Touring Electrician's Small Tool Kit

BLPisani

Member
This autumn I'm going on tour for the first time with Chamber Theatre Productions out of Boston. I've never really been on tour before, and I've only worked a very few incoming tours before. What I'm looking for is advice on a tool kit for touring the rather small shows this company does. From what I understand, they're using conventional incandescent lights with Leprecon dimmer packs and ETC Express(-ion) consoles. I haven't seen the gear or heard anything else about it, really, than that. (Something about ultimate trees, too...)

What I've come up with so far from both an article in the Spring issue of Protocol and what I know I generally need/want is this:

(Bare essentials from Protocol)
Flashlight (head lamp)
Multitool
Safety glasses
Sharpie marker
Voltage detector (pen type)
Small Philips screw driver
Small flathead screw driver
Ultimate Ratcheting Tool w/ sockets
Electrical tape
Cable ties
--------------------------------------
(My own additions)
Friction tape
Gaff tape
#2 Philips
"Normal" Flathead
Multimeter
Wire tool (stripper, crimper, cutter)
Belt pouch/carrier for most of this stuff

Any suggestions for other personal tools I may want/need?
 
True RMS ammeter. (Clamp style)
With multimeter functions would eliminate need for multimeter.
 
The rig they use comes out of high output. They tie in a 80 amp distro (2 hots, neutral, ground). Off of that they run an L14-20 (I think) run to each "position". From there, they do a quad box that breakout out the two circuits. They use leprecon shoebox dimmers connected to that. DMX runs all over the place to tie all of this crap together. Console is usually an express 125. I have asked for years why they don't get an ETC 24 channel rack and just run socapex but everyone just looks at me weird when I ask that....

Have tools to repair twist connectors. I don't think they have a single stagepin in their inventory. Making looms for this group is nearly impossible because they move the position of a lot of stuff every day. I would probably make sure you have the tools to do a bare wire tie in. I would not worry much about the tool belt thing, just have your wrench and you will be fine. They will send you with plenty of spares... and you most likely won't have the time in the venue to repair anything anyway.

A good flashlight and headlamp will be essential. It is not uncommon for them to have the lighting person finish focus after house has opened. Be sure to invest in good gloves, most of their stuff is old and is rather rusty. Back braces are pretty common with a lot of their people. Good steel toed shoes as well (did I mention their set is freakishly heavy and tends to fall over during load in?).

Try to keep a good attitude. This is one of those hard core straight out of college horror stories of a tour that we all hear about. Take it in stride. Roll with the day. Use this as the jumping off point for your career.
 
Alright, thanks. As for the meter, JD, I have a Klein Tools meter with True RMS and a Cat III rating. (I think. I'd have to go look at it.)

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Suggestion- Get rid of the various screwdrivers and instead get a 4-in-one "McGyver Driver", which is one of those that has 2 flat heads (large/small) and two Philips heads (large/small) that you can swap out.
Also- a metallic or white "paint pen" for writing on black gaff tape or friction tape.
Piece of Chalk (for marking a pipe)
Crescent Wrench? How can that be missing!? :)

Also- a lanyard of some sort to allow you to "tie off" and secure your tools overhead as you work with them.
 
Suggestion- Get rid of the various screwdrivers and instead get a 4-in-one "McGyver Driver", which is one of those that has 2 flat heads (large/small) and two Philips heads (large/small) that you can swap out.
Also- a metallic or white "paint pen" for writing on black gaff tape or friction tape.
Piece of Chalk (for marking a pipe)
Crescent Wrench? How can that be missing!? :)

Also- a lanyard of some sort to allow you to "tie off" and secure your tools overhead as you work with them.

The Ultimate Ratcheting Tool tends to take the place of a C-wrench, but I do intend to have that, too.

Ah, yes, the Silver Sharpies. I'll have to add those, as well as the chalk.

There won't be much if any overhead, and I have tieline lanyards already on my crescent and URT.

