Screws for DIY monopod?

[Shakespeare]

I'm looking to make a monopod for my Drebel out of my wooden walking stick. This will save me a few bucks on a monopod and allow me to go the natural route rather than the ski-pole approach. My problem is finding the screw which would be fixed into the end of the stick.

Anybody know where to get one of these, maybe two inches long?

Thanks,

Shakes

[Jon]

Check your local hardware store. They're called toilet bolts or toilet screws; #10 or so wood screw threads on one end and 1/4 x 20 threads on the other.

[Scottes]

That's not a toilet bolt. A toilet bolt is flat on one end, like a really big flat smooth screw head.

Jon is describing a hanger bolt:

http://www.morebeer.com/images/d1298b.jpg
That's what you want, with a 1/4-20 machine screw on the end to attach to the camera. Then you'll probably need to hack off most of the 1/4-20 since you need only a little bit showing. And then file the edges so it screws on easily.


In this little pic, item A is a toilet bolt:
http://altura.speedera.net/ccimg.catalogcity.com/210000/212400/212464/Products/5908935.jpg

[Belmondo]

----not to be confused with those occasions when you have to bolt for the toilet. :shock: :shock: :wink:

[Jon]

From DoItYourself.com: Toilet Screw Set pack of 2 by Plumb Pak (http://doityourself.com/store/0261420.htm). It's even a flashy brass.

[CoolToolGuy]

That's not a toilet bolt. A toilet bolt is flat on one end, like a really big flat smooth screw head.


Oh, I get it - a toilet bolt is flush on one end... :roll:

Have Fun,

[Shakespeare]

Thanks, you guys are awesome!

S

[Scottes]

Damn, this kind of stuff is never easy, is it? A hanger bolt is a toilet screw, and a hanger bolt isn't what I'd consider a bolt in the first place, since it doesn't have a head. Alas, it doesn't taper, and it does have a specific thread size, so at least half is a bolt.

I think they make this up just to confuse us.


I must say that I love a good harware store. I especially love the ones who employ people that know what you want when you need a thingamajig that screws into the part of the machine that goes thwacka-thwacka when the thingamajig comes off the doohickey. The employees that can tell you where to find that thingamajig are priceless.

[Jon]

I must say that I love a good harware store. I especially love the ones who employ people that know what you want when you need a thingamajig that screws into the part of the machine that goes thwacka-thwacka when the thingamajig comes off the doohickey. The employees that can tell you where to find that thingamajig are priceless.

Yeah. And the first sign you've got one is that wood floor. Dunno what it is, but tile, or concrete and they just aren't as good. And don't even think about geetting anything useful from one of those carpeted places! At least unless you do it yourself.

[Scottes]

Oh, Shakespeare... You may know this already, but...

You're going to want to make sure that you pre-drill a hole in your stick before putting in the hanger bolt. Otherwise you *will* crack the stick. The hole should be the same diameter as the "bottom" of the screws - that is, size it so that the screw shaft barely touches the stick and only the threads themselves touch the wood.

And putting a drop or two of 30-minute epoxy in the hole is a good idea.

And you may want to buy two 1/4-20 nuts and screw them onto the end of the hanger bolt and tighten them to each other. Now you can screw the bolt in without bitching up the threads.


And that's the end of this ridiculous lesson on how to screw in a hanger bolt or toilet screw or thingamajigbobdoohickey.

[Shakespeare]

You know Skottes, ever since I cracked a $28 piece of oak...I've been a big fan of pre-drilling!

Thanks for the tips, it's always good to have a reminder.

S