Need a solid tripod? Decent woodworker? DIY!

As some of you may know, I recently built my own 4x5 view camera. Because all I had tripod-wise couldn't even remotely cope with its weight (and because it was time to get a ew tripod and tripod head anyway), I decided to build my own. After looking at many various designs and plans on the internet, I stumbled on this site :

http://ludens.cl/photo​/tripod/tripod.html

Which detailed plans for a folding leg design wooden tripod. Because I couldn't make my own brass parts (as the author of that page did) and I had lots of padauk of a smaller size laying around, I modified the plans slightly, using 5/16" bolts, neoprene washers (~2mm thick), and 20mmx30mm padauk. Rather than using the "spacer" wood that the author used, I just used 20mmx34mm strips for the top section to make room for the washers.

Here is the product, assembled (mostly) and unfinished :

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That looks very classy and the various leg positions that the guy has on his website is very impressive.

This is cool!

What is the locking mechanism on the leg midsection though? Doesn't look very secure.

How much does it weigh?

As of right now, the locking mechanism is just the friction from the nylon washers. It is enough to keep it shake-free when in full-upright position, but not in some of the funky positions that he put it in. At some point, I plan on making sliding panels that will slide down to lock the legs (to keep them from rotating any further).

I'll try to weight it soon - I'm halfway through packing to head off to college.

where did you get the plans for the large format camera? Looks great.

I recommend Jon Grepstad's website - I bought his book and mostly followed it, with some design modifications.

http://home.online.no/​~gjon/jgcam.htm

I notice a great resurgence of interest in older formats these days.

I can well imagine some enterprising individual will rig up a shutter behind an enlarging lens and use that as part of a DIY large format camera. I can even imagine the same individual would save money by using photo paper for the negative and simply scanning or doing contact prints from the negative!

That looks really well done.
I must say that the "knee joints" do frighten me though

Someone should come up with a kit to sell on ebay with all the metal/glass needed to make one of these setups, would be really cool to have a camera you made by hand.

indeed amazing versatility and craftsmanship, but with my skills, id be better off making it with balsa, so when it all comes crashing down, atleast the balsa will give a soft fall for the camera

Fantastic!


Not to mention it looks gorgeous with your camera sitting on top of it.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #2111977
That looks really well done.
I must say that the "knee joints" do frighten me though

If a hole were to be drilled through the outer and inner leaves of the legs about 2" above the bolt hole and a metal pin secured to the leg by a short chain then the pin could be put through the 3 pieces of wood thus securing the legs very thoroughly

rhys wrote in post #2111822
I can well imagine some enterprising individual will rig up a shutter behind an enlarging lens and use that as part of a DIY large format camera. I can even imagine the same individual would save money by using photo paper for the negative and simply scanning or doing contact prints from the negative!

I did the paper negative thing.
It was nice and convenient because you can load the film with the red light.

But no rigging for me. View cameras are way too cheap nowadays to try and rig it yourself. I almost bought a cambo with a super angulon for 200 bucks, but then changed my mind.

I was pretty leery of the knee joints at first as well, but they hold surprisingly well once tightened. I'm using neoprene between the joints, so it tends to grip more than most plastics; if I put a ton of weight on it, they'll flex a bit, but then go back to where they were when I stop pushing on it.

I've used paper for a negative before - I always ended up getting a lot of haloing (not sure if this is the right term, maybe ghosting?) in really bright areas because the light bounces around due to the white backing. I believe this is why they put the black backing on film which dissolves during development.

Perhaps routing a slot in the lower leg about 3" long and another bolt in the upper would make it solid and give some adjustment for uneven surfaces.