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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => LAB Lounge => Topic started by: Brent Gillespie on October 22, 2012, 02:18:38 AM

Title: Light stand prototype
Post by: Brent Gillespie on October 22, 2012, 02:18:38 AM
Hi.  Many times through the year our band will perform at venues where  there isn't a lot of remaining space near stage area to place the lighting tripods  once the P.A.  is in place.   So, the other day I was tinkering around in my garage and I decided to  implement an idea  I've had to reduce the lighting footprint our band has.   I had several unused c-clamps from old par cans available and some scrap metal & angle aluminum.  I was able to easily remove the 3 tripod legs  from 2 stands   and utilize the remaining telescoping pole.  The plan was to make some simple brackets to hold the poles upright  and use my KW181's  as bases for them.  The  brackets would be attatched to the screw in K&M poles  from my S.O.S.   set up.    It all worked out very well on their maiden voyage the other night.  Once attatched, they were  very stable and easy to use.  My obvious  initial concern was safety/stability .  I  roughly pushed and tugged on the poles  and could not get them to laterally move  all while the LED lightbars  were in place.   I was very pleased with the outcome.  Its nice having the lights a bit closer and the set up streamlined a bit.  Also, no tripod leg trip hazzard.   Any thoughts ?     Thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: John Luty on October 22, 2012, 05:38:16 AM
Looks good to me .I was thinking about doing something similar using the top fly mounts on my impulse speakers .The only question I have is will the lights be high enough to not be in your eyes?
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Chris Chambers on October 22, 2012, 06:34:17 AM
Genius for smaller gigs :D
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: David Morison on October 22, 2012, 07:57:51 AM
Also, no tripod leg trip hazzard.   Any thoughts ?     Thanks for reading.

Looks interesting.
Slight topic swerve - do you find the RCF's stay cool enough when you run them with the covers on like that? Knowing how warm the heatsinks on some other powered speakers get in normal operation, I'd be a bit concerned at that.
Cheers,
David.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Rick Byers on October 22, 2012, 10:36:11 AM
Looks Good.

I use the M10 flybolts on the top of my QSC HPR122i's to attached LED pars, or NJD Spectres.  Works a treat on tight space venues.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mike Christy on October 22, 2012, 11:19:45 AM
Great idea! But I would think that somekind of lateral stability would be needed, but hard to tell without actually pushhing on it. - Mike



Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mac Kerr on October 22, 2012, 11:19:59 AM
Any thoughts ?

My first thought is it looks kind of unstable. The clamps don't look like they will stand much twisting, and they are mounted to the angle iron with a single bolt so they too can swivel. I doubt the pole cup in the speaker is designed for any additional horizontal load than the speaker if someone bumps that stand and twists it.

It's a lot easier to carry aluminum tubing rather than schedule 40 pipe and 50# bases, but it's not safer.

Mac
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Brent Gillespie on October 22, 2012, 12:24:29 PM
Looks interesting.
Slight topic swerve - do you find the RCF's stay cool enough when you run them with the covers on like that? Knowing how warm the heatsinks on some other powered speakers get in normal operation, I'd be a bit concerned at that.
Cheers,
David.

David, I've never had any issues with the RCF's heating up during operation.  They have performed flawlessly  for me for 3-4 years now without a hiccup.    Brent
Great idea! But I would think that somekind of lateral stability would be needed, but hard to tell without actually pushhing on it. - Mike




Mike,  I figured they would need more lateral stability like you suggested.  However, they feel suprisingly stable on their own.  I was suprised myself.
My first thought is it looks kind of unstable. The clamps don't look like they will stand much twisting, and they are mounted to the angle iron with a single bolt so they too can swivel. I doubt the pole cup in the speaker is designed for any additional horizontal load than the speaker if someone bumps that stand and twists it.



Mac
Mac,  once i put everything in place it would not twist or swivel unless I seriously  leaned into it with my 245 lb body.   I can assure you that  K&M  pole supporting the RCF's  is screwed in firmly  to the KW181  and it isn't going anywhere.  The RCF is only 39 lbs.   and the LED lightbar doesnt weigh anything really.  IMHO it would take a very serious "body block" to topple the entire set up.  I had each band member  grab the light pole and try to move it or twist it.  They were all suprised themselves how firmly it held. 
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Steve Hurt on October 22, 2012, 12:37:34 PM
Why not mount a 2nd pole cup on the sub and use just the top bracket?

You're definitely addressing a common problem and headed in the right direction.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Brent Gillespie on October 22, 2012, 01:42:53 PM
(edit)
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Brent Gillespie on October 22, 2012, 01:54:44 PM
Why not mount a 2nd pole cup on the sub and use just the top bracket?

You're definitely addressing a common problem and headed in the right direction.

Good idea Steve.  However, in reference to Mike Christy's reply I may just have a flat piece of rigid aluminum attached to bottom of pole like in a "T" fashion.   Perhaps that would increase the lateral stability even more.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mark Long on October 22, 2012, 02:29:09 PM
Why not mount a 2nd pole cup on the sub and use just the top bracket?

You're definitely addressing a common problem and headed in the right direction.
I've thought of doing something similar, but put some U brackets on the stage-facing side to slip the pole through.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mark McFarlane on October 22, 2012, 02:35:53 PM
I've gotten by at a few gigs just hanging LED pars directly on the speaker poles.  Not ideal lighting, but no one complained, and it created atmosphere as intended.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Gus Housen on October 22, 2012, 04:28:28 PM
I've gotten by at a few gigs just hanging LED pars directly on the speaker poles.  Not ideal lighting, but no one complained, and it created atmosphere as intended.
I used to have a pair of speakers with t-nuts and used thumb screws, a frend of mine mounted clamps to the top of his 450's
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Dan Richardson on October 22, 2012, 06:32:14 PM
I've gotten by at a few gigs just hanging LED pars directly on the speaker poles.  Not ideal lighting, but no one complained, and it created atmosphere as intended.

