Thalestris24

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

Erm, has anyone actually done this? If so, how?? I'm finding the bottom painted/cast parts come off quite easily but the top ones are very stubborn - so far I've had no success 😞 I'm thinking that if I can find a solvent that will remove the dried traces on the bottom of the tube it should work to loosen the the top? Since isopropanol doesn't seem to do much, maybe something like evo-stick adhesive remover might do? I've ordered some so fingers crossed! Louise

Yes, I know 🙂

No - it looks like I just need something to soften or dissolve the glue 🙂

By hook or by crook I'll get it done!

Hi Carole Um, I use the heq5 tripod for the eq3 mount but I've had a bee in my bonnet about trying to make it all a bit lighter. So I thought it would be good to substitute simple aluminium tubes for the compound steel ones. I thought it would all be fairly easy - a nice little summer job to do.... Louise

Well my heq5 is about 6 1/2 years old now it yet. I've only tried to undo one of the legs so far. Maybe some acetone would loosen the glue? Who knows??!! I don't have any but maybe could get some from somewhere. I thought this would all be very simple. I'm naiive, I know. Sigh... I've not tried removing the actual feet from the narrow inner tube but I didn't really want to use them anyway. Louise

That's a possible. I'll try a hairdryer first though 🙂