The development of the new exhibition lighting rig for Die Keinnamebahn

I wanted to make a portable lighting rig that I could use for either my 12ft Die Keinnamebahn layout or a smaller 6ft layout. I have decided that I would use a 4m professional lighting truss which is assembled from 1m sections that can fit into my estate car. I did not want to use tripods because of that he extra space required for the legs. I then remembered I had some Faithfull ceiling supports from my filming days where I used them between ceiling and floor to hold clamped on filming lights. This allowed me to get lights tight into the corners of a room. For this lighting rig clamps will be fitted to the sides of the transit cases so that they act as the anchors at the exhibition.

I was able to buy a second hand set of three 1m R-100 trusses and then a new one from Simply Sound & alighting of Diss along with brackets etc to fit my ceiling supports. They gave a very fast service and even allowed me to haggle a small  discount.

The 50w LED waterproof floodlights will fit within the truss so that they are protected from handling damage.

This is a quick test assembly I did today using just a single truss. The truss can be raised to about 10ft, the poles having ratchets to secure them. The Faithfull ceiling supports are about 40 UK Pounds a pair, the trusses 34 Pounds each. The lamps (4 of them) about 20 Pounds with plugs, sockets and junction boxes, cable adding about another 30 Pounds.

1m lighting truss mounted on Faithfull ceiling supports

And before anyone thinks I am posh by putting socks on the pole bases, that is how I used them when filming to protect carpets, floors and white ceilings from black rubber feet marks! I just forgot to take them off for the photo!

Addendum

The 4m lighting truss is now fully wired with the 50w LED lighting units and PAT tested.

4m Exhibition 1200 Watt equivalent LED lighting truss