Cheap Way to Ship and Store Tripods

byTed Peterson
When some one is taking a trip and would want to take a big tripod along they have to have a way to handle it. They may want to ship the tripod as luggage on an air plane, train, or bus. They may want to be able to handle it easly. After Sept 11 you may have to explain to the air lines what is inside.
There is a way to do this. A group of camera club members came up with this way a few years ago and beside working it did not cost a lot of money.
Here is how to make the case. Find out the length of the tripod and how much it is wide. Add about 6" to the length and about 3/8" inch wider. This is the size that you have to come up inside the container.
Go to your local home impovement center and look at the plastic water pipe. You will see all colors and sizes of pipe. Most of the time it comes in 10 foot lengths. Check and see if they will cut you a length of this pipe to fit the size of the container that you found above. Some home improvement centers will sell you a short length or if they do not maybe you can go in with some other club member and buy one tube.
With the plain tube now is the time to paint or cover it if needed. One of the girls pasted wall paper on hers and then glued clear plastic sheeting over it to protect it. Another girl painted flowers on hers. As you can see you can do any thing you want to cover it.
Go to the hardware store and get a cupboard handle and find the center of the tube. Drill holes so that the handle can be attached. Screw the nuts down tight from the inside. At this time also go to the office store and pick up a copper shelf label holder and mount it on the tube for your address,
You now have to plug both ends. One end glue and screw down the cap as this end will never be opened. On the other end use a screw cap (they have them so that the people can get into the pipes to clean them out.) People can make a attachment that will let the person lock the end.
The tube is now made. Slide in the tripod and close it. On a train or bus no one will have any trouble. On an air line the tube may have to be opened so that the clerk can check and make sure what is on the inside. If going by air a lot a sign on the outside may help that says "Camera Tripod"
A few years ago I took 6 trips by air and shipped my tripod this way and had no trouble. I am not using a tripod on my trips now. I am using a unipod.
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