Another reason to love the Avenger A660 lightstand ...

[tetrode]

This post will be of interest to a pretty small audience. However, if you own an Avenger A660 or A665, here's an easy way to add to its utility:

A nice feature of the Avenger A660 lightstand is that its fold out castered legs sit perfectly parallel to the floor when deployed. That's nice because, if you have the need and are so inclined, you can easily fabricate a neat little platform that sits on these legs and can support, for example, an Elinchrom Ranger or other battery pack/flash generator. With the pack on the platform, the stand and light become truly mobile.

This is what the base of an A660 looks like close up:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3332/3673352387_54c7a38cd8_o.jpg

As the annotation says, a standard piece of 1x2 lumber will fit perfectly along the legs and between the arms of the central casting. Like so:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2460/3673352235_4d351e97f5_o.jpg

Two 9-1/2" pieces of 1x2 and an appropriately shaped piece of plywood can be assembled into this:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3569/3673351681_f9f3dc0491_o.jpg

And the topside with adhesive-backed cork sheet appied:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3538/3674160958_e59b57f802_o.jpg

The platform can now be seated on the legs like so:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3572/3673351893_7f11f5b876_o.jpg

And it's ready to do its job:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3629/3674161104_b96630c28c_o.jpg

The whole enchilada (the enchilada being the A660, platform, D570 extension arm with swivel pin, counterweight, D200 grip head, Westcott shoot-through umbrella, and 600WS battery powered flash with ringlight head):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3554/3685283331_88f7795f0e_o.jpg

(Sorry about the quality of the last photo. We made an ISO 1600 faux pas).

Now if a Ranger ever enters my life, it'll have a place to sit.

Dave F.

[J Kacey]

Nice job Dave!

[tetrode]

Nice job Dave!

Thanks, Jerry. I'm delighted that I finally found a use for my benchtop bandsaw after maybe five years of staring at it every time I went into the garage and wondering what I was thinking when I bought it.

Dave F.

[theveed]

Wonderful :D

[shooterman]

I just went to B&H inquiring about the A660 and it's been discontinued. Anyone know what it's equivalent is?

[ixobelle]

that's some pretty nice handywork!

[Rudi]

Nice jobs Dave. One question: What is that 600Ws pack you've got there?

[MR do little]

Nice Job Dave!

I havent made a DIY plattfrom for my A420 stand yet, but iv manged to find Manfrotto parts to solve my "problem" for the time being. This is more a solution for location work though.

http://www.lindqvist-photography.com/showcase/a420_tray.jpg

[MR do little]

I just went to B&H inquiring about the A660 and it's been discontinued. Anyone know what it's equivalent is?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/611435-REG/Avenger_A660_A660_Folding_Base_Wheeled.html

[tetrode]

Nice Job Dave!

I havent made a DIY plattfrom for my A420 stand yet, but iv manged to find Manfrotto parts to solve my "problem" for the time being. This is more a solution for location work though.

http://www.lindqvist-photography.com/showcase/a420_tray.jpg

Great minds think alike, Paul. I use the EXACT same setup (minus the Ranger, alas) on my A420.

Dave F.

[tetrode]

Nice jobs Dave. One question: What is that 600Ws pack you've got there?

Funny you should ask, Rudi. It's a nifty little Jinbei RD600. Very inexpensive (as these things go) and quite flexible (two sockets for heads; three different heads available). Only slight down side for me is that the standard head has a Bowens compatible accessory mount. It's no Ranger (or Quadra) but it does its job very well and costs maybe a quarter as much as a basic one head Ranger kit and one third as much as a Quadra.

Dave F.

[shooterman]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/611435-REG/Avenger_A660_A660_Folding_Base_Wheeled.htmlThanks Paul. It's time I replace my worn out Impact heavy duty light stands. From the looks of it these should last a life time. Now if they were air cushioned that would be icing on the cake.

[MR do little]

Great minds think alike, Paul. I use the EXACT same setup (minus the Ranger, alas) on my A420.

Dave F.

They sure do Dave! ;)

Thanks Paul. It's time I replace my worn out Impact heavy duty light stands. From the looks of it these should last a life time. Now if they were air cushioned that would be icing on the cake.

I think they will... :D

I use the A420's and a Manfrotto 3371 with casters as my heavy duty stands. Im planning on getting a A5036CS for the real heavy stuff later on. (to mount a boom)

I really like my Manfrotto 3371, i actually prefer it over the A420 for the Octalite since it has steel risers.