Thanks for the suggestions!

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I am a big fan of this set. Amazon.com: SKIL 009-101-SKL 59-Piece T-Handle: Home Improvement It has enough bits in it to cover all those odd ball screws that can be found on gear that has been pieced together and the shaft extends to get into hard to reach places.

I would add to the list a knife and a couple 100' soft tapes.

That is a nice T-handle set. I'm trying to limit my weight and space, though, as I'm going by train from NC to Boston to start with, and then sharing a van and box truck with seven other people and their baggage. If this were the kind of tour I could haul a Pelican rolling case along with me, I would drop the cash for that quickly.

The multitool has a knife blade in it, and I usually carry a pocket knife with me otherwise. (The joys of growing up in a redneck culture.) I'm really hoping that the company will have the soft tapes. If not, I will do my damnedest to talk them into it. I do not want the cost or responsibility of having my own soft tapes on a small tour like this.

Thanks for the suggestions.

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That is a nice T-handle set. I'm trying to limit my weight and space, though, as I'm going by train from NC to Boston to start with, and then sharing a van and box truck with seven other people and their baggage. If this were the kind of tour I could haul a Pelican rolling case along with me, I would drop the cash for that quickly.

The multitool has a knife blade in it, and I usually carry a pocket knife with me otherwise. (The joys of growing up in a redneck culture.) I'm really hoping that the company will have the soft tapes. If not, I will do my damnedest to talk them into it. I do not want the cost or responsibility of having my own soft tapes on a small tour like this.

Thanks for the suggestions.

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You won't be trimming anything or really measuring anything. Besides FOH, everything is ground supported booms and ultimate stands. Nothing goes to house pipes.
 
If this is an established company (I've never heard of them, but Footer makes them seem like they are) then I'd ask them what they expect you to bring and take just that and not much else. I would expect the touring company to provide things like hand tools and metering equipment. I carried a lot of crap around with me when I was on tour but all that I bought with my money was:
  • Flashlight
  • Head Lamp
  • Multi-Tool
  • Good Pocket Knife
After that if I needed anything I got the company to buy it since even after I left whoever took over for me would still need that equipment. Most tours I would add a C-wrench to that list, but I didn't need it for my tours (yay for mega claws). Also I'll reemphasize pack a flashlight and a head lamp. After a while working with a flashlight in your mouth gets really old. Even with a C-wrench and a tether you can have that whole list for $100.

Like I told another CB member when asked what to bring on tour. It's your first tour, you're going to bring too much stuff. Not only that once you get to tour you're going to realize that half the stuff you did bring you'll never use and you have to go out and buy more stuff anyway. So think about what you absolutely can't live without and bring that. When you get a month in and know what you're doing you can buy whatever you need, or if you have nice people at home they can send you whatever you wish you'd have brought with you in the first place. For most people I know it's about minimization. sure you could pack 2 50lbs. suit cases to the brim with everything you think you might need and then you'll be prepared, but at 4:30 in the morning when you're hauling all that crap down the sidewalk you're not going to feel well prepared you're going to be mad that you have all of this crap you never use.
 
Chamber's been around for 30 or so years. They do educational tours to schools and such, so they don't get much notice from folks used to regional or professional theater. Brandon, you'll have a few days with the company before they head out to figure out what they're providing, and what you should bring as back up. Expendables such as tape, generally speaking, come from the production company, not the personnel. Since you may end up driving the truck for a spell, I'd suggest a tool bag rather than a tool pouch or backpack -- something you won't end up sitting on for a hundred miles. Speaking of: One of the best 'tools' I ever brought along for touring was a pillow. Makes sitting down at a tech table after twelve-hours on the bench seat of the truck much more enjoyable.
 
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I've done Chamber at least 30 times over the years, so some thoughts:

- The electrician has a large road/work box, so whatever personal tools you need can travel in that. The box has perishables, lamps, gel, whatever.

