Carbon fiber legs not sliding freely

[Mark OConnell]

I've got a Sachtler FSB 8 with the quick release carbon fiber legs. I was recently shooting on the coast with very strong wind and sand flying everywhere, as a result my the tripod legs no longer slide freely. I've hosed it down and dried it a couple of times but it's still not back to normal. I've seen people recommend using PTFE lubricant on carbon fiber. Anyone ever tried this???

[Chris Soucy]

Originally Posted by Mark OConnell

but it's still not back to normal

You need to establish whether this is a lubrication issue or a contamination issue.

If it's the latter, which I strongly suspect, you can only fix the problem by getting that sand out of wherever it's lodged, adding a lubricant to the equation just means gumming that sand in permanently.

Basically, if the joints are graunching when moved, it's contamination.

If hosing hasn't done the trick, I'd dismount everything that will dismount (and I do mean everything but the bare sticks themselves) run the bath till it's deep enough to completely submerge the sticks, add a squirt of washing up liquid and work those legs back and forth whilst submerged to see if that gets rid of whatever ails it.

Alternatively, take them down to your friendly neighbourhood garage and use their high pressure air jet system to blow those joints clean.

If that fails to do the necessary you may need to log onto the Sachtler web site and find the relevant manual to see how to dismantle the legs.

As CF is really it's own lubricant it should never be necessary to add any more, well, I never have and mine sure take some stick.

Good luck.


CS

[Mark OConnell]

Thanks Chris. That makes perfect sense.