Making a hiking stick monopod.

[Rob]

I use a long light carved stick as a walking stick on my hikes and wanted to be able to use it as a monopod with my rangefinder or digital camera. I drilled a hole thru the top of the stick and inserted a 1/4 inch bolt thru it and securing it with epoxy glue. I cut it to length with my dremel tool. This limits you to horizontal shots so in my parts box I had a nice chrome vintage small ballhead. I now can do verticals as well and hold it much steadier. Did a test run with the digital and the results are great. Beats carrying a tripod if I dont need it and add no extra weight to carry.
Rob

 

[Heath]

Now that is ingenuity if I ever saw it. Sounds great. Any pictures of it? I would love to see one.

Heath

 

[Doug]

Sounds like a usefult idea, Rob! I gather that your walking stick does not have palm knob at top? And as a walking stick you use it by grasping the shank near the top? Or perhaps it has a handle that sticks out to the side... Otherwise a 1/4-20 bolt or a camera ball-head would be uncomfortable!

A comfortable light walking stick can be a work of art... And a regular camera monopod can be used as a walking stick too. I've seen some knobs at REI (Recreational Equipment) that screw onto the top of the monopod to make it a comfortable walking stick. My wife's Manfrotto 3006 monopod has a foam handgrip near the top, and a wrist strap, so it's fairly usable as a walking stick without the knob attachment.

 

[Rob]

Hope this works. Monopod stands at about eye level with the ball head.

 

[Rob]

Its just a simple, light but sturdy walking stick about 5.5 feet long...Picked it up in a state park gift shop for about $6. I was just going to leave a 1/4 screw in it but then realised it was no good for vertical shots and remembered these ball heads I got and put the two together.

 

[Doug]

Simple neat idea, Rob!

 

[MCTuomey]

What everyone else said ... and a lot less expensive that one of those Leki hiking staff monopods that cost more than four Canonets!