All right I was asked to post a few pics of some spots that called to me and then followed me home for 500 miles. I was told when buying them There were 64 Strand Fresnalite 6". Turned out after the sale i went to pick them up and it was closer to 45 Fresnalite and 15 8" Century/ Major older spots. And I was fine with that. Other then just showing a few pics what to do with old lights other then sell them.? Use them form my grand kids birthday party? Return the favor of when my neighbors son shines his 1 blub cree flashlight at my building at night from his window? Light up the 2 firetrucks sitting in the drivway. What creative Ideas do you guys have for me . This is just a fun post I will not use my new found lights for evil.
Conventional Fixtures What to do with 64 Stage/Spot lights that find you
- Thread starterGregmm
- Start date
What was the original intent of the 6" Fresnels? That's a lot of them to buy - enough to do a lot, so is 45. 15 older... A Fresnel is a Fresnel old or new for all intensive purposes. Only differences in your case is possibly something more useful. The 8" Fresnel, while larger wattage lamp than expected will cover more area or be better for a longer throw. You seem to have a better balance for Fresnel overall usage for what your purpose was in getting 65x for that.
Condition on not just the older fixtures is to be paid attention to... the newer lights could be just as dangerous to "plug in" without service, safety, inspection for each newer 6" Fresnel as with the 8". Lots of notes on the forum on what to inspect or do on this forum in the past with Fresnels.
I note the crank style 8" Fresnel - I have one in collection of your type and used many over the years. I like them, up until you need a cable tie to ensure they stay at your focus. That would be an indication of something wrong which once solved would make the light likable again.
65 fixtures or 45 of one type and 15 of another type is a big project to take on for inspection, cleaning, resurfacing and re-wiring as often needed. On the other hand, assembly line is very beneficial to noting problems or differences, as with speed in doing one part at a time. Do the 6" Fresnels first, from there you will learn what you need for the 8" in learning.
Me, I'm onto some 1980's 4Kw xenon searchlights, 1960's 6" Hub Fresnels, 1925 box spot, 1915 Kliegl fold out foot lights (modifying to modern LED foot light), and some quotes for LED neon ceiling cove tape and other things next week. This once I get off my knees in custom fitting audience step lights for each step in a medium sized under 1K audience sized theater - like two days to go in custom cuts each foot light stair step. Amongst other projects.
Interested in what project you were doing with the Fresnels. That is a lot of them.
Condition on not just the older fixtures is to be paid attention to... the newer lights could be just as dangerous to "plug in" without service, safety, inspection for each newer 6" Fresnel as with the 8". Lots of notes on the forum on what to inspect or do on this forum in the past with Fresnels.
I note the crank style 8" Fresnel - I have one in collection of your type and used many over the years. I like them, up until you need a cable tie to ensure they stay at your focus. That would be an indication of something wrong which once solved would make the light likable again.
65 fixtures or 45 of one type and 15 of another type is a big project to take on for inspection, cleaning, resurfacing and re-wiring as often needed. On the other hand, assembly line is very beneficial to noting problems or differences, as with speed in doing one part at a time. Do the 6" Fresnels first, from there you will learn what you need for the 8" in learning.
Me, I'm onto some 1980's 4Kw xenon searchlights, 1960's 6" Hub Fresnels, 1925 box spot, 1915 Kliegl fold out foot lights (modifying to modern LED foot light), and some quotes for LED neon ceiling cove tape and other things next week. This once I get off my knees in custom fitting audience step lights for each step in a medium sized under 1K audience sized theater - like two days to go in custom cuts each foot light stair step. Amongst other projects.
Interested in what project you were doing with the Fresnels. That is a lot of them.
