Customizing a tripod stand for safety....

[highpoint forge]

Bought a new 13' tripod and I like it but wish it had a better foot platform and maybe a nicer chair. I'd like a larger expanded metal circle beneath my feet (kind of like those metal patio furniture tables you'd have an umbrella in the center of), and not a tiny little hoop of metal to rest my feet on.

The other thing that struck me is if the ground isn't level, I cannot adjust the legs. Any ideas tripod gurus?

Here is what I bought:

 http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=429148&pdesc=Big_Game_Treestands_Pursuit_12_Tripod&aID=503H6&merchID=4006

I'll probably get a climbing stand too, later, but any welders out there please gimme some ideas.

[KyleAllen]

Here's a tripod i built from scratch. Expanded metal not yet installed in these pics but you get the idea.
 http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163842&highlight=tripod

To adjust the legs buy tubing that is a 1/4" smaller than the legs. Insert it in the bottom of the legs with holes drilled in insert and bottom of leg to accept a bolt. Make insert piece as long as the range of adjustment you desire. Drill holes as frequently as you wish your adjustments to be small.

Clear as mud? Hope i helped.

[Orion]

It is what it is. Adding the features you want will take a welder and add quite a bit of weight to the stand.  

It's made for fairly level ground.  You won't be able to set it up on steep slopes. If there are just little undulations from one leg to the other, you can dig one or more of the legs down a little, or put a piece of board under a leg to raise it.

[highpoint forge]

Damn Kyle! Now that is a stand! What's the weight?
Wanna build me one? I'm in Dallas....I'm in Athens and in Winona regularly. I'm serious. PM me.

[R.W.]

You could weld a large nut to the bottom of the legs, and thread in some large redi-rod.
I wouldn't go less than an one inch nut and thread rod.
I would keep these "legs" short, no more than 6- 12" just to keep it as safe as possible
Add a base plate to each piece of redi-rod, and you have adjustable feet for your tripod stand.

R.W.

[Gatekeeper]

For leveling, wouldn’t it be easier to dig a hole for the leg that is too high or put a rock under the leg that’s too low?

For the platform, weld what you want on there or find someone that knows how to weld and customize it to what you want.

Kyle, That’s a heck of a setup…it looks like it weight 300 + pounds.

[highpoint forge]

RW that's what I was thinking, or cut off the leg near the feet and insert the next .25" diameter smaller square tubing into each leg, then weld one end in place, next drill holes every inch or so in inner and original leg and use bolts or pins to lock adjusted leg in place?


Most important thing would be a better seat and a better platform. My Landcruiser shop has welders galore. Just need someone to bend the square "hoop" for me and weld it all up. It could even be a square....it just needs to be bigger. RIght now there's no platform at all!

[lpcjon2]

You can take some angle aluminum (available at a hardware store)kinda like angle iron,and use small bolts and make foot rest's. And you can cover the top of the foot rest(open space) with aluminum grating(also at hardware store for heater covers)and use self tapping screw with washers to hold it down.You can do this in 18" sections and it helps(I do this to some of my tree stands). I wouldn't stand on the rest area but it does give you more room for your feet and gear.Oh And a u-bolt with big washers through the deck will be a good place to use a carabiner on your safety harness and clip into.

[Grabwad]

Here is a couple I made out of aluminum.  The first ones are semi portable, bc I made them to fold up. They are still a bit heavy for moving  around.  I made the ones in the second pic with portability in mind.  Work fine and most of the weight is the seat.

 
   

[highpoint forge]

NICE WORK!