Help! Heq5 legs removal question

[Thalestris24]

Just wondered whether anyone has ever completely disassembled the legs/tubes from the the heq5 tripod. I'd thought it would just be a matter of undoing the top and bottom grub screws. There doesn't appear to be anything else holding the fixtures to the tubes. However, I can't seem to remove the top and bottom fixtures. Maybe I'm just too weak 😞 . Any ideas/suggestions? I'm a bit loathe to whack them with a hammer though it might be the only way...

Cheers for any help

Louise 

[banjaxed]

The legs are quite a tight fit so you may need to work them loose, maybe try some WD40.

[johninderby]

13 minutes ago, banjaxed said:

The legs are quite a tight fit so you may need to work them loose, maybe try some WD40.

They cast parts are also glued in place as well as the grub screws. Perhaps a heat gun to break the glue loose?

[Thalestris24]

11 minutes ago, banjaxed said:

The legs are quite a tight fit so you may need to work them loose, maybe try some WD40.

Yeah... Thanks. I managed to get the bottom part of one leg off with the aid of a hammer... So far, no luck with the top part, hard to get a grip even with rubber gloves. I'll try some more later  I don't have any wd40 but maybe Ill have to get some. It might just be the paint that's the problem - not sure.

Louise

[Thalestris24]

3 minutes ago, johninderby said:

They cast parts are also glued in place as well as the grub screws. Perhaps a heat gun to break the glue loose?

Are they? Ohhh... I don't have an actual heat gun, just have a hairdryer. Might give that a go.

Thanks

Louise

[johninderby]

Some are glued better than others. 

Normally would suggest putting a metal part that has been glued in the freezer then tapping with a hammer however that poses one obvious problem in this case. 😁😁😁

Edited June 29, 2020 by johninderby

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

Some are glued better than others. 

Normally would suggest putting a metal part that has been glued in the freezer then tapping with a hammer however that poses one obvious problem in this case. 😁😁😁

Yeah, much too big! I haven't tried again but I'll give the hairdryer a go later. Wish I'd known about the glue before... I'd like to think it must be a solvable problem 🙂 

Cheers

Louise

[Peter Drew]

45 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

Just wondered whether anyone has ever completely disassembled the legs/tubes from the the heq5 tripod. I'd thought it would just be a matter of undoing the top and bottom grub screws. There doesn't appear to be anything else holding the fixtures to the tubes. However, I can't seem to remove the top and bottom fixtures. Maybe I'm just too weak 😞 . Any ideas/suggestions? I'm a bit loathe to whack them with a hammer though it might be the only way...

Cheers for any help

Louise 

A long time since I took one apart but I seem to remember (?) that they dont pull apart, rather the lower leg passes upwards through the upper leg once you've removed the "feet".  As has been stated, the feet are glued on.    🙂

[johninderby]

Or you could pour boiling water over each part at a time. 

In the bathtub though. 😁

Edited June 29, 2020 by johninderby

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, Peter Drew said:

A long time since I took one apart but I seem to remember (?) that they dont pull apart, rather the lower leg passes upwards through the upper leg once you've removed the "feet".  As has been stated, the feet are glued on.    🙂

Yeah, I'm talking about removing the painted parts from the tube itself.

Thanks

Louise

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

Or you could pour boiling water over each part at a time. 

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

[Peter Drew]

Just now, Thalestris24 said:

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

You must have a good one, I've had some where the parts kept coming loose and had to be re-glued.   🙂

[johninderby]

Just now, Peter Drew said:

You must have a good one, I've had some where the parts kept coming loose and had to be re-glued.   🙂

Quality control. Or lack of. 🤔

[dweller25]

I had the same tripod and could not keep the feet on - the glue failed on all 3 !!!

So hopefully Louise a bit of hot water followed by cold water will break the glue 🙂

[Thalestris24]

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 

[carastro]

Sorry, but I can't help asking why you are doing this?  Especially as I know you image from a flat window, so it can't be because you are mounting the top part into a pier.  

Just curious really. 

Carole  

Edited June 29, 2020 by carastro

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, carastro said:

Sorry, but I can't help asking why you are doing this?  Especially as I know you image from a flat window, so it can't be because you are mounting the top part into a pier.  

Just curious really. 

Carole  

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 

[johninderby]

Ypu know what they say about best laid plans.......😬

[Thalestris24]

Just now, johninderby said:

Ypu know what they say about best laid plans.......😬

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

[pete_l]

1 hour ago, Thalestris24 said:

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

So its down to the angle grinder then 😬

[Thalestris24]

39 minutes ago, pete_l said:

So its down to the angle grinder then 😬

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

[MarkAR]

Nail varnish remover is mostly acetone, might take a while or not at all depending on the glue.

[Thalestris24]

Just now, MarkAR said:

Nail varnish remover is mostly acetone, might take a while or not at all depending on the glue.

Yes, I know 🙂 

[Peter Drew]

2 hours ago, johninderby said:

Ypu know what they say about best laid plans.......😬

That's "mice and men", don't know what the female equivalent is.       🙂

[Thalestris24]

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