DIY Audience Blinders

Andy Haefner

Active Member
I'm planning to build some homemade audience binders, planning 10, 12v 50W MR16 narrow flood bulbs in each fixture, wired in series to total up 120v to be controlled by a dimmer outside of the unit. My only question is what I should construct the housing of the fixture out of? I was thinking wood would be cheapest but my only concern with that route is possible dangers of heat... Here are the bulbs in planning on using, https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/1302/MR16-1393.html
Is wood a safe material for the housing?
 
The short answer is NO, wood is not a safe material to make a light fixture out of.
The long answer is that it while it is sad the days of making home brew light fixtures are about 40 years in the past. The insurance and code compliance issues with a properly home built fixture are significant, let alone one built from a combustible material. I would be shocked if you could get the fire marshal or the insurance company to OK the use of a fixture like this in any assembly occupancy.
 
The short answer is NO, wood is not a safe material to make a light fixture out of.
The long answer is that it while it is sad the days of making home brew light fixtures are about 40 years in the past. The insurance and code compliance issues with a properly home built fixture are significant, let alone one built from a combustible material. I would be shocked if you could get the fire marshal or the insurance company to OK the use of a fixture like this in any assembly occupancy.
@Dover and @Andy Haefner How would you both feel about MR16 short or long nose birdies to hold the MR16's and the birdies' mounting yokes could be bolted to schedule 40 iron pipe with five yoked up and five yoked down and all ten tilted within their yokes to face forward: Two pipes, 20 birdies, done deal.
As long as I enclosed my connections within an approved enclosure I'd have no problem getting this approved here on my side of Donald's walls.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Wood not a safe or legal material for for a lamp fixture? I suppose neither are the paper shades we use on table lamps huh? I guess we're all in trouble if we've ever used a table lamp on stage. ;-)

all kidding aside,

Like everything it depends... if you were simply mounting a lamp in a lamp holder, and mounting said lamp holder under a cabinet on a set, that would be 'legal'. why wouldn't it be legal to mount that same said lamp holder sideways, in an open box?

Considering you aren't technically building a fixture, but combining multiple prefabbed fixtures, I have a hard time understanding where the issue would be, unless it was wired unsafely.

I have personally done what you're talking about. Instead we used a-19 ceramic lamp holders with 5 (i believe) 90 watt par38 flood lamps, wired for stage-pin, enclosed in a custom wooded trough made of 1/2" ply, painted black. We have since retired them, but we used them for about 3 years with no issues.

If heat is a big concern check the MSDS for the wood you are considering buying. On average I have found that for my uses they read:
Auto-ignition Temperature: Variable [(typically 400-500°F (204-260°C)]

And use high heat paint if you so desire.

Do you're research, show that you're not being negligent and I don't think you'll have any issues with the fire marshal. And if it's necessary, you can always call the fire marshal and ask.

That has been my experience. If this is wrong advice or not on par with Control Booth standards feel free to correct me or remove this post.
 
If you put junction boxes in a row with keyless porcelain sockets and decent wiring - flex or conduit or even SO with two screw clamps - and mounted that on wood - I don't have a problem. The wiring would stand alone as OK and could be mounted on any wall or ceiling or surface. If you just screwed keyless porcelain sockets to wood and wired then together with zip cord or plain THHN, I would object.

In the case of the original poster, I'm curious as to the sockets - source and more importantly mounting. NOT ok to just screw those to wood and run wiring exposed IMHO. Not sure there are standard plates and such that they can be attached to. A piece of cutter and carefully drilling - two mounting holes and a hole for the socket for each lamp - could work. Sockets: https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/5...Mv_i7wZwstyaVsBT06nhH5J2orSL92HsaAiY3EALw_wcB
 
If they're to be use long term, the expense of an approved metal electrical box might be justified. They come in a variety of sizes, with or with out knockouts and removable covers and such. Raceway would be an option to achieve a linear form as well. If they're for a one-off show, just do the birdies and call it a day. There are also existing blinder fixtures that might be cheaper and more reliable to rent than to build. Some Chinese knockoffs are even available online, but buyer beware.

I'm more concerned by the electrical connections necessary to wire 10 12v lamps in series to make a mega 120v fixture. Or are you scrapping that idea when switching over to birdies? if you're stuck on that, make sure those connections are properly enclosed.
 

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