Ship you are a busy man. The whole lot was a good deal. I had nothing in mind for the use. As for inspecting and repairing I do have some skill in doing that. Most look vary clean and in good condition over all, But still has the outside use looks. I will work on them when I have time . You ask what I would do with them Well I most likly will sell some on ebay to recope my investment and then cost them out to people or places that truly can use them. and then buy something else and do the same thing over. It was such a good deal I had to take them and I will use a few just for fun. I also have churches use some sound systems I have at times and I could offer a few lights also. Dont get me wrong I am a true capitalist 
> I buy and sell things for fun and profit but if i can help out along the way I will do that also. I will look on the site for tips and things to look out for on the lights, thanks for that tip. The previous owner took most the bulbs out so I will have to get some more. this was a good lot as I also got 4 xenon model 6100 power supplys at the same time. The things that find me never cease to amaze me..
> I buy and sell things for fun and profit but if i can help out along the way I will do that also. I will look on the site for tips and things to look out for on the lights, thanks for that tip. The previous owner took most the bulbs out so I will have to get some more. this was a good lot as I also got 4 xenon model 6100 power supplys at the same time. The things that find me never cease to amaze me..Knees, Shin's, forearms and +50 year old back! The hard plastic step edges are miserable even if carpeted between channels to kneel on. This even with the use of a foam pad over them. Learned a lot - especially not to pre-drill the corner caps, and supervise what I was told not to worry about, "you have enough to do, other people will be working on the stairs." About 3/4's of the steps were glued down and "wandered" once TapConed in, requiring a lot of custom in-place cutting of the wired and working step light channel and re-drilling holes.
In general, the scene shop carpenter provided to make the channel cuts made evey cut perfect, but between 1/16" and 3/16" too long. 3/8" tolerance to all step light corner blocks finishing them off.. no tolerance or slippage in mounting accounted for - perfect cuts. He even had a notebook to take down exact measurements for cutting. Sometimes the cuts worked ok or within tolerances, mostly every stair had to have it's moldind modified which thru now off pre-drilled screw mounting holes in concrete. A few channels bad enough in "moving" had to be chiseled out and re-installed and even re-cut. What's an inch difference between one side and the other side? Once or twice is a thing.... more than that ... your note book to write down dimensions was for what? Audience stair lighting is difficult the first time... next time... Can I pick the crew and supervise them?
Had to buy another Fein Multi-tool type plunge cutter given the amount of custom cutting in getting two people doing so for just under 500 steps to light. Luckily we had a second and third Bosh BullDog hammer drill. Project Manager didn't like having to buy a second Fein tool... (in addition to the one I own and happened to bring). Was un-happy with the install in general in what had been done so far, and amount of work it was going to take to make this work with quality install. "Well, if you or I had surpervised this better..." he handed me his AMX corporate card to buy what I needed.
Almost lost it today on the other scene shop carpenter today who in the end was helping me install the lights/channel/corner caps and channel covers he was to be just installing without truma. If you know me, I'm always good natured, pro, ready to teach, and inspiring on a jobsite, especially if boss, and even more so publicly if not - best leaders are the best fowlers... In working with the carpenter as team mate in getting all the lights installed, I constantly commented after slow speed on the hammer drill... "full speed" in dimming up. He never got the concept and always only stepped the speed of the drill up a little. "He is young," "He is a very careful carpenter." He doesn't listen to advice. Praise in public. "Thanks for getting that lower stair installed.
On the Fein Multi-Tool, ok I can see you are worried about cutting into wires so you pop channel caps you just installed so as to remove the wiring in this chance you might not control the tool well enough and nick a low voltage wire inside an insulated channel you are cutting into. Literally doing a hundred or more plunge cuts... best time to learn control of the tool if there was one. I have never done this before either. See the blade (me seeing it in reading glasses), hold the cable away from the sharp edge of the blade. Once the blade tip passes beyond the cable, it as a blade can vibrate the cable from it's sides without danger .... etc in learning how to not have to remove the cable in cutting the channel. Not ready for this concept.
