Help Req'd Plz - Tripod thread snapped off

My A640 will no longer fix to a tripod... the inner thread somehow got brittle and simply crumbled away this morning. Nothing else wrong with the camera - does anyone know if this is reparable, or should I just chuck it down the stairs and get a new one out of the insurance ? ... rather not do that though.

I did however get some SPLENDID Snowscape pics !

I would guess an 80% success rate at fixing the threads.
Take your camera to an auto parts store, they carry thread inserts designed to replace stripped threads. The only limit would be if there is enough 'meat' around the original thread hole to cut/drill the required larger hole to put in the thread insert for the repair.
Considerations for choosing the insert- make sure it is not hardened as you would want to file it down to the same height as the mounting surface of the camera and the closer you can get to a rust resitant metal the better.
Second choice would be is to change the screw on the adapter plate of the mount to the next size thread and retap your camera to match that larger size.
Either way an auto parts store or automotive machine shop are excellent sources for thread repair.

...that is of course if that part of your camera is not a snapin part that could be easily ordered and replaced.

IIRC it's a plastic fitting; you may be able to set a reducing bushing in there after tapping it out to 3/8-16. Use some LocTite or Superglue (sparingly) to anchor once you are sure the piece will fit.

what's that in english ?? Sorry Jon, but haven't got the foggiest clue what you just said....

Velcro. Put the part that snags everything on the tripod, the other on the bottom. If it don't work, take it off. Nothing to lose.

Is it possible to drill out an appropriate size hole and epoxy in a 1/4 inch nut?


I think thats what Jon was getting at?

Don't see why not... that's an EXCELLENT idea, I also love the velcro idea - no reason why both can't be done - if only for extra grip ! Has the velcro one been tried before ? I've never seen a tripod with that on before.

Will implement both asap. The 1/4 inch nut idea is awesome, dremel at the ready For what a nut costs, you would think canon would have done it by default instead of using this - sort of - resin rubbish.

Actually, I was suggesting a 3/8-16 to 1/4-20 tripod reducing bushing. You'd need to tap (cut 3/8x16 threads into) the plastic base fitting and screw in the bushing, securing it with a spot of Superglue or LocTite.

I wouldn't glue a nut in there because steel to plastic bonds don't really hold well and you would just pull the nut out of the adapter from continually tightening on the threads.
I researched for my own education and find your adapter mount is plastic, seems simple enough fix, refill and recut the threads.
If you are not comfortable with repairing it find a friend who is comfortable with this kind of thing or walk it into a local machine shop and ask them to drill and cut the threads after you have filled the hole.
Heres a list of items needed. The Local hardware store should have these on the shelf, maybe you have a friend who does alot of do it yurself projects and may already have alot of these things on hand;
Hand drill
Center punch
Small hammer
#7 twist drill (to drill a .201 diameter hole)
1 each starting tap and bottoming tap, size: 1/4-20 UNC (Unified National Course)
Denatured alcohol
A commercial plastic resin filler.
A smooth single cut (that is the grade of the file) 6" file.

A stripped threaded hole in a plastic part can often be repaired to be "good as new" by pouring a little plastic resin, such as Alumilite, into the hole and letting it set. Then the newly plugged hole is drilled out with a small (#7) bit and the old screw threads recut back in with a 1/4-20 bottoming tap. This patch should provide good results allowing the screw can be torqued very tightly and hold well.

Using denatured alcohol clean the repair area throughly and let air dry.
Fill the old thread hole completely with the plastic resin enough that when it is dry there is just enough excess for you to file the filler flush to the original adapter mounting surface. You want to be carefull with the filing to preserve as much of the original mounting surface in its flatest state so that when the camera is mounted to the adapter plate it won't be susceptable to rocking due to high spots or low voids.

Being as accurate as possible try to mark the center point of the original hole by scratching an "X" over the point of center. Using a center punch with a sharp point and your hammer, lightly tap the center punch to mark that point. This is an important step as the center punch will keep the drill from drifting off center until it gets enough of a hole to guide itself. Drill your tap hole to the depth of the original thread.

Use your starting tap to cut starting threads first. Keeping tap perpindicular to the mounting adapter turn it carefully to get a bite then each 1/4 of a turn screwing the tap in, reverse the tap 1/16th of a turn to clear the cut plastic from cutting surfaces of the tap. Once you have screwed the starting tap in as far as it will go, repeat this step using the bottoming tap. Your using two different types of taps because bottoming taps aren't the best thread starters and starting taps will not give you a full thread to the bottom of a blind hole.

That should be it.

oh yeah, it would be really important to make sure the filler does not capture air or create a void in the areas where it will be bonding to the old threads.

BBoi wrote in post #5179451
Has the velcro one been tried before ? I've never seen a tripod with that on before.

I don' know. I happened to have a box of this stuff sitting next to me. If it will hold a water timer on a brick wall, it might.

http://www.hechinger.c​om …EF673BC066F042F​0C4997CCA6

Sorry, not really thinking it all the way through-
Want to give kudo's to Jon for the simplest fix, seriousley - putting in a helicoil (brand name there) plastic thread repair is by far the simplest way to go. I just took you on another alternate. Maybe save both ideas and if one eventually fails in the future you would have a plan B to recover. You have to think in terms of thrust force as to which repair you want, you don't need to worry about the repair job turning in the hole, only about the repair pulling out of the camera and if you replace the plactic thread with a metal you pretty much get rid of stripping problems.
Also if like me the root of the problem is getting the camera secure enough on the tripod to not twist, cut a piece of some of that rubberized cupboard shelf liner to use as a mounting gasket between the camera body and the mounting plate so you won't have to torque on the screw so much.
Think I'm done now.

yep, I'm done.