wireless mic storage

[norwintd]

I was wondering what everyone uses to store their beltpacks, mics, mic belts,batteries, tape etc...
I am looking at building/buying something that I can store everything as well as be able to roll it back stage to be used during shows for my sound guys to keep things organized. roughly 16 mics

pics are great especially if anyone has any pics of touring setups.

thanks
-t

 

[mbenonis]

I too would be interested in a storage system, both for beltpacks and mic elements. We're getting new mics soon and I'd like to have a nice way to store them.

 

[avkid]

Is money an issue?
If not:
http://www.audiopile.net/products/Cases/DR002H_toolcase/DR002H_cutsheet.asp

 

[Eboy87]

I suggest you get something that locks. We have two homebrew work trunks, one for tools and one for mics. The mic one doesn't lock, and things have walked off.

Also, remember to take the batteries out of the wireless before storing them, had someone not do that once, it wasn't pretty.

 

[mnfreelancer]

In my highschool we had the receivers racked up in two places. The new ones that came with the new system were securely racked up in a locked rack in the locked booth. The old ones from the old building were racked up in a little 1/4 height rolling road case that we set stage left. When it wasn't in use we rolled it into the stage right storage room and locked it up. The belt packs, handhelds and batteries were stored in one drawer of our "mic case" which was a locking roll-away tool box made by Craftsman. The other drawers held all of the wired mics and clips. I think the whole tool box was less than $400 and had a decent lock (internal, not bar type). This kept handily stolen mics from walking away.

 

[BillESC]

Get a Sears Mechanics rolling tool chest. They feature different size drawers and are lockable. Also cheap.

 

[Andy_Leviss]

Typical Broadway/touring solution comes in two styles, often used together on the same show for different purposes (travelling, and distributing), but sometimes used exclusively.

Method one is the shoe organizer, those things you attach to a closet door with pockets for shoes. Generally people prefer cotton ones, since they air out better, but I've had okay luck with clear ones, too, since they're pretty wide open, and the elements are on top anyway. But cotton's probably safer.

You can take a mic stand with a boom, center the boom in its clamp, and put it at right angles to the stand's upright. Then it's easy to attach the organizer to the mic stand and you've got a convenient way to make it freestanding, and it's not too awful to move around. You can surely find some sort of rolling stand to attach it to, too, if you prefer.

The other option is to get one of those open-topped rubber caddies with a handle in the center, fill it up with foam, and then make cutouts for the transmitters. Easy to carry around, and if you find a caddy with drawers in the bottom for wig clips, spare elements, etc, you're really ready to roll.

I'm pretty sure Kai Harada has pics of at least the caddy, and possibly a shoe organizer, too, on his website. I think they're in the "arts and crafts" section.

--A

 

[howlingwolf487]

Make sure you buy some of those desiccant bags to help with moisture control and let's not forget plain, ol' condoms are always good for protecting bodypacks, too.

 

[avkid]

Make sure you buy some of those desiccant bags to help with moisture control

Yep, silica gel is cheap insurance.
I get mine here:
http://silicagelpackets.com/

 

[Schniapereli]

We use a numbered shoe organizer backstage in the wings where the actors exit before they go out and meet & greet people. They but in their transmitters, and belts, and they leave their lav hanging straight down. I go through them each night and remove the transmitters and put them in a secret box inside a locked room. I have seen the same shoe organizer thing at many community, professional, and touring theatre groups.

I don't like dealing with the mic belts, so I have them leave them in the shoe organizer, or I let actors keep them with their costume as long as they promise to return them. (Or I hunt them down with our 16" candlestick of discipline)

I have done the silica gel sometimes, and sometimes not. I talked to a college tech who told me some guys are real strict about it, some don't think much about it, but it doesn't hurt to do it anyways.

 

[Andy_Leviss]

I don't like dealing with the mic belts, so I have them leave them in the shoe organizer, or I let actors keep them with their costume as long as they promise to return them. (Or I hunt them down with our 16" candlestick of discipline)

Yup, those get held onto by the actors, and in the NYC/touring world, they get put in the actor's ditty bag with socks and other small costume items to get washed periodically. Also, in the professional world, belts are usually (although not always) supplied by the wardrobe department, who also are generally obliging about sewing pouches into costume pieces when necessary, or even into wigs when needed. The first lesson I learned when I started A2ing was that the wardrobe folks are your best friends, so make nice with them the first day!

 

[airkarol]

Get a few hard cases with a hole for a padlock, filled with foam. Make cutouts for the microphones, store them in there. Take one of those pouches that come with a lot of the microphones, and store the lavs in there.