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by Tom Massey
Occasionally, you have a special need for a sturdy
tripod head that can be used to support many different instruments. Recently,
one of our club members needed one to support his binocular mount. Several ideas
were considered but the one pictured was found to be sturdy and very adaptable
for this purpose. The total cost of the wood was about $2.57 and was found in a
scrap pile of cuttings at Home Depot. Hardwood was chosen since it is durable
and easy to work with. The actual wood type is not known but it is hard.
First, a circle for the top was cut with a saber saw. The diameter chosen was about 8" to give a sturdy platform for the binocular holder. After cutting with the saber saw, the edges were sanded with a little drum sander on a drill press. Finding the exact location for the "ears" was made easier with a triangle template on paper. A triangle of equal leg length was marked in the circle and the legs bisected. The location of the ears an be found in this manner. Short pieces of hardwood were cut for the ears and drilled for the appropriate leg bolts. Be careful to allow clearance for the tops of the legs and any wing nuts used to attach the legs. The short pieces were glued together and screwed with wood screws on opposite sides to add strength. Their position was marked on the top piece and then they were glued and screwed in place accordingly.
The bottom plate of the binocular holder was re-drilled and tapped for a larger bolt to act as the stud for support of the binocular holder, again, to add strength and support for the mount. This new bolt is far superior to the 1/4 X 20 bolt hole provided. To accept the bolt and nut, the center of the plate was drilled and countersunk to allow clearance. A wing nut and small piece of tubing was used to tighten the assembly to the tripod top, extending below the bottom of the ears. Finally, a coat or two of polyurethane completed the project. A simple but very sturdy support for almost anything you can think of.
