Best way to transport instruments while saving space?

[rm2011]

Hey everyone,

I am a student at a local college and we are trying to determine the best way to transport our lighting to and from storage area(s) BUT we do not have anywhere to store these (meat racks?, carts?). I was at first thinking of a meat rack that is only a single pipe wide which we would be able to find storage for - but as I read in previous posts, this would not be very sturdy. So now all I can think of is something that would be easy to disassemble and store. Does anyone else have any suggestions for this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Footer]

How do the lights store when they are in the storage area?

 

[rm2011]

How do the lights store when they are in the storage area?

In the electrics area, they are stored on pipes secured to a frame with flanges. Same basic idea in the "boneyard" downstairs but on a larger scale. The boneyard is the area downstairs where you can adjust the tension blocks so there is not any (extra) storage space.

 

[MPowers]

Just thoughts
1. Can the l"Frames with flanges" be replaced with rolling carts that fit in the same space?
2. Rolling cart/meatrack, all 1 1/2" pipe = Ends welded to a rectangle with stem casters. Cross braces and hanging pipes Kee Klamp in place?

 

[rm2011]

Thanks for the suggestion! Unfortunately, the electrics area is up a set of stairs and there really isn't anything we can do to change that. It would be nearly impossible to get a rolling cart up the stairs.

Are you suggesting that you think a meat rack only 1 pipe wide would be sufficient provided it had the proper bracing? I'm having a hard time picturing this. I think the kee klamps are a great idea.

Just to throw another complication out there- welding would not be an easy task for us to accomplish as we don't have the proper equipment and we are required to notify the fire department every time we weld.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[FTKD]

Depending on how far you're going, you can use a standard wardrobe Z rack. I know it sounds quite sketchy and if you're going outside a building will not be suitable. I've used them to move 5 or 6 units at time to some of the remote areas in my building. When it comes to actual meat racks--mine are made of wood. You could build some single wide, upside down "T" shaped frames out of wood and use some loose pin hinges to attach the cross bracing. That would allow you to break them down for easier storage.

 

[derekleffew]

One can fit quite a few lights in a hampster:


or even


Put a packing blanket between each layer if you're worried about scratching them.

...The boneyard is the area downstairs where you can adjust the tension blocks so there is not any (extra) storage space.

You mean arbor pit ?
.

 

[rm2011]

One can fit quite a few lights in a hampster:
View attachment 8046

or even
View attachment 8047

Put a packing blanket between each layer if you're worried about scratching them.

You mean arbor pit ?
.

Well yes it technically is the arbor pit, but since we keep all our older, not often used instruments down there, we call it the boneyard.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[MPowers]

...... Unfortunately, the electrics area is up a set of stairs ....... a meat rack only 1 pipe wide w..........I think the kee klamps are a great idea.......welding would not be an easy task ........we don't have the proper equipment.........

Mmmmm! Sorry about the stairs, can't help with that!

ActuallyI was thinking about two pipes wide, two pipes high. Think about a solid rectangle about 5' to 6' high, any length but 6' would be OK and about 24" wide. All the rectangle edges are a pipe and about half way down the long sides are the second pipe. add bracing as needed after trial set up.

If welding won't work for you, make all joints Kee Klamp, just don't take the end sections apart when you break it down for storage. Storage would be two end frames, each a flat rectangle about 24"x60" with wheels on one end, and then 4 or 6 loose pipes about 6' long.

Another possibility I have seen used in theatres with little or no storage, is to hang un-used instruments vertically, pointed straight up, above borders or teasers. They never have to leave the stage, cutting way down on transport time.

 

[chausman]

Do your electrics have one or two pipes? Ours has two. One Attached to the lift lines, and the other is about 3.5' lower, hanging from the raceway. The original drawings for our space show the upper pipe being used for storage, instead of our too small (piano) storage room. That may be an option.

 

[tyler.martin]

Do your electrics have one or two pipes? Ours has two. One Attached to the lift lines, and the other is about 3.5' lower, hanging from the raceway. The original drawings for our space show the upper pipe being used for storage, instead of our too small (piano) storage room. That may be an option.

Or just on an empty pipe at the grid? My last venue had some removable 2x3ft floor boards for storage. My current venue I have a 12 ft long pipe hung through 2 shiv's down to a hand winch below our loading rail

 

[MPowers]

View attachment ETC Connector_Strips_Brackets.pdf

Do your electrics have one or two pipes? Ours has two. One Attached to the lift lines, and the other is about 3.5' lower, hanging from the raceway. .....

Do you mean the Electrics are actually supporting the lower pipe and the weight of the lights? I hope not! You probably have (I hope) a double bracket that supports both pipes and the raceway in the middle. Hopefully, what you actually have is one of the various brackets shown, type 22 through 26.

 

[StNic54]

We use instrument trunks that are tall enough for a leko (double stack the pars), and has dividers inside that can be removed, but a total of 15 slots. These are made specifically for trucking, and they have wheel wells for stacking/storage. While meat racks are handy, they can be cumbersome even when empty. A good instrument trunk can be repurposed for other uses if the lights are hung/stored for a duration. We typically can put a smaller amount of lights in the trunk, and remove the dividers for cable, other cases, etc, even boom bases. Just a thought.

 

[chausman]

View attachment 8050

Do you mean the Electrics are actually supporting the lower pipe and the weight of the lights? I hope not! You probably have (I hope) a double bracket that supports both pipes and the raceway in the middle. Hopefully, what you actually have is one of the various brackets shown, type 22 through 26.

Type 24 I believe. That looks closest (if not identical) to ours. I can see how my post could be taken to mean the raceway was supporting the lower pipe.