Automated Fixtures Lens protector

[metti]

So I have been using moving lights a fair amount lately and frequently I have high school students handling them. Given the price of these fixtures and the inexperienced nature of high school techies I wanted to find a way to protect the lenses from a wrench that get dropped and swings like a pendulum on it's leash right into the lens or any of the other horrible things I could imagine happening. In the end, I found an older winter hat that I don't wear anymore and stretched it over the front of the fixtures body (see photo). These stay on in the road case and we don't remove them until the fixture is hung in it's final resting place. I just ordered a whole bunch of similar hats on line to equip all my lights with one. The only problem is that this only works on my 700w and less fixtures b/c larger fixtures are too big and the hat won't fit. Does anybody have suggestions for an alternative that would be suitable for a larger light (1200w and up). BTW please feel free to use this and I encourage everybody to get creative with their hat choices (polkadots with your company's logo stiched on?).

 

[VeeDubTDI]

So wait... a winter hat is going to protect the lens from the impact of a swinging wrench?

 

[Clifford]

Hey, CP's need to accessorize too.

 

[LightingPenguin]

Here's a good incentive to keep the kids from breaking the movers:


"If you break this, it gets added onto your tuition. Have fun explaining to your parents why your tuition just suddenly "jumped" up a few grand"

 

[metti]

Actually it does work. I put the hat over the front of an old 6x12 and took a hammer to damage the lens. Even if I took the wrench in my hand and smacked the lens through the hat it didn't break. Unfortunately, I'm frequently at public schools so the tuition thing doesn't work.

 

[metti]

Btw: the light are insured against damage so it's not like I have to pay to fix damage that said, I would still like to avoid filing an insurance claim and sending them in for a new lens.

 

[LightingPenguin]

Even if I took the wrench in my hand and smacked the lens through the hat it didn't break.

Sounds like you've tested this theory?

 

[metti]

Sounds like you've tested this theory?

Yeah. I tested it but with a really old 6x12 that is broken in a million other ways not on a $5K dollar mover. It is possible that Altman makes much stronger lenses than Clay Paky which could mean that this hat doesn't make any difference but I'm guessing that's not the case.

 

[Clifford]

I don't care what a hat has been tested on. On your movers it's still an unknown. I certainly wouldn't leave it up to a piece of thin elastic cloth to protect the lens.

 

[icewolf08]

There is a big difference between the big honking soda glass lenses and the real precision lenses used in modern fixtures. While the lens in a modern mover may not be photographic quality, they are much more fragile than old 6x12 lenses.

I suppose the real question is, how necessary is it to have some kind of protector like your hat? Think about how many movers get packed and un-packed every day. Loaded in and out of venues all over the world. Unless you have a real problem where people can't hold on to their tools then I doubt that you will really have any issues. Also consider that fixtures from reputable manufacturers are designed to take some abuse.

Will a knit cap really protect the fixture? Not in a huge way. It may protect the lens from minor scratches, but it won't stop the lens from getting knocked out of alignment. You are also introducing the fixture to added lint and dust when really you only want lint free cloths and such to come in contact with the lenses.

Also, what happens when you forget to remove one of the covers? Inevitably, someone will strike the fixtures, open the shutters, wonder why there is no light, and by the time they walk up on stage to take a look you will have a burning hat falling form the grid. Not the best of ideas.

However, if you really think that it is worth the time and money to do this, then the answer to your question about what to do for larger fixtures is: Learn to knit (or crochet)!

 

[metti]

There is a big difference between the big honking soda glass lenses and the real precision lenses used in modern fixtures. While the lens in a modern mover may not be photographic quality, they are much more fragile than old 6x12 lenses.

I suppose the real question is, how necessary is it to have some kind of protector like your hat? Think about how many movers get packed and un-packed every day. Loaded in and out of venues all over the world. Unless you have a real problem where people can't hold on to their tools then I doubt that you will really have any issues. Also consider that fixtures from reputable manufacturers are designed to take some abuse.

Will a knit cap really protect the fixture? Not in a huge way. It may protect the lens from minor scratches, but it won't stop the lens from getting knocked out of alignment. You are also introducing the fixture to added lint and dust when really you only want lint free cloths and such to come in contact with the lenses.

Also, what happens when you forget to remove one of the covers? Inevitably, someone will strike the fixtures, open the shutters, wonder why there is no light, and by the time they walk up on stage to take a look you will have a burning hat falling form the grid. Not the best of ideas.

However, if you really think that it is worth the time and money to do this, then the answer to your question about what to do for larger fixtures is: Learn to knit (or crochet)!

Your point about the lint/dust is both extremely valid and one that had not occured to me.

 

[shiben]

I figure that at worst you made your fixtures festive. If you make them all fun and polkadoted, i doubt many will be missed. I doubt they are needed, but at the very worst they are fun. Although you might need to clean the lenses, so that might introduce alignment issues... I will differ to someone with more experience on that, but it looks interesting.

 

[metti]

They do look pretty cute almost like funny little people of they are pointing up.

 

[epimetheus]

Somebody ought to set up a photo of an intelligent army of movers wearing hats...

 

[Kelite]

I think any protection is better than no protection, but that's me. If it saves one lens out of 10 hit with a dropped wrench, it's worth it in $ and time.

(They do look kinda cute when dressed for cold weather though)