High School Upgrade

[mac.calder]

Hopefully my pictures tomorrow will explain my reasoning for things, but most of this equipment, bar maybe some of the wiring and light bulbs are 30+ years old and have never been maintained. 

 

I was looking at the Strand Act 6 purely because of the DMX and analogue inputs which would allow for a staggered upgrade and allow a quick backup should things fail.

 

As others mentioned, you can get a device called a demux, which will basically translate a DMX input signal (that is from a desk) to analogue. If your wiring and bars etc are 30+ years old, start with the LX bars and sockets. It is really sad how far schools will let things go over time.

 

Anyone know how much a small (has to be very small otherwise we won't be able to fit it in through the fire doors) cherry picker roughly is to rent per day? Currently the drama dept. just sends the caretakers up a ladder to manoeuver the lights (including the unchained ones!).

 

A cherry picker would still end up with the caretakers going up, and probably not worth the money - I think you would be better off getting a scaff tower or tallescope.

Our scaff tower here is 3m high (black box) and for some unknown reason, AU's 'ladder licence' laws don't apply - I think it is something to do with the safety of the thing even though there is a 3M ladder on it. The tower itself can usually be dismantled with ease (or as we usually do, covered with blacks), most no longer requiring a spanner to undo ("No Bolts" scaff towers). A tallescope going up about 9m is about 3000 british pounds, and a scaff tower about 1300 british pounds for every 3 meters.

 

I doubt your care takers know how to focus lights, so you really do need to be up there to do it - I am sure they will not appreciate being up there whilst you call up "Just sharpen the edge of that beam...No, not that knobb, the other - in not out... that's it.... Oh, make the beam a little wider, yes that knob... I don't think that gel is the right colour actually.... FRED! Can you grab the L195's for me? thanks... Can you replace the gel in that light with this one... you will have to come down here to get it, I am not throwing it up... Now the barn doors - yes, those black things... bring the top one down a bit... yep, now spin it a little... sorry they are a bit hard to turn... that's it..."

 

As for safety chains they are a LEGAL requirement. First on, Last off.

 

 

I do have a rather disturbing picture to get of one of the unchained lights... I'm not sure if the bar on the flood is threaded or not, but either way there is only about 30-40mm of thread before it comes crashing down o.o;

 

EDIT: (as I think it got missed or was unclear) is there an actual award available to say the you are certified to carry out PATests? if so, how do you go about getting the piece of paper?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I know in Australia there is, it is a day course, and I assume the same applies for the UK. However, if you are thinking "Hey we can get our maintenance guy trained" or some such - there is also equiptment costs, and callibration costs. Unless you are going to PAT test lots of eq. on a regular basis (ie you are a hire shop owner and are testing before each hire) then it will be cheaper for you to get someone to test the equiptment for you.

 

 

Edit by moderator : quotes fixed

[axle]

Here is a link to some pictures I managed to get today during rehearsals for the next performance (as requested, shrunk to 20% of their actual size for those on dial-up)

 

AnthroFox Stage Projects

[dfinn]

yup you desparately need an upgrade ** laughs out loud **.

 

Daniel

[axle]

I could have told YOU that! ;)

 

Out of interest, should I get the school to call someone in to upgrade the three phase wiring to match the new colour code or do the new colours only apply to new installs?

 

Is it worth repainting the (randomly painted) blue on the walls to black so as not to highlight people moving round etc?

 

And what should I upgrade first? I know people say the wiring, and for audio, that is definitely first, but not my problem, I only have to tell the sound guys that it needs doing. Currently (ran out of free space on camera) it is twin and earth wire run under the floor around the balcony to a couple of home made 3/4" jack sockets.

 

I'm gonna leave the floor open to peoples suggestions on what/when/how to upgrade this location as this will be my first (looking at the way things stand) complete refurb. I've upgradeda couple of fairly recent installs before but nothing this old/bad.

[mac.calder]

I could have told YOU that! ;)

 

Out of interest, should I get the school to call someone in to upgrade the three phase wiring to match the new colour code or do the new colours only apply to new installs?

 

Is it worth repainting the (randomly painted) blue on the walls to black so as not to highlight people moving round etc?

 

Black stage paint is not overly expensive, so yes, I would - just make sure you are not wearing anything you need to wear again, that stuff NEVER comes out!!!

 

And what should I upgrade first? I know people say the wiring, and for audio, that is definitely first, but not my problem, I only have to tell the sound guys that it needs doing. Currently (ran out of free space on camera) it is twin and earth wire run under the floor around the balcony to a couple of home made 3/4" jack sockets.

 

I'm gonna leave the floor open to peoples suggestions on what/when/how to upgrade this location as this will be my first (looking at the way things stand) complete refurb. I've upgradeda couple of fairly recent installs before but nothing this old/bad.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Def. the wiring - a great desk, set of dimmers etc are no good to you if the wiring either between the desk and dimmer, or the dimmer and generics does not work.

 

If you get a qualified sparky in to do a rewire, and bring the building up to code, chances are they will harmonise the wires anyway.

 

(BTW - your dimmers look nice and roomy, not like current ones!!! They will be heavy buggers though)

 

It may be worth investing in something like a propper patch bay and well numbered sockets (a lot of newer rack based dimmers it is a must, not a maybe), so that you do not have what I have worked with all too many times - extension leads with paper sticky-taped onto the plug. The nicest one I have worked with that was a true hard patch had two 'sections' one with male jug plug connectors (like the plug on the back of a pc) and the other with female, then they were just patched using the types of leads that a lot of computers use to power the monitor through the PC's PSU. I am also a fan of grids instead of LX bars, so if the budget will stretch, I say get a propper grid.

