Any suggestions how to fix tripod clamp?

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Hi all, I have an eq3 mount, but the tripod is sick.

Two of the clamps of the tripod are broken - the plastic moulding has failed and the brass threaded insert pulls out when tightening the clamps.

Any suggestions on how to fix these, or some other modification? Or a clamp design I could look at making?

Cheers,

Alex.

[gts055 (Mark)]

Hii Alex, maybe a wide band hose clamp bent to conform and tightened lightly to retain the brass knurled tapped insert in the plastic. Mark the hose clamp where the clamping screw needs to pass thru the hose clamp to enter the brass insert and drill a hole at that position. Refit the hose clamp and and clamping screw. Mark

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Thanks for the suggestion Mark

Your suggestion got the creativity juices going, and I came up with a solution for which I have all the bits I need already at home

I came up with a clamp design that works the same as the existing ones, but these ones won't fail! The plastic the original clamps are made out of really can't be repaired. And the clamps I came up with are really easy to make.

Alex.

[gts055 (Mark)]

Excersises for the mind Mark

[alval (Alan)]

You could use a rivnut (nutsert) to replace the thread fixed to a u shape metal bracket attached around the plastic. Ive attached a photo of a repair I made to a light tripod, yours would be easier. Its actually stronger than the original. The nutserts are on ebay and so are the thumbscrews to replace the knobs. You only need a socket head screw, nut, allen key and spanner to attach the nutserts.
Al

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

I did think of this like you did, Alan. Thing is to get the tool to fix the rivnuts, I doubt I'd ever use the tool again otherwise it would be my first choice solution

Alex.

[alval (Alan)]

You dont need a tool heres a picture of my set up. High tensile socket head, a nut and washer. Allen key and spanner. Flat bar is to stop the rivnut from turning and bent to make it easier to hold it and the allen key together. Winding down the nut draws up the bolt squashing the rivnut. My bent bar has 5,6,8,10mm holes for different sizes. Easy and cheap, just needed to buy the rivnuts on ebay the rest I had. Takes a little force to get the initial deform started then gets easier, same as with the tool.

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Oooohh, now THAT I can easily do too

Thanks Alan!

[alval (Alan)]

No problems. Its our secret now , no one else will know.

[Ukastronomer (Jeremy)]

Originally Posted by mental4astro

Hi all, I have an eq3 mount, but the tripod is sick.

Two of the clamps of the tripod are broken - the plastic moulding has failed and the brass threaded insert pulls out when tightening the clamps.

Any suggestions on how to fix these, or some other modification? Or a clamp design I could look at making?

Cheers,

Alex.

I have done that before with a soldering iron and plastic I melted in place

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Jeremy, i hadn't thought of that. I could do it for one clamp as the plastic has just split, but the other clamp, half the plastic that encapsulates the metal threaded insert is missing. Bugger.

I'll order some rivnuts. I already have 30mm wide strips of stainess steel. See how I go.