Tripods. How To Gain More Height

[ahoustondj]

I have mentioned before how one can get additional height from SOME Speaker Stands/Tripods/Lighting Stands. I would not attempt to do this if 1. You have heavy speakers or weight on top.
2. If the Stands are plastic or poor quality, they should be heavy aluminium or steel.

Depending on the braces at the bottom that attaches the legs to the center pole, when you open it all the way, keep pushing down while pulling up on the center pole. This will invert the braces on the bottom and give you additional height on the pole. See the pics; the stand with the Tennis ball is opened all the way crank/top pole all the way down. The other stand is inverted with crank/top pole all the way down. In other words those are the lowest heights before cranking upwards. You can gain up to 2' by inverting. Make sure that you have enough spread to prevent tipping or collapsing.

The benefit to this is that the sound from the speakers won't be in peoples face and you can stand in front of the stand with a Mic and not get feedback. This works even better when the tops are running just Midrange and Highs. Would be excellent for the JBL Vertecs.

Click on each photo three times to magnify.

 

[sonic-vision]

OOOOOOOKKKK! So how to you spread your speakers wider??

 

[wellsjim]

turn the tripods on their sides....you'll get that extra 2ft....LOL

 

[wellsjim]

Just pulling your chain Canute!!!
I have done that with my PV12's.
I personaly don't care to do this for the spread of the tripod legs are not as wide reversed on MY tripods.
I have also used the steel pipes that you install chain-link fence(top rail) to get speakers; light bars and my video screen poles.
i normaly use those pole to get my video screens up as high as the ceiling will let me.
In gyms they are around 14 to 16 feet high (top of screen)bottom is around 8 feet'

Jim

 

[Proformance]

Here's the real issue with that - if you do a load analysis you'll note that

- with the center column below the collar ties (shorter position) those connector bars will be in tension - effectively pulling inward on the legs to form a balanced 3 point base. This distributes the load more evenly to all three legs even if the floor is not perfectly level. It is what they are designed to do - carry a tensile force. It is the safest setup.

- with the center column raised above the collar connections those connector bars are now carrying a compression load which pushes outward on the legs. They are not designed for a compression load and are prone to bending. The legs will also be prone to uneven loading from slight variations in the floor which might accelerate the failure point on the overloaded leg, or tipping between legs. The outward force also makes the assembly more prone to a sort of explosive failure of the base since the legs are being pushed outward from the spreader rather than pulled into it. This is the least safe setup.

 

[ahoustondj]

Here's the real issue with that - if you do a load analysis you'll note that

- with the center column below the collar ties (shorter position) those connector bars will be in tension - effectively pulling inward on the legs to form a balanced 3 point base. This distributes the load more evenly to all three legs even if the floor is not perfectly level. It is what they are designed to do - carry a tensile force. It is the safest setup.

- with the center column raised above the collar connections those connector bars are now carrying a compression load which pushes outward on the legs. They are not designed for a compression load and are prone to bending. The legs will also be prone to uneven loading from slight variations in the floor which might accelerate the failure point on the overloaded leg, or tipping between legs. The outward force also makes the assembly more prone to a sort of explosive failure of the base since the legs are being pushed outward from the spreader rather than pulled into it. This is the least safe setup.

Bob, this is why I use steel Lighting stands. One Bose on top and sometimes plus one or two lights is less than half the Maximum weight allowed for each stand. I gave allowance for that in my instance. Now if I was to put over a 100lbs on there, I will be asking for trouble. My Bose are not heavy and because they are more horizontal than vertical they tend to stabilize well.

On second thoughts Bob is correct, someone may try and do this and load it to the Maximum of more and end up with trouble. I know what I am doing and where I place my tripods so I won't worry as long as my load is light.

 

[djsarge]

Some people just have a lighter load than others.

 

[ahoustondj]

I E-mailed this discussion to a friend of mine who is a Senior Mechanical Engineer with Devon Energy (Oil Company).He also did say that the best way to use the tripods is to have the legs splayed out. (How many DJs fully extend the legs anyway?) However he told me that if I stayed below the limits of the maximum weight restrictions that I should be fine. He also told me if I wanted to maintain the added height and wanted peace of mind that the Stand would not collapse, that I should cut a piece of Metal pipe and put it under the middle pole which will bear most of the weight and then the legs would act as stabilizers. I think I will do that.

 

[ittigger]

(How many DJs fully extend the legs anyway?)

Are you assuming that most do not fully extend the legs?

 

[ahoustondj]

Are you assuming that most do not fully extend the legs?

Based on what I have seen in pictures and in real experience I will say "Yes". The braces are hardly ever parallel to the ground the way they should be. This is because they take up more space when fully extended.

 

[Randy A]

Based on what I have seen in pictures and in real experience I will say "Yes". The braces are hardly ever parallel to the ground the way they should be. This is because they take up more space when fully extended.

