Gels Gels and more Gels

[LDSFX]

So this past weekend I had the unpleasent task of cleaning/organizing our supply room which contains our gobos, gels, hardware, and audio cable. While cleaning the gel box, I came across a folder with random gels, none of which had an ID number on them. So I thought I would ask what techniques you use to organize your gel? Coming from a roll it is easy to see its ID number, however it is often difficult to tell R305 from R05 when all you have to go off is a small cut. Is there some tool available (other than a keen eye and a swatch book) that scans and identifies gels?

[techieman33]

we usually just use a marker, and label everything as we cut it. And then try to keep everything in seperate folders according to color.

[Mayhem]

Not that I know of. I use a light box and compare the unmarked gel to a swatch book. However, this becomes a little more difficult if you use more than one brand of gel.

Try and get into the habit (although it may be others that need to as well) of marking the gel with the manufacturer and number. E.g. L101 or R038 etc. I use a silver sharpie and mark opposite corners so that regardless of the way the gel is placed back in the file, you can tell what it is.

I use a portable filing system (one of those plastic folders with the dividers in them and a catch) to keep my gel sorted. This way, I can take them to a show with me (I do mobile DJ and lighting work). Others that I know use filing cabinets with suspension folders in them. I don’t think that the method of storage is as important as the marking of the gels however, so use a system that works for you.

[Peter]

Theoritcally you could use a spectrometer to compare the wavelengths of light passing through the gell, and that would probably be counted as a tool.... but in practice I dont really think it would be the best way to go about it. If you want to fool arround with it, ask the science department at your school if they have one they'll let you borrow (and possibly instruct you on how to use it).

[avkid]

Originally Posted by techieman33

we usually just use a marker, and label everything as we cut it. And then try to keep everything in seperate folders according to color.

Exactly the same thing we do!!
If things are not organized I go insane,I spent 4 hours last week cleaning up the booths, spot towers and bridge!

[bdesmond]

Magic Marker or a grease pencil right on the gel with the manufacturer & #. If It's not labeled and I don't recognize the color it goes to the trash bin. If it's labeled it just goes on top of the sheets for the color in that drawer/tray.

[avkid]

First letter of the manufacturers name and then the reference number, then each go into the corresponding folder or I go nuts.

[ship]

Should be able to tell to an extent even if color blind given time and any source of lighting once you note the perspective brand. Definate difference in type between Rosco, Roscolene and Lee. Others are perhaps a little less easy to tell but based upon what’s marked you should be able to rule out some brands.

At some point, your effort even if not paid is not worth your effort. What better things can you be doing with your time in instead just taking a photo of un-marked gel about to go to the trash and sending it to all people involved in cutting gel a statement as to both labeling and how much money those that did not just wasted. Money being the key it might have an effect on those that wonder where it all goes. Otherwise posting your picture on the wall of the gel area where those that cut without marking and having some message written over the photo might have a 10% chance of saving at least a little more money.

In Peter’s mentioning the science department - extra credit for the studentnts in it doing the work for you?

For all of you that go nutz, imagine what it’s like for the color blind in having to spend those extra few moments in looking at the gel to ensure they are the same.

But most important, have you found any poka dot gel? I know of about three sheets in existence. Wondering why or what it would do is of adiquet question as to sheets not used and having moisture problems, or some intent on the side of the manufaturer.

[MSwan]

A couple of ramdom tricks for identifing mystery gel. The first is start with colors you have folders for the color is most likely one of them, the scond trick is to feel (yes I said feel) the mystery gel and a cut from each potential file as the different colors tend to have different feels to them. That will at least narrow the search to a few possobilities. I will say the first thing I do with a batch of mystery gel is sort in into color families and if I find there is only one or two cuts in one family I toss them. I also make sure there grease pencils by the gel cabinet and put a colorful note to mark all color when cut.

[dangerouswhenbored]

I'm all about labeling gels as you cut them: Abbreviated manufacturer, and reference number. So a Roscolux Bastard Amber gel (the one I see most lying around) would have a RO 02 in the corner.
In a perfect world, all our gels would be stored in the seperate folders we created for them, in our portable filing box. However, since we're messy and lazy, this doesn't happen so often. So our catwalks, spot area, backstage area, and booth are all littered with random gels. Occasionally I get a mind to putting them away, and it's very nice to have them labeled.
When I find an unlabeled gel (which happens every now and then), I keep swatchbooks in the gel box so I can identify it easily. Most of our gels are Rosco, so I check that book first. It's nice to have the numbers you use most memorized, so you don't have to go flipping through the book.