Get a light stand and a grip head. Anything else would just be screwing around. C-stands aka Century stands would probably be the best solution. They are solid and cost with one arm about $150. I use lighting tripods with 5/8 inch studs and grip heads and arms. They are portable and inexpensive. The grip heads will effectively clamp to anything from 1/4 inch to a 2x4. They are the most reliable and versitile fixture holder bar none.
Of course if you are 'screwing around' <g> and will only use the stand in a studio you can always drop a length of galvanzied water pipe in a paint can of concrete. 1/4" galv water pipe is usually avilable only in short nipples (1" to 8" long) so 1/2 to a reducer works. Also 3/4" galv water pipe will fit over the standard 5/8" stud on light stands. drill and tap 1/4 -20 and get a thumb screw and you can calmp your fixture on any comerical stand. The NYC studio that did the original "Alien" movie poster (about 1977 ? ) actually took about a dozen folding light stands and permanently stuck the folded legs in paint cans filled with plaster of Paris. I thought it was a waste of money but they pointed out, and my experience confirms, that in still-life set-ups you often need a lot of stands in close proximity and the legs are always interfering with each other. I move around a lot and still want the legs on my stands to fold out but I know that when I have to crawl under something in the middle of an exposure to turn a light on or off --then and only then is the set-up complete. good luck. ---William Nettles [EMAIL PROTECTED] Nettles Photo / Imaging Site http://www.wgn.net/~nettles Find out what's happening in Echo Park: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 12:08:40 -0600 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Cameramakers digest, Vol 1 #486 - 7 msgs > > Also, Any ideas on cheap light stands? Need to be transportable. _______________________________________________ Cameramakers mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://rmp.opusis.com/mailman/listinfo/cameramakers