Great...now, he'll start pointing that out on anyone's gig report.

 

[ittigger]

How many (percentage) of the people show us event pictures anymore - and of that percentage, how many have been wrong? Like you, at times I shall attempt to go beyond where the braces are parallel to the floor for greater height - but I would never consider this if I knew the stands could not take it - or if it was not proper for the area. Like you, I shall make an assumption too - that the experienced ones (90%-95% of the people we talk to regularly here) have this knowledge and use it. You do know what happens when you assume right?

 

[Randy A]

How many (percentage) of the people show us event pictures anymore - and of that percentage, how many have been wrong? Like you, at times I shall attempt to go beyond where the braces are parallel to the floor for greater height - but I would never consider this if I knew the stands could not take it - or if it was not proper for the area. Like you, I shall make an assumption too - that the experienced ones (90%-95% of the people we talk to regularly here) have this knowledge and use it. You do know what happens when you assume right?

The percentage used to be fairly good.....

 

[ahoustondj]

How many (percentage) of the people show us event pictures anymore - and of that percentage, how many have been wrong? Like you, at times I shall attempt to go beyond where the braces are parallel to the floor for greater height - but I would never consider this if I knew the stands could not take it - or if it was not proper for the area. Like you, I shall make an assumption too - that the experienced ones (90%-95% of the people we talk to regularly here) have this knowledge and use it. You do know what happens when you assume right?

This really has nothing to do with aesthetics or proper sound reproduction. When someone does a Gig report and post pics unless they are just looking for a "pat on the back", I would think that they would accept feedback on not just what is good but what could be done differently. If they know that their setup is less than adequate because of certain restrictions on space, why in the world don't they post pics of the whole room so we can get a perspective and thus eliminate the need for criticism?

 

[wellsjim]

My light show: Starting from top to bottom:
Chauvet 4 play....thanks NLFX
Chauvet 6 spot....thanks NLFX
Chauvet Pocket Spots...thanks NLFX
American DJ Mini Tri Ball...thanks that other guy
Chauvet Mini Lazer FX...thanks NLFX
American DJ Starball..thanks that other guy
American DJ Vertigotriled..thanks that other guy

This is only one side..i have another just the same.

And yes i know the legs are not s-p-r-e-a-d in this pic. LOL

Behind the american mini tri ball you can see the adapter that joins the tripod to the extention.
I use the 4 play & pin spots on the dance floor and the 6 spot & lazers on the walls and ceiling.
Sometimes I put the Vertigo on the tripod legs and shoot them up throught the dancers.

I have a snake that i made to connect to the light controler.

Jim

 

[ahoustondj]

And yes i know the legs are not s-p-r-e-a-d in this pic.

Jim, I have never beat up on anyone for having the Tripod legs spread all the way. Even I don't many a time. My subject matter was the inversion to get more height. As long as the weight is far less than the maximum recommended weight then it should not be an issue to invert the braces. Similar applied to if the legs are spread out all the way, if the weight does not exceed the maximum recommended weight, all should be good!

 

[wellsjim]

Hey no problem. you're not beating me up. i normally have them spread at gigs. I just notice they was not in the pic. I can take a pat on the back as well as criticism!!! LOL I forgot to put "LOL" on the s-p-r-e-a-d line.

I agree with "if the weight does not exceed the maximum recommended weight, all should be good!"
I have another way of placing my speakers without tripods ( i stole it from this fourm) patio unbrella stands.

 

[SoftJock Rick]

Never did understand the need to put speakers on sticks. I keep them on the floor -- negates the need to use subs. I usually put them under the table cloth, angled up slightly with a 2" x "4" in the front. The sound waves hit the ceiling toward the back of the room, then hit the back wall, then the floor to the crowd.

To the crowd, it's as if the sound is coming from behind them, and in front at the same time -- engulfing, so to speak.

You also get a good damping effect from having them behind the table cloth, so it's not harsh -- and nobody ever sees the speakers.

 

[steve149]

Never did understand the need to put speakers on sticks. I keep them on the floor -- negates the need to use subs. I usually put them under the table cloth, angled up slightly with a 2" x "4" in the front. The sound waves hit the ceiling toward the back of the room, then hit the back wall, then the floor to the crowd.

To the crowd, it's as if the sound is coming from behind them, and in front at the same time -- engulfing, so to speak.

You also get a good damping effect from having them behind the table cloth, so it's not harsh -- and nobody ever sees the speakers.

That may work if "no one is dancing", but not having speakers (at least the mid/highs) above people's heads near a dance floor will remove said mid/highs from being heard by most anyone beyond the front row.

 

[Proformance]

Are you assuming that most do not fully extend the legs?

Fully extending the legs is not necessary - in fact, with the braces somewhere below horizontal is better. (Lower center of gravity.) It is only important that the collar ties remain below the connector plane and carry a tension load.