Strengthening a tripod

[Roddy]

The 'heavy duty aluminum' (words that don't belong in the same phrase) tripod that came with my Celestron 114eq loves to wobble. I don't want to invest in a new super solid tripod yet since I expect I will be upgrading the whole setup soon. Any ideas to make this tripod more stable? Any modifications would have to be portable, light conditions here mean I have to throw it all in the van and drive a few miles to a darker location. Keeping the tripod collapsed helps a lot but is hard on the back.  Anyone got DIY idesa?

 

[John]

I've heard that filling the legs with sand can help. Also, suspending a weight from the tripod hub can help as well.

More ideas here:

https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/articles/beefing-up-hollow-aluminum-tripod-legs-r3016

[TSRobot]

Obviously you've tightened it all up so some folk hang a weight beneath the tripod to let gravity do the work. The weight a tripod can take dead centre is huge. It's when the weight goes off to one side that the limits have to be regarded. A tripod only gets stronger as you weight it dead centre. Call it 'pyramid power'. Bet someone here can do the maths.

My two lightweight aluminium tripods can take my body weight directly on top ?

[Ben the Ignorant]

Hello, Roddy. You might pick a few ideas from this.

[Roddy]

Good Idea! Simple, and easy to install and remove for portability. I will experiment with some different weights next clear night and see what works best.

Thanks

[Roddy]

Great tips guys. Overcast tonight, so off to the basement tonight. Tinker time.

[Alien 13]

As above with the weight thing, you can use an old paint tin or similar and fill it with stones at your destination so you are not carrying stuff around.

The reason a mount wobbles is that it is getting close to one of its resonant frequencies, now there are two basic ways of fixing this one is to have a heavy tripod and damping (filling the legs with sand or similar) which reduces the frequency or keep it light but stiffen it so the res frequency goes up, the added weight puts the legs under compression which makes them stiffer, you might find a sweet spot with the added weights that remove most of the vibration.

Alan

[Roddy]

Thanks for the starting point with the weight. I was thinking of a few pounds (oops, age) kilos.  I will go a lot heavier, slowly.

And the quantity and quality of the responses here is fantastic. Hopefully I will be able to give back soon.

[martinl]

Try to figure out exactly where it wobbles and if possible tighten any screws in that area. 

Rather than adding weight you can also get one of those ground screws used to secure tents, dogs and gliders and use a bungee cord to pull the mount harder into the ground. 

[laser_jock99]

As above- I usaully hang a builders bucket of bricks (or water) from under the centre of the tripod. The amount of stability and damping you get is amazing.

[Charic]

On 19/01/2018 at 16:28, Roddy said:

The 'heavy duty aluminum' (words that don't belong in the same phrase) tripod that came with my Celestron 114eq loves to wobble. I don't want to invest in a new super solid tripod yet since I expect I will be upgrading the whole setup soon.

 

The upgrade was the best fix for me, a simple and reliable 8" Dobsonian ( you choose the brand!).
However, I used to hang my eyepiece case off the 127EQ  keeping the bag of the ground! That may of helped dampen any vibrations.

[Jforson]

A climbers chalk bag with a small counter weight hanging from the central hub also works.  Or if travelling fill with stones at the location.  

[michaelmorris]

Adding weight is actually adding downward force, in this case by gravity. Another way of achieving the same effect is to add downward force using tension.  

Get one of those helical ground pegs used to secure a dog lead. Screw it into the ground and place your tripod directly above it. Now use a bungee cord to attach the centre of the tripod to the ground peg.  Your tripod should now be much more stable. ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stu]

19 minutes ago, michaelmorris said:

Adding weight is actually adding downward force, in this case by gravity. Another way of achieving the same effect is to add downward force using tension.  

Get one of those helical ground pegs used to secure a dog lead. Screw it into the ground and place your tripod directly above it. Now use a bungee cord to attach the centre of the tripod to the ground peg.  Your tripod should now be much more stable. ?

 

I've often thought about doing this but have never actually tried. Seems like it works, will have to give it a go sometime.

[Cosmic Geoff]

Don't forget to consider leaving the legs retracted. That works well to reduce the amount of flexing. You might then need a stool to sit on. 

[LukeSkywatcher]

You could weigh it down with a few wrist weights (the type you strap on to wrists). Other cheaper solutions are small bean bags, tins of beans or tins of anything really. Then if you get hungry while observing just eat whats in the tins. 

[scienceguy]

I have a basic $30 tripod that I use for my DSLR and I have the basic tripod that came with my telescope. Both work fine. They don't weigh much, but I think you can hang a weight from the middle of them right?
I have a hook on mine that I assume is to put a dumbbell weight on it to reduce wobble.

Right?

[Louis D]

Also, trying adding vibration dampening pads under each tripod foot once you get the wobbliness sorted out.  I use Sorbothane pads under each foot of my super solid Manfrotto 058B tripod to dampen vibrations from 2-3 seconds down to 1/2 second.

[Roddy]

All great ideas. Thanks. The 'dog screw ' is especially compact, and the empty bucket to fill with whatever on site  is lightweight, and can be used to carry stuff to the site. I will pass on the canned goods, I know I would eat the ballast too early ? 

[AdeKing]

On 20/01/2018 at 18:57, michaelmorris said:

Get one of those helical ground pegs used to secure a dog lead. Screw it into the ground and place your tripod directly above it. Now use a bungee cord to attach the centre of the tripod to the ground peg.  Your tripod should now be much more stable. 

Thanks for this @michaelmorris I picked up a small lifting eye to attach to the thread at the bottom of the centre column on my Manfrotto 028B, one of those dog tie out spikes and a couple of bungees this weekend.

The solution has done wonders for my grab & go setup damping vibrations from about 2 seconds to about 1/2 second.

Ade

[knobby]

On 21/01/2018 at 16:33, LukeSkywatcher said:

You could weigh it down with a few wrist weights (the type you strap on to wrists). Other cheaper solutions are small bean bags, tins of beans or tins of anything really. Then if you get hungry while observing just eat whats in the tins. 

Don't forget the tin opener !

[michaelmorris]

1 hour ago, AdeKing said:

Thanks for this @michaelmorris I picked up a small lifting eye to attach to the thread at the bottom of the centre column on my Manfrotto 028B, one of those dog tie out spikes and a couple of bungees this weekend.

The solution has done wonders for my grab & go setup damping vibrations from about 2 seconds to about 1/2 second.

Ade

I'm glad it has worked for you. I won't take any credit for the technique. I saw this being used by someone at the Kelling Heath star party a couple of years ago and started using it on my Opticron tripod carrying an iOptron Skytracker to great effect.

This allowed me to ditch the heavy tripod I used before in favour of the lighter Opticron tripod which I also use for my birdwatching spotting scope.

[Gabby76]

This may help give you a few tips for the tripod.