Looking in the closet and found this Tripod Hall of Shame:
1:
Generic tripod that tries to have a hinge that can be tightened, but has a built-in spacer preventing actually tightening it.
2:
Another generic tripod that pretends to have a hinge that can be tightened, but the gap is already closed, preventing any correction of play.
3:
?ÿGeneric tripod with a single through screw fastening each leg dowel.?ÿ The screw hole eventually becomes elongated and no amount of tightening it will prevent movement in the leg.
4:
Nedo tripod with plastic coating peeling, which traps water inside and harms the wood core.
More from the closet:
6:
Nedo tripod foot that is loose. No amount of tightening of the single small screw will prevent movement
7:
Dutch Hill head hinge bolt holes become enlarged with use. The design includes no provision for wear compensating. Tightening the bolt did not improve the play, but did result in a crack.
8:
A pile of Tri-Max with their "permanent" glued leg connections just loose enough to prevent precise use, but too tight for easy removal and repair. The bolt at the top between the legs does nothing to tighten them, and is no help for removal.
There are easy fixes for all of these except the peeling plastic on what appears to be a low-end Nedo, but low-end tripods really aren't worth the bother IMO -- you fix one problem and another crops up. I switched to Leica GST-20s years ago and don't mess with the others anymore.
I switched to Leica GST-20s years ago
Leica GST20-9 is my favorite. Comparable cost to the Trimax, which is 2nd in my mind. Anything less is false economy.
When I was in the field, the main feature I looked for in a tripod was how well a 7-Eleven coffee cup balanced here....
When I was in the field, the main feature I looked for in a tripod was how well a 7-Eleven coffee cup balanced here....
That must have been awhile ago, because robots don't drink coffee.
When I was in the field, the main feature I looked for in a tripod was how well a 7-Eleven coffee cup balanced here....
That must have been awhile ago, because robots don't drink coffee.
Given I was using this cutting-edge technology, yeah...it's been awhile.
I had to rip what I assumed was a plumb bob hook off a brand new Trimax recently because it was blocking the optical plummet...
Surveyors are the biggest pack rats I know! We will dearly hold onto antiquated, out of date, broken equipment "just in case".
I have thrown out more broken, useless equipment then anyone I know. If I think it has any value, I will send an email out to the other surveyors in my area. If no one says they want it, it either goes to the recycling facility or the landfill.
Surveyors are the biggest pack rats I know! We will dearly hold onto antiquated, out of date, broken equipment "just in case".
I have thrown out more broken, useless equipment then anyone I know. If I think it has any value, I will send an email out to the other surveyors in my area. If no one says they want it, it either goes to the recycling facility or the landfill.
Amen!
My total station has been out of the box maybe twice in the last year. GNSS has gotten so much better everywhere.