Tips for removable caps for tripod spikes?

Keith Pitman said:

Zone VI sold a device, sometimes called a spider, that was two strips of wood hinged togather at a 60 degree angle. Equidistant from each other are three recesses: one for each tripod leg. Unfold the two legs of the spider, drop the tips of the tripod legs into the recesses, and your floors are protected.

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There is a Zone VI tripod on Ebay now that shows the Zone VI "spider" in the picture. A simpler arrangement than the Berlenach, but the same concept.

I used crutch tips for my ZVI tripod. I added a wad of poster putty in the bottom for a more snug fit.

Bogen, and I assume others, make a dolly with wheels for their bigger tripods. Something like this-

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/553953-REG/Manfrotto_127VS_127VS_Variable_Leg_Spread.html

You can probably find one on ebay for cheap I'd imagine since there isn't a lot of demand for them.

keithostertag said:

I recently bought an old Zone VI heavy duty tripod to use with my 5x7. Although my main intent is to use it outdoors, I sometimes want to use it indoors and I'm wanting to find a convenient solution to covering those spikes (temporarily on demand) so they don't damage any of my floors.

Anyone have experience making or buying removable caps for these things?

View attachment 173943

Thanks if you have some workable ideas...

Keith

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The points seem to be held to the wooden leg by a few brads ( nails).
If you pull these brads, perhaps the metal point will slide off.
That would leave the wooden end bare, like a chair leg.

How about these?

http://www.acehardware.com/product/...62&cp=2568443.2568451.2626210.2627543.2627583

I would buy some rubber hose of suitable diameter (e.g. 1-1/2") to fit very loosely about the leg and tip diameter. Then cut the hose at an angle, as determined by the usual leg spread of the tripod. Finally, wrap the leg and tip in plastic wrap (which is later removed and discarded) and also plastic wrap the angular end of the rubber hose (to hold a liquid rubber until it cures). Inject liquid rubber into the hose and place it over the plastic-wrapped sharp tip. The liquid rubber molds to the tip, and then sets. Pull the hose with molded interior off the tip, and remove the plastic wrap from the tip for use. You can then place the rubber-filled hose over the tip, securing it to the tip via friction of a thumbscrew (thru the rubber hose putting pressure on the leg above the tapered section of the tip). Or you could simply use a hook-and-loop strap attached to the rubber hose and lead it to a self-adhesive strip of hooks on the tripod leg. The rubber-filled hose offers non-slip whenever used on a hard surface floor, and it can even be used on carpet albeit with slightly less stability compared to directly on a hard floor.