Lighting Grids

Charles, when a 7" AB reflector is attached to the light, and a grid is added to the other end, it puts the modeling light and flash tube in a pretty much enclosed area. If there are a lot of consecutive pops, the reflector and grid get rocket hot. The optional $50 mod system holder I don't have has ventilation that should help ventilate that so I keep the modeling light off and watch for too many pops in a series. It got hot enough to melt the pull tabs with the degree markings off a couple of them. Only once I can think of when it over heated the strobe unit for it to shut off. I definitely stay with wooden clips on the hot lights.

Charles, when a 7" AB reflector is attached to the light, and a grid is added to the other end, it puts the modeling light and flash tube in a pretty much enclosed area. If there are a lot of consecutive pops, the reflector and grid get rocket hot. The optional $50 mod system holder I don't have has ventilation that should help ventilate that so I keep the modeling light off and watch for too many pops in a series. It got hot enough to melt the pull tabs with the degree markings off a couple of them. Only once I can think of when it over heated the strobe unit for it to shut off. I definitely stay with wooden clips on the hot lights.

 

I never ran into a problem with my AB400s and 800s. I guess my shooting pace is slower, and because I was shooting at low power (1/4-1/16), the modeling light was never on full.

 

I've never had an overheating problem with my ABs, but I was shooting products, not people, so there's never a hurry. And based on my brewery use, the clamps are good up to 200F or more. I certainly wouldn't use them on hot lights, but we aren't talking about those. Regardless of how you use them on lights, they are invaluable for holding gobos, cutters, small reflectors, pieces of blackwrap, seamless paper, etc.

 

Not arguing, just sharing my experience

Whatever happened to bulldog clips?

 

They used to be sold in every stationers, but I haven't seen 'em for years.

Charles, not taken as arguing. Me either, I wanted to pass some things on to the op so he doesn't have to learn them by experience. I use Einsteins for their 6 pops per second. Einsteins also have a 250 not 150 watt modeling light that I like on the main so I can see the shadows but they also probably throw off more heat. I regularly burst at 6 fps and things heat up. In my west coast studio it was completely blacked out and only lit by modeling lights so I tended to leave them on at higher power. I tend to use strips for kickers/hair lights and those clamps are great for attaching cinefoil to the sides of them to help keep light from contaminating the bg. I think I have the clamps you recommended, about the size of a small A clamp but lighter weight. I like them to partially roll my seamless around a small pvc pipe to keep the roll taut and straight without adding too much weight. Joe have some bull dog clips but the ones that are really handy are connected by a rod and both can pivot. It will clamp to a 7" reflector at one end and the other to a cinefoil flag. Allows 2 flagged lights with only 2 stands to evenly light a bg and yet keep spill off the subject. Can use 2.5" long flags just stiffened by folding over the long edge a couple of times.