What's wrong in these pictures?

[phil000]

Why is there a chair? And in the bottom of pic 5, there is a random light just sitting there(or something attach to a c-clamp asking to get kicked off the catwalk).

focus slack, cap strain relief in picture 4.

Derek, your idea to save the 12/3 outer jackets is a GREAT idea!

Phil

 

[phil000]

Re: Tricks for storing gear in catwalks?

Yes, it's called a raceway. I see so many things wrong in those pictures I don't even know where to begin. I'll sleep so much better when you get into college. How long is that? Two and a half years? I need Ambien!

Been to my college lately?we have a lot of this stuff happen on a daily basis, as lab students do the majority of the physical work, with the upperclassmen generally coming by and checking it...however, some people get really lax. We have enough various chairs and tables in one of our catwalk systems to furnish a small appt.

I think the fact that Charc identified so many things wrong himself makes me regard him as having far more than knowledge than anyone I know entering our lighting tech program.

Charc- thanks for sharing

 

[derekleffew]

...Derek, your idea to save the 12/3 outer jackets is a GREAT idea!...

Not my idea, just something I've picked up along the way. I have lots of tips, ask any question and I'll probably have an answer, albeit some better than others.

Last time I was at Kent they had an EC Premiere in the Studio, on the catwalks so the Op couldn't see the stage and, I think, a Kliegl 5scene preset in the Prosc. Theatre. Has that changed? Like I have to ask!

To ALL: If you have been helped in some way by Control Booth, consider donating today!

 

[phil000]

Not my idea, just something I've picked up along the way. I have lots of tips, ask any question and I'll probably have an answer, albeit some better than others.
Last time I was at Kent they had an EC Premiere in the Studio, on the catwalks so the Op couldn't see the stage and, I think, a Kliegl 5scene preset in the Prosc. Theatre. Has that changed? Like I have to ask!
To ALL: If you have been helped in some way by Control Booth, consider donating today!

Let's see, we're running a strand 500 series in the prosc and a 300 in the round theater. I love the fact that we also use the round theatre's catwalks to store some dusty debilitated spotlights (I have no idea what they are...if I want to run a real spotlight, I have to wait for a band(Guster, OAR etc.) to come to our gym, and guess who they pick to hire the crews?).

what did they have you for here last time you were here?

When i get back to kent, I'll have some more pictures to add to this thread...

 

[derekleffew]

phil000, I think the followspots in question are Altman Q1000s, or possibly G1500s. Start a new thread and post a picture, and you'll know within the hour, once you get back to school.

So far no one has noticed the Altman 360Q-6x22 [lamped with an 1000W FEL, shame on Charc] in Picture #4 is hung upside down, one of my biggest pet peeves with SourceFours. How you gonna get a colorframe to stay in that fixture?

Also, I think it's from three different fixtures, as the lens tube, body, and lamp cap are three different colors, (not "wrong," just "interesting").

 

[Logos]

I'd picked the upside down, a pet peeve of mine about any lantern but had not noticed the built from parts.
I had'nt mentioned the upside down because it was a guess, I'm not really all that familiar with Altman units. I've only had my hands on maybe three or four my whole life. Not popular in Aus or UK.

 

[phil000]

I'd picked the upside down, a pet peeve of mine about any lantern but had not noticed the built from parts.
I had'nt mentioned the upside down because it was a guess, I'm not really all that familiar with Altman units. I've only had my hands on maybe three or four my whole life. Not popular in Aus or UK.

or here!

Maybe it's a dedicated N/C

 

[derekleffew]

Alright you two! No 360Q bashing allowed.
<Going into lecture/teaching mode.> The dead giveaway to the 6x22 being upside down is the lens focus knob on the bottom. The lens tube only has one slot in it, and comes from the factory with the lens knob on top. And before the 6x22, we used to have to use horrible 8" ERSs with step lenses and 1,500W lamps for long throws. Note also that the 6x22 has two positions for the yoke. As shown it is in the more balanced position, but one can use the body attachment if one needs a steeper angle.

<Exiting lecture mode; entering whiny mode.> Another of my other pet peeves (and I have thousands) is with people who don't build Source4s properly. On those units, the lens focus knob can go on either the top or the bottom. It comes from the factory with the knob on the bottom, so the barrel rotation knob and the lens focus knob are both on the bottom, as most of the time a focuser will be underneath the fixture, (onstage electrics). Unless in an FOH/Catwalk situation, where it may be more convenient to have the lens focus knob on top. But since the barrel rotation knob can only go on the bottom, I feel the focus knob should be on the bottom also. The gobo/accessory slot should also always be up.

 

[phil000]

The gobo/accessory slot should also always be up.

gosh there goes all the fun of dodging falling twinspins/gobos!
...nothing more fun than finding a random gobo on the ground before dimmer check.

I once reminded a lab student to safety a twinspin in place...there solution was to plug in the power.
(I am allowed to play the game?)

We also have a S4 that looks like it was strapped to a chopper during 'nam, this thing is pretty unhappy with life...It's dedicated no color...I'll have more on that when I get to submit some of my own pictures...

edit: Ps another way to tell the orientation: the tailcap screw. There is a screw in the cap that holds it on (the big one that sticks out), and it should be up (towards the ceiling).
Additionally there is a hinge in the center of the light...if the hinge is visible from the top, it's upside down. However if you can see a mini-wingnut screw in the middle of the light from the top (other side of the hinge) you got it right!

