Any one know of one commercially available? Want to mount the ball so that it's above the T bar , not in front or below...
Thanks
Thanks
Mirror Ball mount for T bar ???
- Thread starter Steve LeBlanc
- Start date
They suck.....I have 2...interested?
Seriously, I really don't like them...I'd use a quadphase....That being said, there is nothing like the classic mirror ball....
Steve, go to Lowes and pickup a screw-in chair leg mount. It's basically a "V" shape with a receptacle in the center. You then run a bolt thru the T-bar, into the receiver and mount your mirror ball motor to the plate.
The only mirror balls I've ever seen have an eye-bolt which hang below the motor. I know most all of the new mirror balls are styrofoam so not sure how easy it would be to take out the mount pin and replace it with a steel (rigid) rod. There a vertically-mounted "Starsphere" on ebay but looks like that has those too-large lenses on it. Seems I remember a black sphere that had smaller pin-holes in it but then again, both it and the starsphere are 300-watt units with a short duty cycle. You could do a bent-rod to drop a standard mirror ball but I did something like that last year. It was a pain at gigs. Guess I don't have an answer for you but am interested in what you come up with. I took out one spot on one of my Ts to hang a mirror ball but would rather have something like you're describing (if it's easy setup).
BTW, I currently have mind perm-mounted and wired. I get to the gig, pop the T on the lift, hang the mirror ball, then crank it up.
BTW, I currently have mind perm-mounted and wired. I get to the gig, pop the T on the lift, hang the mirror ball, then crank it up.
I've used a clamp that attaches to the top horizontal bar of a truss, not the triangle truss but the standard two bar truss. This particular clamp has a second clamp attached to it. For example, you know that both truss stands could be used as "stand alone" light stands, with the 42" bar across the top making it a light stand. The two-clamp piece allows you to clamp it to the light stand verticle pole so that the other clamp would attach to a second Bar making it look like ther were two "T" bar light tree. You take this two-clamp piece and clamp it on top of the existing T-bar or center of truss on top bar. Then slide the horizontal piece of a second t-bar through the clamp until it comes to the last 4-5" of the bar and clamp it tight. Attach the mirror ball motor to the tube at the top and run the electrical cord down the barrel of the tube (tape it or Ziptie it). Attach the mirror ball to the "S" hook and motor. Then loosen the clamp slightly that is attached to the Truss bar or T-bar and angle the clamp so the Mirror ball is higher than the T-bar or Truss. Attach pin spot to each end of the horizontal "T" or truss so that light shines on bottom of the mirror ball (or sides). This has worke on many occasions. However, word of advice. If you use a Truss, then there is enough support to anchor the truss to the floor. If using on a light tree, then be sure to sandbag the legs so it doesn't tip forward because of the Mirror Ball being so far off center.
My two cents.
My two cents.
I've seen table mount motors that could possibly be adapted to being mounted on top as described but they state that they are designed for 8" or smaller balls.... how small are your balls?
Art - I was thinking of that; it may work as I do have truss....I can mount the truss to a "T"...May be the best of both worlds....I can't see the mirror ball being a balance issue; it weighs all of 7 ilbs or so.... A larrge "C" flattened would work as you are literally hanging the mirror ball over the center of the "T". Mike have to take a trip to the local welder
Think of a bamboo fishing pole with the line hanging down. Raise the angle of the pole from horizontal to perhaps 40 to 45 degrees. The what use to be the horizontal bar for the "T-Bar" is now the fishing pole, so to speak. Because of the angel and the distance out in front of the horizontal bar (approximately 40") without installing this on a truss you could have a problem. Remember the Mirror Ball needs to hang free so as not to touch the bar while spinning. If you use the truss concept and alos have two additional "T" bars, you can mount them on the top of the truss support pole--lower the truss horizontal beam the distance of the T-bar attachment clamp. Tighten.
But push the bar through the T-clamp so that you have a 3/4 overhang in the front. Take a Bungie Cord and insert the hook inside of the last mounting hole (hole should be up like you would normally insert a bolt for par a par can or light fixture) and stretch it so that when a pin-spot is hung from the front hole of the bar it doesn't droop. Wrap the bungie around the bottom truss bar and secure it. Now do the same on the other end. You now have two pin-spots, one left and one right, out in front and below the mirror ball. Adjust pinspot and you've got light on the ceiling, wall and floor. I prefer either a Red and Blue Plastic cover (not gels) or two of the same color. Of course you could use no cover and have the "traditional" white color.
I hope this makes sense. Now, if using only a T-bar and stand, I mount the pinspot on one of the legs or a spot on each of the front two legs. Of course you need to raise the stand to a very high point to be effective. Be sure to weight the hind leg of the stand so it doesn't tip forward. Again, it's the "fishing" pole affect.