 

Make sure you have some type of equiptment to allow access to the LX bars too - either bring the bars to you, or you go to the bars (the later is better as far as focus goes, but if your school is going to be AR about ladder laws and height RA's it is a fair compromise)

 

Then work on your tech gear.

 

Lights, Desk, Dimmers. In that order is my suggestion. Refurbish what you can, then get some nice new ones - a good coda if you don't have one, a few birdies, some fresnels and zoom profiles. They are the 3 types I find I use more often, Par Cans are good if you want cheap lights, with a point and shoot type interface, or if you have quite a few concerts (specially rock concerts - they love par cans)

[Darkfold]

Dude! your stuff is purpose built new compared to what I have to work with! Our LX and sound is run from a paste table in front of house ;)

 

As for light sockets... I was looking in the roof on friday and found this funky connector I've never seen before (will get a piccy if I can)

Imagine if you will, a kettle lead. Now, rate it at 5 amp and place the 3 pins level with each other........ WEIRD or what :blink:

Our dimmers look a bit newer than yours, all strand Tempus and Install packs (old ones but still) Act 6 (1984) Economy priced portable dimmers and Tempus Dimmer Packs with Tempus 18 (non memory) desk to match...

These babies have been in constant use for the last 20 or so years :blink: reliable as anything tho.

 

You think blue is bad.... The walls of our 'theatre' are painted white... and the drama 'studio' is wood panneling of the 'listed' persuarion, so no repairs for me in there :P

[/rant]

 

As above. But get a paint job done over the summer if you can and make sure its a matte finish, not gloss. You do not want that sort of pain, trust me.

[Neil]

When You said it was bad, I thought you meant terrible! That, is frankly, stunning. You have a room to run things from!

 

Every time we have a performance, we have to lug the snake, dimmer cables, mixer, and our Sirius 48 all to the back of the hall, then when its finished, put it back in the storage room by the side of the stage!

 

Love the old coco's 743's and PS's you've got though. Gives everything a retro feel. Which is pretty cool.

 

Parcan's are the way forward, I reckon. Most teachers who require something usually just ask for, 'Red, all over.' or similar.

 

For rigging, your in bad luck, as I found out today, no student of a school is allowed above the height of 3 metres, without saftey harnesses and hard hats. Which makes life a bit difficult.

 

Frankly, you're lucky with what you've got. Just upgrade that amp to something good. Or do what we did, and get some active speakers. Makes life so much easier.

[axle]

When You said it was bad, I thought you meant terrible! That, is frankly, stunning. You have a room to run things from!

 

trust me, unless we get Air Con, you're far better without a small closed room in the furthest corner from ventilation with an amp, lighting desk and up to 4 people in it.

 

Love the old coco's 743's and PS's you've got though. Gives everything a retro feel. Which is pretty cool.

 

Old being the problem, a lot of the lights don't work/aren't connected/don't have bulbs etc.

 

Parcan's are the way forward, I reckon. Most teachers who require something usually just ask for, 'Red, all over.' or similar.

 

True, until you get the A-Level groups or prom/music performances (usually school bands) who want something a little more sophisticated/spectacular

 

For rigging, your in bad luck, as I found out today, no student of a school is allowed above the height of 3 metres, without saftey harnesses and hard hats. Which makes life a bit difficult.

 

Fortunately no longer a pupil at the school so that overcomes that problem to a certain extent.

 

Frankly, you're lucky with what you've got. Just upgrade that amp to something good. Or do what we did, and get some active speakers. Makes life so much easier.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'll post outlines and possibly scribbles of my original plans for the refurb/upgrade as soon as I can.

[Darkfold]

True, until you get the A-Level groups or prom/music performances (usually school bands) who want something a little more sophisticated/spectacular

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tell em they cant have it :D Thats what I do anyway... If it cant be done with a flood it cant be done :huh:

 

Look at the multipar from Here (scroll down a ways...) Edit: Hmm, Java page... I meant the showtech ones.

Great for general purpose work you just need a tallescope to get to it.

Also, look at the CCT Minuette (man am I lucky to have 3 of these) I love them for short range work and, If, you find them, the retrocannon that is the Strand Harmony 15/28 :D oh these babies rock :D to quote the Strand archive...

Optical improvements were made to this range in 1982.

Thats before I was born...

[paulears]

For rigging, your in bad luck, as I found out today, no student of a school is allowed above the height of 3 metres, without saftey harnesses and hard hats. Which makes life a bit difficult.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No student of a school.......... if the SCHOOL decide they can't. Somebody does a RA and the rule is the result. If they decide it's harnesses and hats then what's the problem? I go to plenty who are using all sorts of access equipment and each has it's own working practices, some a bit slack, others draconian.

 

Very much of what is put forward as rules/law etc is just someones interpretation. At present, everything is in such a state of flux that a few wise souls are truly up to date - I defer to them, everyone else, I tend to be suspicious of.

[axle]

Thats before I was born...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

same here :x

[Neil]

Optical improvements were made to this range in 1982.

Thats before I was born...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I didn't even realise those years still existed...

[axle]

Just as a wiring question, is it ok (signals won't interfere etc) to run analogue and DMX control wires in the same trunking (4 of each); which is the best wire to use for each? and where can I get it from?

[Shaun Foster]

Just out of intererst, who opened the mains supply up for you to get that pic?

[axle]

Me, after tracing the supply right the way back to the first breaker, removing the fuse and taking it with me so the mains all the way to the arts theater (after school, no-one affected) is dead.

 

I may not be qualified to service/install mains electrics but I'm not stupid o.o

 

(Just as a note, it was only held shut by one fairly burred screw)