DR Line array stand (based Upon Tim Ards simple solution)

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

This was based upon Tim Ards simple idea of using a pair of heavy duty telescopic wind up stands. Thanks to Tim for a simple solution.
Here is a link to his thread:-http://billfitzmaurice.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4062

Tims is for DR200's, mine is for a pair of heavy DR280's

Rather than using the seperate support tray idea of Tims, I decided to use the lower DR cab as the main support for the upper cab...the photos should show what I mean....



Main component parts
2 80kg rated wind up tripod stands, cross brace and main support brackets:-


The lower cab has seperate support brackets that I had machined by a good engineer friend that bolt throught the main side walls using M12 countersunk stainless bolts. Each bracket has been made with Key hole slots to allow quick removal from the cab. One of the brackets has an outrigger bolted to the top to allow a standard set of Par cans to be hung off it without the need for an additional stand.

Each bracket is machined with a 100mm long 35mm hole which sits on the tripod stands effectively as a seperate top hat bolted to the sides of the lower cab.



The bolts stay in the cab and just require loosening to attach the main side brackets (you can just about make out the bolts in the second DR cab in the background)



The next step is to attach the fixed length cross brace. The main purpose of this brace is to simply fix the width of the tripod stands and offer some additional stability to the stands.



This cross brace was made using 1" square tube and standard 2" lighting clamps



Lifting the main DR cab up onto the tripod stands is a fairly simple one man operation as the height is pretty low at this point (you can clearly see the outrigger that will carry the lights in this shot)



Then lift the upper DR cab ontop of the first and add the lighting onto the outrigger.



I have yet to decide how I am securing the two cabs together (probably quick release brackets), so for the moment I am just strapping the cabs together.



Winching both sets of tripods at the same time is easy. The way I have it configered at the moment is with the lower cab down at 4deg and the upper cab firing straight out. This shot shows it at the limit of my garage roof which puts the lower DR at head heaight and hte upper DR well above head height. The stand is very stable, and very quick to erect



Total cost on this has been very low
The stands cost £60 each on special offer from studiospares (I already had two of them and as my lighting stands needed replacing anyway ....)
The cross brace brackets cost approx £4 per clamp and then approx £10 plus £10 for the steel tube/bolts

This is the same clamp but for some reason shown at a higher price
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Audio,+Video ... ku=ST00941

The main machined steel support brackets just cost me a bottle of Whisky.... Like I said, he is a good friend...

The lighting gantry spigot was just made up from off cuts of my old lighting stand and welded at a local fabricators for £5 !!

total cost per side
2 stands at £120
Brace and lighting gantry £25
Main brackets (half a bottle of whisky) £11 (it was a nice whisky)
£10 for some black spray paint
£166 per side !!

Dave Perry

[David Carter]

Very nice! You and Tim have both done excellent work!

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

This rig suits my needs down to the ground.
It takes about 5mins to erect each side from start to finish and will happily carry both pairs of my DR280's. I have always had my DR280's angled down at 4deg when used one per side, which is why I have kept the same 4deg angle for the lower cab, but it would be no problem to change this to 8 deg by simply putting the main support brackets at a 4deg angle to start with.

There is still room for subs/amp racks to be placed between the stands if space is limited.

It would be possible to hang a third DR280/290 under the bottom DR but only on stages that are raised well off the ground as it would result in the lower DR being way too low to the ground otherwise. To be honest, any more than two DR280's/290's and I would consider other options (keep in mind that my DR280's are pretty heavy cabs)

As long as your DR250's are built with lightweight drivers and not out of MDF or 18mm ply then the stands could carry 3 DR250's happily
DR200's....4 would be no problem as Tim has shown.
Its mainly about sensible height restrictions.

I can't ever see me using any more than two DR280's per side at any gig I provide Pa for. It has complete height adjustment to suit single cab gigs in low ceiling gigs which is a must for me.

Close up of bracket connections before bolts are tightened:-


Close up showing machined bracket:-


Dave

[Tim A]

Nicely done! I like the stand height, one of the things I'm currently struggling with. Still looking around for something that's shorter when it's not extended but goes 10' high.

I like the light arm. I also like the plates, but that wouldn't work with my stands unless the pole sockets were spread out another 4" or so for clearance.

When I designed mine it was decided right up front that no cabinet would be different than any other cabinet. I wanted to be able to put them on the stand in any order desired. That made the tray to support the main cabinet a necessity. It works fine, but after messing with the system quite a bit it is definitely limiting. When Harley was here we re-did the tray, and it will now require a couple of bolts into the side of the cabinet. Slightly better, but now one cab will always be in that spot. Not a problem with 280's, but with 250's and 200's the ability to have crossfired tweeters means I have to mod all the cabs and have holes in the sides or use one particular cab as the main.

