After 15+ years I finally got you, ya' b#stard. Thought you could hide forever, didn't you?


I just had these recently arrive.
Can now finally make a "true" all found parts Shoulder Lamp.

Great stuff! I was worried that these would never be discovered!

So it looks to me like they had to buy two of these to make one lamp arm, is that correct?

Harry

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http://www.facebook.com/TheHHACA - @TheHHACA

Great work! Finally! I can only imagine how many hours you spent on identifying these.
Sooo... what is it?

Cheers!
Roman

mother of god

NICE!

Looks like a mic boom arm?

I've been looking at local swap meets for quite some time....

No you just need to get some metal tubing.

My guess it’s either a photographic stand accessory or similar from the film industry.

Harry

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http://www.facebook.com/TheHHACA - @TheHHACA

So these actually do exist!
Incredible find! I hope you can tell us a bit more about these and how you found them (the latter might be even as interesting).

Cheers,
Stefan

There have been threads here, in the past, that I've described the course(s) taken when finding parts.
Path A, lead to path B... to path C. Then E-mail this company, and that person. In those cases, it was an adventure.
This time around it was just brute force. Search this possible combination of words, then search that set of words, then search some more... years later... just keep searching.

A few weeks ago, while scrolling through the pages of the whatever hundredth camera and/or vintage equipment site, up from the bottom of the screen came a photo.
There it was!
These came from a used camera equipment store in South Yorkshire, England.
Although... these parts haven't quite given up all their secrets. The shop only had two pieces, and they were listed as "Unbranded".
The shop had no idea whom they were originally made by. When they originally acquired the pieces, they also tried a (very brief) search, and came up with nothing.

These are clamps for a Umbrella flash tripod stand.
Technically they are adapters. Used for attaching a secondary flash to the same stand.

Sorta' kinda' like this:

The center insert can be removed from the larger piece, depending on the diameter of the tripod stand.
One twist knob secures the clamp to the stand, the other secures the angle of the flash/ lamp.

Although the shop did not know the original manufacturer, their best guess was that it might be part of the
Jessops (British photographic company) "Portaflash" brand, or possibly from one of the many (now extinct) minor brands that were created,
by having Chinese factories make budget knock-off pieces, with small amounts of stock, in the late 80's to early 90's.

* The search phrase, that finally landed me on the correct page, was "Brolly clamp".

Amazing work… you know in the last few months Facebook seems to have taken over but this ALF forum - of which i have been a member for a long long time - is my ‘go to’. It’s where the hardcore hang out. All I know I’ve learned here

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A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

Amazing

To quote Han Solo:

“Socialist media is no match for a good forum at your side, kid.”

_________________
DON’T call me eighty-five.

Assistant Superintendent Leach,
Fiorina 161
"Serenity Through Confinement"

TS826 - thanks a lot for the description of your odyssey and the background info about the parts.
That was great reading!

Cheers
Stefan

So true.

Harry

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http://www.facebook.com/TheHHACA - @TheHHACA

It will require two per lamp. I was lucky enough the shop had two pieces.




I am guessing you are referring to this area ?

There is a clear seam line, along with a color shift, seemingly indicating a second section attached to the first.

Originally all Reflecta lamps included a stick handle:

At the moment, I am heavily leaning toward the add-on piece being the top most section of the Reflecta handle.
If somone happens to have one of these handles, and can measure the Height and Width of the top section, I can compare it to the adapter pieces.

Thankfully, I remembered rule #1: don't throw anything away!

The dimensions are:
- Diameter: between 28.1 and 28.3mm / 1.1 and 1.115in
- Height: 16mm / 0.63in

The height seems a little short compared to that screenshot of yours. On the screenshot, diameter and height seem comparable, which is definitely not the case on the topmost part of the grip.

Cheers!
Roman

Also, on the screenshot you posted, it seems that there is another wing nut attached to the rear of that part. That would rule out the Reflecta handle, as it has no hole on the side.
At first, I thought that maybe the upper half of your part was used, since there is a wing nut right in the middle of it. However, that would mean that they would have had to shorten it on both ends, which seems unlikely...

Cheers!
Roman

I was afraid of all of that. Too bad. There goes that idea.
Drilling a hole in the side of the Reflecta handle, would be just too easy.
Like all other aspects of this gear, it does not cease to be a challenge.

The diameter if the adapter (using a non-digital caliper) is 25mm.
The diameter of the larger unused portion is 27.5mm.

Geniuses! Awesome!

_________________
Lt. Melissa L. Klassen, ALG
AL Colonial Admin. - Executive Officer (XO) -- 2021-2022
RCCM | Royal Canadian Colonial Marines - Commanding Officer (CO) -- 2021-2022

Read the AL Charter Rules & Regulations: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3gd9QUyIqI_6rfk8kpxspbKU-JT4MBAjLPxfCkvGJ8

When reviewing a screen used lamp, the bracket was plastic, while the tubing was steel.

Hope that helps.

Studying this photo of an original lamp, which was shared here in a past thread:

Compared to this image of the original film prop:


You'll see on the second image, the same top section of the attachment spigot (from the first photo), sticking out just above the metal piece.
Or in fact, likely it is the (now rusty) bolt that passes through the spigot.
You'll also see the larger diameter (darker) hole in which the spigot is slid into.
The found plastic adapter piece has a threaded insert, so I am nearly certain the metal piece must screw into the plastic adapter.
And of course the metal piece has the thumb screw, attached to the side.

Based on all this, my idea now is that this is what we are looking at, in regard to the metal section piece:


This is a modern version of a Tripod head Screw Adapter.
It is used for mounting different types of tripod heads/ camera and flash bases onto tripod light stands.

* The examples, without the listed dimensions, I've turned upside down. that is actually the tripod stand coming down from the top.

great find!

_________________
PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt

Ooh good job

Out... STANDing!

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Wasteland Workshop
Props, cosplay pieces, upcycled ornamentation, and miscellanea;
For the discerning survivor of the apocalypse.
Steve Fletcher : Maker, Scavenger, and Junksmith.
linktr.ee/wastelandworkshop

While continuing the search for a vintage tripod head adapter, I found what I believe is a an easy solution.

The search reminded me I have one of these in my "Small pieces that might work for props" storage box.

This is a "Glass Standoff".
(You've likely seen these a zillion times in office buildings)
They are readily available with 1"x1" (25mmx25mm) barrels (without the cap).
And with 1/4" (6.35mm) threaded holes. Also easy to find them already in a black color.

The bottom of the Reflecta unit accepts a 6mm bolt, and the hinge adapters also have 6mm inserts.
So, the idea is to drop a 6mm threaded rod through the standoff and screw all three pieces together.
Then it's just a matter of drilling/ tapping a hole in the side to accept the thumb knob.

Those that are using resin swivel pieces, can likely drop in a 6mm threaded insert bushing, and do the same.

Easy task.
Worked out pretty well.