JD Hartman

1'x1' litepanels draw 37 watts @ 24vdc or 45w @12vdc, so thats 1.54 and 3.75a respectivly. That is what the battery needs to supply per hour, call amp hours or ah. You might want to add 10 to 20 percent to the above numbers, as batteries age, their storage capacity decreases. This battery belt: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1353...#specifications supplies 12vdc 14.4 amp hours, should run the 1x1 panel for approximately 3 hours and 12 minutes. 14.4ah / 4.5a = 3.2 hours

Cyc lights. If you could hang them far enough from the greenscreen to get even fill without any spilling on the actors, that might be the optimum solution.

Rent a doorway dolly, track and hire an experienced dolly grip to push it. Smooth dolly moves require (besides an experienced operator) a heavy dolly or a dolly with weight added to it to smooth out the stops and starts.

Maybe Kevin Z. will add his take on this topic. In dealing with some (not all, mind you...) DP's, another conversation I always find funny is when they ask about the lighting package you own. A reply of fresnel and open fixtures up to (insert 1, 2, 5, anything) K, gets you the reply, "When would you ever need that much light?" But the same DP usually feels HMI(s) are okay. Doing just fine, Dave. By the way, great speaking with you as well.

Is 220v 50Hz or 220v 60Hz? If it is 220v 60Hz, they may have had a 220v bates plug on it. Another option is checking inside the case to see if the input transformer has multiple input taps. Asking the seller how they powered it up wouldn't hurt either. Worst case scenario would be buying a step-up transformer for it.

I don't know if the Impact bags are any different than the ones sold by fleabay seller dreammaker. I have found the the exterior fabric was not that durable. You might try http://www.advantagegrip.com/ if your on the east coast of the USA.

It's more than "Fear of Light" , it's often fear of hard light. It's frustrating to work with a DP (perhaps in-experienced?) who can't get beyond Kinos and softly lit interiors. I know that the lighting in my home isn't shadowless. I don't have 4' 4 bank(s) mounted where the wall and ceiling meet, am I the exception?

Enough information should be on the cover of the ballast, look for input requirements. As for some of the suggestions made here, either a 30a twist-lok plug or a 60amp bates would be fine. I'd lean towards the 60amp bates. If you find yourself running this balast of a large generator, its unlikely that you'll find a 30a twist-lok receptical as part of the distro setup. You can also put together a 60a female bates to 30a twist-lok male conversion whip.

Try the Yellow pages, steel supply, pipe and tubing, etc. On line: Online metals, metal warehouse, metals supermarket, etc. But expect to pay a higher price per foot (plus shipping) than a local supplier.

The CTB will give him the color he's looking for. I should have been more explicit and stated that Straw or Bastard Amber could be an option, instead of the usual blue moonlight.

1/2 CTB or 1/2 Straw may give you the look you want. Since it's DIY, an open face floodlight, like a 500w Halogen worklight could be used here. Blackwrap can substitute for the lack of barndoor on a worklight. You might want to have some ND gels on hand to cut the intensity.

It's a shame that the same teacher who suggested using the paper lantern, a.k.a. "china ball", didn't explain to the entire class, the proper socket to use and how to wire it, ways to control its output, etc.

Another option if surface rust is a big concern. Contact a local fabricator of clothing and display racks. They typically buy tubing buy the truck load. They may have 5/8 od tubing with a chrome plate finish. All you would need to do is cut it to length and plug the end with plastic caps for a professional look.

Your right, the Avenger/Manfrotto grip heads aren't a bad price. It makes me laugh, when I see people bidding 20 or 25 dollars (USD) for used ones (Mole, Matthews, Norms, etc.) on Ebay.

B&H listing doesn't say much. Where are they cast? And cast from what?

The stand would have guy lines (3) attached near the top, making it perfectly safe. Sandbags alone wouldn't be enough. Time to learn to tie a masthead knot.

Exactly, but the alloy will affect the price, so if you must have stainless steel grip or gobo arms, pick 303 or 316. The wall thickness will determine the arms rigidity, the ones I measured varied between .080 and .100

There is no such thing as "regular stainless steel". It comes in several grades (alloys) 316, 440, etc., each having their own properties and varying costs. Try the metal or steel category in your local yellow pages or Metal Supermarket. They have locations in most major US cities http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/msc-home.aspx Or try an on-line supplier like speedymetals or onlinemetal. I'd think about using aluminum tubing for cost reasons.

I think that you will find that having the lamp base and a portion of the socket in from of the reflector is not an issue. That's the way it is in all of the larger Fresnel fixtures.

Does anyone know of a source for parts for these fixtures in the New York City area? Or on the U.S. east coast? Not looking for: globes; scrims; sockets; but parts like; accessory holders; reflectors; focusing mechanism(s). Ideally I'd like to find a dealer carrying these fixtures, so I don't get "taken to the cleaners" on the parts price.

Are you saying that your concerned that a portion of the ceramic lamp base may be in front of the reflector or a portion of the socket itself? If you look at a 1k fresnel fixture (6" lens) with an EGT globe, you will see that the lamp base does sit up in front of the reflector. The socket mounting point in your fixture may have to modified to put the center of the lamp in the center of the reflector.

6061 or 6065 alloy would be fine for the track joiners. Aluminum can even be hardened or anodized for added wear resistance. Or simply make them from low carbon steel bar. He's building the track for his own use, probably not to rent out. I've seen equipment get abused by crew on shoots, in this case it isn't likely to happen. Welding the crossties to the track doesn't change the physical makeup of the aluminum or weaken it. It will however make it harder to replace a damaged tie and if you're not adapt at welding, may cause warping in the metal. So I would mechanically fasten the channel used for the crossties to the track. The mechanics of the clamps I linked to have already been worked out. I doubt that you will save any money by trying to design and fabricate your own.

Aluminum joiners should be fine if you are building the track for your own use. Easy to machine for a tight piston fit. If you are going to make "split dowels" for joiners, put the setscrew or grub screw opening in the top of the rail. Wheels don't ride directly on the top. Or use pull clamps like those made by Carr-Lane, Jergens, Gibralter, etc. to hold two section firmly together. Like these: http://www.carrlane.com/Catalog/index.cfm/...A3C3B285351465C Obviously the hook would be rotated ninty degrees and used to pull against a stud mounted in the tie of the next section.

The FEL is an outdated style globe. Commonly used in lekos, the HPL has replaced it in newer fixtures, like the ETC Source 4. Longer life, better foucus, nearly the same lumens as an FEL, improved lamp base. In a theater application, it would mean that more fixtures could be cables to a single dimmer pack. The EGT has the correct filement shape for the reflector in a fresnel and in a G22 socket should put the globe at the correct center height. When in doubt, check a manuafacturers catalog like: http://www.ushio.com/

I've never heard or used the product. I still make rain hats with flags and bags. If it's a plastic coated mesh, how close to a fixture or ballast can you place it without burning or melting?