Building my own tripod head

[Badabinski]

Recently, I've been getting back into photography. It's been a passion of mine since I was in high school, but I gave up on it because I had to figure out that whole "Adult" thing. I started shooting some photos this spring with an Olympus mirrorless camera and I got hooked all over again. A few months ago I picked up a Sony A7iii with some cheapish Sony lenses (50mm f2.8 macro, 50mm f1.8). Then I made the horrible mistake of renting a very nice (and very expensive) Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM lens. One thing lead to another and I now own a Sigma 35mm f/1.2 and a SIgma 85mm f/1.4. They are fantastic lenses, but they're also very expensive.

Then, I found out that I owed Uncle Sam a lot of cashola on the same day my two shiny new lenses came in. Oops. My fun budget is now gone for several months.

However, I still need a tripod with a good head. I've owned some junky Sunpaks and I'm sick of them. I want to make my own tripod, starting with the head. I know it won't be as light as some of the fancy composite stuff that's out today, but the point of having a machine shop is so that you can make massively overbuilt shiny things.

So, here's what I'm thinking:

• The head will use an Arca-Swiss style mounting system
  • This doesn't seem like the most convenient mounting system, but the plates are plentiful and it's compatible with a bunch of fun gadgets. Plus, it seems really secure!
• The head will be a pan head
  • I won't be making a ball head. I don't have a ball turner, and I doubt I could hit the tolerances needed. Pan heads are slower, but I've used them and I think they're fine as long as they tighten quickly and firmly (I hate "squishy" pan heads)
• The head will prioritize stability and durability over weight
  • I won't be hiking up a mountain with this tripod. Most parts will be steel. I have a lot of 4140PH on hand, but I may try to use stainless to avoid rust (I have 15-5, 17-4, Duplex 2205, Cronidur 30, and maaaybe some 303/304/316). Bearing surfaces will be bronze where needed (I don't have much bronze)
  • Tolerances will need to be quite tight in some places if I want this head to lock up nicely, meaning there may need to be some form of dust exclusion (I live in a very dry and dusty place)
  • Where possible, I'll prefer single parts over groups of parts. This will increase the machining time but should result in a maximally rigid head
• The head will be shiny and flashy
  • I'm like a crow, I like shiny things. I have some nice brass offcuts that would make great knobs. I may use off-the-shelf screws for durability, but everything else will be bespoke to ensure maximum shininess

I'm still in the concept stage, so I don't have any drawings. I need to find out what makes a good pan head, and I don't have anything on-hand that I can copy. This thread will detail research, design, and the build.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Not to be that guy, but I'm going to be that guy...

Buy used on craigslist. Trust me... it will be cheaper in the long run. Better if you find a nice used manfrotto . I've had mine for 27 years, never a problem. Rock solid, used to use Nikon F4 and a 7 lb prime lens.

The other reason I say this is that you will likely find shooting video becomes something you want to do. You want smooth panning and zero noise via friction/vibration while panning that is hard to achieve with a pan and tilt head unless your design and machine skills are good

A quick check online tells me that a 3 way pan and tilt head can be had for 100 CAD so about 75 USD, entire tripod for just over 100 bucks used.

 

[Badabinski]

So, research! I'm a software developer, so my inclination is to Google stuff and steal all my answers.

I thought that Arca-Swiss mounts were standardized, but they aren't. Arca-Swiss just made some stuff many years ago, and now everyone is reverse engineering their own plates which is obnoxious.

I'm planning on making the plate and "receiver" (for lack of a better word), so ideally I'd get drawings of both of those parts. Luckily, some guy on the internet did that!

Tripod head adapter

Homebuilt tilt adapter for tripod ball head. Mounts with Arca Swiss type dovetail quick release clamp and plate.

blog.pdxtex.com

(Here's an archived version of that page in case it goes away: https://web.archive.org/web/20220125175626/http://blog.pdxtex.com/2013/03/tripod-head-adapter.html)

I also found this youtube video:

There's a link to some Fusion360 files in the description that I'll probably use.

I've had less success with finding other pan head builds. I want to build something like a Benro HD1A, although I'd like it to be a bit more stout. I believe I understand the principles it's using (circular clamps that are just tightened down with a screw), but there are always nuances to be missed. I'd also like to try to build in some form of friction/viscous dampening for at least one of the axes, but I doubt that I'll be able to make that work for now. I see this as a V1.

 

[Badabinski]

Not to be that guy, but I'm going to be that guy...

