Hans_Grimsgaard
FNG
I have a Sirui Traveler tripod. With the option for a mono pod when you spin a leg off. I’ve got the tripod down to 2lbs 7oz. Figured I could save more weight if I used the mono pod leg as a trekking pole and left the trekking pole at home. I’ve wanted to do this long before Spartan came up with the idea but could never find a top for the mono pod leg and don’t have Spartan tripod money.
Onto the shop with a bit of fiberglass materials I had laying around and a broken ski pole. I cut the top of the ski pole off. Pretty self explanatory.
After that I found a bolt with the same thread pitch as the inside of the mono pod pole. I took a grinder to round the head of the carriage bolt so it would slide inside the ski pole handle. After fitting the bolt to the pole I thickened some epoxy resin with silica and hardener and poured it into the pole. I had also found an aluminum bushing which was coated with car wax to release from the fiberglass. This would create a hollow space so the fiberglass was able to slide over the monopod and not leave a gap. The exterior was foil tape with car wax inside to build a form.
After the fiberglass was hardened but not totally set I pulled the bushing:
Cleaned it up with some sanding:
This actually ended up cracking because I’m impatient. So I started the exterior bit over. The bolt and epoxy inside was still good.
This time with some two part epoxy putty it was much easier. I used the same aluminum bushing to shape it. As it hardened I put it on the tripod leg to get a good final shape.
A little more sanding and paint and we have the final product:
Onto the shop with a bit of fiberglass materials I had laying around and a broken ski pole. I cut the top of the ski pole off. Pretty self explanatory.
After that I found a bolt with the same thread pitch as the inside of the mono pod pole. I took a grinder to round the head of the carriage bolt so it would slide inside the ski pole handle. After fitting the bolt to the pole I thickened some epoxy resin with silica and hardener and poured it into the pole. I had also found an aluminum bushing which was coated with car wax to release from the fiberglass. This would create a hollow space so the fiberglass was able to slide over the monopod and not leave a gap. The exterior was foil tape with car wax inside to build a form.
After the fiberglass was hardened but not totally set I pulled the bushing:
Cleaned it up with some sanding:
This actually ended up cracking because I’m impatient. So I started the exterior bit over. The bolt and epoxy inside was still good.
This time with some two part epoxy putty it was much easier. I used the same aluminum bushing to shape it. As it hardened I put it on the tripod leg to get a good final shape.
A little more sanding and paint and we have the final product:
