kerry davies

Who told you they don't?

Try this for starters.

Kleu is German and AFIK you need to approach them directly but the Klemmfix things are made by CPS Manufacturing of Doncaster.

It is a lifetime since I used Kleu units and loved them back then when the joining thingies (Klemmfix?) were aluminium but about 10 years ago Blue Room had a thread that appeared to go nowhere fast so good luck.

I may be being bonkers again (not unusual on BR) but what's wrong with a wing mirror? They come in all sorts of sizes and fixings, the western mount at top and bottom on vans and trucks would be my first thought.

 

If just a logo or a still or a rotating still image then there are umpteen commercial logo projectors for shop entrances, backdrop projection and the like.

GPO/PO/BT used old civil service phraseology to describe items such as "Screwdrivers, instrument, number two". Tape insulting was what we used to call it but there is an "A" missing in one of the words.

I used to have a couple of "Wallets, tool, No 3" after I left, very handy and good leather.

What is this social media of which you speak, Earthling?

 

Now if there was such a thing as anti-social media I'm your man.

To begin with take as little as possible and learn what you need as you go along. Start with hard hat, steelies and rigger gloves, couple of screwdrivers, flat and crosshead, tape insulting one inch, AJ and side cutters.

 

I used to throw a box in the essential 4X4 and the list began with seven pound sledgehammer, included a gas and two electric soldering irons and ratchet scaff podgers. It really is as long as a piece of string and depends on what you do. Someone working on generator powered outdoor events could easily end up doing almost anything.

 

You don't yet know what is essential and neither do any of us. People can and will tell you what they take, from spare socks to packs of Hob Nobs. Make your own list as you go along, it will change anyway.

Mixing old and new rarely works in club lighting, the new overpowers the old. That isn't always a positive in raves and clubs unless Joe Loss is doing the live set. We used to use Solar 250's and Rank Aldis Tutor 2's with rare appearances on live bands by Solar 575's. Once the K Series Optikinetics appeared as replacements we used either or, never both together.

It is easier on festivals and dance tents to mix and match because you have distance to play around with using old stuff close in and new kit up in the air.

 

With the really old Martin kit it helps during maintenance to bear in mind that the gear was created originally by a bunch of Danish hippies absolutely stoned out of their minds. Hence the off centre cams, bits of rubber and wobbly things in front of glued on shards of reflector making those "funky" images. Technology tries to replicate them but is just a bit too precise, IMO. One of our guys used to scour antique and junk shops for crystal decanter stoppers to suspend in front of the lens and split the rays into a myriad more. Some crystals work, some don't but the best add a rainbow/prism effect.

.... recently we have had some restrictions imposed when it comes to purchasing. Previously, we were able to pretty much purchase from any supplier ..... the procurement process is a little restrictive in that suppliers must be "approved" before we can make a purchase.

 

(T)he above suggests that these “restrictive procedures” are a bad thing. Personally, I think it’s good. You’re spending public money. These “restrictions” are all part of the due diligence process to make sure that the money is being spent fairly and legally. You can only spend money with companies that your finance people have checked out, and where there is no conflict of interest.

 

Just a guess but the ban on imports is probably due to the incredible mess that Brexit will make of VAT payment and reclaim. It looks like the UK will have to revert to a 35 year old system called "postponed accounting". From a nephew involved in the game, UK importing companies are having to ditch their procurement and purchase software packages and buy new, much more expensive IT. For local authorities and the like it is simpler and cheaper just to ban imports outright.

Not even HMRC know exactly what will happen with VAT. We may end up with the nightmare that faces construction with reverse charge VAT rules where the end purchaser pays the VAT to HMRC rather than the seller paying it. It all changes with what sort of deal or indeed no-deal we leave under.

Seriously? If you need to ask us then just forget it.

The bl00dy neighbours have already got theirs up and running so if you care to come and nick it I would be obliged.

 

Mind you, from London you may as well buy one yourself, innit?

If you are happy with RCF quality then perhaps consider buying another 702 sub for the road, buying a used Yamaha 10 for the rehearsal space and to use the pair of Yammies as further reinforcement if you need them for marquee gigs etc? That ought to cover expansion well enough for your purposes.

 

I certainly wouldn't spend more just because I have it when RCF and/or Yamaha is perfectly good gigging kit.

You can't just use projection as an "add-on", your whole approach to lighting the band has to change from that shown in vidclips on the other topic. I know nothing about the tech aspects but from a visual PoV you first need to lose most of your haze/smoke or nobody will see it. Most front lighting has to go and the rig behind the band altered to allow viewing of the "back wall screen). The image is not itself passive but is a light source which changes the whole feel of your current stage image and you will be reliant on side lighting to prevent washing out the video.

 

Unless you have oodles of time and proper large rehearsal facilities to play with it all I would seriously suggest hiring in a specialist then learning from their knowledge, expertise and ideas. At the scale you currently occupy the stages look too shallow and ambient light too high for projection to work well but the main thing is that trying to do LX, FX and projection simultaneously is a big ask for experienced guys and you say you are a newbie. You are asking a lot of yourself. Our doing live bands in a rave setting was inordinately simpler yet we had a team of 4 doing LX, effects lighting, Solar type projection and film and video.

double post, sorry.

That's where we started but we ended up hauling 100kg luminaires into the sky on ropes, hence the lighthearted mention of telehandlers. The OP got his answer by the second response and after 36 more it was definitely time to jump this shark.

