Multi-Function Walking Stick - Converts to a Chair

Step 2 Add the Copper Connectors

Connector Materials:
(2) 3/4" diameter sweat fitting to 1/2" threaded male copper plumbing fitting
(2) 3/4" diameter sweat fitting to 1/2" threaded female copper plumbing fitting

The outer diameter of the 3/4" sweat fitting matches the 1" diameter of the wood dowel. This creates a nice flush transition at the wood to copper interface.
(Be sure to use  3/4" sweat to 1/2" threaded reducer fitting.  The diameter of 3/4" sweat to 3/4" threaded fitting will be too large to fit through the ring used to assemble the seat.)

(1) Package of two part epoxy adhesive 
      - Brandname “JB Weld Epoxy” adhesive holds well on metal.
      -  Make sure to use the original JB Weld that requires 24 hours to cure.
      - Do not use the quick cure (15 minute or less epoxies - including JB Weld Quick) as these
        do not hold as well to metal


1: Use sand paper (or chisel, pocket knife, lath or beaver teeth)  to reduce the diameter on one end of the Upper Section and Lower Section dowels to match the inside contour of the female copper fittings. The dowel ends should insert to the bottom of the threads on the female fittings. 

Both ends of the Middle Section dowel should be reduced to fit the male copper fitting. This dowel should insert all the way to the end of the male cooper fittings. (The male fitting requires the dowel to have two step diameter reduction in order for the dowel to fit flush to the end of the fitting.)

Reference the last photo in this series.

2: Test fit the dowel in the copper fittings several times as you are reducing the dowel diameter. The dowel needs to press tightly into the fitting. Use a mallet to force the fittings on (be careful to not damage the threads.)

Note: The fitting will ultimately have to be removed to apply the adhesive. This is where the wrench flats on the fitting come in handy. Use them to twist off the fitting.

3: Remove the fittings and “roughen-up” the inside of the fitting with something sharp (like the bent point of a nail or a file.) The deeper the gouges / scores on the inside of the fitting the better the adhesive has something to grip onto.

4: Similarly,“roughen-up” the end of the wood dowel by making grooves to hold the adhesive.

5: Mix the adhesive per the package instructions. Protect the threads on the fitting with tape. Apply adhesive to the inside of the fittings, and the ends of the dowels. - Make sure adhesive does not get on the threads.

6: Pound the fittings on the dowel ends and clean-up any adhesive that oozes out. Again, make sure the threads are free of adhesive.

Comments

[eklein1]

Oh my god yes.
I'm going camping/backpacking in a few weeks and this is PERFECT.
Great 'ible, soon my grandparents and all their hiking friends will be using these too.
So much better than just a boring old hiking staff.

[jbrecken]

If you traded one of the male fittings on the middle section for the female on the bottom section, you'd be able to make a short stick from just the top and bottom pieces.

[Data643]

Mine works fine with the 3/4" - 3/4" pieces. I just have to insert the piece with the male ends first.

[jrossetti]

The sections, when screwed together, don't screw flush; there is some threading exposed, correct?

[ThisIsIt]

That's what it looks like in all the photos I've seen, and further down this page someone else says theirs is like that too. I think as long as you pay attention when fitting the couplers to the wood you should be able to avoid that. If not, just have to file down the couplers till they mate flush, and then fit the wood.

[ThisIsIt]

Upon finally finding some of the fittings to take a look at, there is no way to get them to not have a gap when screwed together. The threads on the fittings are NPT, national pipe thread, which means they taper from smaller to larger as you thread the fitting in. The gap can not be helped... However, you can sweat a piece of 1" copper pipe on to the fitting to cover the threads that are left exposed. Make a simple pattern on it and it should look great. You can even size this cover so that when the two rods are threaded together, the flat spots on the fittings (where the wrench would go) line up with each other and look even better.

[ThisIsIt]

Correction, you can't fit 1" pipe over 3/4" threaded fittings. You can use a piece of a 1" coupler to cover the exposed threads. I would probably sweat it on to the female portion, it mates up nicely.