I had decided even before I saw David's setup to eliminate the tray part and make two separate pieces. By using a couple of different bolt hole arrangements I'll be able to angle the main cabinet down if I want.

One thing I didn't consider as carefully as I should've when starting this project was height restrictions, as David spells out. If you figure that the bottom of the array is at about 6', that puts the top of even a 2 cabinet array of 200's at 9'. In many clubs you're getting very close to a 10' ceiling, and adding another cab is impossible. This must be taken into account if you're going to pursue arrays. Now, outside or in big rooms I can go considerably higher, up to 14-15' to the top of the highest cab, which gives me 6 cabs per side max. Any higher and an elevated stage must come into play.

Keep 'em coming guys! The more participants we have the more refinements will be made.

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

I like the light arm. I also like the plates, but that wouldn't work with my stands unless the pole sockets were spread out another 4" or so for clearance. .....

Purely good fortune with the type of stand I have having a fairly small protrusion to one side.

I had decided even before I saw David's setup to eliminate the tray part and make two separate pieces. By using a couple of different bolt hole arrangements I'll be able to angle the main cabinet down if I want. .

Exactly what I was planning on doing with mine, it only means 4 extra bolt holes per side. no big deal in the scheme of things.

Keep 'em coming guys! The more participants we have the more refinements will be made.

Dead right

I am going to start a thread in the 'tips' section on DR stand ideas, and any ideas or solutions already on the go should be posted.

[Tim A]

I had decided even before I saw David's setup to eliminate the tray part and make two separate pieces. By using a couple of different bolt hole arrangements I'll be able to angle the main cabinet down if I want. .

Exactly what I was planning on doing with mine, it only means 4 extra bolt holes per side. no big deal in the scheme of things.

I'm going to put the extra holes in the mounts, not in the cabinets. It's easier and there'll be less holes in the cab.

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

I'm going to put the extra holes in the mounts, not in the cabinets. It's easier and there'll be less holes in the cab.

Of course.....mmm....dont think I can afford another bottle of whiskey....!!

[Mark Coward]

Very nice work David, I really like the yellow stripes.

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

Very nice work David, I really like the yellow stripes.

yep...the stripes are critical in adding additional strength in the legs.....

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

I had my first gig with these stands this weekend. They worked out great. Very, very quick to set up, and before you place the speakers on, its also very easy to pick up and move both stands as they are braced together to see exactly where the cabs will be pointing to get the most out of room coverage. The place I was working in had as low a roof as any of the venue's I work in, but even so it was enough to get the upper DR280' upto a sensible above head height and allow the lower cab to keep the seated punters in the firing zone.....

Winding up the pair of heavy DR280's was a simple one man job. The addition of the lighting gantry is great and saved on carrying another stand.

The band thought the rig looked superb. I must admit It certainly looked impressive. I had the two Titan 48's stacked side by side directly below/behind one of stacks. Its the first time I have been able to use all 4 DR280's wow...simply wow

I cant quite fit two titan 48's between the two stands, but where I need to stack them like this(where placement is restricted) then one can go in between the stands and one placed next to it on the outside of the stands.

The best part of all this arrangement was that pack space in the van is literally just 4 heavy duty wind up stands..and as I have just removed 2 of the lighting stands that I don't need anymore (thanks to the lighting outriggers) I am carrying no more gear at all.....superb

Dave

[Nordskov]

The best part of all this arrangement was that pack space in the van is literally just 4 heavy duty wind up stands..and as I have just removed 2 of the lighting stands that I don't need anymore (thanks to the lighting outriggers) I am carrying no more gear at all.....superb
Dave

That's innovation!

Very well done, Dave


Nordskov

[Mark Coward]

Winding up the pair of heavy DR280's was a simple one man job.

How difficult to lift them onto the stands?

[Sydney]

DAVID_L_PERRY
Do you have any pics of the whole rig ( perhaps at the gig )
If so, would you be so kind as to post, or link to.

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

Winding up the pair of heavy DR280's was a simple one man job.

How difficult to lift them onto the stands?

I can manage it on my own and that is with my heavy DR280 (delta pro driver and 3/4" birch ply outer main box....) Built correctly out of 1/2" it would be childsplay, but then I am a giant of a man with the strength of an ox...or is that brain of an ass...

To lift the top cab in place is a lot better than lifting a single cab onto a top hat mount.

I did take some photos this weekend but they dont look great so was going to take a few more this weekend as my web site is way out of date with gear photos / band links etc....

Dave

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

DAVID_L_PERRY
Do you have any pics of the whole rig .

This is the rig set up in home stereo mode....


I did this just to check all my connections and L/Right channels, but have to say, it was fun listening to music through this in the garage.....

Dave