fuccisphotos Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 <p>So this weekend I did a wedding on a boat and I encountered an interesting problem. My light stand was set up in an area where people weren't able to knock into it. To my total surprise about 3/4 into the wedding the stand tipped over during a swell. I saw it as it was happening and caught it before it hit the floor. But what surprised me was that it wasn't specifically due to the swell, but rather that the knob that tightens the base into place had come clear off and so the base moved out of the stable position. This blew my mind because I had just purchased this light stand that was better quality and 3 times as expensive as my last one. I took down the light stand for safety and just used on camera flash for the rest of the wedding. Usually I bring multiple light stands as back up but since this was on a boat I was traveling lighter than my norm. After all the guests left, the DJ found the knob several feet away from the light stand. The only thing I can figure is that the vibration of the engine through the floorboard caused the knob to loosen and twist off. So beware of situations like this. Sandbags didn't help because I think the weight helped contribute to it loosening. So if you are doing a shoot on an engine powered boat, be sure to check your stand and connections throughout the night.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Ian Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 <p>Or put a weak threadlocker on the knob. just a dab on the thread will keep most things from working their ways loose from vibration, but will still be a weak enough bond to get the knob loose by hand. I use blue.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 <p>Yikes. Could you feel the vibration through the floor? I've set up stands with lights on boats before and never had the problem.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebell Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Wow, interesting problem there. At least it didn't fall over. A bit of tape, an elastic band or a small bungee cord wrapped around the locking knob and stand should do the trick, but I wouldn't have thought it necessary until you mentioned this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedding-photography-denver Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 <p>What an odd thing to happen, and certainly not something I would have thought about. I shot on a cruise boat once, but had no such issue. I am guessing this was a small boat > 60' or something?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianS1664879711 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 <p>There are a lot of vibrations on boats, but chances are high that the knob, inadvertantly, was not tightened in the first place.</p> ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuccisphotos Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 The knob was definitely tight at first. It won't stay in place at ll unless tightened down. You could feel the vibrations a ton through the floor. It was a smaller boat. With 90 guests it was packed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianS1664879711 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 <p>OK, let me re-phrase that: "not tightened enough".</p> ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuccisphotos Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 <p>Brian, I was reticent to uber tighten it because that's what happened to my previous light stand, it ended up having one of the knobs get de-threaded by having it too tight.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianS1664879711 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 <p>Yes, overtightening can be a problem with some equipment. Boats (and aircraft and motor vehicles) have lots of vibration and that am loosen things up. For future reference, lock washers might be considered... as could Loc-Tite (only the blue as mentioned above, not red which is nearly permanent). Another consideration would be periodic re-checking of knobs etc.</p> ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebell Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 The knob must rotate for it to loosen. Simply stop it rotating and no need for messy Loctite. That's not a good solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianivey Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 <p>Vail, have you tried using <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-035-Super-Clamp-without/dp/B001CWT416/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=31MS9PZOECQKV&coliid=I269Z4LRCCXLPD">Superclamps</a>? If you're just mounting speedlights, you can clamp these things to poles and other objects and they really hold. So much easier than stands, if you can find something for them to grip, and lower liability risk.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagesax Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Could have been bad, hitting someone. Glad everything went OK. I have no problems asking someone to hold a flash for me, a guest. Not for the whole night of course, just the formals. I usually ask someone in the wedding party or a teen that looks bored! Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frolickingbits Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 <p>I second the Super Clamp suggestion, lighter in your camera bag and they hold on to just about anything very tightly.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_rubenstein Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 <p>A piece of gaffers tape, run over the top of the knob and then around the shaft that the threaded part of the knob assembly goes into, will prevent the knob from loosening up.</p> <p>Everyone who recommended using Loctite, now has the homework assignment of actually trying it out and reporting back how well that worked out. If there is a plastic knob, over molded on the splined end of the threaded part, the knob may very well snap off before enough torque is applied to break even blue Loctite free.</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Ian Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 <p>I've used it (Loctite) for years on all kinds of equipment (including light stands). While if you buy the '<em>$10 - straight from china</em>' special, you are certain to break it (though it doesn't require loctite IME ;-) ). If you buy decent equipment though, Loctite won't break the knob I can guarantee it.</p> <p>I also said to use a very small amount. If you coat the thread, yes, even Blue will be difficult to remove, but for this application, just the smallest dab will do. Let it dry for a couple minutes before threading it for the first time, and then you will instantly feel the difference. Your gear will feel more secure (because it is). One application also lasts for many uses. But that's just my personal experience. And, used properly, it doesn't even make a mess! (Unlike gaffers tape, bungee cords, extra clamps, elastic bands, rubber bands, etc.) But then I believe in making things <em>simpler</em> at a wedding, not giving myself <em>more</em> things to carry around, <em>more</em> things to remember to do, <em>more</em> things to clean up, <em>more</em> things to loose/forget (you get the idea ;-) )...</p> <p>IDK, number of times I've had a stand go down because of an inappropriately tightened knob or one that's worked it's way loose? Once. Since I started using loctite? None - But that's just me.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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