Conventional Fixtures Strong Trouper Followspot
- Thread starterHughesie
- Start date
JD
Well-Known Member
Not sure of the math, but I agree
"I have a lovely scar on my left shoulder from leaning forward looking for my target at an outdoor theatre, and hitting the viewing window glass.... ouch. I both loved and hated those machines."
Here is a trick that works for me at about 60' in the hang building on a white wall. I step out in front of the spot by about 20' and pull out my cell phone camera. I direct the bench focus of the spot by way of hand signals on what I'm seeing on the cell phone camera. Don't know if this option is possible on-stage and outside, but might be worth a try to have someone on-stage giving focus directions by way of cell phone camera to the spot op. Would be really nice to have a drop or tarp even if temporary hung upstage for bench focus. Been there many times outside during the day trying to bench a spot.
Good news on a 20+ year old Gladiator today. Its dowser had a crack in it. Saw the crack developing last year but was not bad enough to see light thru it. This year, yea, it was worse. Question of replace or take it to the welding department and see if they could weld up the crack on the stainless steel. They were able to weld up the crack, than refine the added material to the area sufficient that - yes there is a repair in the blade in being slightly thicker in the area now, but no warping and its polished smooth. The client will be happy with this - even if it lasts a year, its money saved. TBA next year how well the weld holds up given a PTFE coating on it.
Overall the inside a theater spots we worked on today were in really good condition a year since the last service call. Everything we did last year worked well in complete tear down and re-surfacing otherwise. Hope its the same with the other 14 Glads and Super Troupers worked on last year for outdoor venues. Normally it's a three hour total re-surfacing of the gate assembly - iris/chopper/douser in re-surfacing. Hopefully the last two years of working on the spots has gotten all of them under control for deteriation. Thorough yearly service calls on the client gear I hope is going to prove cheaper now that we are in the long run for maintaining their gear. Past two years have been expensive - but the gear hadn't been taken care of well. Juse wish my department had time to service our own gear as well.
Here is a trick that works for me at about 60' in the hang building on a white wall. I step out in front of the spot by about 20' and pull out my cell phone camera. I direct the bench focus of the spot by way of hand signals on what I'm seeing on the cell phone camera. Don't know if this option is possible on-stage and outside, but might be worth a try to have someone on-stage giving focus directions by way of cell phone camera to the spot op. Would be really nice to have a drop or tarp even if temporary hung upstage for bench focus. Been there many times outside during the day trying to bench a spot.
Good news on a 20+ year old Gladiator today. Its dowser had a crack in it. Saw the crack developing last year but was not bad enough to see light thru it. This year, yea, it was worse. Question of replace or take it to the welding department and see if they could weld up the crack on the stainless steel. They were able to weld up the crack, than refine the added material to the area sufficient that - yes there is a repair in the blade in being slightly thicker in the area now, but no warping and its polished smooth. The client will be happy with this - even if it lasts a year, its money saved. TBA next year how well the weld holds up given a PTFE coating on it.
Overall the inside a theater spots we worked on today were in really good condition a year since the last service call. Everything we did last year worked well in complete tear down and re-surfacing otherwise. Hope its the same with the other 14 Glads and Super Troupers worked on last year for outdoor venues. Normally it's a three hour total re-surfacing of the gate assembly - iris/chopper/douser in re-surfacing. Hopefully the last two years of working on the spots has gotten all of them under control for deteriation. Thorough yearly service calls on the client gear I hope is going to prove cheaper now that we are in the long run for maintaining their gear. Past two years have been expensive - but the gear hadn't been taken care of well. Juse wish my department had time to service our own gear as well.
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