How to fit telescopic pole to spigots on light stand?

hillwalkinggirl

hillwalkinggirl

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I'm just setting up my first home studio. I'm trying to decide on a budget background support. I considered buying a budget background kit, consisting of two supports and a telescopic pole, but after thinking about it it seems a better and more versatile idea to buy 2 light stands with spigot tops (I could also use the light stands as light stands then when I didn't need the background support)and support the material with a metal telescopic curtain rail.
The problem is how to attach the pole to the spigot on the top of the lamp stand. Is there any sort of clamp which would drop on to the spigot and then have some means of attaching the pole?

None of the photos of ready made background systems show the type of attachment used.

Has anyone got any ideas please?
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
The problem is how to attach the pole to the spigot on the top of the lamp stand. Is there any sort of clamp which would drop on to the spigot and then have some means of attaching the pole?

None of the photos of ready made background systems show the type of attachment used.

Has anyone got any ideas please?
Click to expand...

Good old Super clamps can be mounted directly on a standard spigot and are an essential accessory in any case. However, why have you dismissed the standard background stand & pole set? Most I've seen seem to be standard stands with spigot ends that the pole slides over.

Paul
 
hi what you need is 2 x Manfrotto rapid adaptors, they have a 16mm socket which will drop onto the top of the lighting stands and have a 3/8" threaded top, code is 014-38 . Small and they work, you will need to drill a 10mm hole in the end of your pole the take the thread, the superclamps are another way to do it, but they cost more and are a bit of a lump to carry around regards david

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hillwalkinggirl said:
I'm just setting up my first home studio. I'm trying to decide on a budget background support. I considered buying a budget background kit, consisting of two supports and a telescopic pole, but after thinking about it it seems a better and more versatile idea to buy 2 light stands with spigot tops (I could also use the light stands as light stands then when I didn't need the background support)and support the material with a metal telescopic curtain rail.
The problem is how to attach the pole to the spigot on the top of the lamp stand. Is there any sort of clamp which would drop on to the spigot and then have some means of attaching the pole?

None of the photos of ready made background systems show the type of attachment used.

Has anyone got any ideas please?
Click to expand...

I think you'll find that a regular background system is just two lighting stands and a crossbar that fits on to the standard spigot. So you've got the versatile option to use them as lighting stands, and probably cheaper than buying clamps. But get the clamps anyway - very handy (y)
 
Thank you everyone for your help. I've found this background support on ebay, and although I realize it's not going to be very high quality I think that it might do the job as I will only be using it occasionally. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260844913786?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

The manfrotto superclamp looks like a useful piece of equipment to have but from what I can see I will also need an adaptor. There appears to be 2 sizes, which would be the most useful, and would it have to be a Manfrotto specific one or would a calumet one work?
 
Another vote for super clamps, provided you don't have the really cheap lighting stands. You need stands that have a wide footprint for stability. It's amazing how versatile super clamps are I.e. I've even used mine to clamp a camera onto a cars towing hook.
 
The tops of the stand shown in your link don't look to have the 'industry' standard spigot mount so may require an adapter to take a standard light mount, so I don't really see those as being really 'dual purpose'. The Lencarta set-up, whilst three times the price is IMO far better from a usefulness perspective. When I was doing some mobile work, many years ago, the so called back ground kit didn't really exist and I just used a pair of standard stands, with a pair of hooks and a collapsible pole I bought from a camping shop.

Paul
 
Oh, something else that occurs to me, you mention setting up a 'home studio' so would a pair of substantial wall hooks that you can just drop the crossbar onto not be sufficient?

Paul
 
paul williams said:
The tops of the stand shown in your link don't look to have the 'industry' standard spigot mount so may require an adapter to take a standard light mount, so I don't really see those as being really 'dual purpose'. The Lencarta set-up, whilst three times the price is IMO far better from a usefulness perspective. When I was doing some mobile work, many years ago, the so called back ground kit didn't really exist and I just used a pair of standard stands, with a pair of hooks and a collapsible pole I bought from a camping shop.

Paul
Click to expand...
Thanks Paul.
I thought that maybe the tops weren't standard but I decided to buy them because at that price it didn't really matter if they were dual purpose or not. I figured out that I could fit my second speedlite onto my spare tripodThe only room I have that's big enough is the lounge and I don't think that the hooks would look too good.
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
Thanks Paul.
I thought that maybe the tops weren't standard but I decided to buy them because at that price it didn't really matter if they were dual purpose or not. I figured out that I could fit my second speedlite onto my spare tripodThe only room I have that's big enough is the lounge and I don't think that the hooks would look too good.
Click to expand...

My background support arrived today from weiz538 on ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260844913786?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 I ordered it on Sunday night and they quoted free delivery for Wednesday by Parcel Force. It arrived this morning - one day late but it had been sent out on Monday as promised, so not their fault.

It was far better than I expected for the price. The stands seem to be fit for the purpose I need them for though obviously not as good quality as my Westcott stand. The support pole which goes across is made of three pieces which link together with those push button fastenings like the ones on awnings. You can link either 2 together to make about 4ft or the 3 together to make 6ft 6". This is very useful for my small room. The stands extend to 6ft 6" high.

They are not standard light type spigots at the top as the screw is too long to attach my Westcott flash/umbrella bracket. The screw itself is quite thick and I tried attaching my ball head to it without the ball head 3/8 to 1/4 adapter screw fitting, but it didn't seem to want to screw further than the fist couple of threads. I didn't push my luck as I didn't want to risk cross threading, though it could just be that it was a little tight.

I am quite happy though as I can see a lot of other uses for these stands when not using them as support stands. Hubby said they would make great 5 a side football stands:bang: so I think I will be keeping them locked up.:D
 
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