 

I mean, Roger (Junior8) even started replying to himself.

We located one in the 90's we wanted to use outdoors but it wasn't from the events field. We found a security smoke machine that chucked out huge amounts for longer than normal. What they are like today I have no idea but there are still firms out thereLIKE THIS and likeTHIS.

 

They may not be what you are looking for but they aren't half nice toys.

Oh, and yes, it is about what you can expect.

Three whole pages of waffle and the answer, as always, is; fetch the telehandler.

The band seem happy enough and no punters have mentioned the lights which is in my book a huge compliment, the lights are illuminating the band and are not themselves the focus of attention.

 

Genesis were major shareholders in Varilite having been instigators and part of the development of them. You are not going to replicate their shows especially as they were selling $5M worth of tickets for one-night gigs back then. You can however steal ideas as Stuart suggests.

 

I like the single-colour wash effects but would choose hazers rather than smokers and would encourage you to play more with things to personalise and create your own style. The final tip is not to diminish yourself, plenty out there to do that for you. Be proud of the show but remember, nobody ever bought a ticket to a Patrick Woodroffe show even when he was pointing lights at Genesis themselves.

Slightly unfair, Clive. Unless the teacher cannot read he has no excuse.

Worksafe NZ say;

Where work is performed using mobile scaffolds, employers should ensure that workers understand that the scaffold should:

› be erected by a competent person and used in accordance to the manufacturer’s specifications

› remain level and plumb at all times

› be kept at least one metre from open floor edges and openings unless the edge is protected to prevent the scaffold tipping

› never be accessed until all the castors are locked to prevent movement

› never be moved while anyone is on it

› be clear from overhead powerlines.

At least if the teacher had been given a course then he would have been told these basics but this case doesn't even mention his competence. The onus was placed on the school board for not having ensured safe systems of work and/or compliance with MI's. There is no mention of a fine only "reparation" and it seems that the teacher is getting some of that.

 

On the topic of "tickets" being used as meal tickets for unscrupulous bodies and get-out clauses for dodgy employers, I agree with you but only where workers habitually use the equipment during their routine work. A scaffolder won't need a PASMA renewal, a house painter might. A lighting technician almost certainly would not but a teacher almost certainly would.

The staging hire companies and manufacturers each have their own proprietary methods and kit so the first port of call is to whomsoever you are getting the decks from. Steeldeck, Litedeck and Alistage all have their own methods. Failing that the cost of just two or three of these bracket things could see you afford to buy a heavy duty aluminium truck ramp for flightcases which would hold value for resale BUT (big but)...

 

Once you mention "terrain" and stage heights over 4 foot then the questions of crew competence become urgent. If they are not experienced in stage building then they are not competent by definition. If there isn't someone supervising them capable of preparing an adequate Risk Assessment it can get worrying. Occasional wheelchair users also make the size and design of ramp more fixed, a four foot high ramp could be up to 48 foot long, talk to the experts.

 

NB, if you are using screwjacks to level the stage these bring their own difficulties once you get over 4 foot and need bracing to satisfy MI's. (Alistage have their own built-in adjustable screws and long legs which have their own built-in braces.) Obviously you need more details but, at a guess, I reckon you could do with someone to design the staging and ramps for you (and no I am not looking for work, I retired, Giles Favell of this parish might be worth a PM).

This is where telling us exactly what sort of application you have in mind would help but at first glance these appear to be expensive solutions to problems that don't exist when you have experience in stage building.

Companies House returns suggest a non-trading but "active" company with less in their current account than this OAP, run by one Mohammad Dasmal of the UAE through a webhousing accommodation address on the 3rd Floor of 14, Hanover Street off Regent Street.

 

Smoke and mirrors?

If they were serious then surely they themselves wore harnesses working on the system and provided you with a copy of their RA? Where in their written report does it tell you exactly what type of harness to use, how to use it and where on this newly certified safe system to attach it?

 

If they haven't done any of that I suggest you get your bosses to call and ask why they only did half a job and did it contrary to their own advice.

Conversation?

Them; "I want some cheap truss to save money."

Revbob; " Did you know that LOLER says that operations involving lifting equipment, like truss carrying projectors, must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner?"

Them; "It's good truss and it's cheaper than your fancy lens thingy."

Revbob; "LOLER also requires that all equipment used for lifting is fit for purpose, appropriate for the task, suitably marked and, in many cases, subject to statutory periodic 'thorough examination'."

Them; "You're just being awkward."

Revbob; "Have you checked with the insurance company?"

Them (hopefully); "Buy the bl00dy long throw wotsit and shut up."

When I was in the St Johns Ambulance we had Resusci Annie resuscitation mannequins and ventilators aplenty in store rooms having been replaced on a fairly regular basis. Mat's suggestion should be taken up and expanded to first aid trainers as well as hospitals.

How long is a piece of string? Though if thinking of Bose L1 then get a try-out of the Lucas Nano 605FX which has reverb and is stereo. Stereo might suit playback of recorded music better.

 

As with all these things, you really do have to sound check them since I am recommending an £800 unit that can be expanded and is reasonable quality when cheap'n'cheerful might suit your venues far better. You won't get much more portable than a Nano and friends use the smaller 300 versions in wedding marquees for speeches and ambient music.