Moving head on a tripod

[Crash_Override]

What are your thoughts on mounting a moving head to a tripod?
I would mount it on the center of the tripod, on top of the T-bar with 2 static lights(ETC CS spot/par) on the ends of T-bar?
Moving head weight: 9.9 kg (21.7 lbs) Robe LedBeam350. Stand: https://www.thomann.de/intl/hercules_stands_hcls700b.htm Hight about 3m (9ft).
I think two moving head hanging from T-Bar would be worse?
It will be used for theatre, so not a lot of movement and usually with decent fade times.

[Don Allen]

I have rigged two BeeEye clones on the underside of a 3m push up tripod stand, with three small LED PARS overrigged on top of the Tbar. The 72W 6in1 LED PAR's weighed 1.5kG each. The BeeEye colnes weighed 8Kg each. The zoom wash movers were focused on to the band and did not move for the show. No ballyhoos. Did the risk assessment and it worked for many shows. Put a shotbag on each leg for added safety.

If you use a slow motor speed the stand will not move. Every situation is unique and needs a risk analysis. The other option is to use a piece of truss on a heavy base plate. You can put a sock on the truss to hide it, or put a truss warmer inside the truss to show it off.

[alistermorton]

As I said elsewhere, I'd be nervous enough of doing this that I wouldn't do it, even with lots of ballast. Even if the movers aren't going to intentionally move in the show, I'm still nervous of a heavy mover up high on a tripod overbalancing if someone is focusing and makes them move a bit sharpish. But maybe I'm being too risk averse - you see it every weekend at weddings and parties.

Edit to add: There's also the question of can you rig the movers safely to the square cross bar?

Edited February 24, 2022 by alistermorton

[Dave m]

suppose there's no chance of a pole to the grid? or spot lines?

[timsabre]

I have done this a few times and wouldn't be worried about it with 8-10KG fixtures. 2 evenly matched fixtures either side of a tripod stand, OK too. Even if you fling the fixture around there isn't that much force on the stand as a lot of the fixture weight is in the base. It will move a bit so anything else on the stand might jiggle around for a bit after a move.

I wouldn't do it with a BMFL or other really heavy fixture though. As Don says, assess the risk.