need an idea for faster set up time,

S-Hooks. You can leave them attacked to the light, and just hang them on the truss, get them all positioned and then tighten them. Its easier than pushing a bolt through a hole and trying to find the other side.

either a "S" or "O" clamps would be better in the long run. a usual "C" clamp is a pain to me.

That sounds like a great idea to me. I just have to figure how to deal with the angles on the pocket scans.

Thanks

djotto

>O clamps dude, minimize your setup time.
>Pre load your Par 38's on single bars in groups of four. Use two clamps to secure your Par Bars to the truss. At the end of the evening, you just have to take the two bars down instead of eight individual fixtres.

Also, you have a really large setup. I suggest minimizing your lighting as well:
>Take out the 50 watt gems and the Diamonds. With a DMX controller you can program your Onyx's to create low movement like the gems or do super cool fast multi color movement like the diamonds. Your intelligent moonflowers will do the work of both the diamonds and mini gems.
>Take away the four 60 watt strobes and use the single 750 watt strobe. (Unless you are chasing the 60 watt strobes with different colors, that is an amazing effect)

If you are choosing between the Pocket or the Mighty Scans. I really suggest the mighty scans. I've had my Mighty Scans for about six months now and I love them to death. The only downfall is that they weigh 28 pounds each. When you compare wattage and color and gobo patterns there is no comparison. You may want to think of getting a crank system.

The updated system will conist of:
>8 par cans
>4 scanners (go with the mighty scans!)
>3 Onyx moonflowers
>1 Neutron Star strobe

Get a DMX operator to control your scanners, onyx's, a dimmer pack for your par cans and you will be rockin!!!

Hi

Thanks for the sugestions, I went out and got some eye hooks. I liked the idea of s hooks, but found some of the mountan climbing hooks (clip) things, ( they latch and use the for key rings too.) I am going to put them on the 3 onxy this weekend.

My system has the the 4 channel strobe controller and I do have the gelled pink and blue. The reason I use the diamonds is the onxy ( and the diamonds ) have a 10 min duty cycle. The little gems don't and I use the for slow songs too. I also forgot to list the Sunray II.

I do not take the par 38 off of the truss, they say on and I just take out the bulbs. I leave the diamonds, the gems and the nuetron stobe on the truss too. The sunray II normally sits on the ground in front of me. So with any luck I'll be down just to the pokect scan problem.

To give you an update of my system:
2 pocket scans (soon to be 4 pocket scans or 4 mighty scans)
8 100 watt par 38 floods
3 250 watt onyx II
2 50 watt gems
2 300 watt daimonds (same as jewel)
4 60 watt strobes (pro 101)
1 750 watt neutron star strobe
1 300 watt sunray II
1 set of blinders, very bright

1 four channel chase for the pars
1 SC-8 system plus one exter relay pack
1 S-4 strobe control
1 Solo for Pocket scans


Thanks again for the help any sugestions are appriciated.

Dj Otto
www.djotto.com

just be carefull to do it securely....don't skimp on hanging it just to save time or CRASH

i hated setting up my truss for smaller gigs and have 3 seperate stands now.. 2 house 4 par 38's each and the 3rd ad my luna 4 and vertigo on it .. to make the par's faster to setup, i have them pre wired on the bars, and made up extension cord snakes of 4 and labeled weach end 1-4 so when i plug them into the light copilot, they chase correctly.. the luna's are prewired on the bar, and i c clamp the vertigo on each time and keep it in a separate case for transport.. the par's are durable and i give em hell as far as them getting shaken around on transport.. no broken bulbs or torn gels yet! they even fell over once at a windy event and only bent one of em and it was repairable.. my lightshow is small, but its all i have the patience to wire .. ild love some intelligents soon ...

Par 38's are one of the best basic lights there is but be careful about the bumpy transportation. I had problems with mine not working all the time. Culprit was that all the bouncing and transport with the bulbs left in had worn out the rivets in the light socket.
I had to replace and rewire them all. But the new sockets have 4 screws as opposed to 2 rivets. Just trying to watch out for ya. Take the bulbs out if you transport! saves time&Money

Speaking of taking the bulbs out:

This has happened twice. The glass face of the 150-watt indoor/outdoor light used in the 38 broke, but the element was fine. Oddly enough, it happened the first time on the way BACK from my Reno show last year, and this time it happened on the way TOO the Reno show. Thank goodness I had some spare bulbs! I'm just glad my crew didn't get cut up.

Unfortunately, space is an issue. I need to get a crate to house the Par38's in their boxes. That will sufficiently protect them in my opinion.

Chris
Build your own. I took 3/8 plywood and the four boxes that the pars came in. Build a box around those four boxes (they make good liners) and add lid. Hinges and handles and paint and voala, cheap durable storage. not too heavy either

Hi,

I too had that happen once with the par 38s. I found several years ago, some light weight plastic 150 or 100 watt bulbs. They do not weight down the cans enough to do any damage. The fixture I am attaching with the climbing clips are doing great. I'd recommend this to anyone, they are a great replacement for s hooks.