Ripple tanks

[GOODN537433]

Does anyone still use or hire the 1 and 2k ripple tanks?

Reason for asking is that they are getting harder to find and many have stopped hiring them!

What is the modern equivalent or solution for the lack of ripple tanks?

Thanks

[J Pearce]

The solution du-jour is probably a 30k projector with noise levels adjacent to a A380 at take-off thrust, with a server rack to feed content to it. But it's not halogen, so it's sustainable...

[GOODN537433]

@J Pearce

Now why would that not suprise me? 🤔

[indyld]

Tubular ripples have been difficult to get hold of for some years. Basically, any company that is the kind to still have one remaining working one buried at the back of the warehouse is pretty much the only source. White Light used to still have some but that was probably a decade ago.

It's a shame because it's a great effect that isn't easy to replicate some other way. 

One of my students made a mini ripple for an on stage well that worked great. It was basically a few GU10 birdies, a gobo rotator, and some black wrap fashioned into a tube. 

One winter I had a really good ripple effect going on Pulteney Weir in Bath bouncing MassiveSpot 2Ks off the water, but seems difficult to replicate indoors with a cat litter tray full of water. 

At this point, DIY may be answer. 

Edited November 13, 2023 by indyld

[David Ripley]

We trued to use a bunch recently, all falling apart and couldn't get them to pass PAT. The earth, so I am told, was like a piece of thread, so no good

But agreed, the best things to do water with, one of my first designs was Way Upstream with no actual water, but  a lot of ripple tanks secreted around the stage, Sils with DHA Effects Wheels above and a beautiful 'prop' cabin cruiser onstage with 2 SM's inside shoving around, an invertor and a Mini2 running the onboard lights.

Ah, lighting in the 90's

David

[kitlane]

There are a range of water ripple effects available, most of which seem to be variations on rotating one or more textured glass gobos. The Rosco X24 was possibly the most 'professional' product but now discontinued. There is the ADJ H2O, the Chauvet Abyss 2, Equinox WaterWave etc. (They might be the same product rebadged??). You could get pretty much the same effect with most moving head spots.

None of these look like a tubular ripple tank though.

[Ynot]

On 11/12/2023 at 4:59 AM, GOODN537433 said:

Does anyone still use or hire the 1 and 2k ripple tanks?

Pete Watts (Live LX up here in the midlands) used to have a couple - I had them from him a couple of years ago (and repaired one of them 🙂 ) but not sure if he still has them.

Pete's also a member here but not a regular contributor.

Getting them down to Dorset might be an expensive option tho unless he has a gig anywhere close...

 

[GOODN537433]

Thanks @Ynot

 

Thanks @kitlane may have to do further investigations

 

Thanks @David Ripley alas the stage we may need them for is a tad small for ripple tanks to be located on or around it, but not a bad suggestion. Something to work on / think about.  Assuming we can get the effects wheels in these times.