Aldi bargain laser level

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Just a little niggle from a little way back:- Why would one assume that camera and telescope mounting threads are UNC? They were in use a long time before Unified threads were decided upon.

Please use the correct (Whitworth) thread form for your tripods!

Oh, and 5/8" x 13tpi is probably a DD Holtzapfel thread.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Mark Rand on 18/07/2019 23:16:51:

Just a little niggle from a little way back:- Why would one assume that camera and telescope mounting threads are UNC? They were in use a long time before Unified threads were decided upon.

.

Tripod threads were Whitworth … They are now UNC [and have been for some years], specified to a sufficiently loose fit that they are 'compatible' with Whitworth.

It's all there in the standard.

https://www.iso.org/standard/55918.html

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 18/07/2019 23:35:35

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Bah! Humbug! Revisionist history!

 

Edit to add smiley.

Edited By Mark Rand on 18/07/2019 23:54:30

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Mark Rand on 18/07/2019 23:53:32:

Bah! Humbug! Revisionist history!

.

Goodnight.

MichaelG.

[andrew lynerParticipant @andrewlyner71257]

Posted by Mark Rand on 18/07/2019 23:53:32:

Bah! Humbug! Revisionist history!

Edit to add smiley.

Edited By Mark Rand on 18/07/2019 23:54:30

Trouble is that camera equipment has been used for years and there's no reason (as far as photographers are concerned) for changing that thread standard. I would think that most photographers are not DIY people and they just buy stuff. So the standard continues. I use both sizes of thread because the small thread is not strong enough for very heavy lenses (= modest sized refractor telescopes).

The available adapters are at least as expensive as that now famous cheapo laser level.

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 18/07/2019 22:27:05:

Posted by Ian Johnson 1 on 17/07/2019 09:30:18:

… it is a very sloppy M16 x 2 (which I haven't got any taps or dies for)

.

Ahah !

That's probably why the thread won't die

Has anybody got any spare sloppy taps and dies? Preferably sloppy UNC though!

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

I bought one of these laser levels from B&Q many years ago for about £30. I think I've used it twice so far. For finding levels in the garden to add a railway sleeper, low retaining wall and to check and level the ceiling timbers in my living room when I knocked the hall through. I was surprised to find the timbers had a difference of as much as 7/8" or ~22mm lowest to highest point. !!!

I find levelling the base of the tool to be a bit tedious.

Ed.

[andrew lynerParticipant @andrewlyner71257]

Wassamadda you lathe owners? You don’t need taps and dies – just a bit of time and some gears.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by andrew lyner on 19/07/2019 00:01:35:

Trouble is that camera equipment has been used for years and there's no reason (as far as photographers are concerned) for changing that thread standard. [ … ]

So the standard continues.

Err, but … the standard did change [albeit largely unnoticed], which is what I mentioned to Mark.

MichaelG.

 

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 19/07/2019 07:17:31

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by andrew lyner on 19/07/2019 00:42:22:

Wassamadda you lathe owners? You don’t need taps and dies – just a bit of time and some gears.

.

It was a pun, andrew

Ian got it …

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Ian Johnson 1 on 19/07/2019 00:22:44:

Has anybody got any spare sloppy taps and dies? Preferably sloppy UNC though!

Ian, I thought that you already had a suitably sloppy tap and die going by what you said earlier, the 1/2" male and 5/8" female thread should be plenty sloppy enough. With the bonus that you also have the tools for a good firm fit fot the 5/8" male to 1/2" female option!

"Thanks Michael but there is no need to, it is a very sloppy M16 x 2 (which I haven't got any taps or dies for) so I'll re-cut the thread to something I have got. Something like 1/2"UNC / Whit,"

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Posted by JasonB on 19/07/2019 07:27:30:

"Thanks Michael but there is no need to, it is a very sloppy M16 x 2 (which I haven't got any taps or dies for) so I'll re-cut the thread to something I have got. Something like 1/2"UNC / Whit,"

Said he, choosing the size where you need a fairly hefty spanner to interchange the two threads.

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

We are not used to making sloppy threads!

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Mark Rand on 19/07/2019 11:41:18:

Posted by JasonB on 19/07/2019 07:27:30:

"Thanks Michael but there is no need to, it is a very sloppy M16 x 2 (which I haven't got any taps or dies for) so I'll re-cut the thread to something I have got. Something like 1/2"UNC / Whit,"

Said he, choosing the size where you need a fairly hefty spanner to interchange the two threads.

Yes, mixing 1/2” Whitworth with 1/2” UNC would not be the best choice!  Most certainly not a sloppy fit after the first turn!

Edited By not done it yet on 19/07/2019 19:53:11

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

Okay! I have decided! I will use my existing 5/8"UNC to 1/4"UNC/Whit surveying adaptor, (see photo) to screw on top of the tripod. I have just checked the fit and it goes on at least one and a half threads so by my reckoning if I use a large enough pair of stillsons I should be able to get a nice engineering 'tight as f*ck' fit (TAF for the acronym fans here) on to the sloppy M16x2 thread.

Anyway I don't want to spend any more time or money on it because I've already spent £3.49!

[andrew lynerParticipant @andrewlyner71257]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 19/07/2019 07:19:35:

Posted by andrew lyner on 19/07/2019 00:42:22:

Wassamadda you lathe owners? You don’t need taps and dies – just a bit of time and some gears.

.

It was a pun, andrew

Ian got it …

MichaelG.

Yeah

I got it / them – I liked the thread lock tube picture best.

But I'm still surprised no one seems to have suggested turning up a suitable thread adaptor. An excellent exercise for the student one rainy afternoon..

I thought this was a "Yes we can" forum.

[Author]

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