Ok, So I have been using the same lighting for the last four years and it's ok as standards go except that the Dick Blick fixtures take the old style light bulbs only and I am feeling guilty about using them and not being more energy efficient.
I am ready to move up and after combing this blog for past posts that might help...I came up pretty empty ( I'm sorry Connie...I looked ...really).Plus, I know there must be some new and better things on the market. I don't have the 900. needed to go with my ProPanel set-up. So is there anything that looks as slick in a bit lower price range? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I hope this isn't too redundant a post...I imagine someone does this post every year but I honestly didn't get much info from past blogs. Thanks in advance.
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Hi Howard, No I don't have a photo of them, but all I do is attach the tracks with zip ties onto the ProPanel brace bars. I will put a bar across the full 10' width toward the front of the booth (usually one panel back) and use two tracks joined together and centered on the bar. I position the lights at the outer edges of the track so they can be directed toward the side walls. Then I either have another long bar more toward the back of the booth going side to side or a medium bar going from one side to the 'closet' I build at the back. The track or tracks on that one will light up the work on the back wall. Another really nice thing about them is if I'm doing an indoor show and using my extenders the track lights don't sit up so high above the booth as the architect lights would.
Thanks Pam, You are right about the heating part. Something to think about before I take the plunge. I appreciate you.
http://www.brightmandesign.com/
this is what I use. these are halogen I use the spots as they vent the heat upward. I use 9 to light my art work inside and 4 inside my tent. as I can use the tent top to reflect the light. they meet the codes for all big indoor shows . I have two squids that I use for easy on and off at indoor shows. they are fully adjustable and fit both the propanel tops or the bars. which Is the way I use them....
the flood lights are great but do get hot. and you can get by with just 3.
pam
Hi Margaret and Howard,
That is exactly the set-up I had before I decided to go with the track lighting. It worked fine for many years but I had to carry an oversized duffel bag for all the architect lights. It was heavy and cumbersome with all the fixtures in it, but of course still quite workable. The set-up time was also a lot more time-consuming for me (you might be tall enough, Howard, to just reach up and pop them in) - having to go up and down the step ladder to put each one in its place. I drive a Toyota Previa and it took up a whole lot of room I didn't have. The track lighting set-up is incredibly light and efficient and I wouldn't go back to what I had before for love nor money, even though I still thought it was a nice looking booth with them. If you know anyone who wants to buy a duffel full of black architect lights + a full array of halogens I can make them a real good deal.
Hi Howard, This is pretty close to what I have now, and with the newer LED bulbs out there that aren't so heavy I could probably keep going with my present set up. But I am trying to get to a bit more streamlined set up that is less cumbersome to transport and less noticeable in the booth. The information that C.C. has sent is probably closer to what I am going to try to get. Not because I am a lighting snob (Ha) but because I travel with my Trimline, Propanels and artwork in an old Town and Country and there just isn't much room to get everything packed in. This will cut down on size for me and will probably work a bit better. Thank you so much for commenting and the helpful visual. I really like your artwork and booth Howard and really sincerely appreciate you and C. C. for being so helpful.
Oops...forgot the link for the bulb - here it is:
http://www.amazon.com/GE-Lighting-62909-replacement-Floodlight/dp/B...
I know Margaret...it's difficult trying to figure it all out. After looking it up, I realized I was wrong about part of it. The tracks are 44" long, not 4' and they each have three light fixtures, not four - which is still plenty. I'm going to give you the links to what I found and all the stuff you'll need:
These are the exact tracks I got (although you might poke around and find something you like better). They come in either black or white.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-3-Light-Black-Pinhole-Cylind...
This is your power source - the thing that plugs into the end of the track and you plug the other end into an outlet. The cords are nice and long so you can easily snake them around your display if you need to. You need one of these for each track or combined set of tracks you'll be using. I have two of them because my most common configuration uses two tracks coupled together in one area and either another set like that or a single track.
http://www.homedepot.com/s/hampton%2520bay%2520track%2520lighting?N...
This is the connector that will connect two of the tracks together. You will probably need two of them. It has a cover that snaps over to make it look finished. There were other connectors on the page but this is the only one with a cover so I think it is the right one. After you write down these sku numbers it might be best to actually go into a home depot close to you and see it all in person and ask someone to help you make sure it's all the right stuff that will work together.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Linear-Track-Lighting-Mini-S...
This is a halogen set-up. When I bought mine that was all that was available. I see that they now have LED set-ups as well. You might look into that or buying the tracks and fixtures separately because no matter what you get I'm guessing you'll want to use different bulbs. You can use LEDs in the halogen fixtures, just probably not the other way around.
And here is the exact bulb I ended up with - probably the most expensive part of the set-up. On Amazon they're around $24 each. Since we're all different I'd advise you to buy one of these and then a couple of different ones - you might find one you like as well for less money. I bit the bullet and bought 14 of them (2 for extra...just in case). And I'll throw in some additional information at no charge : ) I had the guys at propanels make me a zipper case to carry the tracks, etc. in after using the boxes they came in for a while. I carry the cords, attachments, etc. in a small duffel and because the bulbs are so pricey, I got a bunch of tennis socks (they're nicely padded) and when I'm done with a show, I unhook (easy twist off) all the fixtures with the bulbs still attached and stick each one in a tennis sock. One more bit of advice...if you get these, always hook everything up on the floor of your display to check to make sure it all works before you put it up. I use zip ties the color of the track to attach the fixture to the stabilizer bars across my propanels.
That's all I can think of. Good luck with this.
CC
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....This is just the info I need to figure out what I want to do. Since I work in encaustic painting. The bulbs are too hot-especially when you have to heat your booth at night in summer. This sounds so doable. Can I ask you how much (ballpark) your total investment was) I am so grateful. to you C.C.
I use a light bar setup I got at Home Depot. I use two sets of two black bars (they come in black or white) that hook together if need be (I use different configurations for different setups). You have to make sure to get the ones with plug-in attachments rather than hard-wired. I think they came with 4 removable spots for each bar, which I've found is plenty. Then because I wanted to get rid of those ghastly hot halogens but wanted the same lighting effect on my work, I did some experimenting with different LEDs - I extended the light bar across two supports and put one of my hand-painted etchings on the floor underneath, then put one of my old halogens in one spot and switched out different LEDs in another until I found the one that didn't sacrifice color or brightness and best matched the color and temperature I wanted. Of course that was the most expensive of the LEDs, but after the initial investment you're done for a while - they last a very long time. Some of the cheap LEDs were really green and cold looking. I am so happy to be done with the hot bulbs - I never worry when a tall person's head comes close to the light and since almost all shows have a maximum wattage, with the LEDs I can pack as many in there as I want to without worrying about blowing a fuse or alerting the lighting police. Hope this helps.
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