Boom Pole Problem

Y

youngfilmmaker

Active member
I just got my boom pole last month. I used it twice and its really good. So, I was going to use it to record something yesterday and then there is a problem. The screw on the top is not there.

I got a video of the pole so you can see what I am saying. Its will be up in a minute. I need to fix this problem and i still dont know what happen. The screw seems to be in the pole.

http://www.vimeo.com/clip:162042

<embed src="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=162042" quality="best" scale="exactfit" width="400" height="267" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed>


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOPuaQsl9JQ[/youtube]
 
Piece of cake dude... I can tell from the collars that is a Gitzo pole.

Just hold the pole verticle with the butt of it down... now pry that foam rubber sleeve out just a bit... you can use anything you like... such as a flat blade screw driver... or better if you have something plastic that won't mar the pole... OR you can probably "pinch" the foam part around the pole... basically you just want to make a little lifted area... now pour a little water in there JUST AT THAT BOTTOM GRIP... NOT OVER THE WHOLE POLE OR NEAR THE COLLARS... and just keep it verticle so that you don't get water elsewhere in the pole.

Okay now that you got some water in there at the grip just twist the foam sleeve part off the pole... and whatta' ya' know... there's your screw.

Now let that dry off for an hour or so and put the foam rubber part back on... to put it on just get it started and then "pat" the piece on by sort of spanking it directly from the end... the air will compress and make it go on easily... you'll just simply pat it in place.

Follow all that? Simple.

I put a little bit of red loc-tite on my stud and screwed it down to the normal length that they stick out.... which is about 3/8" to 1/2"... but you can use some blue loc-tite liberally and then get the stud out later more easily if you need to.
 
Yea its a gitzo. I think i got a one year warranty. If you look at the video the screw is inside the pole for some reason.

MattinSTL- I dont quite follow. Can you explain it again

=[


And does anyone know how this could of happen?
 
What do you mean by the form?

Because the tip of the pole the screw is suppose to be there but it is inside.

I put the water in the little hole and used a scewdriver to get it out but nothing. =[


I dont think its in the bottom of the pole.

Look at the video at :40 secs. I think its there.
 
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Dude... the pole is HOLLOW... the BUTT of the pole is a FOAM (not "form") RUBBER "sleeve" not unlike a motorcycle grip.

Just as you would do to remove a bicycle or motorcycle grip... pinch up the grip so that you can get a little water in there to lubricate it in order to remove it... pull the FOAM RUBBER "grip" off of the BOTTOM of the pole... remove that.

The screw will be inside.

The "screw"... as we're calling it, is actually a STUD... it is a threaded length with no head at either end... so there is nothing to prevent the stud from being screwed all the way into the pole and then it simply falls freely down the hollow pole.

That is what happened. You will need to remove the bottom foam rubber sleeve in order to get that screw back.

The loc-tite is for after that... so that you can screw it down to about 1/2" of available thread (for mounting shockmount, etc.) and then leave it overnight, so that the loc-tite (that you put on the threads before you screwed it in) can set up and hold the stud from doing this to you again.

Now do you understand?

Print out this thread and follow my previous instructions for removing that foam rubber "sleeve". It's easy... that thing is not glued on... but it's sized so that it's very hard to remove w/o any lube... water (or alcohol) dries clean and lubes the grip for an easy removal and re-install after you get the screw.
 
Ok. Here is the scenario.

I remove the handle (foam) and no screw gets out)

If you look at the video around :40sec. There is that whole in the pole. If you look the screw is right there. Its stuck.


MattinSTL and everyone else how can i get the screw.
 
I just watched the video completely... now I see your problem.

Grab an electric or cordless drill... chuck up a drill bit BACKWARDS so that the sharp end of the drill is in the chuck and the flat, dull end is pointing out. Choose a bit that is small enough to go inside the end of the boompole where the stud is stuck.

I suggest taking a piece of gaffer's tape and putting it sticky side out... around the end of the drill bit... then wrap a piece of tape around to tape it in place.

If you don't have gaffer's tape handy then take some sort of bit of rubber... like a square slice of a fat rubber band... and push it down in there... now take the electric drill and having it set for REVERSE... push it down in there so that you have pressure on the stud, but you're turning it REVERSE... lefty-loosey.

Try that.

I got another idea, but try that first.

You may not even need an electric drill... maybe just a rod or dowel rod... basically you need to unscrew that thing out... w/o a head... and it shouldn't be that hard.

EDIT: I just thought of this... try a new pencil... by using the eraser to unscrew the stud... but you'll probably have to push and turn... which will be tough, but you can do it... otherwise chuck the new pencil into your electric drill.
 
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Using a pencil in the drill, Brilliant! Never heard that one before but I am filing that one away for future reference.

Have been missing your brilliant and creative insights around here Matt.

Did the pole not come with something to prevent the screw from being driving down into the pole? I reconize that Gitzo (thought they changed the knuckles on all their poles) and I remember it having a bit to lock the screw in place. A simple 3/8" nut should do the trick.

Cheers
 
3/8" coarse thread... that exact one may be hard to find anywhere but gitzo parts... a black oxide one (or possibly stainless) may be obtainable from a good hardware store... if you find you need one I can send you a 3/8" coarse stud in stainless that is about 2" long via USPS.
 
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Guys, Sorry if I am acting like a noob. I am only 16.
--

Do you know what the stud is actually called so i can go to a hardware store and see if i can find it. I will try the drill tommorrow.
 
So did the pencil trick work?

Nobody's bustin' your balls here man... just trying to help... but I do want to know if my wacky idea came through... and seriously, if you need a 3/8" stud just PM me your address and I'll send you one... and it's uh, called a stud. ;-)

Home Depot probably won't have it... Lowe's probably will... a Sears Hardware absolutely will... and if you are lucky enough to have one of those mega-size True Value or Ace Hardware stores nearby you can get one there as well. I'd try to back out the current stud first though... why would you want an extra ounce on the end of the pole if you don't have to have it there?
 
MattinSTL thank you for trying to help me. :dankk2: I try putting a pencil in the drill like you said but it didnt fit. I still didnt try the other idea.

I was trying to look at Sears.com and Acehardware to see if the stud is there. And it showed no result. Can you link me to a hardware store that has the picture of it so i can try to go buy it.

I will try the other idea tommorrow. I promise. =]
 
wabbit said:
Using a pencil in the drill, Brilliant! Never heard that one before but I am filing that one away for future reference.
Click to expand...

Big dittos there, and that's why I come here. Been doin' this, and the other audio stuff we do, a long time, yet and I learn something nearly everytime I stop by. You guys are the best. :thumbup:

We need some music for all the drama over the pole! :beer:

"In a world where boom pole screws vanish....!"
 
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Update: I tried the suggestions that MattinSTL has offered.
But it did not work for some reason. I tried the Pencil trick and nope. Its stuck, really in there. So MattinSTL is sending me a stud which i greatly appreciate and i still have a warannty for the pole so i will be sending it to them before my warranty expires.
 
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