Bogen 3021 Tripod Column Lock Key

<p>I have an early Bogen 3021 tripod, and last Saturday the tripod bumped something in my car, and the COLUMN LOCK KET came apart. I purchased this tripod new in the middle 1980's. It's been my workhorse all these years.</p>

<p>What ever held the column lock key is now missing. I have the spring still attached, and the column lock key with the hex extrusion key off the tripod.</p>

<p>I'm attaching some photos, and does anyone know if I am missing a part which will retain the column lock key satisfactorily?</p>

<p>I'll appreciate any help I can get. I don't want to part with this tripod.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>This link should give you the info - http://bogentripodparts.com/parts.htm<br>

You didn't include the photos.</p>

 

<p>Here's the photos.</p>

<p>Here's the photos.</p><div></div>

<p>Continuing from the other thread, I see that the piece listed is discontinued, and the construction is not obvious from the pictures. The second generation type I have is also no longer available, but the picture is better. I took apart the column lock from my 3221 to show how it all goes together. As you can see, there is a bolt that goes through the hub, and engages a brass nut. When the bolt goes through the brass nut, it pushes in on the black locking piece. The screw has a slightly boogered thread to keep it from coming out of the nut, but it can come apart.</p>

<p>I think it's a standard metric thread, so if the screw is broken or you can't find a way to get the whole thing together, you might be able simply to unthread it and replace it with a standard metric bolt, perhaps with a wing nut or a ring or something drilled through the nut end. If you get a longer bolt, you can bend the end 90 degrees to form an L. Not very elegant, but it will work.</p>

<p>edit to add: forgot to say that the bolt size on the newer ones is different, so you can't just buy a later type.</p>

<p>A further edit: I see that for a later generation, the site shown above sells used hubs complete with the lock. You might want to check with them about a whole used hub for yours or the next generation or two if the parts are compatible and available. </p><div></div>

<p>Mine doesn't look like that.</p>

<p>I will have to take it apart and post a photo on here in the next day or so.</p>

<p>Thanks so much.</p>

<p>If it's the same lever as on the Manfrotto, it is designed to come in and out by<br>

pushing it in and giving a half-twist. It comes out so you can use the hex stud on leg <br>

locks.<br>

Best regards,<br>

/Clay</p>

<p>You may not be missing anything, try what Clay said, that is how mine works (from the early 90s). With the tripod upright, orient the key horizontally, push it in, and then twist 90 degrees.</p>

<p>Clay and Matthew:</p>

<p>You were correct!</p>

<p>After I oriented the column lock key as you said, it stayed on. It's a little loose due to being almost 30 years old, but it's on and stationary.</p>

<p>Thank you guys so much!</p>

<p>John</p>

<p>You're welcome. The key a little loose on its shaft is normal. But should have tight hold on center column when<br /> you lock it in position.</p>

<p>Best regards,<br /> /Clay</p>

<p>Educational, and I'm glad it turned out to be simple. I'm guessing the second and up generations came about after too many keys were lost, so they sacrificed the built-in wrench idea for a key that stays put.</p>

This old thread helped me recently when I lost the lever to my pre-1999 3021, so I'm giving some back with an alternative fix.

 

Unfortunately, even after sourcing and receiving a new lever (from manfrottospares.com), the center column could not get as tight it should. When I opened up the top cover of my tripod, I discovered that my "lock pin" which is the crescent shaped plastic that gets pushed into the center column was broken.

 

I couldn't simply replace it as the old lever mechanism has a single spiral that mated with the back of the "lock pin". The new lock pins available now doesn't have anything on the back to mate to the single spiral of the locking bolt mechanism so turning the lever does nothing to push the lock pin against the center column.

 

I sourced the following parts: 1/4" Draw bolt (used to join countertops, I'm using only the threaded rectangular piece); a 1/4" ratchet lever bolt (used for woodworking/drill press clamps); a piece of high density polypropylene I hand shaped (with a 1-1/4" hole saw and a molding cutter/fixture), and misc parts that include a washer & spring.

 

Check out the attached pictures. Hope this helps someone in a pinch.

 

That's a nice solution, essentially duplicating what Manfrotto did in the later model (the one I show the pieces for up thread), in which instead of having a thread in the lock pin, they used a brass nut in place of the thick silver washer in your original, and the screw simply pushed in on the lock pin. Except for the diameter of the threaded bolt, there's not much difference.