 

[icewolf08]

<Exiting lecture mode; entering whiny mode.> Another of my other pet peeves (and I have thousands) is with people who don't build Source4s properly. On those units, the lens focus knob can go on either the top or the bottom. It comes from the factory with the knob on the bottom, so the barrel rotation knob and the lens focus knob are both on the bottom, as most of the time a focuser will be underneath the fixture, (onstage electrics). Unless in an FOH/Catwalk situation, where it may be more convenient to have the lens focus knob on top. But since the barrel rotation knob can only go on the bottom, I feel the focus knob should be on the bottom also. The gobo/accessory slot should also always be up.

There is more to it than that Derek. In the first couple revisions of the Source Four lens tube you could only put the focus knob on the bottom. Also, you can put the barrel rotation knob on the top if you want to, it is the same size and thread pitch as the philips head screw that is on the top. The philips head screw is a shorter length, so it won't lock the rotation, it just holds in the bayonet mount of the barrel. Given that many pre-source four lekos have the focus lock on top, I find it convenient to have the focus lock on top on the S4, it also lesses the chance for confusion between focus and rotation lock.

 

[derekleffew]

Thanks Alex, for clarification on the first and latest S4 models. I just looked at my two. The older one, without the integral safety attachment point, allows the lens knob in either positions, but the barrel knob can only go in the bottom. My newer one allows either the lens knob and the barrel knob to go in either position. I like them just as they come, fresh from the factory in Middleton, WI, USA! Gotta love that new Leko smell!

As STEVETERRY said in an earlier post, there have been many minor revisions and improvements to the SourceFour™ since 1992.

And thanks phil000 for the reminder about the 360Q's brass lamp cap retaining screw. It should be UP on a SourceFour also.

 

[gafftaper]

I think the jokes about them not being popular were tongue in cheek but to clarify...

I want to point out that the Altman 360 is one of the most popular lighting instruments ever made and was a real workhorse of the industry back in the 70's and 80's. It is still in wide use in High Schools and Community theaters across the country. My guess (and it's only a guess) is that if you total up all the 360's made vs Source Fours, the 360's would win.

No it's not a Source Four, it's hot, not as efficient, not as white... but there are TONs of them out there, so get to know them well.

 

[derekleffew]

Thank you, gafftaper. We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread. Anyone else see anything wrong in the above pictures that hasn't previously been mentioned? I can think of a couple of things...

 

[phil000]

The only other thing I can think of would be that none of these connections are actually tied together...that's it at least from me...

o, just so gafftaper feels a little better: my college is primarily altman, but we are ever so slowly changing over to ETC

 

[Charc]

Re: Position Labeling - Done

Re: Random Light - just out of frame is the row of shame (aka instruments not currently ready to go in the air.). A few feet away is the area designated for instruments ready to go in the air.

Re: Jon's post pertaining to fall arrest - Derek spotted it.

Re: Upside down 6x22. I found the "other" yoke attachment point to be too prone to slippage, so went with the more limiting mid body attachment. It's not supposed to be upside down, but hey, it'll stay that way until I have some reason to strike it. Sadly, this designates it as N/C.

Re: 6x22 chop shop - I believe it all to be one unit, except for the cap. Perhaps it is design of the 6x22, or coincidence in me scavenging the same style of cap, but all of my 6x22 produce huge circles of light behind them. The caps seem to be raised off the instrument slightly more than all the other 360Qs. Looking in through the cap one can clearly see the filament. I figure these being 1000W FELs, might as well have more room to breath.

Did I miss anything?

 

[JD]

Looking in through the cap one can clearly see the filament.

I don't have any 360s anymore, but I don't recall being able to see the filament on them. (back when I did) Maybe someone who has them could check, but are you sure there is not a piece missing?

and yes.. ah.. err.. I did sometimes put FELs in them.....

 

[Les]

I believe 360Q's are supposed to have a metal ring/plate that fits between the lamp cap and body to solve the spill problem. It's a weird design and I didn't even know about this part until recently. I imagine they get lost easily.

 

[Charc]

My god, no!

It isn't a thin piece of metal (thinner than a gobo perhaps) a circle the size of the cap, with a couple off weird holes? I've seen SO many lying around. Could never figure it out, some might be thrown out, some might be who knows where!

 

[Logos]

I think the jokes about them not being popular were tongue in cheek but to clarify...
I want to point out that the Altman 360 is one of the most popular lighting instruments ever made and was a real workhorse of the industry back in the 70's and 80's. It is still in wide use in High Schools and Community theaters across the country. My guess (and it's only a guess) is that if you total up all the 360's made vs Source Fours, the 360's would win.
No it's not a Source Four, it's hot, not as efficient, not as white... but there are TONs of them out there, so get to know them well.

OK when I said the Altman was not popular in Aus and the UK I should have said it was not common. I have nothing against them. I have used a few and quite liked them it is just that where I have worked there haven't been many around. Nothing wrong with them.
There was an early fixed focal length profile lantern, the Patt 23, made by Strand UK from 1954 to 1980?. Over 500,000 of them were built. Now in both Aust and the UK we are constantly tripping over piles of these lights in dark corners everywhere, not to mention hung in rigs. A semi useful if old fashioned 500w profile.

 

[Les]

My god, no!
It isn't a thin piece of metal (thinner than a gobo perhaps) a circle the size of the cap, with a couple off weird holes? I've seen SO many lying around. Could never figure it out, some might be thrown out, some might be who knows where!

Yup, that's the piece. Luckily Altman probably sells them pretty cheap.