There are lots of uses for the 15mm bars in photography/video rigs for lights, Camera Mounts with handgrips and V Mount battery (+180WH) packs as counter weights to the camera...I was interested in extending the height of my Lowel UN-55 (a heavier taller but similar version of the compact Manfrotto 5001B Nano Light Stand).
On eBay I picked up the following items:
1 set of 8" 15mm Aluminum rodsSet of M12 Connectors for 15mm RodAnd a set of M12 to 1/4 20 UNC AdaptersMy Lowel Stand has a threaded 1/4 20UNC on the top that the extension bar is threaded into
Extension Mounted on Stand
Comparison with my Manfrotto 3078 13ft stand...foot print almost the same diameter for both
stands...top of Lowel with extension is 9ft in this photo.
Comparison of Lowel + extension and Manfrotto collapsed...I'm loving it
I feel the 1/4 UNC thread will prevent me from using this horizontally in a clamping situation & I'm not gonna be putting any Stereo Large Diameter Microphone Rigs on the small setup...
The extension breaks down and fits in my bag...mounted on the Lowel UN-55 this a good compromise on strength and height for just about any situation I'd feel comfortable running my NBob M21 Gefells and Milab VM44 Links with stereo bars on it...