Background support challenge

[EldorGemst]

I've moved my business (an art gallery and picture framing company) to a new location and am really stumped about how I might be able to set up my studio...

I have a Bogen/Manfrotto three-roll system (the one with plastic chains to raise/lower any of the three rolls) and in the old space I was using an Autopole system to hold it up. That was sitting in a corner of the gallery and really wasn't in the way.

The new location has 19' (HIGH!) ceilings and it's a big space. Autopoles are out of the question and I also can't mount a bracket on the wall to hold the rolls. (The suspended track lighting system for the gallery prevents this and it would also spoil the "look" of the art gallery.)

I've got the three-roll brackets that work with the Autopoles, as well as another set that can be screwed to the wall (or something else).

I'm trying to find a way of setting up my studio in the middle of the space (attached somehow to that high ceiling) that can easily be moved out of the way so that the gallery space isn't compromised.

So what can I do?

If I could raise/lower the background system from the 19' height down to about 10 or 11' from the ground that would be ideal. Up and out of the way for "gallery" mode and down low for studio mode. The problem is that the background system must be perfectly level in order for the paper to roll properly.

Any suggestions?

Eldor

[michaelnotar]

i have a roller system from - PHOTO TECH INC - Studio Equipment and Accessories ---> at my studio, but it has to mount to a wall/ceiling. also ran $2200, but really well made and theres smaller units available, i got one of the biggest.

also had used 2 medium hi roller stands, like the avenger A310, 5ft leg spread, 14 ft max height, weight approx 30lbs, max load approx 30lbs. they run $280 at bh photo in NY. the stands have a big grip head which you can stick a pole or mount your 3 roller system in. i had put a calumet 3 background holder bracket and operated the height manually, which is hard. had to uses ladder to change each background up or down.

if you live in any area wheres theres a motion picture industry, check rental houses for used medium hi rollers, i got some in LA, California for $120.ea. they are tanks, still work well.

would like to see photos of the space...the fact that you want to uses the same space for a studio and gallery makes this almost impossible. i think you have to divide the space.

[DougAxford]

I have a 12' - 3 roll system I bought decades ago that I bolted to the ceiling. There's one hand crank that is about 6' long that you simply crank the bkgd. up & down. It's heavy enough to work with a 10' canvas bkgd on it. I know it's not the answer you're looking for but if you are interested, I'd be glad to sell it reasonable. I haven't used it in more than 10 years. PM me if interested.

The only other suggestion I have is to have someone weld a pair of brackets to the ceiling to bring the height to a usable one.

Doug

[Gerry_Walden]

Mount the normal wall brackets to the ceiling and then get the Bogan/Manfrotto system electronic motors to raise and lower the rolls.

Gerry

[David_Buzzard]

Just get a Manfrotto background stand kit. It's two light stands with a bar that goes between them. They come in a small size that goes for $150.00 and works well for short rolls of paper and muslin back drops. I don't know what the larger one is worth, but if you're using a full size roll of paper, that would probably be the way to go. Don't forget to get some sand bags to keep it all from going over.

The nice thing about this is that it comes apart into a bag that you can stash in a closet until you need it. I've seen tons of studios that use those background kits. If you're not using it as a background stand, you can use the light stands as ...light stands.

David Buzzard's Technical Blog

[BobSmith]

Originally Posted by EldorGemst

The new location has 19' (HIGH!) ceilings and it's a big space. Autopoles are out of the question and I also can't mount a bracket on the wall to hold the rolls.

I've used my Autopoles on ceilings almost that high... 16' at least. You need extensions to add some height. There's nothing preventing the use of more than one extension if needed. You can also get leg sets for the autopoles to make them free standing.

Bob Smith

[EldorGemst]

Thanks very much for the suggestions, Michael. The Photo Tech stuff looks good, but it doesn't seem they have something that would work in my case. Nor am I really interested in using something like the Avenger stands to support the three-roll system. (It's just too heavy and awkward to set it up and take it down, which I'd have to do regularly.)

And while I wish I could, I won't be dividing the space between the art gallery and my studio. My business is the art gallery and framing company and photography is only a passionate hobby for me. I simply cannot cause the gallery use/look to suffer because I want a photo studio there.

What I'm trying to devise is some kind of system that would let me raise the entire background system up into the rafters when it's not being used and lower it down to working height (about 12' from the floor) for studio use. One of the real problems with a roller system that I've found is that it needs to be perfectly level, otherwise the paper doesn't roll up properly. That's going to be the challenge with whatever I set up.

I'm leaning towards using cables to suspend the b/g system from the ceiling. Using turnbuckles I could adjust the system to be level. The thing would be like a swing, but I doubt there would be much (or bothersome) swinging in use. Maybe another cable system to pull the b/g system up out of the way when not in use.

I've thought of a garage door track in which I'd mount the b/g system, putting a stopper at the bottom for the horizontal level adjustment. But a 10' vertical length of garage door track would be very wobbly if only supported at the top so this probably wouldn't work.

Just got to lay awake a few more nights thinking of how to do this.

Cheers!

Eldor

Originally Posted by michaelnotar

i have a roller system from - PHOTO TECH INC - Studio Equipment and Accessories ---> at my studio, but it has to mount to a wall/ceiling. also ran $2200, but really well made and theres smaller units available, i got one of the biggest.

also had used 2 medium hi roller stands, like the avenger A310, 5ft leg spread, 14 ft max height, weight approx 30lbs, max load approx 30lbs. they run $280 at bh photo in NY. the stands have a big grip head which you can stick a pole or mount your 3 roller system in. i had put a calumet 3 background holder bracket and operated the height manually, which is hard. had to uses ladder to change each background up or down.

if you live in any area wheres theres a motion picture industry, check rental houses for used medium hi rollers, i got some in LA, California for $120.ea. they are tanks, still work well.

would like to see photos of the space...the fact that you want to uses the same space for a studio and gallery makes this almost impossible. i think you have to divide the space.

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