SkyWatcher 3/8” Tripod - Missing Screw

[Muzz]

Hi Everyone,

In typical Muzzy fashion I appear to have a screw not loose but missing from my Sky-Watcher 3/8” Stainless Steel Tripod.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/sky-watcher-38-stainless-steel-tripod.html

I am not feeling confident using it with the possibility of it keeling over and causing a few thousands of pounds of damage to my gear!

I contacted FLO who advised to contact the supplier but they didn’t know.

I have attached some photos of the offending missing screw.

I just wondered if anyone knew before I start buying every screw known to man on eBay!

Thank you for you’re time.

Clear Skies,

Murray 

[michael8554]

Unscrew one of the remaining screws and measure it.!! 

Then go to Wilkinsons, Robert Dyas, or any DIY supermarket. 

Looks like it has a countersunk head. 

Measure the length of the threaded section. 

If you're lucky it's metric, then the diameter of the threaded section indicates its description eg 6mm means it's M6. 

So you'll need an eg 15mm long M6 Countersunk head screw. 

Michael 

[almcl]

On my EQ6 mount the same knob is held in place by an M4 8 mm countersunk machine screw.

Something like this:

machine screw

The screw does not affect the stability of the tripod directly, in only holds the knob in place that is used to turn the clamping bolt. Provided the clamping bolt is tight the leg will remain in position even if the knob is removed.

[Carboncrazy]

It looks very similar to the DA and DEC clamping levers on my EQ5 see attached pictures. If it is the same then the countersunk screw which holds them on is an M4 with a 0.7 pitch and the tread length is 5mm. There are plenty of stainless ones on ebay if you search M4 posidrive countersunk. The shortest thread I could find is 8mm so you may need to grind/file some off the length. Hope this helps.

[michael8554]

Try screwing in without the knob to see how far the thread goes, then you know the longest screw that will fit if you can't get the right length. 

Michael