Stage Light 300
Sometimes, I think that if someone will read this blog post, he/she will get sick with my emotional way of writing about these things! But I also think that there will be people who will understand me completely! The reason I do this is not only to present my work and passion, but to connect with other people with the same strange love about the lights.
So, Stage Light 300! The model which belongs on the first line of Clay Paky's moving head fixtures. I remember how much I was impressed when I have seen its brochure in the past, the time when internet wasn't in every home in Greece and I have access only from our schools lesson on informatics.
As I describe on my page about my fixtures collection, I owned my first Stage Light, back on 2010. The first impressing fact was that the light was brand new when I bought it. There was only one left in stock on the Greek distributor of Clay Paky for Greece and on 2010, the Alpha Series was popular, leaving the 'heavy' Stage Light without a buyer. But then, there was me, searching for that model. A coincidence is that my current boss had sold me that light back then!
After finishing the restoring of my Miniscans, I was without a restoration project for a long time... And I needed an extra job to do!!! So I decided to help a friend unselfishly and maintain his Clay Paky lights. One of the reasons I did that, was my friend's appreciation of the quality Clay Paky provides its fixtures, his preference to spot lights and the lack of finding a proper technician to maintain his lights, in order to use them again at his club and not rent another's equipment. He owns 6 Stage Lights & 4 Golden Spots (you can see details about them in other pages of my dedication to Clay Paky fixtures), plus two Stage Lights, which he was unlucky enough to take them to service at a local... I really don't want to say technician, because that person wasn't one. So, my friend in order to thank me for my help, he suggested that I would take his two broken Stage Lights.
That day, we visited the place were the Stage Lights were left for service. You must know that I didn't asked details about what kind of problems the lights had or how long they were there. I know that at least the one had fallen down and the upper cover was missing/broken. The pictures you see above, were the only two I was able to take from these two Stage Lights, the day I brought them back to my home. We collected them from a field, yes, a field and i really don't know for how long they were exposed to the weather conditions. It looked that maybe was a year, or more. I collected them on summer and the winter before, there was heavy snowing in that area! So, that lights have been through hell...
I didn't want them in the first place... I was so shocked and disappointed to see these masterpieces destroyed, the heads detached from the yokes, the cables being cutoff and that... for nothing, really for nothing. My friend seemed that believed in me more than I did to my self and insisted to take them, because, "You would do something with them", as he said and after all, I did. I've managed to make them new again!
It was a miracle, but it happen. Both of the lights electronics has survived the exposure to humidity. I was lucky enough, because there wasn't any water trapped in to the bases, and the position of the board inside the base, saved it from water dropping from the rain. So, I removed all the ICs, motor drivers, processor, DMX receiver and I cleaned them carefully, I replaced with new all the electrolytic capacitors and I washed the boards. When I finished the chassis of the first fixture, I tested them both, being excited to see that they were working! the one had 6500+ operation hours and the second about 4500+. One of them, had its sticker with the voltage and heat warnings in German, which means that this light have a long history. I wonder, how after being sold in Germany, ended up in a Greek city. Sometimes I wish I could touch them and see where they were lighting in their past!!
The first Stage Light, had still it's cover and I was able to restore also some of its stepper motors. But, water have been inside of the chassis through the air vents, resulting the corrosion you see on the left picture. Happily, I was able to remove almost easily every bolt and screw and bring it on the state you see on the second picture.
The other one head was exposed completely to the weather condition, with a result of major corrosion and salt everywhere. I dipped the whole module on to a small bucket filled with vinegar for a day and then, I've tried disassembling it. It was the hardest task I have ever done in my restoration experience! The hardest part was to remove the gobo wheel from the motor axes... I was thinking that If destroy the wheel, I wouldn't continue with investing in restoring the fixture. At first place, I was determined to restore only the one and the other, clean it, paint it and keep the parts for spares, since I didn't had also the upper cover and the optical systems lenses. But from the moment I saw, that the electronics were still working perfectly, I took the decision to invest some money and fix that too!
Happily I had already collected enough compatible stepper motors for my restoration! It's good when you are collecting stuff after all, as you never know when they will be useful. And in that case, many parts proved useful! Some condenser lenses also fitted on the optical system, saving me more money. Also, working on Clay Paky distributor for Greece, have its advantages! Also, I would never imagine that Clay Paky would have nowadays spare cover for a light, which is discontinued for... I don't know... 15 years? I was so happy and impressed when, at first place, I ordered the two yoke covers (they were missing for both lights...). That also, ignited my willing to fix the second one and make the Stage Lights three in my collection! Also, a great advantage for me, is that they have the same effects engine with the Miniscans, so I can work with all of them at the same time, creating harmonic shows combining both, moving heads and scanners.
And I love the shape of that light. I loved it from the first time I saw it! It maybe close to square chassis, but it has that finesse, it's like some old theatrical lights, which you want just to restore them and have them in your living room as pieces of arts. This is what is the Stage Light for me. Also, the quality of its optical system, the power of the lamp and the combinations you can achieve with its compact effects engine, are impeccable, artistic. I don't remember back then seeing such small light, offering so many combinations and projection quality.
The moment I am writing these lines, it's Christmas day of 2018. I've got advantage of my holidays from work, getting the concentration and time I need to create that page! That moment, I have finished on 99% of the second Stage Light, which today, I stroke its lamp for the very first time and I left it to warm up, in order to burn the fresh paint on the inner parts and half cover. Now, I am still waiting the reflector for the optical system and the side yoke covers!
1st Stage Light before & after
2nD Stage Light after it's first lamp strike after restoration!
Thank you for reading our story! Always support quality and be passionate with your lighting work!
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