Broken Vinten Pro Touch 5 :(
 

I'm so sad right now.

Someone have an idea how to fix the tripod without buying a complete new head?

I'm very thankfull for any help

greez

J

It looks like you could fix that with a good epoxy or bonding agent. The break looks fairly clean and should work.

That's pretty severe damage! I'm afraid that I'd be consigning that one to the scrap pile. There's no way I'd wish to put a camera on that - even after careful repair. Epoxy would no doubt be strong enough, maybe even fibreglass - but you have a lot of missing aluminium to replace, and bond.

Considering the price on ebay of this or the Manfrotto version, get another!

Hi Johannes................
 

What to do?

Send (e- mail) the URL of your post to:

Peter.Harman@VitecGroup.com

with a covering letter.

Peter is the Vinten Product Manager, UK, a really nice guy and can work miracles.

He's actually a member here on DVinfo, tho' I don't know if he gets much time to trawl through due to work commitments.

Without knowing details, the damage shown in your photo's looks like a serious manufacturing fault which should be eligible for a free replacement.

Let us know how it works out.


CS

I would strongly recommend against using epoxy or a bonding agent. That part needs to be replaced outright. Contact Vinten directly for the replacement part and / or service & repair options.

Sorry to hear about your tripod.
My tripod fell a few years back and a friend of mine welded it. He was able to weld Cast Metals. It worked for me, just a thought.

Can't you just buy the outer casing and fit it yourself ?
The same piece but on the other side for my manfrotto 503hdv cost's about £25.
I'd just buy a new part and fit it, job done.

Paul.

Provided the material is cast or forged aluminium and not some other lower melting point alloy, you may be able to get it welded if it is not too thin. I welded up a broken lawnmower platform myself and a welder I definiately aint, so somebody who knows the trade like a marine or aviation welder shoud be able to do it if it can be done.

You may find you have to have a machined fitting or sliding surface if the weld runs across it, remachined.

That part of the Vinten head I have always thought was a moral to get broken and you have proven it. If it is possible to put a solid stud right across from both tripod handle holes with a tight fitting hollow pillar around it between the two wings which hang down, that would go a long way to strengthening the wholle affair. However it may foul other parts of the tripod. I have not studied it that closely.

If that tripod model is still supported, you may find it cheaper to buy in the replacement part rather than spend money getting it welded up, re-machined and repainted.