Stage Lighting Stands - Easy Rigging Equipment
A commonly used method of rigging stage lighting, the lighting stand is safe, flexible and can be cheap. Perhaps you looking to buy your first set of lighting stands for your own mobile rig. If so, read on at the On Stage Lighting guide to using and abusing stage lighting stands…
Working with small lighting rigs in small venues is common ground for many bands and other acts. Simple touring theatre shows rig their lighting on the humble stand for versatility and speed while mobile DJ,s are never without a truss ‘n’ stands “goalpost” for their lighting effects.
Types of Stage Lighting Stand
Lighting stands come in all shapes and sizes, from small lightweight tripods that lift a few lights up 3m to large winch-up stands that can safely lift several hundred kilograms to a dizzy height of 6m.
Push Up Stands – Small telescopic tripods made from metal tube with a locking system that you can hang a few lights on, cable up, test and then push up by hand. These stands have a small weight capacity or Safe Working Loads (SWL) and usually lift to 3m or less.
Wind Up Stands – More advanced and with better SWL, Wind Ups use a mechanical system of winch/cog to lift more lights to 3m or more. They sometimes have adjustable feet to be able to cope with slightly uneven floor surfaces. A wind up lighting stand is often called Manfrotto, the brand name of the one most popular makes of stand.
Winch Up stands – These stands are cabable of lifting a few hundred kilograms up to around 6m. They have safe braking systems and a wide “footprint” (the size of the base) for good stability. Because they lift high, the stands have adjustable feet to enable them to be erected safely by ensuring that they are vertical.
Rigging Lights on the Stand
A lighting stand needs some form of rigging hardware to actually hold stage lights.
Spigots
A single light can be attached to the top using a “spigot” that is bolted where the hook clamp normally fits. The spigot slots into the top of the stand and is clamped in position using a wingbolt. Standard stage lighting spigots are 15-20mm diameter and the popular “TV spigot” being 28mm diameter.
If the stage lighting stand is incompatible with the spigot, you can always use a “spigot adaptor”.
The spigot is usually part of any system that allows rigging of multiple lights on the lighting stand.
Rigging Multiple Lights
You probably want a bit from your stage lighting stand than to rig only light on it! So you need another piece of rigging kit.
The unimaginatively named T-bar is a cross piece that fits on top of the lighting stand using a spigot. T-bars can be square or round section metal with holes drilled to bolt stage lights onto, or made from 2″ scaffold pipe for lighting hook clamps to grip. Using a T-bar you can rig quite a few lights on each stand, making sure that you keep within the stands weight limits, often written on the stand.
A standard pipe (or barrel, bar) can be attached to the top of a lighting stand using a scaffold clamp welded to a TV spigot. In the UK, these are often known as a “Big Ben”.
On larger lighting rigs, truss can be attached to the top of lighting stands using “Truss Adaptors” which are fabricated comprising of a TV spigot, spreader bar and clamps that grip the truss. Using a few large winch-up stands and truss with adaptors can create a decent sized lighting rig without the need to hang the system from the roof. The only consideration might be winching four or more stands up, all at once, when it’s only you and your mate!
The great thing about stage lighting stands is, as well as being versatile and safe when used correctly, you can rig all your lights from the comfort and safety of the floor.
You might still have to get the ladder out to focus those PAR cans – unless you are pretty handy with a long stick!!!!
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2 Responses to “Stage Lighting Stands - Easy Rigging Equipment”
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January 4th, 2008 at 2:41 am
If I were to build a “minimal” lighting package for a small band, theater troop, or portable church, good lighting stands would be one of my my first purchases. I would also recommend staying away from any equipment marketed to mobile DJ’s–unless, of course you ARE a mobile DJ. Buy two pro-grade stands capable of holding a T bar with at least six, preferably twelve, par cans per stand. You don’t need to buy all the par cans right away. Get a stand with a hand crank that lets you get the lights well above the head of the crowd–8 feet minimum, 12 if you have the headroom. If money is tight, don’t buy a dimming system right away–you can just plug the par cans into wall outlets or a power strip, and use a switch to turn them on and off. Be careful not to exceed the current capacity of your extension cord, power strip, or wall outlet. Do not place lights close to automatic fire sprinkler heads. One disadvantage of stands is that they often have to be placed away from the stage, in the crowd, where the is a possibility that some drunk will mess with them. This could be an issue for bands playing in bars…hopefully not an issue in a church.
January 4th, 2008 at 5:01 am
Hello again, Craig
I agree with you about the professional grade lighting stands. In the UK, we usually use the standard Manfrotto wind-up stand. They are good quality , stable and lift about 30KG to 13 feet - but they aren’t cheap. I have seen some decent quality copies around though.
The Strata from Doughty Engineering is a favourite for heavy duty lifts.
Thanks and glad to see your blog back again.
(p.s - Did you notice that I do that unique Brit thing and use metric measurements and feet in the same sentence - lol)