Care and Maintenance for all Ries Wooden Tripods and Large Format Photography Heads:
- Ries Tripod recommends “Howard’s Feed and Wax” applied to the wood and all the metal parts at least twice a year if actively outdoors and once a year if the tripod is primarily indoors (not being used outdoors regularly). This applies to all the tripods and the metal heads too.
- The best method of cleaning your Ries Tripod and head after using it in saltwater and/or mud is to first separate the inner legs and rinse thoroughly with clean fresh water then clean everything (including the metal parts) with Murphy’s Oil Soap. Do not dry in the sun or use any heat. Let the tripod stand in a dry well ventilated area or use a low-speed fan preferably indoors with the inner legs separated. Let dry and then apply the Howard’s Feed and Wax thoroughly on all the wood and the metal parts. Re-assemble the inner legs and you are ready to go.
- The best way to clean our Ries Heads is the loosen the leaf clamp as far as you can without it coming off the screw (do not let the leaf bolt fall out). Method 1. Then take the head and wash it in hot soapy Dawn dish Washing Liquid. Try to get as much dirt and grit out from between the leaves. Rinse thoroughly the hot clean fresh water especially between the leaves. If available, use compressed air to dry the entire head. If you do not have compressed air, just dry as thoroughly as you can with a cloth, set until it fully dried. Apply either Howard’s Feed and Wax or spray WD-40 everywhere, especially between the leaves. Re-tighten the leaf clamp. Method 2. If you need the clean the head in the field and do not have access to method 1’s resources just loosen the leaf clamp as described above and spray WD-40 with the red straw spray heavily through the leaves and all axis pivots, then wipe dry with a dry clean cloth. In the field you can also clean the Ries Tripod with WD-40 by loosening the rider bolt clamps and spread the legs until the rider shafts exit the clamps (do not overextend as the legs will crack). Thoroughly spray everything including all of the wood with the WD-40. When return home simply apply the Howard’s Feed and Wax.
Ries approved cleaning and care products are available for sale world-wide by Res Tripod, (Some restrictions may apply according to your country’s restrictions and/or laws). Simply send us an email with your requested items to info@riestripod.com and if able (according to shipping restrictions) we will send a PayPal invoice for all the care items including shipping costs.
Ries Wooden Tripods and photography heads are the benchmarks in the large format photography industry. They are made to last and come with a lifetime warranty.
Ries Approved Care Products:
Murphy’s Oil Soap, original
Howard’s Feed and Wax, original
WD-40
Dawn Dish Washing Liquid
Ries Tripod recognizes Dawn of the Procter and Gamble Family for all of the animal rescue efforts that they do. Thank You. Here is a link to their Dawn Saves Wildlife page
FAQ
Tripods:
- Are the tripods acceptable for digital cameras? Yes. They work very well for digital cameras because of their stability and vibration damping.
- Which tripods are best for the 35mm camera? The H Series tripods work very well with 35mm cameras.
- Are the tripods suitable for video cameras? Yes, our tripods are suitable for almost all types of cameras.
- Are the tripods acceptable for scopes & binoculars? Yes, as long as there is a compatible mounting screw.
- Can the tripod pan? No, but the Ries head will pan on the tripod.
- Does the price for the J600 and H600 tripods include the carrying cases? Yes, they are our backpacker models and the cases are designed to clip onto the bottom of a backpack.
- How close to the ground can the tripods be lowered and still remain stable? The tripods can be lowered to approximately 12″ above the ground.
- Can the tripods be ordered in a taller height? Yes, just give us a call at 360-627-8795 and we can customize the tripod to suit your needs.
Heads:
- Can the head pan and if so, how? Yes, the head can pan simply by slightly unscrewing the tripod head’s attaching screw and rotating the tripod head.
Accessories:
- Do the extension legs compromise the stability of the tripod? No, the integrity and quality of the tripod is unchanged with the extension legs.
- Can I purchase a different size mounting screw if I change cameras? Yes, the screws are easily changed and can be ordered separately. You can view the description and order on the Accessory Page.
