Overhead 4x4 Kinos - Is this a safe way to rig them?

Brandon Whiteside · July 27, 2009

Would it be safe to mount a 4x4 Kino Flo on a 3-rise baby with all risers near full height with a 40" offset arm at a 45 degree angle and say, maybe 3 25 pound bags on each stand?

Chris Keth · July 28, 2009

Would it be safe to mount a 4x4 Kino Flo on a 3-rise baby with all risers near full height with a 40" offset arm at a 45 degree angle and say, maybe 3 25 pound bags on each stand?

If you want to go high with it, I'd try to go up to a junior stand if you can. If that's not a possibility, I think it should be fine as long as you make sure not to fully extend any of the risers and leave enough telescoped overlap to be strong.

Brandon Whiteside · July 28, 2009

Yeah, I plan on leaving a few inches on each riser. The part i was worried about is the part where the 40" gobo arm is extended maybe 30 inches at a 45 degree angle. That will be okay?

Darryl Richard Humber · July 28, 2009

Yeah, I plan on leaving a few inches on each riser. The part i was worried about is the part where the 40" gobo arm is extended maybe 30 inches at a 45 degree angle. That will be okay?

The arm should hold fine as long as, as Chris says, your stand is strong enough. use a triple riser combo stand. If you have room with whatever you're doing, you can get another arm and a clamp and run a "kicker" arm from the stand upto your extended arm, but it's not absolutely necessary and depends on what you'r doing with the light.

robert duke · July 28, 2009

The arm should hold fine as long as, as Chris says, your stand is strong enough. use a triple riser combo stand. If you have room with whatever you're doing, you can get another arm and a clamp and run a "kicker" arm from the stand upto your extended arm, but it's not absolutely necessary and depends on what you'r doing with the light.

A Baby stand is not the right tool for the job. you could do it with the baby stand but you'd probably have to buy a new stand. Kino's are light but still heavy enough to mess up a baby stand.if it has to be done use a combo stand. or build a field goal or menace arm.

Darryl Richard Humber · July 28, 2009

A Baby stand is not the right tool for the job. you could do it with the baby stand but you'd probably have to buy a new stand. Kino's are light but still heavy enough to mess up a baby stand.if it has to be done use a combo stand. or build a field goal or menace arm.

What he said.

Brandon Whiteside · July 28, 2009

I have upped it to a Junior stand. Can anyone explain a menace arm, and a combo stand?

robert duke · July 28, 2009

I have upped it to a Junior stand. Can anyone explain a menace arm, and a combo stand?

junior stand is equal to combo stand. (and this is where I get crucified) a combo stand has a pop-up baby pin on it and a junior or reflector stand does not. Both are JR receiver stands.

MENACE ARM:

A boom arm made from speed rail. It utilizes any size speed rail you like up to 20ft. mounts onto a Combo stand with a 4.5 head. Some people cobble their own out of a couple cardellini's and a 20x ear. some manufacturers ( modern studio) make a kit with a stabilizer.

Darryl Richard Humber · July 28, 2009

I have upped it to a Junior stand. Can anyone explain a menace arm, and a combo stand?

A menace arm is basically a really long offset built out of speedrail, a frame ear, and a combo stand. They are mostly used to arm in a backlight. It doesn't sound like you need that much offset. A combo stand is the same as a junior stand only grips mostly use it in three riser form or larger. It's steel, and has a six inch grip head (lollipop) inserted in the junior reciever. Go to Matthews or Modern websites and look this stuff up. They should have pictures of all of it.

JB_Letchinger · August 17, 2009

I have upped it to a Junior stand. Can anyone explain a menace arm, and a combo stand?

Brandon, this is something best shown and not "explained." Menace arms fall into a large category of things that you need to have someone with experience doing it, - with you or for you.

I have seen many bent C arms due to Kino Flo overhead rigging - it will work for a couple hours, but there is inherent chance for equipment damage and injury. To answer your main question:

Yes there is a safe way, and a menace arm is probably the best solution (depending on your location size - the pipe or 2x4 will extend back away from the stand with a ratchet strap/counterweight) - and you may or may not have the room for that.... But it is not safe if it is off balance or not properly secured. and I wouldn't want to be the one to tell you go and build it and have you say, hey it fell and I got fired, broke the light, etc.... If you wouldn't feel comfortable doing something yourself, go and learn on-set from some others (you may have to expand your network, take a cut in pay, etc)... Work on enough shows and you'll see just about everything - (or enough to raise your level of experience)... then you can go and improvise and do things you've never seen before and feel OK about it. Mean to help - not to criticize.