BobMc's Laser Museum

[paul1598419]

Back when I was playing professionally, we had all sorts of mic stands. Single stands boom stands, all adjustable. I don't know about using a mic stand as they aren't as tip over proof as you might think.

 

[BobMc]

Hi,
These are the clamps i use with all my tripods and test equipment. They have a 1/4-20 thread on them and work with camera tripods and bench tripods. These are awesome clamps and hold tight without marring ant surfaces.

Rich

These are nice clamps! The stand you gave me has one of these on it. I use it for my largest laser. It holds and balances just great.

Yeah, here's the links to what I was referring to.

This one Musician's Gear Double Microphone Attachment | Guitar Center will take two of those standard mic clips.

And this one Sabra Som ST4 Four Mic Bar | Guitar Center will take four of those clips.

There's cheaper 4 place bars than that one above, they are similar to the two place one. And you can see the price difference on that Sabra Som, is a bit higher because the anchors are more complex than the two place one. They can slide- side to side, along the bar. Whereas the two place anchors are fixed to the bar.

If you want to go check them out before you plunk down some ducats, just swing by your local Guitar Center, to check them out. They usually have quite a bit of gear set up in-store.
So you can see first hand before ordering from them or elsewhere. Guitar Center 1011 W Avenue P, Palmdale, CA 93551 that is probably the closest one to ya' Bob.
They will usually have quite a few different mic stands on display as well, tripod and solid base types. For extra grip on the clips, we sometimes just used some small diameter rubber tubing and slit it lengthwise, then slid it over the knife edges of the clips to keep the mics from slipping out. If that didn't do the trick- we broke out the Duct tape!

Usually we only had to do that for mics that were pointing downward at sharp angles

Thanks for the links CE5. I will check them out. Haaa, actually my son plays the guitar and I have been to that guitar shop before. Those ones with four mounts on them are real nice looking, imagine 4 lasers on one stand, beaming for a beam shot. :thinking:

Back when I was playing professionally, we had all sorts of mic stands. Single stands boom stands, all adjustable. I don't know about using a mic stand as they aren't as tip over proof as you might think.

I imagine with four lasers on one stand it might get a little top heavy. It's something to watch out for. :thanks: for the words of advice.

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi Paul,
Yes they are cheap and for the price not to badly built either. I haven't had a problem with them yet. Those plastic scissor type are good for light and smaller lasers they need a heavier spring retention though.

Rich

 

[CE5]

Here is a link for an adapter that will accept up to six! of those scissor type mic clips. On-Stage Stands MY700 Mic Bar | Guitar Center

Of course the two outer wings, can be removed to use it as a four place mount.
That other more expensive four place mount is really not worth it unless you require the sliding anchor feature for?

And yeah, mounting four lasers on a bar would make the rig a tad top heavy, so best to use a mic stand with a tripod base.

Edit: @Rich, yup I agree the scissor type clips would benefit from heavier springs. I suppose another option would be to simply use some thick rubber bands to snug the laser barrel into the jaws of the clip? That would also help to retain the laser in place? And BTW, the rubber tubing we slid over the knife edge of the clip, was just some black surgical type tubing.
Like I mentioned, we just resorted to using duct tape, for super extra grip. But the rubber band trick might work as well, and the upside is it wouldn't leave any tape adhesive residue on the host.

 

[BobMc]

Hi Paul,
Yes they are cheap and for the price not to badly built either. I haven't had a problem with them yet. Those plastic scissor type are good for light and smaller lasers they need a heavier spring retention though.

Rich

Haaaa, your right Rich, price was real good! ( a friend give me one ) thanks Rich!

Here is a link for an adapter that will accept up to six! of those scissor type mic clips. On-Stage Stands MY700 Mic Bar | Guitar Center

Now that's cool! Six on one stand. Can even pivot the outer ones, gonna have to look into them. Gotta try and get some beam shots with six at once, that's got to be awesome.

Thanks for the link.

Just got to wait for a quite night.

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi,
No problem buddy anytime

Rich

 

[BobMc]

Hi,
No problem buddy anytime

Rich

No, thank you Rich in a big way!!!
:worthy:

 

[CE5]

I'm sure this has been covered somewhere before, but I'm wondering are there folks here that prefer to use rifle scope mounts?
https://www.midwayusa.com/scope-bases-and-mounts/br?cid=8705

I've noticed a few threads where folks are using them, but I'm just curious if they are more popular than my search revealed?
In that I sorta noticed a preference for jaw type/quick release vs the rsm's.

Also, has anyone used a rifle scope mount, and swapped out the standard hex head screws in order to use some thumbscrews with a knurled head type grip? To make breakdown and dis-mounting of the 'scope/host from the rings easier/quicker.

 

[BobMc]

I'm sure this has been covered somewhere before, but I'm wondering are there folks here that prefer to use rifle scope mounts?
https://www.midwayusa.com/scope-bases-and-mounts/br?cid=8705

I've noticed a few threads where folks are using them, but I'm just curious if they are more popular than my search revealed?
In that I sorta noticed a preference for jaw type/quick release vs the rsm's.

Also, has anyone used a rifle scope mount, and swapped out the standard hex head screws in order to use some thumbscrews with a knurled head type grip? To make breakdown and dis-mounting of the 'scope/host from the rings easier/quicker.

