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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 => Lighting Forum => Topic started by: Alex Wieczoreck on February 01, 2013, 03:43:54 PM

Title: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: Alex Wieczoreck on February 01, 2013, 03:43:54 PM
I am trying to see if there is some type of premade mounting plate to put a moving head on top of 12" vertical Tomcat truss. Something similar to what Global Truss makes http://www.globaltruss.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ItemNumber=17&Category=9&txtSearch=4137

If not how else are you mounting them and I would prefer not to hear about rachet strapping them to the top.

Thanks,

Alex
Title: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: Randy Culpepper on February 01, 2013, 06:47:36 PM
I've never heard of a specific plate to mount to but I'm sure given the dimensions any welding shop could make one quickly. Maybe with a pipe to clamp to instead of just the plate. I've always seen the strap method. Just make sure the base is heavy enough
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: James Feenstra on February 01, 2013, 10:06:06 PM
we have 36" base plates that attach to both 12" and 20.5" bolt truss...they were custom made for us though.

mind you, we do still use ratchet straps in addition to secure moving lights

there's also smaller base plates around, similar to these:
http://www.proaudio.com/product_info.php?products_id=10381
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: John Fruits on February 02, 2013, 06:24:58 AM
This same question was asked at another forum(controlbooth.com) and there didn't seem to be any great solutions given.  There was this link posted with one product.
http://velocityavs.com/avshowtools.html
Scroll down to the LM-1 which is for plated truss.
I was wondering if you could use a suitably sized piece of metal drilled to bolt to the truss with these mounted to this.
http://www.thelightsource.com/products/10/view
The mega-couplers would hold a piece of pipe to which you clamped the light. 
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: Ted Christensen on February 02, 2013, 12:22:21 PM
I am trying to see if there is some type of premade mounting plate to put a moving head on top of 12" vertical Tomcat truss. Something similar to what Global Truss makes http://www.globaltruss.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ItemNumber=17&Category=9&txtSearch=4137

If not how else are you mounting them and I would prefer not to hear about rachet strapping them to the top.

Thanks,

Alex

ive seen people use plywood even. Just ratchet strap that beast down.

I have seen idiots use tripod speaker or lighting stands and just set it on a block there 7 feet or so up in the air. please dont be that person.
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: Joe Cole on February 04, 2013, 11:41:53 AM
We use ratchet straps all the time.   Short, black, endless straps.   

Unless you are doing a permanent install there really isn't a reason to custom fab something.  Although it wouldn't be hard at all...  even a little plywood can go a long way.

The one thing I have heard by some possibly overly cautious folks, is that the hadnles of a fixture are not rated to hold the weight of the fixture.  they insist that strapping the base just past the collar for the pan shaft is the only safe way.   Since the tower is holding the weight I've always been fine with just strapping the handles as it's not load bearing. 

Just stay away from dumb combinations... like Mac3's and triangle shaped antenna tower.....


Be Safe!
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: Nick Pignetti on February 04, 2013, 11:49:23 AM
We never ratchet strap movers to the top of totems. I don't have a picture, but we have a pretty simple solution...

Basically, We use a premade base, so for our 12" box truss, we have a 1x1 place that is made by the manufacturer as a base plate. Global, Chauvet, Applied Elec, Tomcat etc all make base plates- I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

We then drill a hole in the plate (actually 2 holes) in line with where our fixtures omega brackets would be. So if you imagine your fixture when you hang it, there are holes to attach the omega with a bolt. We set the fixture on the plate in line with our predrilled holes (that line up with the omega bracket holes) and bolt through the hole we drilled in the plate to the holes for the omega bracket. This bolts the fixture to the top plate, and then we attach the top plate to the truss per how it would normally be done via manufacturer recommended specs. Keeps the mover secured nicely and we've never had a problem using this method.

We simply remove the two bolts from the top plate into the omegas at the end of the night and release the fixture. Everything else strikes as normal.

I hope I explained that clearly.
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: DanGlass on February 05, 2013, 08:35:40 AM
+1 for this way.  This is exactly the way I put my movers on top of truss totems.  The only difference being that I will attach the plate while the fixture is still in the roadcase and then either attach the plate before standing the truss up or climb up the ladder with it.  Depending on the size/weight of the fixture either way works for me.
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: John Fruits on February 07, 2013, 10:36:46 AM
How's this for a scary solution:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Global-Truss-8-2-FT-Aluminum-DJ-Lighting-Truss-Tube-Tower-Totem-W-Scrim-iDjNow-/160967294528?pt=US_Lighting_Stands_Trusses&hash=item257a65fe40
Who in their right mind would use something like this.  Even with a larger footprint base plate,  that sucker is going to wiggle like crazy. 
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: Scott Wagner on February 07, 2013, 12:36:32 PM
How's this for a scary solution:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Global-Truss-8-2-FT-Aluminum-DJ-Lighting-Truss-Tube-Tower-Totem-W-Scrim-iDjNow-/160967294528?pt=US_Lighting_Stands_Trusses&hash=item257a65fe40
Who in their right mind would use something like this.  Even with a larger footprint base plate,  that sucker is going to wiggle like crazy.
How can they even call that a "truss"?
Title: Re: Mounting plate for Moving Head to Vertical Truss - Tomcat, etc
Post by: James Feenstra on February 07, 2013, 11:42:48 PM
I want to know what a 'regular sized' moving head is...

cause mac 2k's are pretty 'regular sized' in my world...