# I need some mirror ball advice...



## SamMallery (Apr 23, 2011)

Hello everyone,

I've lurked through this forum a few times in the past and found some really helpful information here, but this is my first post. I'm glad you people are here!

I'm getting married in June, and I'm starting to look into setting up a mirror ball for our reception. Why a mirror ball? Because my fiance and I love them! 

We are going to have a professional DJ who is going to bring some lights of their own, but we want the mirror ball as well. The mirror ball needs to match the color scheme of the room, so we are planning on buying a gold colored mirror ball (most likely from eBay).

Here's where I need advice:

We want to hang the mirror ball off of one of the chandeliers. Because the ceiling is so tall and vaulted, and the chandeliers are so large, wiring up an AC powered mirror ball motor seems like it would be far too difficult. So I looked into getting a battery powered motor, but they seem to be limited to 12" mirror balls (I want to get a 16"). The battery powered motors also seem like junk.

Here's what the room looks like:





I want to hang the mirror ball off of the last chandelier (the one closest to the gold framed mirror & black marble fireplace).

Questions:

1) What kind of motor should I use for a 16" gold mirror ball? (exact makes & model numbers would be helpful - if possible)

2) Is using a battery powered motor even possible?

3) With the mirror ball hanging from the last chandelier (by the gold framed mirror), how many pin spots would you use, and where would you place them for maximum effect?

4) What pitfalls should I avoid?

Many thanks in advance! All advice and comments are welcome!


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## mstaylor (Apr 23, 2011)

I'm not an expert on mirror balls so I will leave the equipment specs to others. I strongly suggest not hanging off the chandelier for a mirror ball. There is noway to tell how much weight it will support or how well made it is. Hanging through it is fine, I suggest four pointing the motor to either side of the beam.


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## DuckJordan (Apr 23, 2011)

I second ms Taylor thoughts also I bet the dj could help you out with the hanging and lighting of the mirror ball.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


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## SHARYNF (Apr 23, 2011)

A couple of things to consider

with the mirror ball the color you want is going to be more from the gel on the pin spot vs the color of the mirror.

In a number of club mirror ball installs, the trend now is to use multiple smaller mirror balls vs on large one

I would not be that overly concerned with hanging from chandelier, the mirror ball is basically styrofoam so it is quite light weight

Placement of pin spots is based on where you want the coverage, each one will cover about 1/3 to 1/4 of the 360 degrees, it will depend if you want coverage of the effect on the rear side (mirror side)

You can get "high end" dmx versions from AM DJ (but you are looking at 125$ plus or you could look at multiple small balls all battery powered. It really depends on the effect you are looking for, a single all around the room slow turning or multiple 

this can get as elaborate as you want, 

Sharyn


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## mstaylor (Apr 24, 2011)

Sharyn:
It isn't just a matter of dead weight, the twist will also read up through the chandelier and I can see bad things happening.


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## bishopthomas (Apr 24, 2011)

Michael, can you give us more detail on how you would go about this rigging? I see no way of attaching anything without leaving some sort of evidence of your presence behind. I wouldn't think drilling into the wood would be an option.

Sam - Congratulations on getting married and welcome to Control Booth! I see you're in Hoboken. Is this venue in North Jersey as well? I'm in central Jersey so if you need any help with anything let me know. I would put Source 4's on pipe and base around the room to light the mirror ball.


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## mstaylor (Apr 24, 2011)

I would suggest either small lags or fabricating something that can screw in with screws. This will require permission from the venue and then use some wood putty to fill the holes. YouTube - Wood Putty


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## MNicolai (Apr 24, 2011)

You could hang wire rope slings from the hanging point of each chandelier to the next, then suspend the motor(s) in the middle of each sling. It's about as temporary and minimally-invasive of an option as you'll find, but the slings, motors, and power cables to the motors might look kind of wonky.


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## bishopthomas (Apr 24, 2011)

mstaylor said:


> I would suggest either small lags or fabricating something that can screw in with screws. This will require permission from the venue and then use some wood putty to fill the holes.



I try to avoid these conversations at all costs. Asking the venue if it's alright to put screws into their facility almost always results in a big "Hell no!" even if wood putty/spackle is involved.


MNicolai said:


> You could hang wire rope slings from the hanging point of each chandelier to the next, then suspend the motor(s) in the middle of each sling.



I like this. Probably not the most beautiful rigging, but definitely the least intrusive.


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## avkid (Apr 24, 2011)

If you're interested in hiring in anybody local I know more than a few in North Jersey.