But push the bar through the T-clamp so that you have a 3/4 overhang in the front. Take a Bungie Cord and insert the hook inside of the last mounting hole (hole should be up like you would normally insert a bolt for par a par can or light fixture) and stretch it so that when a pin-spot is hung from the front hole of the bar it doesn't droop. Wrap the bungie around the bottom truss bar and secure it. Now do the same on the other end. You now have two pin-spots, one left and one right, out in front and below the mirror ball. Adjust pinspot and you've got light on the ceiling, wall and floor. I prefer either a Red and Blue Plastic cover (not gels) or two of the same color. Of course you could use no cover and have the "traditional" white color.
I hope this makes sense. Now, if using only a T-bar and stand, I mount the pinspot on one of the legs or a spot on each of the front two legs. Of course you need to raise the stand to a very high point to be effective. Be sure to weight the hind leg of the stand so it doesn't tip forward. Again, it's the "fishing" pole affect.
In the immortal words of Bon Scott : "i've got big balls"
What can I say he who lives in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks... no matter how small they are... haha
This was always my solution along with a o-clamp.
ADJ MBA-1 Mirror Ball Motor to C-Clamp Adapter $7.00
If that came up when I was looking I wouldn’t have spent so much time designing a part to print.
ProX and Eliminator (now part of ADJ) both make (or used to make) circular mirror ball motor mounts that mount on a 1-3/8" speaker stand.
If you can adapt your T-Bar to have a vertical 1-3/8" stem, you should be able to add one of of those on top.
(They used to come in black as well, not sure if they still do, but spray paint will fix that....)
www.adj.com
www.proxdirect.com
I've found most mirror ball motors spin far too fast.
I've had the best success with the ADJ DMX speed-controlled mirror ball motors that can slow the the spin way down.
The optimal speed depends on the size of the room, where bigger rooms need a slower speed, so the 'dots' move along the walls at the same number of feet/second independent of the room.
Two mirror balls spinning in opposite directions adds a lot.
(All of this was to emulate something I saw in a theme park many years ago, with two 36" mirror balls, one each side of a theater, spinning in opposite directions. Each was lit by both a carbon arc spotlight, and by a Zenon spotlight, from different angles.)
If you can adapt your T-Bar to have a vertical 1-3/8" stem, you should be able to add one of of those on top.
(They used to come in black as well, not sure if they still do, but spray paint will fix that....)
Decor MBSK
The Eliminator Lighting Decor MBSK is a mirror ball stand with rotating mirror ball motor capable of holding mirror balls from 8-inches to 20-inches.
www.adj.com
ProX X-MB20STAND White 16-20" C Shaped Mirror Ball Free Standing Hook fits 1-3/8" 35mm pole with 1 RPM Motor - ProX Live Performance Gear
ProX X-MB20STAND White 20" Mirror Ball Free-Standing Hook Fits 35mm Pole with 1 RPM Motor
www.proxdirect.com
I've found most mirror ball motors spin far too fast.
I've had the best success with the ADJ DMX speed-controlled mirror ball motors that can slow the the spin way down.
The optimal speed depends on the size of the room, where bigger rooms need a slower speed, so the 'dots' move along the walls at the same number of feet/second independent of the room.
Two mirror balls spinning in opposite directions adds a lot.
(All of this was to emulate something I saw in a theme park many years ago, with two 36" mirror balls, one each side of a theater, spinning in opposite directions. Each was lit by both a carbon arc spotlight, and by a Zenon spotlight, from different angles.)
The engineering fraternity at the college I attended in the 80’s built an 8 foot diameter mirror ball and had the top and bottom half spinning in opposite directions, not sure what the lit it with but it was a awesome effect in the basketball arenaProX and Eliminator (now part of ADJ) both make (or used to make) circular mirror ball motor mounts that mount on a 1-3/8" speaker stand.
If you can adapt your T-Bar to have a vertical 1-3/8" stem, you should be able to add one of of those on top.
(They used to come in black as well, not sure if they still do, but spray paint will fix that....)
Decor MBSK
The Eliminator Lighting Decor MBSK is a mirror ball stand with rotating mirror ball motor capable of holding mirror balls from 8-inches to 20-inches.ProX X-MB20STAND White 16-20" C Shaped Mirror Ball Free Standing Hook fits 1-3/8" 35mm pole with 1 RPM Motor - ProX Live Performance Gear
ProX X-MB20STAND White 20" Mirror Ball Free-Standing Hook Fits 35mm Pole with 1 RPM Motor
I've found most mirror ball motors spin far too fast.
I've had the best success with the ADJ DMX speed-controlled mirror ball motors that can slow the the spin way down.
The optimal speed depends on the size of the room, where bigger rooms need a slower speed, so the 'dots' move along the walls at the same number of feet/second independent of the room.
Two mirror balls spinning in opposite directions adds a lot.
(All of this was to emulate something I saw in a theme park many years ago, with two 36" mirror balls, one each side of a theater, spinning in opposite directions. Each was lit by both a carbon arc spotlight, and by a Zenon spotlight, from different angles.)
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