DIY tripod head project

robertwerden

robertwerden

Well-known member
I want a tripod head that is the best, but I can not afford it.
That puts me in a unique position because I have all the tools required to make a great head but I don't have the design.

I would like to know if there is anyone here who has a design for a great tripod head and would like to get involved with a small exchange of information?

I have a CNC milling machine and I can use 3D CAD drawing to make pretty much anything I want. The thing I dont have is the first clue how a tripod head functions.

Is anyone out there capable of providing plans for a tripod head? If so Id be willing to make 2. One for you and one for me. If it is something more than one person would be interested in, I would be willing to offer the same to other people.

Please let me know if you have plans.

Rob.
 
I don't have any plans just yet, but do plan to make one soon. I can tell you that depending on the type of tripod, most fluid heads have two sliding plates with vertical spring back features. You'll also need to know what size bowl (75mm, 100mm, 150mm, motion picture head, etc...).

Now if you want to get fancy, you can also add horizontal and vertical drags. Never opened up my head, but thought about buying a broken head from ebay.




What kind of CNC are you running ?
 
I have a 4 axis machine. I also have no idea what the inside of a head looks like.
I guess what is needed is input from someone who has a detailed understanding of what makes a good design and then work from that.
 
"I have a 4 axis machine."


Milltronics / Hass ?




" I also have no idea what the inside of a head looks like.
I guess what is needed is input from someone who has a detailed understanding of what makes a good design and then work from that."




You need to be more specific of what type head you're wanting to fabricate. :) As for dimensions, this is something you'll need to research. The best way to get an idea of what you're looking for in a tripod is to check into an old/broken head on ebay or something like that. I doubt you'll find someone that has spent the R&D on a project like this, that hasn't gone into product that is wanting to share. :)


I own a Satchler DV 4 at the moment. The fluid head shells are casted and incased the plates. Basically think of the gib plates on your machine and how they move when adjusted properly (smooth). Now think if the gib plates didn't have grease or way oil ( "fluid" ), how smooth would the tables run. I've opened up a few heads in the past and can tell you that they aren't as hard as they look to fabricate. Now when getting into vertical & horizontally drag, Spring back features, etc.. now you're talking R&D. On completion of the products that I'm currently working on, the next product in line is the tripod.
 
My mill is a china clone. It is called the x3 by sieg.
Does anyone have a sketch of what a good quality fluid head looks like inside?
 
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