Turn your speed up. Later turn your speed up (the volume of his multi-tool speed is hurting my ears in being the wrong speed as with the hammer drill speed both too slow.) Finally I have to say something as per a boss... but not on this project I'm now helping with in the only way to get it done. I just completed 30 stairs and did other things, he is onto his 10th stair at best. "What is your dimmer setting at? Milking the project for all it's woth speed?" .... "Oh' sorry I didn't realize it was set to #1" Really... you are a "carpenter" and don't realize you are cutting a bit slow with the tool after a few hundred cuts.... it is set to #1, given I pre-set your tool to about 3 or 4 in setting it up for you when I bought it? How do these things happen? And at no point did you realize... perhaps turning up the speed....? Had to walk away in not removing him.... this is going to take all day. What else can I walk away from him in doing?
Shop needed him and the other carpenter back and to leave at lunch. Project Manager was almost shocked when I said Yes! upon asking if both carpenters could be sent back early. Yes, normally I would be very mad had I useful people, and we were not getting to the end of the project list. That type of thing, if I only had one more person on the crew type of the thing. But in this case... so over-rated the scene shop carpenters. I finished up the last five stairs in 15-20 minutes.
Going away on-site is a nice vacation from the shop and family at the start. Going home for a day or end of project is pressing when others are in efficiently doing stuff, and in the way of that. Almost lost my cool, but didn't. Just finished it up for the poor kid that won't be on my crew in the future. Wiring and carpentry are just not his ability skill sets.
Was just as slow in wiring up lights.
In general, the scene shop carpenter provided to make the channel cuts made evey cut perfect, but between 1/16" and 3/16" too long. 3/8" tolerance to all step light corner blocks finishing them off.. no tolerance or slippage in mounting accounted for - perfect cuts. He even had a notebook to take down exact measurements for cutting. Sometimes the cuts worked ok or within tolerances, mostly every stair had to have it's moldind modified which thru now off pre-drilled screw mounting holes in concrete. A few channels bad enough in "moving" had to be chiseled out and re-installed and even re-cut. What's an inch difference between one side and the other side? Once or twice is a thing.... more than that ... your note book to write down dimensions was for what? Audience stair lighting is difficult the first time... next time... Can I pick the crew and supervise them?
Had to buy another Fein Multi-tool type plunge cutter given the amount of custom cutting in getting two people doing so for just under 500 steps to light. Luckily we had a second and third Bosh BullDog hammer drill. Project Manager didn't like having to buy a second Fein tool... (in addition to the one I own and happened to bring). Was un-happy with the install in general in what had been done so far, and amount of work it was going to take to make this work with quality install. "Well, if you or I had surpervised this better..." he handed me his AMX corporate card to buy what I needed.
Almost lost it today on the other scene shop carpenter today who in the end was helping me install the lights/channel/corner caps and channel covers he was to be just installing without truma. If you know me, I'm always good natured, pro, ready to teach, and inspiring on a jobsite, especially if boss, and even more so publicly if not - best leaders are the best fowlers... In working with the carpenter as team mate in getting all the lights installed, I constantly commented after slow speed on the hammer drill... "full speed" in dimming up. He never got the concept and always only stepped the speed of the drill up a little. "He is young," "He is a very careful carpenter." He doesn't listen to advice. Praise in public. "Thanks for getting that lower stair installed.
On the Fein Multi-Tool, ok I can see you are worried about cutting into wires so you pop channel caps you just installed so as to remove the wiring in this chance you might not control the tool well enough and nick a low voltage wire inside an insulated channel you are cutting into. Literally doing a hundred or more plunge cuts... best time to learn control of the tool if there was one. I have never done this before either. See the blade (me seeing it in reading glasses), hold the cable away from the sharp edge of the blade. Once the blade tip passes beyond the cable, it as a blade can vibrate the cable from it's sides without danger .... etc in learning how to not have to remove the cable in cutting the channel. Not ready for this concept.
