward moments) my mechanic son
uses to make sure bolts stay in place. If I 'glue' a 1/4" bolt in, I may be able to extract
the bushing without too much damage, clean it, and re-insert using an epoxy glue.
I might feel better if I can get the original to remain in its proper place rather than
using the rather rough-looking inserts available (and can be ugly, because they are
usually hidden from sight).

....but, I'm still open to other suggestions

Ken

archphoto · Mar 19, 2009

In that case try an anker for brick walls: it has a bolt, a nut and a shell that goes outward when tightened.
Ask you local hardware store, or use a plasic plug and srew of the right size.
When that is solid, put a piece of wood on top of the tripod (to protect the top) and use pliers.

Peter

Fotoguy20d · Mar 19, 2009

KenS said:
...uses to make sure bolts stay in place.

"Loctite". Make sure you use one of the weaker ones or it'll be permanent.

Dan

Anscojohn · Mar 19, 2009

KenS,
A conundrum, to be sure. There is no telling how that bushing has been placed in the camera; perhaps like a reversed mushroom with the parasol top between layers of the wood. So just yanking it out may lead to serious problems. Were it mine (and no brilliant solutions were to come to me in middle of night) I would use a drill press to drill out the metal; starting with a five eights bit just bigger than the quarter inch thread. I would then look to see what I up up against. I can see, then figuring out a way to remove the remainder of the bushing. I might then cut a piece of new maple as a plug to glue into the spot--afixing one of those drive in things you mentioned into the plug before using a professional grade wood glue to glue the whole assemblage back in to the hole. Or not.

Anscojohn · Mar 19, 2009

Fotoguy20d said:
"Loctite". Make sure you use one of the weaker ones or it'll be permanent.

Dan

I don't think loctite will work between wood and metal.

Fotoguy20d · Mar 19, 2009

Anscojohn said:
I don't think loctite will work between wood and metal.

It wouldn't work at all. My impression is that he'll use it to "bond" a screw into the insert and once it's set up, use the screw as a "handle" to twist out the insert. If the insert is in any way deformed to lock it won't come out but if it's just threaded in it might. If the insert does come out cleanly, and it's fully sealed, I might be tempted to try to bond it back into the wood using Titebond II.

Dan

Fotoguy20d · Mar 19, 2009

The more I think about trying to loctite a screw into place to help remove the bushing, the worse an idea I think it is. If the bushing doesn't twist out nicely/easily, if you try to pull you might splinter the wood, or, the screw will be stuck in there forever - if ithe bushing is still spinning inside the wood, how will you grab it with enough force to allow you to break the bond?

Dan

KenS · Mar 19, 2009

Dan and John,

I was thinking of something like Loctite to secure a 1/4 inch bolt in the bushing, using a wrench and some
'pulltwist' to remove the bushing from the wood. If there's a problem with the inside surface of the remaining
'hole' a Forstner drill bit might be utilised to make the new hole a little wider, and if required a maple 'plug'
inserted, cut off and sanded flush after which pilot a new hole drilled.... hopefully the bushing might
then be screwed back in with a small amount of epoxy glue on the thread to make sure it will be secured in
place.

Ken

archphoto · Mar 19, 2009

If it is a mushroom bushing bonded between layers of wood, you could dril a hole through the bushing and the wood at the same time and insert a pin.

Please provide us with some pic's ! Then we might be coming up with the REAL solution !

Peter

Fotoguy20d · Mar 19, 2009

Ken,

It might work. Supposedly the B&J cameras are made of a very respectable maple (or such hardwood). Still, I worry about the wood splintering when you try to pull it out. And, as I said, if it doesn't come out, you won't be able to get the bushing off the screw. Another thought/question - if the bushing is turning inside the wood now, will you even be able to get a screw in there enough to use it as a handle? How loose is the bushing?

Dan

MattKing · Mar 19, 2009

Do you know a dentist with an x-ray machine?

Matt

richard ide · Mar 19, 2009

One way to remove the bushing might be to screw in a bolt with a nut on it. then tighten the nut against the bushing. You can then unscrew the bolt and the bushing will come out with it (providing that it is screwed into the wood).

Fotoguy20d · Mar 19, 2009

richard ide said:
One way to remove the bushing might be to screw in a bolt with a nut on it. then tighten the nut against the bushing. You can then unscrew the bolt and the bushing will come out with it (providing that it is screwed into the wood).

That'll work only as long as the bushing is protruding past the wood or the nut is no bigger than the outside diameter of the bushing. Once the nut locks down on the wood instead of only the bushing, it won't work.

