Thalestris24

So far, so good 🙂 Louise

I found I only needed a small sliver of tape on the tube to get a tight fit. That let me easily drill holes for the grub screws. Seems all very solid with the grub screws in. I'll assemble the legs on to the base and take a pic. There are (were!) these clear sort of washers where the top fitting goes into the base and the bolts go through. I can't see any real need for them so not bothering to replace for now. Louise

I've ordered the 16 gauge tubes now. Delivery time is a bit slow - could be a couple of weeks, so I can try the 10 gauge out first. I'll try some different things for holding the tubes in place and see what works. Cheers Louise

Ok, thanks. The grub screws aren't essential though with thinner metal I could easily drill some holes for them plus use tape, or possibly some sort of glue, to hold the legs in place. At the same time I don't want it to be too lightweight for imaging purposes. I suppose I could order the 16 gauge legs and try them out 🙂 . Might glue stick glue be good enough to hold the legs in place? Cheers Louise

Just to compare, I weighed the stainless steel legs plus extensions and cast bottoms, with the aluminium legs alone. The steel ones weigh 4.1kg, the aluminium weigh 2.2kg. So there is a fair saving. However, the Al tube I have are 10 gauge = 1/8" thick. There was the option of 16 gauge = 1/16" (1.59mm) thick walls. Clearly the thinner tubes would weigh half as much as the ones I have. I bought the 10 gauge to be on the safe side but would the 16 gauge do the job just as well? The only have to carry the EQ3 mount plus either a long lens with a GPCAM3 178M i.e. weighs 2.5 kg, or possibly an 80mm frac. The steel tubes are only about 1.1mm thick. The EQ3 mount + fittings weigh 8.1 kg, so the total payload from the point of the tripod legs is 8.1 + 2.5 = ~10.6kgs. Any thoughts / expertise on the strength of the two gauges of Al tube? If I can get it lighter still but still sturdy, that would be good 🙂. Thanks for any input 🙂 Louise

Of course! Ha ha

I knew I could do it!

I don't think I'll use glue, just in case I decide to go back to the stainless steel legs. Some tape should help make a tighter fit, plus grub screws. I'll see if I can drill some small depressions in the tube. Cheers Louise

I found some domed round inserts. Might not be a tight fit but should do. Thanks anyway 🙂 Louise These ones https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123028113494 🙂

Well the first one must have been beginner's luck ha ha. The other two did come off but I used the higher setting and more brute force. I think I'm about halfway through the great tripod rebuild project now. The replacement aluminium tubes are a slightly loose fit but I breathed a sigh of relief that they weren't slightly too large a diameter. I should be able to get them to fit ok either with the grub screws, or with some tape, else other glue. Some heavy duty adhesive tape should do it and may be the simplest solution. The other problem to solve is how to either fit the original pointy feet or how to fabricate replacements. I don't want to use the actual leg extensions as that would just add to the weigh and defeat the object somewhat. Hmm... There must be something commercially available, and fairly cheap? I'll have a browse. Louise

Update! #1 - success! Yay! Looks like I needn't have ordered the gloves or the solvent but they might come in useful for something else. Anyway, it only needed about 3-4 mins of gentle heating using the lowest (450 deg) setting. After it cooled I used a screwdriver through the bolt hole to revolve the fitting around the tube and it came off quite easily. Two legs to go! 🙂 Louise

Not long back from picking up the heat gun from Screwfix 🙂. There was a short (socially distanced) queue outside but, fortunately, it wasn't raining. There was a young lady in front of me. She was eating what looked like sweets from a paper bag. She turned around and offered me one saying "I know this is weird, but..". I declined ("mustn't accept sweets from strangers! Ha ha"). She was probably just being friendly but I watched a program about Shauna [removed word] and the murder of Becky Watts the other day (amongst lots of others about serial killers, psychopaths and s. predators I've seen). She didn't appear to have the right Screwfix paperwork so wasn't allowed in and just walked away. Anyway, I digressed... I don't have the heat resistant gloves yet (not due before Saturday but you never know). I thought I could try just heating the end with the tube resting on the hob. Then letting it cool down again. Worth a try? I'll post an update later, if I'm successful! Louise Tut! It set the smoke alarm off! No obvious smoke but the alarms are very sensitive - my ears are ringing!

Unfortunately, apart from the noise, nothing ever happens when the alarm goes off...

If there was a gap the pieces would come apart easily. I'll pick up the heat gun tomorrow and give it a whirl. Louise

I've no idea - it's whatever they use in China!

Yes, as I said, it's similar to the Meade above. It's not mastic. Louise

I get the impression it needs a higher temperature to melt the glue - unless someone knows different? Louise

Of course 🙂

Ok!

Well I've ordered the cheap Screwfix ('Energer') one - might pick it up tomorrow. I don't want or need it for anything else so it better do the job! I've ordered some gloves also - for barbecue/oven use. At least I could also use those in the kitchen though I really only do microwave cooking. Louise

Not that I know of. I'll have to find a way of doing it myself and indoors. Where there's a will, there's a way! I could use the heat gun with the leg on the cooker hob. At least there's nothing flammable on there. I always have to make sure I don't inadvertently set off the smoke alarm - if it does go off, it's deafening! Louise

That's not very reassuring... I don't want to set the flat ablaze!!!

Ok, I suppose it wouldn't break the bank. Would one of these do? ps what's 'decorating'??? Louise

Must have been this post: The residue looks similar... It would be difficult for me to use a heat gun in the flat though might be able to make use of the electric cooker hob... Louise

Not sure if they are put together the same? I'm on my own so heating it up would be difficult and if it needs to be _that_ hot then it would likely burn me at the same time (I don't have any heatproof gloves). As I've ordered the solvent, I'll try that first 🙂 Thanks for the info. Louise