Removing tripod head from column

gwatson · Jan 12, 2006

Dear all, I am sorry; sorry that I have resorted to asking such a question to such an esteemed audience, but I am just about to take a saw to my tripod and thought that perhaps I'd better ask first.

I have a Manfrotto 161 with an old, Manfrotto video head. I want to remove it. I can't. I have tried everything to unscrew the bugger and nothing is shifting it. Does anyone have any golden nuggets they can offer me?

It gets the saw at midnight.

Cheers

Geoff

rbarker · Jan 12, 2006

I'm not familiar with thaat particular head, but look on the bottom side. Most of the current heads have 3 setscrews that bind the screw-on head in position on the center column.

photobum · Jan 12, 2006

After checking for setscrews remember, left to loosen, right to tighten. I always glue my heads to the column. Boy has that caused problems.

photomc · Jan 12, 2006

Ran into a problem like this, and the way I managed to remove the head from the column was to use a C-clamp where the column and head meet up. However I knew that the head was not attached via the three set screws mentioned...wish it had been, would have been eaiser. Once I used the C-clamp, it came loose rather easy. Just no way to get the right amount of pressure to 'break' the bond that was there...and good advice 'rightie tightie, leftie lucy'....

Dave Parker · Jan 12, 2006

If it has it, remove the set screws and stop by a hardware shop and pick up a set of strap wrenches, these are the kind that have the rubber strap you wrap around a part to loosen them, Bogen has made very few tripods with non-removable heads, they are becomming more common since the digi wonders have hit the screne, but most of them have removable heads.

And for future referance, the rubber strap wrenches can be a god send to remove, filters, lens elements, tripod heads and a host of other things that are hard to grip...I wish I had found them years ago, but can attest, I am in love with them now!!!!!

Dave

gwatson · Jan 12, 2006

Thanks all. It's not the setscrews, but I've removed them and filled the cavities with WD40 and am waiting until the morning. I don't own a C-clamp, but by tomorrow I might. Thank you - your posts suggest that I'm not being entirely stupid.

Cheers

Geoff

gwatson · Jan 12, 2006

Crossed-over there Dave. This is a removable head, theoretically. Strap wrenches sound like a jolly good idea. Thanks for the tip. Hardware store for me tomorrow.

Cheers

Geoff

barryjyoung · Jan 13, 2006

The safest way would be to drill a hole in a piece of hardwood the same size as the column. Then saw through the wood to the hole making it into a clamp. Put the wood clamp onto the column and squeeze it in a vise. Now you can apply a whole lot of gription to the column while you unscrew the head. No guarantees that something won't get damaged.

Removing tripod head from column

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