Ceiling-mounting dj lights

[dlucks]

I have turned my 3rd floor walk-up attic into a karaoke lounge. I have about 5 DMX light fixtures that I want to mount on the ceiling but don't want to invest in a truss system.

 

What is the best way to mount these? I have smooth, drywall ceilings with ceiling joists 16" apart. As an example of the type of lights I have, they seem to all have a U-shaped bracket that is attached to the fixture and there's a single hole in the center of the bracket. Here's a link w/a picture of one of the fixtures: http://www.chauvetlighting.com/system/fixt...ascination.html

 

Thank you,

DLucks

[back_ache]

5 DMX light fixtures that I want to mount on the ceiling but don't want to invest in a truss system.

 

One simple answer is to use toggle bolts http://www.ameribestfasteners.com/SPRING_small.gif with washers.

[maeterlinck]

Screw through the hole with a screw and washer? Angle backets and bolts? Mount a bit of scaff (cheap really) and hook clamp. I'd suggest going in to the joists instead of the plasterboard though.

Trying going to your local DIY store and have a look at what they've got on offer.

[dlucks]

Screw through the hole with a screw and washer? Angle backets and bolts? Mount a bit of scaff (cheap really) and hook clamp. I'd suggest going in to the joists instead of the plasterboard though.

Trying going to your local DIY store and have a look at what they've got on offer.

 

 

Scaff? Whazzat? Gotta link? I'm in the US.

 

Thanks,

DLucks

[Tomo]

Scaffolding poles - steel tube as used in construction to build those temporary platforms builders use.

 

And please, PLEASE don't try to hang anything from drywall - it will collapse, and fairly quickly.

 

Make sure that anything you hang is from a proper joist that is directly hung from a wall, as opposed to the short lengths that run between the main beams.

[dlucks]

Thanks Tomo...makes sense but how do you mount the scaffolding poles to the ceiling?

[Tomo]

Some kind of clamp that with a hanging bolt screws into or through the joist (depending on what's above it)

Go to you local DIY superstore and have a look around - they will have something suitable.

 

Take great care not to overload it though - wooden beams can be much weaker than they appear.

 

Have fun!

[Don Allen]

Remove the u shaped bracket from the light and attach the bracket to a ceiling beam with a coach screw. Use a long coach screw as the longer the screw, the more thread is holding the light up. Use a washer between the u shaped bracket and the ceiling to allow the bracket to spin or pan around. Spead the lights out so they are on different beams to distribute the loading.

 

If you need to have the light away from the ceiling because of tilt problems or you need to allow cooling for the heat coming from the light, attach a block of wood to the beam with two coach srews and then mount the u shaped bracket to the block of wood.

 

This will give you the most head clearance but will not be flexible as you need to remount the brackets when you want to shift the lights around.

[Jivemaster]

You will have to run power and DMX to each place so a piece of scaff properly supported, with adjacent power point and a correctly laid out DMX line, is necessary. Assuming this is a commercial bar, you will have your licence terms to observe carefully, also state and federal building codes. lanterns should be away from the cieling to avoid the scorch marks from convected dust, but out of reach of your customers for their safety.

[Ynot]

You will have to run power and DMX to each place so a piece of scaff properly supported, with adjacent power point and a correctly laid out DMX line, is necessary. Assuming this is a commercial bar, you will have your licence terms to observe carefully, also state and federal building codes. lanterns should be away from the cieling to avoid the scorch marks from convected dust, but out of reach of your customers for their safety.

As this appears to be the OP's residence, I doubt that federal codes will apply :D. However, the cautions still stand about getting kit too close to ceilings. A scaff barrel would certainly mean that would be sorted, whilst screwing directly to the ceiling MIGHT cause problems with blackening over time.

 

TD

[maeterlinck]

Or failing all this why not buy a couple of cheap stands. Especially if you're not sure what you're doing when presented with some screws, and lantern, drill and wall!

Maplin in the UK sell cheapo stands for ~£20.

[niclights]

As others have suggested I would always fix 48mm pipe to solid structure using some sort of clamp or saddle. Rawl-bolt (expansion bolt) these to concrete with minimum 8mm bolt and then hang lamps using standard hook clamps or half-couplers. I would never consider fixing anything as heavy as a lantern to soffit.

If your beams run flush with soffit then you need some sort of stand-off mount. For this purpose I have found Kee-Klamp component No. 70-8 perfect (hand-rail support).

 

http://www.keeklamp.com/us/

 

http://www.doughty-engineering.co.uk/theatre/products.htm

[Ynot]

Maplin in the UK sell cheapo stands for ~£20.

Ummm.... Not sure Maplin will send stuff to the US..............

Twould make cheapo stands a little more expensive...!!

:D

[back_ache]

Why not mount them on channel that is in turn screwed screwed though to the joists at multiple points?

[Trundle]

I think you are insane to try on the ceiling! I would always use a stand/truss something even if its just a cheap bit of truss ! let me know how you get on with that I am curious as to how you actually execute it