Turn your speed up. Later turn your speed up (the volume of his multi-tool speed is hurting my ears in being the wrong speed as with the hammer drill speed both too slow.) Finally I have to say something as per a boss... but not on this project I'm now helping with in the only way to get it done. I just completed 30 stairs and did other things, he is onto his 10th stair at best. "What is your dimmer setting at? Milking the project for all it's woth speed?" .... "Oh' sorry I didn't realize it was set to #1" Really... you are a "carpenter" and don't realize you are cutting a bit slow with the tool after a few hundred cuts.... it is set to #1, given I pre-set your tool to about 3 or 4 in setting it up for you when I bought it? How do these things happen? And at no point did you realize... perhaps turning up the speed....? Had to walk away in not removing him.... this is going to take all day. What else can I walk away from him in doing?
Shop needed him and the other carpenter back and to leave at lunch. Project Manager was almost shocked when I said Yes! upon asking if both carpenters could be sent back early. Yes, normally I would be very mad had I useful people, and we were not getting to the end of the project list. That type of thing, if I only had one more person on the crew type of the thing. But in this case... so over-rated the scene shop carpenters. I finished up the last five stairs in 15-20 minutes.
Going away on-site is a nice vacation from the shop and family at the start. Going home for a day or end of project is pressing when others are in efficiently doing stuff, and in the way of that. Almost lost my cool, but didn't. Just finished it up for the poor kid that won't be on my crew in the future. Wiring and carpentry are just not his ability skill sets.
Was just as slow in wiring up lights.
Sorry Gregmm, I don't know how multi- quote works on the forum. I can see and understand your capitalists' version of buying and giving. I'm totally the reverse in buying or trading if only for museum, and beyond that I donate what is at loss in labor and materials, factory spec. or better lights, often even for not my own tax write off for the work and materials. But in being opposite, get and support where you come from and what you are doing. I hope your nuts and bolts pledge and onto the next is also similar.
Story in trashed lights I worked on and donated, the theater they came from asked me what I donated for their own tax write off.... what ever, here you go what fixtures, and if you want to claim them, some from a church also donated to the same place. My man/hours and materials provided in restoring the fixtures not considered in over the value of the lights.... What's the value of the lights for tax purposes. I'm sure that the value of the lights now is worth more for the lights than I personally could write off for them on my part in doing the work. Value, $45.00 each in now factory spec. or better in re-wiring, re-surfacing or replacing the lamp socket, sanding or sand blasting and painting as needed, etc. A lot of etc. including converting Leko' fixtures to a better lamp/donated base type by way of reverse engineering and making adaptors to upgrade their "donated" fixtures. Here is your tax donation... are you paying me for the work on them?
You got them, and a Fresnel is something valuable even in the LED world. In giving them service, you might review lots of posts about work to do on Fresnels in seeing details about what is to be done electrically and on re-serficing lamp sockets or difficulty in replacing from one lamp socket to another.
Good news is I just learned this week, that if you bend up the fins to a lamp's P-28s lamp, it can make a lamp base which is loose serviable for conductive tension - at least for that lamp. AKA, if you have a Fresnel lamp not working, clean lamp socket and wiring, if the lock mechanism for the lamp is loose, bend the fins up on it, and it might be enough spring tention to work.
In note from your post, I do not believe for sales or donation in getting that tax write off, providing a lamp with the fixture is necessary. I would not provide the lamp as it's least important detail.
If providing a "used" lamp with the fixture, that's fine as long as you have a rider on the contract that used lamp filaments at times do not survive shipping. If you provide the lamp, ensere in testing it was cleaned if halogen, but in no way ensure the lamp will work.
Story in trashed lights I worked on and donated, the theater they came from asked me what I donated for their own tax write off.... what ever, here you go what fixtures, and if you want to claim them, some from a church also donated to the same place. My man/hours and materials provided in restoring the fixtures not considered in over the value of the lights.... What's the value of the lights for tax purposes. I'm sure that the value of the lights now is worth more for the lights than I personally could write off for them on my part in doing the work. Value, $45.00 each in now factory spec. or better in re-wiring, re-surfacing or replacing the lamp socket, sanding or sand blasting and painting as needed, etc. A lot of etc. including converting Leko' fixtures to a better lamp/donated base type by way of reverse engineering and making adaptors to upgrade their "donated" fixtures. Here is your tax donation... are you paying me for the work on them?
