Zephyr dovetail tripod plate adapter?

[Victor Lazaro]

Hi guys!

Is there anything similar to the SOS plate for the Zephyr as it is a smaller dovetail than the standard?

Thanks

[Mark Schlicher]

To the best of my knowledge, as of a few months ago anyway, no. Nothing for Clipper/Archer/Zephyr size plates.

[Victor Lazaro]

:(

[Jerry Holway]

It's relatively easy for the folks making the standard size units (or even an end user) to adapt that gear to the smaller size. All it takes is a spacer screwed in place.

 

Brant Fagan did it years ago for the Antlers so they could be used to grab either size dovetail.

 

Jerry

[Tom Wills]

A friend of mine, Tom MaCoy, down here in Philly is making one for his Zephyr, since he's got the dovetail cutters and a mill. It's a pretty simple part to make - I'll try to direct him to this thread, and maybe he can provide some thoughts.

 

[Tom MaCoy]

Well, I hacked one together for my old Flyer that worked well; the Zephyr design is a bit more complicated, since it favors a drop-in and lock system, rather than just a straight slide through. I could do a slide style for the Zephyr, but since the dovetail I just finished milling allows for rods to mount on the underside (something I never could have done with the Flyer), I'd like to keep the drop and lock method for the tripod adapter. The simplest solution I have at the moment would be to just mill out a dovetail holder dimensionally identical to the one on top of the Zephyr sled, and tap some holds along to edge so it can be tightened in place with a couple thin thumbscrews. Not exactly graceful, but I suppose no more difficult than what the Zephyr itself uses to lock the plate down.