Berger transit need Tripod

[oscer]

Hi fellas my wife came home from the memorial day yard sales with a berger model 320 transit, it looks to be in really good condition. The spirit levels read the same when swiveled 180* and you can focus both the image and the cross hair. I think it will be a welcome addition to my tool chest, no more stretching string lines and then tripping over them.
I don't have a tripod for it though, I'm looking for a set of plans for a sturdy wooden shop built one. Any sugestions?

 

[smiley]

I think the mounting base not the legs will be your problem. I had an antique Buff that the tripod got run over and they simply bolted on 2x2's with sharpened ends. We used it with the 2x2's until I sold it as a display piece 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[oscer]

Yea,the mounting bracket is about 3 1/2" x8 tpi, I'm just guessing I haven't measured it yet.I'd like to make a nice original looking tripod for it, I'll make the mount as well. The biggest problem with the mounting bracket will be scrounging up a suitable piece of brass.

 

[rsewill]

Sigh, my wife never brings home anything like that.

 

[Cord]

I'd highly recommend not going with the home made route. Search on Ebay or Craigslist. The tripods are not worth much, even when new.

 

[oscer]

I'd highly recommend not going with the home made route. Search on Ebay or Craigslist. The tripods are not worth much, even when new.

Most of the ones I saw on E-Bay were for cameras, solid base with 5/8" 11 thread. Some were reasonably priced others pretty high. I may buy one of those and open up the base for the plum bob and machine a mounting bracket to fit.

 

[sparc]

You can find aluminum ones at HD or Lowes, as well as on Amazon.
Plenty of choices on the web. New ones are not expensive and it might pay to not have to deal with someone else's beat up rig. Nothing more frustrating than trying to get your glass screwed on a tripod with a buggered up thread.

 

[jones6780]

Look up "survey tripod" on E-bay, found over 200. Some have the 3 1/2" thread and a protector cap.
Russell

 

[oscer]

You can find aluminum ones at HD or Lowes, as well as on Amazon.
Plenty of choices on the web. New ones are not expensive and it might pay to not have to deal with someone else's beat up rig. Nothing more frustrating than trying to get your glass screwed on a tripod with a buggered up thread.

I checked those out tonight, about 70 bucks, if you realy don't have your heart set on building a real nice ashen tripod, that would be the way to go and zero $ shipping compared to E-Bay. I still need to scrouge a 3.625" dia. x1" brass disc though.

 

[oscer]

Look up "survey tripod" on E-bay, found over 200. Some have the 3 1/2" thread and a protector cap.
Russell

Thanks Russell, I'll try that it's, amazing how a word here or there in an E-Bay seach changes the results. I didn't notice any in my search with the 3.5"x 8 tpi threads but then I didn't open the spendy ones and read the description either.