Q4 22 Challenge - Microphone stands

Rocker

In the past I have spoken here about our family music get togethers.  These have evolved considerably in recent years and involve almost everyone - playing and/or singing.  To enhance the singing experience, I got a cheap pack of three microphones and a mixer from Thomann, the mixer into a keyboard amp gives the sound.

Some of the singers play an instrument so it became apparent that it was a choice between singing or playing.  And to do both required someone to hold the microphone in position.  The obvious answer is to use a microphone stand.  As we are not a gigging band, a cheap and fairly lightweight stand ought to do the job.  Which it would, except that our music room, where all the kit is stored when not in use, is fairly well packed up with guitar, bass and amps plus our hi-fi system.  I resolved to see if something I already have could be modified to act as a music stand while still be usable for its original task.

I checked what 'tripod' stands I had and there were four.  One was dismissed as it is a lightweight flimsy music sheet holder and it was needed for the music sessions anyway.  The other three were: a stand for my smartphone - it has a circular light which is powered from a USB source - the smartphone is held on a clip in the middle of the circular light.  Second possibility was a heavy music stand and the third possibility a camera tripod.  Then came the lightbulb moment - why not make three microphone stands as I have three microphones.

The easiest build was using the smartphone holder.  I unscrewed the light attachment and went searching for a nut that would fit the exposed bold at the top of the stand.  The only nut I could find that fitted the bolt was a wing nut!  Each microphone was supplied with a standard microphone clip, there is a threaded insert in the clip which proved very useful.  I cut off the wing nut 'wings' and epoxied the nut to the end of the insert.  When the epoxy had cured I screwed the insert into the clip and could now screw the clip assembly onto the stand bolt.  Success #1.

I set about building two boom type microphone stands using the heavy music stand and the camera tripod as bases.  The 'booms' were old golf club shafts.  When the head and handles were cut off, I was left with two carbon fibre rods about 90 cm [30"] long.  It was a simple matter to epoxy a microphone clip insert to the thinner ends of the shafts.  These were set aside to cure.

More tomorrow or soon as I am in a bad way with another bout of Atrial Fibrillation and am hardly able to lift my arms right now........ 

Rocker

Tomorrow became today, several months later.  Atrial Fibrillation, aka A Fib, is an electrical problem with the heart.  Spurious signals cause the heart rhythm to go out of sync.  It can cause clots to form inside the heart chambers, clots that could get pumped into the brain, thus causing a stroke.  Some people have A Fib and are unaware of it, I on the other hand am very much aware of it.  On balance I would prefer to know if A Fib has returned as then I can do something about it before it causes a serious problem.  Medically the heart rhythm is reset either with drugs or by electric shock.  This time I had the shock treatment and it worked first time.  I am still on heavy medication to keep the rhythm steady and the blood thin [to help prevent clots from forming].  A Fib is like a bad penny, it keeps on coming back.

The Microphone Stands [continued].  With the boom stands cut I fitted a shaped dowel into the mounting end of each to give some strength to the weak hollow tubes.  Then, on the music stand I drilled two holes and simply screwed the boom stand to the plate.  The adjustment lever on the music stand makes it simple to alter the height of the microphone.  To spread any pressure from the screws more evenly, I cut a bit of wood with a V for the boom and the wood now sits between the boom and the stand.  Works a treat.

The camera tripod has a quick release mechanism - a plate screws to the base of the camera and a lever locks the plate to the stand.  I carved a bit of wood the same length and shape of the plate and screwed the boom to it, cutting a V similar to the other stand.  It too works a treat.  A dab of black paint on the wood and it was ready for use.

Our family had one music session and I got to try out the stands.  They worked perfectly and the goal of zero price microphone stands had been achieved.  It is a simple matter to undo the screws and the stands can revert to their original and main function.  For the number of uses each year, this project result is entirely satisfactory,  The stands would not stand up to the stresses and strains of a gigging band.  Absolutely no way would they survive life on the road but for our usage, are perfect.

I will endeavour to add photos when I get some free time.  If anyone cares to host images for me, please send a PM and I will email them to you.  Thanks for reading about a project that is ultra simple and basic compared to what others are building - guitars etc.  Such work is way beyond my abilities and all I can do is express my admiration for their skill levels.