Old Tiltall Tripod with a Problem...

I have an old Leitz Tiltall tripod (made by Marchioni Bros) that I just tried to use.

 

When I mount an F3HP body to the head, everything is fine. However, when I put an FA on, I get about 1/16" of play between the camera and head - the camera wobbles a bit. When I tried an FE, the play gets worse, about 1/8" play. Needless to say, I am not impressed.

 

I figure the tripod sockets in the FA and FE aren't deep enough to accept the head screw all the way in.

 

I did come up with a workaround - I used a Leitz large ball head screwed onto the Tiltall. It doesn't wobble either.

 

Looks like I'll have to get another tripod, or get a cork pad to "shorten" the Tiltall head's screw.

 

Any Idea where I can find something like that?

I found this on eBay:

 

Cork Bar Drink Absorbent Coaster Heat Trivet 100% For Charity | eBay

 

Might work?

 

Thanks for any help.

Automotive supply stores carry cork gasket material in various thicknesses. You can cut it to fit and glue it in place with a contact adhesive, like Pliobond.

Automotive supply stores carry cork gasket material in various thicknesses. You can cut it to fit and glue it in place with a contact adhesive, like Pliobond.

 

Continuing with that idea, various gasket materials are usually available in a self adhesive version. I keep a bunch of different types of gasket paper/gasket material on hand, but like the self adhesive kind since it holds itself in place during cutting.

 

Granted sometimes it takes a bit of asking to find any gasket material, since the idea of making a gasket(rather than buying a pre-cut ones) is a bit foreign these days.

Something like this makes it easy to cut clean circles. You can use it by hand, but it's better in a drill press, still turned by hand.

 

https://www.amazon.com/OLFA-9911-Compass-Circle-Cutter/dp/B000BK7NWC/ref=pd_sbs_469_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000BK7NWC&pd_rd_r=0695d779-80d6-11e8-8ef3-63b7862c0680&pd_rd_w=4gMLX&pd_rd_wg=wQsWv&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=5825442648805390339&pf_rd_r=84RH59D462VHF2M4MT65&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=84RH59D462VHF2M4MT65

No decent (or cheapo) tripod I've ever seen has just a plain screw for camera fixing. There should be a threaded locking collar as well.

 

The supplied securing bolts from Manfrotto, Gitzo, Linhof, Benbo, Kodak even Slik and Velbon; they all follow the same pattern of having a bolt with a small knurled head fitted with a larger diameter locking collar.

 

So is the collar missing or seized on the Tiltall? A better option than packing the mounting plate would be to simply fit a 1/4" Whitworth nut, or some washers, to the securing bolt underneath the mounting plate of the tripod. Or better yet find a decent bolt complete with locking collar.

 

So is the collar missing or seized on the Tiltall?

 

Everything appears to be there on the tripod. Like I said, the F3HP mounts fine on the tripod.

No decent (or cheapo) tripod I've ever seen has just a plain screw for camera fixing. There should be a threaded locking collar as well.

 

I've never seen a locking collar on a Tiltall.

 

Fitting a bolt or nut wouldn't be easy on one, either.

 

As a side note, Whitworth and BSF fasteners aren't exactly regular stock items in most of the US...and that's coming from someone who actually has a reason to own a set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets.

The Tiltall uses a knurled aluminum knob with a steel 3/8"-16 stud. The assembly is captive in the head, and spring loaded to extend it outside the camera platform. The platform itself is attached to the pivot bridge with screws concealed under the friction covering. There is no locking collar nor set screw securing the stud.

 

The original covering was ribbed, blue plastic, which I replaced years ago with a piece of cork head gasket material as describe above. I have a spanner-type circle cutter which fits in a drill press.

 

The threads are ASME, not Whitworth.

 

The Tiltall was a great tripod in the 60's, superior to practically everything else. It's design is simple, if antiquated, and it has a 3-way head for versatility. What could be simpler than split-ring type clamps machined from solid aluminum? Manfrotto tripods were years in the future, in the US anyway.

 

An alternative solution would be to disassemble the head and place a washer (preferably brass) between the knob and the platform. You would still have to remove and replace the covering.

So, if the Tiltall has a 3/8" mounting bolt, how does it fit the 1/4" tripod socket of an F3HP?

 

I still think modifying or packing the bolt would be a better solution than increasing the 'padding' under the camera. Even if that means disassembling the head to access the captive bolt.

 

3 turns on the mounting bolt ought to be plenty to hold any camera solid to a tripod head.

 

FWIW, a locking collar causes far less wear on the threaded camera socket than screwing a bolt into it under tension.

Sorry, it's 1/4"-20.

 

Cork head gasket material is not exactly "padding" - small pieces of cork in a polymer matrix. It seems to work very well as a replacement for tripod heads and QR plates.

 

Locking collar? Not enough headspace without serious alterations. The Tiltall is what it is, definitely not the cutting edge of technology. Three turns of the screw might keep the camera from falling off, but nothing will keep the camera from slipping when turned upright. Personally, I use nothing but Arca-style QR plates and clamps, mostly from Really Right Stuff. Nothing needs over-tightening, nothing slips. It would be fairly simple to attach an Arca clamp to the head, roughly doubling the cost of the tripod. Even then you would have to choose which orientation to use - parallel to the film plane or parallel to the optical axis.

 

Another option is to grind 1/16" or so off the stud and chase the threads. Do that without overheating and drawing the temper. For the same effort, a brass washer would be easier.

Not a fan of cork matting on tripod heads. IME it's guaranteed to let a heavy camera slip or twist, even when done up to bolt-stretching tensions. It also gets worse with age as the surface takes a sheen through compression and handling.

 

Neoprene rubber sheet is better, or even a solid textured plastic material - as long as there's some slight elasticity in it. A piece of vinyl floor covering material for example.

 

But if the existing bolt is long enough to bottom in a Nikon FM/FE tripod socket, then probably the easiest option is to take a small grinder to the bolt and be done with it. Nobody needs 6 turns of thread to hold a 35mm camera in place.

Edited July 7, 2018 by rodeo_joe|1

Not a fan of cork matting on tripod heads....

 

Neoprene rubber sheet is better...

 

Thanks for the tip, Joe!

 

Is there any sort of special glue I need to glue neoprene to metal? Or will Pliobond do?

Pliobond will do, but is very hard to remove if necessary. Coat both surfaces and allow to dry to a slight tack. Silicone adhesive would work too, and will cure anaerobically once exposed to air (humidity), and is much easier to clean up.

Quick update

 

I got a sheet of 1/8" neoprene sheet on ebay and it works fine on the Tiltall. Problem solved!

to re-emphasize: put the gasket on the screw, not the camera....

to re-emphasize: put the gasket on the screw, not the camera....

 

I glued the neoprene sheet (cut to fit) to the Tiltall tripod. Works like a charm.

 

Thanks to all who wrote.