Walnut ULF tripod

Jim Fitzgerald · Jul 7, 2006

I've been building this tripod for a while now and I had some questions for my fellow camera builders. I picked up a majestic head for a very good price. It has the 1 3/8" collar that attaches to the yoke. Any ideas how best to attach it to my walnut yoke? Hopefully the attached pictures are of interest.
By the way I got the idea from a design by Dick Streff off of the S.K. Grimes site. It should come in at about 12lbs. with the head. Sorry if the images don't come up. I'm not a great computer guy, but in time I'll figure it out??!!

Stay Focused

Jim

Donald Miller · Jul 8, 2006

I had an aluminum shaft and abutment built by a machine shop. This is a relatively simple job for someone who has a metal lathe. In your particular case I would look to have a 1 3/8 X 2 inch X the depth of the recepticle + 5/8 inch turned down and three holes 1/4 inch recepticles drilled and threaded in the bottom of the 2 inch X 5/8 flange portion of the aluminum piece. Then I would drill and countersink the holes to accept the 1/4 retainers
from underneath your walnut piece to correspond to the threaded holes in the bottom of the aluminum flange.

Good luck. Looks like a nice tripod. I have seen this on SK Grimes site before although not in Walnut. The Majestic head is a winner in my experience.

Jim Fitzgerald · Jul 8, 2006

Donald Miller said:
I had an aluminum shaft and abutment built by a machine shop. This is a relatively simple job for someone who has a metal lathe. In your particular case I would look to have a 1 3/8 X 2 inch X the depth of the recepticle + 5/8 inch turned down and three holes 1/4 inch recepticles drilled and threaded in the bottom of the 2 inch X 5/8 flange portion of the aluminum piece. Then I would drill and countersink the holes to accept the 1/4 retainers
from underneath your walnut piece to correspond to the threaded holes in the bottom of the aluminum flange.

Good luck. Looks like a nice tripod. I have seen this on SK Grimes site before although not in Walnut. The Majestic head is a winner in my experience.

Donald, thanks for the info. I was looking at the head tonight trying to figure out what to do. I'll check with my local machine shop. Thanks again.

Stay Focused

Jim

pelerin · Jul 8, 2006

Jim Fitzgerald said:
<snip>
picked up a majestic head for a very good price. It has the 1 3/8" collar that attaches to the yoke. Any ideas how best to attach it to my walnut yoke? <snip>

Jim

Majestic (Bencher) makes an adapter for mounting gear heads on non-majestic tripods ( http://www.spartanphotocenter.com/images/bencher/80802.jpg ) Mounting this to your 'pod could be accomplished with a some threaded rod, loctite, a pair of large washers, a nylock, and (if you want to get fancy) a bush to cover the rod where it goes through the wood. Not nearly as sano as a machine shop solution but home brew and most likely less costly. (the part from Bencher is c. 20 $)
Celac.

Jim Fitzgerald · Jul 8, 2006

Celac, thanks, I will check out that option also. I'm open to all sugestions, thanks

Jim

Colin Graham · Jul 8, 2006

Man, that's pretty. Are the legs reversible? I made one out of ash seveal years ago based on Streff's. The cam leg locks of his are a stroke of genius.

Charles Webb · Jul 8, 2006

You can make your own adapter out of Walnut or other hard wood if you have a wood lathe. I would prefer aluminum, but many have been made that work well out of wood.

Charlie..........................................

Jim Fitzgerald · Jul 8, 2006

Colin, Yes the legs are reversible. I trying to decide what to use on the other end to make it not slide on hard surfaces and look right.

Charlie, I'm looking at all of the possibilities. The walnut looks really good and I might be able to use an adapter on the top and the bottom with a 1 3/8" dowel that I found today to make it all work. I'm doing some experimenting tomorrow. Thanks to all for the ideas. Keep them coming I love it!

Stay Focused!

Jim

Colin Graham · Jul 9, 2006

Jim Fitzgerald said:
I trying to decide what to use on the other end to make it not slide on hard surfaces and look right.
Jim

Hey Jim-something you might want to consider. I got some simple rubber feet and some nylon bushings that would friction fit over the spikes and just slip em on when needed- they work very well

Jim Fitzgerald · Jul 9, 2006

Colin Graham said:
Hey Jim-something you might want to consider. I got some simple rubber feet and some nylon bushings that would friction fit over the spikes and just slip em on when needed- they work very well

Colin, those look really cool!! That even gives me an idea! Make the covers out of walnut dowel stock cut to the right angle of course. A black rubber pad on the bottom and it's done. Damn why is it that I 'm always wanting to make something??
Colin, where did you get those things? Thanks,

Jim

Colin Graham · Jul 9, 2006

Jim Fitzgerald said:
Damn why is it that I 'm always wanting to make something??

It's a curse, isnt it? I always have to 'tweak' stuff that works perfectly well, cant seem to leave anything alone!
Anyway, I got the feet and the bushings at a local ace hardware franchise. The feet came four to a pack and the bushing were in the part bins. That's a great idea about using the walnut dowel stock, that'll look nice. Cheers, Colin

Jim Fitzgerald · Jul 9, 2006

Colin, my local Ace Hardware knows my name already, I think. It's a great curse, especially the last part where you take it out with film, exposed a great neg and the print comes out fantastic. Then.... what if it was larger.... A curse I tell you a curse!!I believe I will stop at 8x20. The cost and weight just goes up and up from there.

Stay Focused!

Jim

Jim Fitzgerald · Jul 15, 2006

Jim Fitzgerald said:
I've been building this tripod for a while now and I had some questions for my fellow camera builders. I picked up a majestic head for a very good price. It has the 1 3/8" collar that attaches to the yoke. Any ideas how best to attach it to my walnut yoke? Hopefully the attached pictures are of interest.
By the way I got the idea from a design by Dick Streff off of the S.K. Grimes site. It should come in at about 12lbs. with the head. Sorry if the images don't come up. I'm not a great computer guy, but in time I'll figure it out??!!

Stay Focused

Jim

IT'S Done!!

Well I finally got it done. Naturally when you build anything you know the compromises you make, design changes that are made while the project is in progress, etc.. I'm happy with the way it came out. The camlock for the legs that Dick Streff came up with works great. You can adjust the tension on each leg separately. It's very solid and weights about 13 Lbs. It will extend to 65" tall and that is ok for me because I'm only 5' 7". All in all a great first project. Now I can concentrate on the 8x20!

Stay Focused

Jim

Walnut ULF tripod

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