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Just a little something that I discovered last night. I had recently bought a RRS L-Plate for my D70s from a forum member. Unfortunately they weren't able to supply the tool used to tighten/loosen the hex screw on the base of the plate. So I was going to have to go to Bunnings etc to get one. When I got there, I found out that you basically had to buy a whole set, you couldn't get just a single hex key in the size you wanted. I wanted a full set anyway, so I bought a cheap one.. But it bothered me that I would basically need to have one out of that set permanently in the camera bag just in case... So I looked around for alternatives.

You know what ALMOST fits perfectly and will do the job? A "standard" allen key from Ikea. I had probably 5-8 of the little buggers hanging around (mostly from Billy bookcases, I assume they use the same size throughout their range)... and I assume most of you will have a couple sitting around as well. It is a tiny bit loose, and has some wiggle room, but will do at a pinch for emergencies - so I now have one of those in the camera bag

Saves ordering one from RRS anyway.

Any hex key which is same size will do the job.
And I do have few spares laying around in the car, the house, cupboard, etc....

My plate was supplied with a key. Did you lose yours?

Oneputt wrote:My plate was supplied with a key. Did you lose yours?

He bought an used one from one of our members.

Oneputt wrote:My plate was supplied with a key. Did you lose yours?

No, I bought it second hand from a forum member - he'd lost the key some time back so couldn't send it.

losfp wrote: It is a tiny bit loose, and has some wiggle room...

Sounds like a good way to f**k up the bolt. If the hex key doesn't fit properly don't use. But in a emergency it is probably OK. How often to you take the plate on and and off anyway?

That's why I said that I have it in my bag for emergencies Seriously though, it is only a tiny, tiny bit loose.

the RRS gear uses a 5/32 hex screw, which is about 3.9 mm.

The Ikea one is definitely larger than 3.5 (I compared it with the 3.5mm hex key in the set I bought), probably around 3.7 or 3.8mm.

Definitely wouldn't use it to tighten the screw on a daily basis (not that you would do that in any case, as you said!) but if you have these floating around your house anyway then it is not a bad backup idea.

The RRS bolt has a standard "Allen-key" 5/32-inch hex head. Possibly your Ikea ones are metric?

EDIT: Argh, I must type too slow...

Rather than going to Bunnings type hardware store , go to a proper tool shop. The will stock the exact tool for it. T a proper tool shop you will not have to buy the whole set and allen/hex keys are sold seperatly.

I agree it ok for an emergency but I would get the exact one.

MATT

I thought it would be normal to have an imperial and metric allen key set at home I do.....doesn't everybody?

I had a similar problem when I was up past Ballarat and my lens foot on my 500F4 had worked it's way loose over a few days (even though it was bloody tight to start with). I went into Ballarat and found a Home Hardware (the one that does the Dogalogue) store and luckily they had sets of allen keys aswell as singles in metric and imperial. I found the key that suited my bolt, I was going to just tighten it in store but I thought for $2 I might aswell buy it.

The one Birdie recently sent me had a hex key included.

Really love it by the way Birdie - quality piece of metal.

EDIT - I love the way it makes the camera even more brick like than before. You could hit someone with it and not damage it!