Dan

Anscojohn · Mar 19, 2009

KenS said:
Dan and John,

I was thinking of something like Loctite to secure a 1/4 inch bolt in the bushing, using a wrench and some
'pulltwist' to remove the bushing from the wood. If there's a problem with the inside surface of the remaining
'hole' a Forstner drill bit might be utilised to make the new hole a little wider, and if required a maple 'plug'
inserted, cut off and sanded flush after which pilot a new hole drilled.... hopefully the bushing might
then be screwed back in with a small amount of epoxy glue on the thread to make sure it will be secured in
place.

Ken

*****
You do not, methinks, want to go pulling that bushing out until you see what it is that's holding it in--if you splinter the wood, you are in a bad prediciment. It seems to me that if it will not just come out; and it is rotating; then there is something that is keeping it in place under the veneer (if there is some on your camera)--my mushroom analogy.
Once you get it out without damaging the wood, then you have options; and easy ones, I should think.
I used one of those quarter inch whatever they are called to mount a homemade wooden platform to hold my Ansco View Camera on a tripod at the center of gravity. It simply required countersinking the 1/4 inch hole wide enough to encompass the flange part; and just deep enough so that it does not impinge upon the tripod head. Epoxy did the rest.

Bruce Osgood · Mar 19, 2009

My experience with removing a bushing is to use what a Plumber calls a Star Wrench. You will probably lose the bushing but the idea is to tap the pointy Star Wrench into the bushing and buggering up the threads, then turn it out counter clockwise with a wrench. This assumes the bushing was initially screwed into the platform.

Anscojohn · Mar 19, 2009

Fotoguy20d said:
That'll work only as long as the bushing is protruding past the wood or the nut is no bigger than the outside diameter of the bushing. Once the nut locks down on the wood instead of only the bushing, it won't work.

Dan

*******
There's a way to do it. We do it with gun stock repairs on occasion. But, the problem is knowing WHAT IS HOLDING IT IN If it's loose enough to turn, and not practically falling out, there is more to this than meets the eye. Literally. As mentioned above, if it is a "mushroom" bushing, all bets are off. Now, about that dentist with the x-ray machine......

Anscojohn · Mar 19, 2009

Bruce Osgood said:
My experience with removing a bushing is to use what a Plumber calls a Star Wrench. You will probably lose the bushing but the idea is to tap the pointy Star Wrench into the bushing and buggering up the threads, then turn it out counter clockwise with a wrench. This assumes the bushing was initially screwed into the platform.

******
Well, Bruce. If I understand Ken's predicament, it is not screwed in; otherwise, since it is turning, it should screw out. Right?

Fotoguy20d · Mar 19, 2009

FWIW, I took a look at my own 5x7 B&J just now. There's a counterbore, just slightly larger than the bushing (maybe 3/8 or a bit more), from the top side of the baseplate. I'm guessing the bushing is installed through there - makes sense - if it has a small flange (maybe knurled) it would be impossible to pull out through over tightening the tripod. The bottom of the c'bore is metal, which supports my guess. You might try gingerly tapping at it from the bottom and see if it pushes out (hopefully without too much splintering of wood). I take no responsibility for what happens if you do that though.

Dan

glbeas · Mar 19, 2009

I'd drill a small hole into the edge of the bushing area to open a passage to the area around the bushing then use a syringe to pump some gorilla glue into the hole. This will only work if the threaded hole in the bushing does not go through the end, otherwise as the gorilla glue expanded on setting it would fill the hole. Maybe if a well greased bolt was threaded in that would solve that problem, allowing removal of the bolt after the curing and leaving an open hole.

John Koehrer · Mar 20, 2009

Glbeas has a quick solution I think. Since the Gorilla glue is a polyurethane it's going to expand to fill the gaps & it bonds to just about anything.
I'd get that 1/4" bushing out of there myself & replace it with a brass 3/8 T-nut inserted from the top. rockler tools has the t-nuts available

Loose tripod bushing on a B&J

KenS

archphoto

KenS

archphoto

Fotoguy20d

Anscojohn

Anscojohn

Fotoguy20d

Fotoguy20d

KenS

archphoto

Fotoguy20d

MattKing

Moderator

richard ide

Fotoguy20d

Anscojohn

Bruce Osgood

Membership Council

Anscojohn

Anscojohn

Fotoguy20d

glbeas

John Koehrer

Loose tripod bushing on a B&J

Moderator

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency