Using a Boom Arm on Heavy Duty Tripod?

I've been researching here, FM and via the Google Machine, but I can't seem to get a straight answer. I'm wondering if I can attach a boom arm to a heavy duty manfrotto tripod stud?
Has anybody done this? It would be mainly for an AB800 with 22" BD.

Thanks for any advice you can give me

cleverer wrote in post #17357343
I've been researching here, FM and via the Google Machine, but I can't seem to get a straight answer. I'm wondering if I can attach a boom arm to a heavy duty manfrotto tripod stud?
Has anybody done this? It would be mainly for an AB800 with 22" BD.

Thanks for any advice you can give me

I don't know if you can, but I sure would not. Get a light stand and a sand bag. Something like this setup

http://www.amazon.com …mium-Weight/dp/B001SVJUPG

That Cowboy Studio boom arm kit is a pretty pedestrian piece of sinojunk. You'll be better served by a quality boom arm, like this one: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Heavy_Duty_Boo​m_Arm.html

Pair that with an Avenger or Matthews C-stand and you're good to go.

Alveric wrote in post #17357692
That Cowboy Studio boom arm kit is a pretty pedestrian piece of sinojunk. You'll be better served by a quality boom arm, like this one: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Heavy_Duty_Boo​m_Arm.html

Pair that with an Avenger or Matthews C-stand and you're good to go.

While I'm not endorsing the Cowboy studio gear (or any CBS gear for that matter) - it just came up first on the search - that Manfrotto is pretty expensive for the casual user. Add a C stand and a grip head and it gets expensive fast.

I would be more concerned about the stand, but maybe I am missing something. There are some great threads in this forum discussing "boom stands". What is the "heavy duty manfrotto tripod stud" attached to?

Happy Holidays,

110yd

cleverer wrote in post #17357343
It would be mainly for an AB800 with 22" BD.

Safety first when using a boom. The correct and safe support for a boom is a suitably-sized light stand, and I always recommend wheels. Since booms are typically used with extension and at altitude, you must ensure that the rig remains where you put it—having it crash onto your subject's head and killing them is not acceptable. Compared to cameras and studio lights, grip gear of quality is dirt cheap and will last a lifetime. There is zero excuse to scrimp in this matter! The shopping list: a light stand, a boom, a counterweight, a safety cable, and your undivided attention. Light stand must be spec'ed to support total weight of boom+CW+light+modifier​. A C-stand is not a light stand, lacking sufficient stability and weight-bearing ability.

Pics of a larger boom loaded for action. That's 30 lb of orange CW alone:

tandemhearts wrote in post #17357799
While I'm not endorsing the Cowboy studio gear (or any CBS gear for that matter) - it just came up first on the search - that Manfrotto is pretty expensive for the casual user. Add a C stand and a grip head and it gets expensive fast.

Well, it also depends on the lights you're putting on. Cheap WrongNuo flashes, who cares? Use the cheapest you can find: if they fall to the floor and break in several pieces, you didn't lose much. OTOH, quality studio lights... that's a different matter. I made the mistake of purchasing that Cowboy Studio kit and am never at ease when I mount one of my Integras on it.

Another more important issue is what RicoTudor just mentioned: liability in case the cheapo grip lets the light fall on someone. You'd be sued for way more than the dollars you 'saved' by going with 'the best bang for the buck' equipment. Talk about a very big bang indeed.

I'd echo what both Alveric and RicoTudor say above.

There's a bit of a clue also in the name of that thing on the non-electrical end of the boom. Counter-BALANCE weight. Ideally, this should be sufficiently heavy and positioned so that you could release the central clamp on the lightstand and the arm/light/weight doesn't move because it's in balance. Apply the Eleventh Commandment - "Thou shalt not whack Thy Model with Thy Lights". Any modest savings made on gear become illusory if you fail to prevent this

cleverer wrote in post #17357343
I've been researching here, FM and via the Google Machine, but I can't seem to get a straight answer. I'm wondering if I can attach a boom arm to a heavy duty manfrotto tripod stud?
Has anybody done this? It would be mainly for an AB800 with 22" BD.

Thanks for any advice you can give me

The best advice is to totally forget this idea. It is unsafe at best. Use only equipment that is properly designed for the purpose as has been suggested several times in the thread.

This is what I use for my E640 and modifiers, including the PCB 22" BD.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …38P8HAQ&Initial​Search=yes

It's rock solid. I wouldn't feel comfortable using anything less.

Whortleberry wrote in post #17358707
I'd echo what both Alveric and RicoTudor say above.

There's a bit of a clue also in the name of that thing on the non-electrical end of the boom. Counter-BALANCE weight. Ideally, this should be sufficiently heavy and positioned so that you could release the central clamp on the lightstand and the arm/light/weight doesn't move because it's in balance. Apply the Eleventh Commandment - "Thou shalt not whack Thy Model with Thy Lights". Any modest savings made on gear become illusory if you fail to prevent this

Yup. That sandbag is about the only thing in that kit that is decent. Of course, you can buy those separately.

Here's a nice tool to help you load and position that counterweight optimally:
http://www.engineersed​ge.com …/levers/page_le​vers_1.htm

Alveric wrote in post #17359214
Here's a nice tool to help you load and position that counterweight optimally:
http://www.engineersed​ge.com …/levers/page_le​vers_1.htm

Funny that, I thought about including something along those lines too. Decided on the simple route purely because some folks (as I know from teaching days) immediately blank anything even vaguely involving mathematics no matter how simple.

Takes me a few seconds to properly balance my boom. Why do I need a calculator?

RicoTudor wrote in post #17358546
Safety first when using a boom. The correct and safe support for a boom is a suitably-sized light stand, and I always recommend wheels.......There is zero excuse to scrimp in this matter! The shopping list: a light stand, a boom, a counterweight, a safety cable, and your undivided attention. Light stand must be spec'ed to support total weight of boom+CW+light+modifier​. A C-stand is not a light stand, lacking sufficient stability and weight-bearing ability.

I agree. I always use an unlocked wheeled stand for a boom, because if someone hits the boom, it is more likely to roll than to tip.

Thanks for all of the feedback, it is MUCH appreciated! I hear you loud and clear
My "models" are 1400 pound animals that are dangerous at both ends and unpleasant in the middle at times, so unstable gear falling on/toward them is definitely not a good idea,
I covet the Avenger, but I was so hoping I could put this heavy as a bag of hammers tripod to use doing something other than stubbing my toes