- The power distro is a small Lex Products box - 100 amps ?, 2 pole + neutral + ground, CamLok feeds. You get a 10ft and 50ft cam cable set plus tails. The PD feeds the twist and edison receptacles and cabling. All twist is 4 wire - hot/hot/neutral & ground. They run out to the assorted deck gear.

- Console has typically been an Express that lives just off-stage, 1-2 wing, either L or R depending on where the company switch is located. There's a DMX opto-splitter for all DMX to deck gear. All company gear is on universe 2, FOH is on universe 1. Console controls 10 FOH units, 2 ea. for DL, DC, DR and UC (platform), plus 1 ea,. for special 5 (DR and special 6 (Platform). All these are in cues as well as on subs. There's a set of cues to run the deck focus, which the show LD does. The SM does FOH focus, so house crew runs console while you shout "GO", from whatever position you are at, all while the SM does FOH on subs.

- Lighting is 2 50lbs bases, DL & DR on apron, with 12ft'ish booms, all side-arms live on the booms, ea. boom gets 8 - 10 units, mostly PAR56 and 3.5" Altman ellipsoidals, plus 2 S4's as shins w/ gobos/ DR boom has an Altman UV fresnel with a DMX dowser, so needs power and DATA. Then there are 2 Ultimate stands (can't recall units numbers - they are PAR56's), plus an UC deck EconoCyc set, with 2 colors, plus some deck effect stuff. Ea. position gets either a twist cable or edison, plus the Leprecon packs, plus DMX. All cable runs are back to the Lex distro and the Opto.

- Some of the versions have a rear screen built into the upper set wall, plus a video projector on a boom/stand UC, with video cable to a laptop that sits next to the Express and that you run. Not all CT's have this video.

- You get a headset provided by the house (at my venue), at the console to talk to your SM, who is out near the sound desk. In my venue, I patch my house lights, curtain warmers and work lights to spare channels and subs on your desk. You run all, though that may be different at assorted venues.

- Masking is (at our venue which I think is typical)- house main, any and all black legs/borders required to mask, plus white cyc.

- The truck has all gear, plus 2 drivers (You and the SM ?), then a 15 passenger van with the cast. The cast does the load-in and out, as well as setting up all gear, with the assistance of the 6 house crew the show calls for.

- Load in takes 1:15 at our venue, so you're done at 9:15 for a 10:30 show. 2 hr. show, out is an hour.

It's a good kid show, technically well done, and the show crew have always been a good group, that we always look forward to, even it's the same show every time - Frogs of some County, Pit and the Pendulum, and other assorted American classics that I never read but was supposed to, 50 years ago.

You might well be at Brooklyn College, typically in December or so, so see you then.

Steve Bailey
 
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Has follow up, had Brandon in with Chamber at my space today and I can say that both he and the SM - Liz were the best of the Chamber crew's we've ever had.

It was a totally painless day, even with the snow storm just getting going when the load-in started.

@ Brandon, thanks for reminding me about this CB thread, it made it feel like I was working with an old friend and as always a treat to put a face to a CB name.

Steve B.
 
I had Chamber in as well today... tis the season I guess. We had the show in with those damn doors. Show happened... and did a flip into the Governors setup so they unfortunately got rushed out a bit.
 
I had Chamber in as well today... tis the season I guess. We had the show in with those damn doors. Show happened... and did a flip into the Governors setup so they unfortunately got rushed out a bit.

They must have a third group out as well, as one of the shows has the rear projector in place of the the doors
 
@SteveB You guys were fantastic. Certainly among my favorite crews.

I'm on "E3" (Encore! tour 3). Almost all the crews have been wonderful. I really appreciate when we go into a space and it's been at least one person who's done this show before. It makes things go so much smoother, and I can say, "Well, however you normally do it is fine." I've really appreciated all the help and local support I've gotten along the road.

Cheers to all.

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