Super Old Tripod

edit: resolved in post 15

Can I put a new head on this thing?

The top post is about half an inch diameter (maybe 5/8") and has one of those clips that tend to fly off at mach 1.3 toward the furthest, darkest corner of the room when you remove it. The post is not the same piece of metal as the metal it's attached to, but considering how it is put together, I'd guess it's permanent.

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I'd first look at the bottom aluminium (not black) centre post and see if it unscrews from anything under it. Looks like it just possibly might. If so, and if the attaching screw is 1/4-20 thread or 3/16-16 thread it'll be easy to put a more recent model head on the tripod. Incidentally, what's the model name? Can't quite read it in the photos; it looks like "Redi-Tilt". Googling whatever it is might bring up some expert advice.

It's a Davis and Sanford. I pulled that black collar down and found a little pin holding the top most part.

looks like the mach 1.3 piece (blue arrow) is the only place anything's coming off.

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Put a piece of cloth or tissue behind the clip while you carefully push on it with two screwdrivers, that should keep it from flying too far.

ScatterCr wrote in post #16239431
Put a piece of cloth or tissue behind the clip while you carefully push on it with two screwdrivers, that should keep it from flying too far.

going to leave it where it is until i know there is something else i can do with it. It's looking like there isn't anything that can be done. It's a good tripod, air cushioned and sturdy, but the head is very heavy and one of the handles is broken.

i guess this thing was made before anyone decided to set or use standard attachments.

If your handy there is always a way to adapt something new to fit onto something old The only way to know for sure is to start taking it apart, just take pictures if all else fails you can put it back together.

I'd guess that the head is not easily swapped. Just pull that C clip off, and the whole head can probably be lifted off. From there, you'll have to see if anything is screwed into the center column. If there is, then it shouldn't be too hard to adapt. If there isn't, then a drill and tap would solve that.

klr.b wrote in post #16244810
I'd guess that the head is not easily swapped. Just pull that C clip off, and the whole head can probably be lifted off. From there, you'll have to see if anything is screwed into the center column. If there is, then it shouldn't be too hard to adapt. If there isn't, then a drill and tap would solve that.

without pulling off the c clip (thanks for the reminder of what that thing is called), i'd say i'm 99 percent sure there is nothing under there except a bare post, no threads, no way of removing it.

This is my uncle's tripod, so making use of it is mostly just for posterity's sake. I'm pretty handy, but i feel i'd have to take it to someone to have the top of the post threaded.

next question, what do i do with these?

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My tripod is older than that.

Send your pics and questions to Tiffen.
They have the Davis and Sanford license.

You might be able to use the quick change screw system

hes gone wrote in post #16245065
=he's gone;16245065]without pulling off the c clip (thanks for the reminder of what that thing is called), i'd say i'm 99 percent sure there is nothing under there except a bare post, no threads, no way of removing it.

This is my uncle's tripod, so making use of it is mostly just for posterity's sake. I'm pretty handy, but i feel i'd have to take it to someone to have the top of the post threaded.

next question, what do i do with these?

Looks like a reflector for a flash-bulb from what little I can see. If you can find an electrical socket and incandescent or fluorescent bulb that fit the opening, you can use it as a "hot light" reflector. Post a couple of more photos of it and we'll see if I was right in my guess.

Biffbradford wrote in post #16245073
My tripod is older than that.

the little googleing i did suggested the RTS model of this tripod was from the 70's. Comparing what i saw, and considering they probably added the RTS designation later, i'd think this one was older.

Any guesses on the age of this beast?

YARDBURNER wrote in post #16245285
Send your pics and questions to Tiffen.
They have the Davis and Sanford license.

You might be able to use the quick change screw system

Thanks, another piece of the puzzle. The head on this unit uses the Quick Change screw, but it's at the very top of the head. Until now i didn't know what they called it, heck it wasn't until recently that it dawned on me to back out the screw that holds in the Quick Change part so i could release my camera from the tripod.

Also glad to know Tiffen is distributing/mfg the brand name if nothing else.

Jon wrote in post #16245373
Looks like a reflector for a flash-bulb from what little I can see. If you can find an electrical socket and incandescent or fluorescent bulb that fit the opening, you can use it as a "hot light" reflector. Post a couple of more photos of it and we'll see if I was right in my guess.

it is indeed a reflector for a flash bulb, that question was kind of tongue in cheek (see my sig line )

I also have a few "press cameras", backs and i might even have the battery pack that held and fired the flash!! Even the best looking lens i have is in pretty rough shape.

hes gone wrote in post #16245065
=he's gone;16245065]without pulling off the c clip (thanks for the reminder of what that thing is called), i'd say i'm 99 percent sure there is nothing under there except a bare post, no threads, no way of removing it.

This is my uncle's tripod, so making use of it is mostly just for posterity's sake. I'm pretty handy, but i feel i'd have to take it to someone to have the top of the post threaded.

next question, what do i do with these?

If that's a problem, then you could just remove the column and take some good measurements. Then you can just order a replacement column with the same measurements and a standard 3/8" stud in the base.

hes gone wrote in post #16245518
=he's gone;16245518]
I also have a few "press cameras", backs and i might even have the battery pack that held and fired the flash!! Even the best looking lens i have is in pretty rough shape.

Yea that happens - press photographers are using their gear a lot (like every day) and sometimes aren't too gentle on it - my 1dmk4 bodies are showing wear from two years of use - older press cameras (speedgraphics etc) will have been used longer than that.

Hell yeah.

Excited that I finally put this together, and embarrassed it took me this long. I even said in the first post it looked like a 5/8 pin.

Only potential downside is losing the ability to smash the previous pointy steel head into a mugger's head late at night in a dark alley. That thing would do some damage.

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