Some of my stick speakers have handles on top. You can hook a lighting c-clamp under them. It's not going anyplace.
Title: Light stand prototype
Post by: eric lenasbunt on October 22, 2012, 08:14:12 PM
I like it! Maybe find a way to prevent possible twisting as Mac referenced. Really nice idea though.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Dane Davis on January 03, 2013, 12:44:29 PM
Awesome ideas... I am reviewing and considering options as well... Any reason to NOT put additional pole cups into subs? I am running the QSC HOR181i Subs and want to set up a similar set up; however, I am running a much heavier light truss / rack...??? I will need to consider the lateral stability even more... It only makes sense to use the existing cabinets instead of additional light stands... Looking forward to solving this. THANKS!!!
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mario Data on January 03, 2013, 04:48:56 PM
   Its hard to tell from my pic, but I put speaker pole mounts on the top of my mains to plug in a T bar with a couple Colordash Battens.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Steve Hurt on January 03, 2013, 04:55:28 PM
I strap my Chauvet 4-Bars on top of my mains

Forgot my tripods one night.  Been doing it where height allows ever since.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mario Data on January 03, 2013, 05:06:14 PM
I strap my Chauvet 4-Bars on top of my mains

Forgot my tripods one night.  Been doing it where height allows ever since.

Are those Orbit Shifters?  If so, do you like them?
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Steve Hurt on January 03, 2013, 05:12:27 PM
Are those Orbit Shifters?  If so, do you like them?

Yes they are, and Yes I do!
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mario Data on January 03, 2013, 05:41:59 PM
Yes they are, and Yes I do!

I haven't been able to hear them yet, but I'm in between them and STX828s.  Can't decide,  any thoughts?
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Steve Hurt on January 03, 2013, 05:59:08 PM
I haven't been able to hear them yet, but I'm in between them and STX828s.  Can't decide,  any thoughts?

Haven't heard the 828's. 
I have heard the Orbit Shifters w/728's and the O/S's held their own just fine.

If specs are right and the 828's don't go as low or get as as loud as the 728, then I'd assume (a lot of ass-u-me in this statement though) that the Orbit Shifter would compare very favorably to the 828 as well.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Mario Data on January 03, 2013, 06:04:02 PM
Haven't heard the 828's. 
I have heard the Orbit Shifters w/728's and the O/S's held their own just fine.

If specs are right and the 828's don't go as low or get as as loud as the 728, then I'd assume (a lot of ass-u-me in this statement though) that the Orbit Shifter would compare very favorably to the 828 as well.

Thanks for the comments.  JTR is really looking like a competitor these days.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: James Brooks on January 04, 2013, 09:57:10 AM
On our typical wedding/corp gigs I use two subs per side.
One for the top cabinet, second as the light stand.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Rick Powell on January 04, 2013, 12:38:09 PM
Once did a cheap-0 implementation with a pair of Behringer powered speakers atop tripods.  They had a threaded insert (3/8"?) on the top of the cab, so I simply got a few washers and long bolts, and drilled a hole in a piece of 1 3/8" OD aluminum tubing and made a makeshift light bar.  A top hat (Pole cup) and a tee could've been implemented also, on any mid/hi top with clearance for the top hat, and not too much weight on the tee bar.
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: David Buckley on January 06, 2013, 06:54:09 PM
You've just (re-)invented the double ended hook clamp (http://www.doughty-engineering.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_T20500) :)

(http://www.doughty-engineering.co.uk/shop/images/products/t20500.jpg)
Title: Re: Light stand prototype
Post by: Chris Wassberg on April 10, 2013, 07:49:10 PM
This is my solution.  I built these recently but haven't painted the bases yet.  THEY ARE VERY STURDY!  Its 1" ID waterpipe available at home depot along with a flange, and a "T" mounted on a 3/4 inch plywood base the same shape as the speaker.  Keep in mind that the dual 15 speaker it is on stands on top of a dual 18" sub so the lights are about 8-9 feet high.  This is my perfect front light wash and then I do all effect lighting from behind the stage. 


(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/0/AADeQeR-pZmshoCfy9uTbhdlNmf4HIdfhOi5QBS24ti3wA/12/26671378/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/2013-04-06%2023.05.56.jpg/IiW6lmm_OAR7YHpmd9wzqqojDh20Hi48P_4NbMSTG3E?size=1280x960)

(https://photos-5.dropbox.com/t/0/AAD1vTYGULg_i1cu3Wmwd1g1QDXeM0XBuLI3Ak8Tk3TRwg/12/26671378/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/2013-04-06%2022.59.05.jpg/-y55_FofdVd6bQuG44T2QMubfqiH6jOQbbxRPwcjeIQ?size=1280x960)

Here is another way I rig front lights...  I thread O clamps right into the hanging points on my EV Tour-X 2152 speakers.  Also better pictures of the other setup. 

(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/0/AABpcxtUxN767qlApU0hFTQBN4K-gEAzQ1OH-S9LD_wztQ/12/26671378/jpeg/32x32/3/_/1/2/2013-04-11%2001.33.52.jpg/b-SFwjd_nqH425u4d21tKnIRyUEbtKZaLWqWDsjQQxE?size=1280x960)