Never heard of anybody using them as laser stands. That's not to say there hasn't been, just not familiar. Had a friend once talk about putting a higher power laser on his rifle but never moved on it. Would be interesting though. :thinking:

 

[CE5]

There was this one post http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/homemade-tripod-mount-lasers-94708.html

And another, perhaps less common mount would be the astronomy finder scope ring type mount Stellarvue R50ET Finder Scope Rngs

That ring type mount could actually be easily fabricated using a variety of means and materials. The rings themselves could be produced by using PVC, plumbing pipe/black color for aesthetics, or any variety of metal tubing-copper, steel, aluminum, then painted for a clean looking finish etc. Simply use a saw blade to slice off the donuts/rings from the tubes and pick up some set screws from Lowe's or home Depot etc. I would probably use the nylon type set screws to prevent marring the surface of the host, and stripping the ring threads. Maybe even put some felt tipped swivel pads on the contact end of the set screws. And with a little time and minimal effort and cost, be able make as many of these ring type mounts as needed.

And these ring type mounts are quick release (obviously) and they provide for easy axial alignments on the fly, while providing stability similar to the high quality clamp type mounts. Except these ring type mounts are much lighter simply due to the reduction of mass, as compared to the high quality claw type quick release mounts.

And there's always Velcro, as another option for mounting stuff that needs a quick release.

 

[BobMc]

There was this one post http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/homemade-tripod-mount-lasers-94708.html

And another, perhaps less common mount would be the astronomy finder scope ring type mount Stellarvue R50ET Finder Scope Rngs

I did miss those two threads. Thanks for bringing them forward. Very interesting reads. Love it people make use of what they have, very inventive. Still like the 4-6 holders better, ( for me anyways ). But also love to read how other people build things, always plants a little seed in the back of my brain and you never know when or what might grow from it. :thanks:

 

[CE5]

I was just surfing around Battery Junction's site, and was checking out some of the different types of mounts for flashlights, and that seems like another promising source to investigate further, for ready made mounts that are not very costly it seems?

Flashlight Accessories

All of this stuff is new to me, so I hope you don't mind me bringing it up for discussion even if all, or most of it is already common knowledge here.

The flashlight mounts also look very interesting, perhaps @Richie89, will drop by and have more insight into the different types of flashlight mounts, and also the best sources from which to order them from? Because I am interested in obtaining some mounts, mostly for J/L PL-E Pro hosts. And I'm wondering what best practice for mounting will be?

 

[BobMc]

I was just surfing around Battery Junction's site, and was checking out some of the different types of mounts for flashlights, and that seems like another promising source to investigate further, for ready made mounts that are not very costly it seems?

Flashlight Accessories

All of this stuff is new to me, so I hope you don't mind me bringing it up for discussion even if all, or most of it is already common knowledge here.

The flashlight mounts also look very interesting, perhaps @Richie89, will drop by and have more insight into the different types of flashlight mounts, and also the best sources from which to order them from? Because I am interested in obtaining some mounts, mostly for J/L PL-E Pro hosts. And I'm wondering what best practice for mounting will be?

Not at all, all is interesting. You need and will find what works for you. Which type of stand/clamp/mount would best fit your needs, fit whatever your interests be. All this information is good, hopefully people will see and add their own ideas and thoughts to their builds. That's what's so fun about this hobby, its land breaking not many people ( as a whole ) are into it, so all thing are pretty much grass roots which makes things so much funner. ( and yes funner is a word, and the reason I know it's a word is, because I wouldn't have used it if it wasn't ). See more grass roots.

Ps, JL makes some great products you can't/ won't go wrong there.

Pss. Hopefully Richie will see and chime in. "All input causes increase".

 

[BowtieGuy]

One of my favorite tripod and laser clamp set-ups is the "Ultra pod" tripod, combined with these "small rig super clamps". Here is a -Link- to a thread showing this combo. set up.

The Ultra pods come in various sizes and have a velcro strap for attaching to any item. The Super Clamps also come in a couple of sizes with different maximum openings.

These can be found at quite a few various locations so it's best to shop around.

Sorry for the thread de-rail Bob!

 

[BobMc]

One of my favorite tripod and laser clamp set-ups is the "Ultra pod" tripod, combined with these "small rig super clamps". Here is a -Link- to a thread showing this combo. set up.

The Ultra pods come in various sizes and have a velcro strap for attaching to any item. The Super Clamps also come in a couple of sizes with different maximum openings.

These can be found at quite a few various locations so it's best to shop around.

Sorry for the thread de-rail Bob!

No worries Bowtie; like I said "all input causes increase" so please feel free to add whatever would/might help someone. All these links are great, people including me click on them and if interested take it one step further. Like the link to the 4-6 clip mounts, something that really interests me. Everybody's just a tad different. It's fun to see what/where people take their builds. Some are just awesome.
Like Acc and his Thor's Hammer, he put he's heart and soul in that build and I think he did a fantastic job. :gj:

 

[paul1598419]

One of my favorite tripod and laser clamp set-ups is the "Ultra pod" tripod, combined with these "small rig super clamps". Here is a -Link- to a thread showing this combo. set up.

The Ultra pods come in various sizes and have a velcro strap for attaching to any item. The Super Clamps also come in a couple of sizes with different maximum openings.

These can be found at quite a few various locations so it's best to shop around.

Sorry for the thread de-rail Bob!

That's funny, Jeff. I have an ultrapod tripod with a small rig clamp on it as one of my setups. They are very nice and the velcro strap comes in handy when you need to get it up off the ground for certain shots. It is my favorite setup, though I have some Chinese knock offs that are MUCH cheaper, but are not too bad either.

I got my setup quite some time ago and the small rig clamp I have cost much more than the ones on Amazon now. I paid ~$20.00 for mine, but it was made in the U.S.