Tripod Locking Collar Replacement (Velbon - Challenger 3)

The cam-lock sleeve for this type of tripod can break after a while, and it seems a shame to discard the whole thing for want of a small piece. This will replace the upper locking collar on the "Velbon" Challenger 3 tripod at any rate.

No doubt other size of locking collars on my tripod will break someday and I'll try to add that one to the downloads here.  It took many hours to model these pieces accurately, so updates aren't likely to happen soon.

Disassembling an intact leg I discovered that there was a little block behind the cam-lock which controls the degree of high-friction clamping on the leg.  That block is a convenient means to tweak the tension on the lock without having to constantly adjust cam-lever shape. So I've provided three blocks which allowed me to choose the one that worked best for the optimal tension in my application. They print quick so you can choose your preference and discard the others.

Others tell me they've found uses for this interesting cam-lock design in other applications (including sailing!)   Maybe you'll find an alternate use or two as well.  It's likely pretty specific to the Velbon-brand tripod, but I share it here for your exploratory pleasure.

Print with pretty high density to ensure it all holds together. I've used 60% in my final print.

The dimensions are thickened to hopefully get a bit more resilience this time around.

Note that the vertical pin is smaller than the actual pin used in the product part. I've used the shaft of a pop-rivet that is about 2.5mm in diam, as I'd lost the original pin. For the cross-pin which connects to a central post, I used the original pin. Drill or adjust for your preferences.

The odds of anyone else having this same tripod are probably rather low, but have shared this here a) for the odd person who does have one, and b) for a comparison in case you have a similar tripod and which to use this as a starting point in your design.

Category: Camera