Tools

[sparkyweb]

cutters- Bahco are great also consider Knipex,very highly rated. Cheap nippers will always be a waste of cash, want to cut a cable not chew through it.

 

screwdrivers-Magnum really aren`t that great TBH, much as like Stanley in general, the tips are painted which chips off and leaves a looser fit, Facom have ground and plated which dosent chip and Wiha and Wera have phosphated that dosent chip.

 

Agree here on the cutters, knipex are by far the best I have had, lasted me for over 6 years.

 

Have to disagree with musht's view on the screwdrivers though. I have had a set of magnum for approx 8years-maybe more, probably when they first came out- although I rarely use tools nowadays, they are still the best set I have ever bought.

 

-----Edit-----

 

Must have jinxed myself yesterday morning as I spent half the day with screwdrivers! The problem was I then managed to embed the screwdriver into my thumb! Not good

[Kiwi]

I was wondering whether anyone here uses LED headlamps instead of (or in addition to) maglites? I've found them so unbelievably useful in other situations but it occurs to me that they could be invaluable in theate - leaving you with completely free hands 'n all.

[mumbles]

I don't use them as working lights during a performance, as it's all to easy to spin your head round without realising, but for a rig or derig, they're very useful, as you can't stand up a tally with a maglite while focussing.

 

I think that many people would agree with this, especially when helmets can carry them so easily.

[Grahame]

I was wondering whether anyone here uses LED headlamps instead of (or in addition to) maglites?

Absolutely - the four-LED Tikka Plus is practically de rigeur these days. I don't even bother touring my maglite now as the LED torches are lightweight and much more comfortable than gripping a maglite between the teeth. It's also handy to wear the head torch round your neck during shows, even with it switched on - I see a lot of ASMs and Dressers using them during the show, either to read scripts or do costume changes. And if needed, you can easily pull it up onto your head in a jiffy.

Having said that, I do quite like the maglite LED conversion, although obviously you lose the focusability.

[Darth]

I've got the LED mag upgrade and the new dimmer switch thigie you can get for them... excellent, especially for av and client facing work!

[Psychedelic Theatre]

I've always carried around a mag and a Petzl headtorch in my kit. Unfortunately the Petzl fell from the top of a Tally a few months ago and the face got smashed (The joys of hitting truss on the way down )

 

Instead of buying a new headtorch, which would have probably set me back about £30-40 for a decent one, I got a headstrap for my mag from 'Nite-Ize'. I really like it, as I can still focus the beam of the mag, and the head strap is good for wrapping around your hand so you can still untie knots, use tools, and climb ladders with the torch in your hand.

 

There are downsides though, the torch is on the side of your head rather than the middle, it's fairly bulky, considering it's a torch rather than a couple of LEDs strapped around your head.

 

Still, cheap and simple. I like it ;)

 

Timmy