The Gorillapod, made by Joby, has been around for quite some time now. It’s a multi-jointed tripod which allows you to place it wherever you want and in whatever position you might desire. Everyone who owns a camera would buy only if it wasn’t for its steep price. Fortunately for anyone who wanted to buy one but just didn’t have the money could now buy a cheaper generic alternative that I should from now on call as “Monkeypod” (that’s the best I could think of as of now). For only P600, it’s around 1/5 of the price of the original. Not bad and it’s definitely worth a try. The Gorillapod’s segmented joints were as tight as an old man’s knuckles with arthritis. It can grab hold onto things like there’s no tomorrow and you’re confident that it would stay put no matter how big your camera might be. The Monkeypod on the other hand is miles behind. The joints on this thing are as nimble as a person who got terribly affected by polio. It could only support the smallest and lightest of cameras and still wobble a bit if it wasn’t put up right. Being the handyman that I am coupled with the urge of getting my money’s worth, I decided to tinker with this little thing and see if I can do anything about its terrible fate.
Monkeypod’s biggest problem is its joints. If you solve its Gumby-like flimsiness then everything will be ok. This thing is not assembled with screws or any other form of bonding. Everything you see is simply press-fitted and snapped-on so I had to find a way to make the parts fit snugly onto each other. Follow this guide to find out how to make your Monkeypod better.
Tools:
Bottle of Superglue (yes, superglue)
Sandpaper
Tissue
Toothpick (or anything thin, hard and disposable)
*No, this guide doesn’t require you to superglue your Monkeypod together.
Step 1:
Some of the joints of the Monkeypad can be popped off. Some are so tightly put on that you’d break it if you tried to pry it off. Pop off all the joints that can be popped off and set them properly on the table. In my case, I was only able to pop off the big joint in the middle.
Step 2:
Sand down the ball joint that you have removed. Sand it lightly as this step is only done so that the superglue will have something to hold on to. Wipe off or dust off any shavings on the ball joint.
Step 3:
Spread superglue onto the ball joint of your Monkeypod. Put a small dab on it and spread it around with your toothpick. You only have to cover the top part of the ball as this is the only thing in contact with the cup where it sits. The superglue acts like a hard plastic layer which would give the joint a snug fit once it’s re-assembled. Let it harden for an hour or so but the optimum curing time for superglue is around 8 hours.
Step 4:
Re-attach the ball joint back into the cup. This may take a bit of force as the parts now fit tighter together.
It would really help if you had some kind of ventilation.
This method is only useful for joints that can be popped off. Another set of steps must be taken to fix all the other non-removable joints.
Step 1:
Twist all the joints to their maximum degree of movement. Do this one leg at a time to prevent mistakes.
Step 2:
Sand down the exposed part of the ball joint which is closest to the ball cup.
Step 3:
Apply superglue onto the ball joint and spread it around with your toothpick.
Step 4:
Allow several hours of curing time.
Step 5:
Once all the superglue has dried up, twist all the joints to their maximum degree in their opposite direction as done in Step 1.
Step 6:
Repeat Steps 2 to 4 and on each leg of the Monkeypod.
Patience and accuracy is the key in performing this modification, but once you’re done, all your hard work should pay off. In the end, your Monkeypod should come out with tighter joints, able to support the entire weight of your digital camera. You don’t just get the bang for your buck from this quick-fix but you also come out with some pretty sticky fingers if you’re not careful. Enjoy!
*Caution: DO NOT inhale the fumes from the superglue.
Hoy! Magaral ka nga! 