You got them, and a Fresnel is something valuable even in the LED world. In giving them service, you might review lots of posts about work to do on Fresnels in seeing details about what is to be done electrically and on re-serficing lamp sockets or difficulty in replacing from one lamp socket to another.
Good news is I just learned this week, that if you bend up the fins to a lamp's P-28s lamp, it can make a lamp base which is loose serviable for conductive tension - at least for that lamp. AKA, if you have a Fresnel lamp not working, clean lamp socket and wiring, if the lock mechanism for the lamp is loose, bend the fins up on it, and it might be enough spring tention to work.
In note from your post, I do not believe for sales or donation in getting that tax write off, providing a lamp with the fixture is necessary. I would not provide the lamp as it's least important detail.
If providing a "used" lamp with the fixture, that's fine as long as you have a rider on the contract that used lamp filaments at times do not survive shipping. If you provide the lamp, ensere in testing it was cleaned if halogen, but in no way ensure the lamp will work.
good kick in the rear.
Fresnels are fresnels. Be carefule in re-wiring and the lamp socket in needing work. I did find that if of use, a lamp socket going bad on it's connection to the lamp base... if you need it to work, and the top part of the P-28S lamp base is a little squirrely in contact.... if you bend up the pre-focus fins to the lamp a bit, it will add sufficient pressure to the lamp base to be dependable. At least for the production.
In other words, if you find a Fresnel or old radial Leko which will work deipendant on how you wiggle it in the lamp socket. And the upper part of the lamp socet seems to wiggle a bit, bending the fins of the pre-focus lamp up a bit might just be a solution for now in making it work.
Just a new found concept, in I had these lamp bases perfectly re-surfaced, but seemingly this fixed it.
Fresnels are fresnels. Be carefule in re-wiring and the lamp socket in needing work. I did find that if of use, a lamp socket going bad on it's connection to the lamp base... if you need it to work, and the top part of the P-28S lamp base is a little squirrely in contact.... if you bend up the pre-focus fins to the lamp a bit, it will add sufficient pressure to the lamp base to be dependable. At least for the production.
In other words, if you find a Fresnel or old radial Leko which will work deipendant on how you wiggle it in the lamp socket. And the upper part of the lamp socet seems to wiggle a bit, bending the fins of the pre-focus lamp up a bit might just be a solution for now in making it work.
Just a new found concept, in I had these lamp bases perfectly re-surfaced, but seemingly this fixed it.
I forgot to mention that I had completely re-surfaced the center brass plate for the hot' in the lamp socket, it's neutral' shell; and re-surfaced all wire terminals beneath the lamp socket. Than applied spay electrical contact cleaner with lubricant / protectant to all bright work polished and re-surfaced. Than I completely re-wired the lamp socket with fresh wiring.
So only than did I bend the fins of the lamp up some so as to make up for the loose tension on the not appairent during work loose locking ring.
PS. Normally I thumb test the pressure of the center hot' contact for tension while doing this service. You can feel if there is something wrong or too little tension.
The above problem in "perished" would not be a similar situation.
But I hope the above helps in possibly resurfacing and re-using your lamp socket. At this point I'm probably 85% of this lamp socket type can be re-used even if say +80 years old in this type of lamp base. (Yes I have worked on Fresnels that old.) Or sounds like time to replace the lamp socket. Which ever the case, also re-wire the fixture will also probably be needed.
So only than did I bend the fins of the lamp up some so as to make up for the loose tension on the not appairent during work loose locking ring.
PS. Normally I thumb test the pressure of the center hot' contact for tension while doing this service. You can feel if there is something wrong or too little tension.
The above problem in "perished" would not be a similar situation.
But I hope the above helps in possibly resurfacing and re-using your lamp socket. At this point I'm probably 85% of this lamp socket type can be re-used even if say +80 years old in this type of lamp base. (Yes I have worked on Fresnels that old.) Or sounds like time to replace the lamp socket. Which ever the case, also re-wire the fixture will also probably be needed.