Buy used on craigslist. Trust me... it will be cheaper in the long run. Better if you find a nice used manfrotto . I've had mine for 27 years, never a problem. Rock solid, used to use Nikon F4 and a 7 lb prime lens.

The other reason I say this is that you will likely find shooting video becomes something you want to do. You want smooth panning and zero noise via friction/vibration while panning that is hard to achieve with a pan and tilt head unless your design and machine skills are good

A quick check online tells me that a 3 way pan and tilt head can be had for 100 CAD so about 75 USD, entire tripod for just over 100 bucks used.

Unfortunately, my budget really is zero. If I want to buy a used tripod, I'll need to wait several months. I'm totally flush with raw stock, hardware, cutters, and tools, but I have to work with what I have and nothing more.

Now, I could probably make other things in my shop to make some money for a tripod and head (tops and toys, small jobs for friends, but probably nothing too serious). I don't contest that a used Manfrotto head will be better than anything I can make right now. However, I feel really excited about researching and building this. I've been struggling to come up with project ideas that I actually feel passionate about, but now I've finally found one. So, I'll put this as a disclaimer for anyone from the future who is coming across this thread:

If you need a good tripod head, just go buy a used one! It will be better. I'm building my own because it sounds fun and I already have everything I need to build it.

So with that said, ever onwards!

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Unfortunately, my budget really is zero. If I want to buy a used tripod, I'll need to wait several months. I'm totally flush with raw stock, hardware, cutters, and tools, but I have to work with what I have and nothing more.

Now, I could probably make other things in my shop to make some money for a tripod and head (tops and toys, small jobs for friends, but probably nothing too serious). I don't contest that a used Manfrotto head will be better than anything I can make right now. However, I feel really excited about researching and building this. I've been struggling to come up with project ideas that I actually feel passionate about, but now I've finally found one. So, I'll put this as a disclaimer for anyone from the future who is coming across this thread:

If you need a good tripod head, just go buy a used one! It will be better. I'm building my own because it sounds fun and I already have everything I need to build it.

So with that said, ever onwards!

just the response I expected.

forget that quick release plate in the video, if you go to the bother at least make it a cam lock.

If you want I can try to disassemble my head and provide you pics and info

 

[Badabinski]

just the response I expected.

forget that quick release plate in the video, if you go to the bother at least make it a cam lock.

If you want I can try to disassemble my head and provide you pics and info

Ah, cam lock looks like it's a lot more convenient! It probably won't be too much harder to make either, since I can cut the actual cam on a CNC mill.

That would be tremendously helpful if it's not too much to ask. I'll continue doing my own research, but having someone with a machinist's understanding providing some photos would be great!

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Ah, cam lock looks like it's a lot more convenient! It probably won't be too much harder to make either, since I can cut the actual cam on a CNC mill.

That would be tremendously helpful if it's not too much to ask. I'll continue doing my own research, but having someone with a machinist's understanding providing some photos would be great!

I'll try to post some later tonight. Right now my brother is bugging me to come finish welding a project

 

[TorontoBuilder]

BTW I wasn't aware that you had cnc mill. Whole job easy peasy then

 

[Badabinski]

BTW I wasn't aware that you had cnc mill. Whole job easy peasy then

I don't, but my makerspace does (it's some old, small Tormach). I plan to do most of the job on my manual PM-728VT mill and Sheldon lathe, but I'll use the space's mill when needed.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Man I wish we had maker spaces with cnc mills of any sort.

Okay so to start, the bottom plate of the mount needs to be beefy enough to hold weight. It needs design features to match the common tripod legs out there.

That means using a 3/8" - 16 UNC thread in the bottom of the main trunnion. Making the trunnion base as wide as that mounting plate on the tripod, and the buttressed portion wide and deep enough to support a large camera rig. This is the foundation and is vital. Over 1" in diameter and over 1.25" in height. In the photo below the trunnion is the silver bit protruding below the black polycarbonate plastic (I think thats what the main body material is on mine.

Machined depressions in the bottom of the trunnion accept one or more set screws that run thru the top plate of the tripod to prevent the head from unscrewing from the legs while in use.



Use a pattern that matches that used by your preferred tripod legs, or in common array such as the angled depressions used by manfrotto.



My tripod mount has head retention 3 set screws as below.








Then you need a rotational azimuth pivot an altitude pivot and a orientation pivot on top of that trunnion all aligned to center of the head.

The pivot center should be at least two inches wide, and the pivot rods at fairly beefy. The altitude pivot should have a counterbalance spring installed in the housing to return the head to 0 deg latitude.