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## michaelburgoyne (Apr 25, 2011)

Why does the mirror ball need to be in the center of the room? Buy two, each with standard 120V motors, and hang with sidearms at the top of booms on either side of the room. Pinspots can be weak when competing with other light, I'd suggest a Source4 Par VNSP at the base of each boom pointing straight up. Much easier to rig, and will cover the room just as well.


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## emac (Apr 25, 2011)

You could also use the LED effect that I believe American Dj makes that simulates a mirror balls appearance... I have not used them but have considered getting some...


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## mstaylor (Apr 25, 2011)

bishopthomas said:


> I try to avoid these conversations at all costs. Asking the venue if it's alright to put screws into their facility almost always results in a big "Hell no!" even if wood putty/spackle is involved.
> 
> 
> 
> I like this. Probably not the most beautiful rigging, but definitely the least intrusive.


You can always ask, if they say no then the sling idea will be much easier for them to say no to. If the sling idea works put a single twist in the sling, making an X, and rig accross the X to make it adjustable.


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## TimMiller (Apr 26, 2011)

I have always used load rated zip ties to hang Mirror balls. Are you going to play the AC/DC song big balls


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## SamMallery (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks for all of your advice! This forum is great.


SHARYNF said:


> A couple of things to consider
> with the mirror ball the color you want is going to be more from the gel on the pin spot vs the color of the mirror.


 
Thanks... the choice of a gold ball is all about the ball itself matching the decor of the room.


SHARYNF said:


> In a number of club mirror ball installs, the trend now is to use multiple smaller mirror balls vs on large one


 
The more I think about it, and as others point out throughout the thread, having two smaller balls in the corners likely makes more sense.



bishopthomas said:


> <SPAN class=username>I see you're in Hoboken. Is this


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## SamMallery (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks everybody for your input!


SHARYNF said:


> with the mirror ball the color you want is going to be more from the gel on the pin spot vs the color of the mirror.


 
Having the gold mirrored balls is all about matching the decor of the room. 


SHARYNF said:


> In a number of club mirror ball installs, the trend now is to use multiple smaller mirror balls vs on large one


 
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of having smaller mirror balls in each corner. Thanks for the suggestion!


SHARYNF said:


> Placement of pin spots is based on where you want the coverage, each one will cover about 1/3 to 1/4 of the 360 degrees, it will depend if you want coverage of the effect on the rear side (mirror side)


 
Thanks, I'll keep this in mind. A poster named "michaelburgoyne" suggested having one pin spot below pointing up at the ball. Do you think that would work out?




bishopthomas said:


> I see you're in Hoboken. Is this venue in North Jersey as well? I'm in central Jersey so if you need any help with anything let me know. I would put Source 4's on pipe and base around the room to light the mirror ball.


 
The venue is in Newark Delaware, just outside of Wilmington.


michaelburgoyne said:


> Buy two, each with standard 120V motors, and hang with sidearms at the top of booms on either side of the room. Pinspots can be weak when competing with other light, I'd suggest a Source4 Par VNSP at the base of each boom pointing straight up. Much easier to rig, and will cover the room just as well.


 
I'm really liking this idea. I come from more of a video/film background, so when I think "booms with sidearms," I think of C-Stands with grip heads and 40" extension arms. I already own some of this gear. Do you think C-Stands would work out, or is there another kind of boom rig I should look into?


TimMiller said:


> I have always used load rated zip ties to hang Mirror balls.


Noted. Thanks for the tip!


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## TimMiller (Apr 28, 2011)

I have never thought about using c-stands but I think that they would work very well. I would not put one pinspot directly below the mirror ball you would not see any light beams around the room just below the mirror ball. I would angle them more towards the middle of the mirror ball. You may be able to get away with some inkys if you have them. Also any other small to medium fresnel you can zoom down to fill as much of the mirror ball you will get a brighter and more than likely desired effect. You also have to keep in mind with gold mirrors light output will be lost and depending upon the time of day you may be competeting with the worlds biggest light source, the sun.


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## robartsd (Apr 28, 2011)

When I've used a mirror ball, I've hung it as near to the center of the space above the dance floor as possible. Mounting pin spots (I've used 4 Par 36's) at the walls above head height but slightly bellow the ball itself allows the effect to play both on the floor and the ceiling. If the ball is completely bathed in the light of each spot, then each spot will produce an effect in a semi-spherical area from the ball centered on the spot. Of course the greater the angle from the spot and the further the distance, the weaker the effect. This is why it is important to place the spots as evenly around the ball as possible. Multiple sources on the ball allow for multiple waves of reflections to interplay with each other, but multiple balls can also provide some of this effect. The single spot from the bottom will throw the effect all around the room beneath the ball, but will not get any of it on the ceiling.


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