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Wooden Tripod Plans and Advice


Fozzie

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20 hours ago, Fozzie said:

Last bits done this morning... aligned the leg section with the foot.. drilled the spiked feet and fit the tread.. tapered the foot and legs... fixed the bits together...

The tripod legs are finished... bar a teak oil touch up..

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Very happy with how this has turned out.. just in the process of fashioning a spreader from one gifted to me by Dave @F15Rules.. many thanks Dave.. 

Other than that I've clear sky's tonight so will be giving my new look GP mount a try out..

Thanks for all the interest and feed back that has enabled me to get this far and complete the project!

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Ta

Fozzie

Superb job Steve, and a beautiful set up. Well done :headbang:

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I've just come across a 200mm- 250mm Diameter  Section of Sapele Mahogany at 50mm thick...  The craftman in me is thinking this would make a stonking EP tray/holder/shelf to sit on top of a spreader bar...

They are actually Bowl Blanks for wood turners to make, well Bowl's, clues in the name there.. £13 quid, with a few 25mm deep 35mm holes etc that will be a nice finishing touch I feel...

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Any thoughts?

Will draw some plans up once I've checked measurements on the tripod....

Thanks

Fozzie

 

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Eyepiece tray plans.. this project keeps going..

Waiting on a response to whether a 30mm blank available, if not I'll go with the 50mm.. I've only got 1.25mm eps so not going to facilitate 2".. although I can obviously go for larger in the future.

I'll drill a series of indents, not all the way through, about half just to sit the eps in.. 12mm hole for the tripod bolt and some smaller 6mm for attaching to the spreader bar... although I may permanently fix the spreader arms to the ep tray.  Haven't decided that bit yet...anyways plans below..

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Ta

Fozzie

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Ordered 1No 203mm dia by 27mm Sapele Blank and 1No 220mm by 27mm thick Sapele Blank.. think either will do.. The Blanks are inclusive of Bark, not sure if this is good or bad, might have to remove it.. depends how it looks?!

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Thanks Mick..

So I've spent the last hour or so working on the larger blank, removing the wax that's been applied to protect the bark, and sanding down the two faces. Quick damp cloth rinse and ready for teak oil.. the teak oil is the magic bit and totally transforms this sapele wood.

Haven't sanded too heavily the blanks are rough sawn so some saw edges are still evident, but I'm cutting 35 or 38mm holes in it any ways..

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Sanded Blank.

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Teak Oil.

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Side by side with the untreated blank.

Thanks

Fozzie

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1 hour ago, timwetherell said:

Looking great! As well as being attractive, I've always felt that wood was excellent at damping vibrations. Would it be feasible to have the eyepiece holder rotate so you can have the one you're after either side? 

Possibly, if I slightly over size the the centre hole, it could spin if I don't fix it to a spreader bar..

I've cut out the smaller blank.. 

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Ready for another coat of teak oil... the dust the drilling made, and it's eaten through two 38mm flat drill bits..!

Ta

Fozzie 

 

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Eyepiece tray after final sanding and teak oil..

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And with a family of SLV's in place.. a bit snug, could have opened it up a little more in hind sight but there is a little space between them..

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I'm actually thinking of hanging the larger blank underneath using some 160mm long m8 coach bolts so I've got a "shelf" as it were for filters and a power pack..

Still need to figure out the brace bar... ideally it needs to be on the centre column bolt but it doesn't quite fit.. 

Sure I'll think of something here....

Ta

fozzie 

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Fozzie - I'm really jealous of your awesome looking tripod. I'm going to be completely shameless and copy you....when I have funds and time to make something :tongue2:

Good job, it looks fantastic. Please let us know how you get on using it! 

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2 hours ago, davyludo said:

Fozzie - I'm really jealous of your awesome looking tripod. I'm going to be completely shameless and copy you....when I have funds and time to make something :tongue2:

Good job, it looks fantastic. Please let us know how you get on using it! 

Many Thanks.. Feel free to copy, it's what the threads for really... and it's not been overly taxing, with the right tools.

Thanks

Fozzie

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23 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Fabulous work Steve, you have wonderful woodworking skills!?

Dave

Honestly Dave.. I hate DIY and most things like that because I've never had the tools or time to do it properly.. so many thanks for your comments, and all who have posted positively.. maybe I found a calling here.. 

So tonight I've been fashioning the double tier ep tray and equipment shelf..  looks good and is solid when fixed to the centre bolt..

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I'm in the position where I think this tripod project is 99% complete..

Might just leave it as it is!!!

Thanks

Fozzie 

 

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