Ballast hook hanging from tripod centre pole

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Clicmonde

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Hello everybody
This is my first post in the forum
I'm looking forward to your company!
I have a (simple?) question to begin with
I want to hang some ballast from the bottom of my tripod (Silk Pro 340DX) centre pole whilst doing some macro.
There's no info on the Slik site about the size of the internal thread at the bottom end of the centre pole, although it does have a thread for something to be attached, either another piece of centre pole to raise the height (bit crazy) or a ballast hook (not sold anywhere that I can find).
Can anyone tell me how to identify the thread size, pitch etc or point me in the right direction for a hook please.
Much appreciated.
 
Take the centre column to a good old-fashioned hardware store... Or if your dad is like mine have a mooch through his nuts & bolts stash
 
Looking at the manual it refers to the "centre column stopper" illustrating something that unscrews.

This I surmise is the centre column has been threaded to receive the stopper. But I do wonder if the stopper is in its turn threaded? If so surely as suggested above a 3/8 or 1/4" threaded hole!
 
hunnymonster said:
Take the centre column to a good old-fashioned hardware store... Or if your dad is like mine have a mooch through his nuts & bolts stash
Click to expand...

A good old fashioned hardware store....................not seen one for ages, do you live in the 1960's by any chance ;) The last decent one closed down round here I think about 20 years back.....:(

The one I recall as lad was Addison's in Roehampton, I think it had 3 floors and was like an Aladdins Cave ~ spending money never found a better home :LOL:
PS picture from way before my day but it looked very much the same when I knew it!
https://boroughphotos.org/wandsworth/addison-w-l-ironmonger-26-roehampton-high-street-1947/

PPS crumbs how times have changed ~ on streetview it is now a takeaway :(
 
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Nah, I live in rural Scotland... Which is a bit like the 1950s :) that said the hardware shop I'm thinking of is actually in Englandshire...
 
If it is not the standard camera fitting 1/4. 3/8 unc. it will be a standard metric size 6, 8, or 10 mm
Camera screws will test for the first two. And the Metric sizes are readily available. Most of us wrinklies have them in all sorts and sizes. Though in the UK the unc sizes are now only stocked in engineering fixings stores or on eBay. Whitworth sizes also fit unc threads.
 
Guys,
It's not the camera mount screw that im talking about. It's the bottom of the centre pole, between the legs, that's where I want to find something to screw in with a hook to hold some weight to further steady the tripod. Not on top
 
Clicmonde said:
Guys,
It's not the camera mount screw that im talking about. It's the bottom of the centre pole, between the legs, that's where I want to find something to screw in with a hook to hold some weight to further steady the tripod. Not on top
Click to expand...

No one is talking about the tripod head end!

What is being suggested and spoken about is:-
Are you telling us there is actually a threaded hole in the "stopper" (as Slik call it) at that bottom end of the centre column?

Or is the threaded part accessible once you unscrew the stopper?

Whichever the hole , you need to know what type of thread it is?

Therefore trying, on the surmise you have to hand, the parts that you have to hand like the QR plate and/or other tripod connector will inform you as to whether said hole is a 3/8 or 1/4 inch. On this bit I am surmising the stopper has a hole!

Subject to your exact situation, you might find a hook with that thread.......or at least get a bolt and hook to make one up?

Or may be drill the stopper to fit a hook.......though I do wonder how much weight the stopper thread/centre column would be able to take???

I return to my other post that perhaps you should email Slik to get their feedback!

Hope has helped you :)
 
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If it turns out that you have a standard(?) 1/4inch threaded hole then one of these might suit you.................rather than a hook at the end of the column that could snag on things, an "eye" or loop to hook the weight into???

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SMALLRIG-C...S2P7ZPXF75R&psc=1&refRID=ZTC6DRJGNS2P7ZPXF75R

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MZJ2...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

or maybe even a set of adaptors
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ventvinal-...6_1_23?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1588630161&sr=1-23
 
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A simple loop of cord poked through itself could be placed around the bottom of the centre column and should stay well enough to hang a weight off.
 
Use a guy rope and screw in tent peg if its stood on a soft surface, works a treat.
 
Some tripods had the same screw on both ends of the centre column for fitting the head upside down for low angle or macro. Others had a threaded hole (like yours) most had a standard 1/4 whitworhs 20 tpi (if I remember rightly) the older ones had 3/8 16 tpi. A few had their own sizes. If a normal tripod to camera screw doesn't fit you might try contacting Slik. They should be able to look up the spec.
Failing that just glue a normal wall screw into the hole and job done.
Many years back on my old slik (cant remember the model) I just taped a keyring split ring to the bottom of the column and used a string shopping bag with a rock or two in in, The string bag lets the wind through and they folded up tiny.
 
swanseamale47 said:
most had a standard 1/4 whitworhs 20 tpi (if I remember rightly)
Click to expand...

Almost. A 1/4" Whitworth thread will screw into the 1/4" UNC socket but the threads are very slightly different (the angle of the thread itself is slightly different). Whitworth was used in the early days but UNC took over at some point in the dim and distant past! For the relatively low loads involved, you can get away with using WW bolts.
 
Nod said:
Almost. A 1/4" Whitworth thread will screw into the 1/4" UNC socket but the threads are very slightly different (the angle of the thread itself is slightly different). Whitworth was used in the early days but UNC took over at some point in the dim and distant past! For the relatively low loads involved, you can get away with using WW bolts.
Click to expand...
I stand corrected. Just out of couriousity what does UNC stand for?
 
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