Tripod Plate

The couple of cheap tripods, (the Jessops Atlantic Delta weighs a ton bought circa 1989, seems quite robust) are adequate (read can't afford a posh one yet) for what I'm doing, i.e. messing about in the garden and trying to remember what does what on the K7. The main problem I have is the camera slips around on the QR plate and I'm a bit wary of over tightening the screw and doing some damage. Any quick solutions to this, is it a common fault because of being afraid to tighten the screw that extra millimetre or two?

Does the plate also have a locking pin? If it does then remove that as Pentax don't provide a hole for a locking pin any more, and it will prevent the plate really being tight against the body. Then tighten the plate as tight as it will go.

You could also try a piece of thin double sided tape between the plate and camera.

Rubber washer about 2mm thick. Have a look if B&Q have anything
on plumbing. If you see them putting a rubber roof on a building
there should be offcuts blowing about.

One didn't and one did and now doesn't Seems better now.

Thanks to all who offered advice, I'm sure I have a piece of rubber insertion knocking about so will try that as a washer on the one that didn't have the pin.

I am surprised someone didn't suggest a torque wrench

I've just realised what is going wrong. The support for the QR plate is hinged so it tilts from horizontal to vertical in an anticlockwise motion assuming panning handle should be at the rear of the tripod. The weight of the lens acts as a lever and as the movement is anticlockwise it unscrews the plate enough for the camera to start slipping and lens point down.
Solutions: Use solutions as above. Always take "landscape". Go and look at some tripods and when funds allow etc..