DIY wooden tripod

[dark star]

I would like to make a wooden tripod, maybe out of ash. However I have very limited (to say the least!) DIY skills. Would this be a dififcult project?

I would like to make something something that would carry at least 10 kg, in case I get a bigger and heavier telescope in the future, but also be portable!

I have seen various plans for making a wooden tripod on ATM sites on the internet.

My main problem is where to buy ash (or any other hardwood that isn't too difficult to saw). Does anyone know anywhere in or near London?

[Moonshane]

not sure where you'd get the timber but it's quite straight forward, esp. if you can scavenge bits off another wobbly tripod

see http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/99448-home-made-wooden-tripod-refractor.html which might help.

[NGC 1502]

You could use ordinary softwood & carefully select from somewhere like B&Q

for straight fairly knot free timber.

If the legs are a fixed length it would make the job much simpler, but of course

this would make it less portable, and you may prefer adjustable legs.

Regards, Ed.

[beamish]

Look up a decent timber merchant, if you're gonna do it you might as might go for a decent timber from the start, ash or seasoned oak. they'll take a better cut/work than a soft wood IMO

Take your time and remember, measure twice cut once

[AndyH]

Here's a nice article on the subject. Not sure if you've read it?

Making a Sturdy Wood Tripod - How To

You could get a head for the tripod here,

Cloudy Nights Classifieds (CNC) - MASILMW's Gallery - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

Only mention the above as I was trawling through his sale pages last night and remembered it ! He's a top bloke and is whom I got my excellent Carton 60/1000 refractor from.(He posts to UK no prob)

Hope this is of some help?

Cheers,

Andy

[dark star]

Thanks for all the advice, I plan to start trying to make a tripod in the Autumn, so given my usual rate of progress on DIY projects I will let you all know how I did in the Winter or Spring!

[Muddy Rutter]

You may find this posting of mine interesting as I was in a similar position.

Good luck

Nick

Adapted Surveyors Tripod

[Gwm]

Champions timber (mostly sw London) have several hardwoods in store. American oak for example. They also sell woodwork tools. The New Malden store is very large and well supplied. 

[Fozzie]

On 23/07/2010 at 21:58, dark star said:

Thanks for all the advice, I plan to start trying to make a tripod in the Autumn, so given my usual rate of progress on DIY projects I will let you all know how I did in the Winter or Spring!

Sounds similar to me, best not to rush these things and get it right first time.. 

Plenty of prep time to get the right tools, and a design your happy with.

I've made a couple of timber tripods, using hubs from an eq5 tripod and a vixen gp tripod, one adjustable and one fixed height.. and I'm not exactly a good dIYer, in fact i struggle to hang those horrible floating shelf, or anything that requires a hole drilled in a wall... so if I can then I'm sure most can..

Links below

Be good to see how you get on

Ta

Fozzie 

 

[Stu]

2 hours ago, Fozzie said:

best not to rush these things and get it right first time.. 

I wonder if @dark star has completed the project 10 years later? 😉😉🤣🤣

Zombie thread alert!!!

[Fozzie]

16 minutes ago, Stu said:

I wonder if @dark star has completed the project 10 years later? 😉😉🤣🤣

Zombie thread alert!!!

Lol... still quicker than most of my DIY... speaking of which I've got half an observing chair somewhere round here!

[Stu]

4 hours ago, Fozzie said:

Lol... still quicker than most of my DIY... speaking of which I've got half an observing chair somewhere round here!

Likewise, I have a couple of projects which have been ongoing for about a decade!! 🤣