Open Forum

I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated. ------------------------------ Bryan Sullivan Theatre Director Silverdale WA ------------------------------

Yes find a school in your district which can use them. Middle schools never have a budget for these things. Or check a neighboring district. ------------------------------ Scott Hasbrouck Wheat Ridge CO ------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54 From: Bryan Sullivan Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment. I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated. ------------------------------ Bryan Sullivan Theatre Director Silverdale WA ------------------------------

if your district is like mine, all of your lighting equipment is on the schools inventory. That means that if you want to get rid of anything you have to go to the person in charge of equipment and find out what paperwork you need to fill out to have it removed. Break a leg! ------------------------------ Floyd Nash ------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54 From: Bryan Sullivan Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment. I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated. ------------------------------ Bryan Sullivan Theatre Director Silverdale WA ------------------------------

Definitely the "one man's trash is another man's treasure" philosophy applies here.  As others have stated, middle schools would probably love to get their hands on this type of equipment, and in addition, some high schools may find it useful if they lack the budget for up-to-date equipment, or if they are trying to light a secondary space (black box, etc.)  Maybe post a list of brands / model numbers, etc.?  Or even pictures?  I'm sure someone will at least take them off your hands, and may even slide a few bucks your way!

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Mike Morris
Technical Director and Business Manager
Harrison OH
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54
From: Bryan Sullivan
Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment.

I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated.

------------------------------
Bryan Sullivan
Theatre Director
Silverdale WA
------------------------------

Storage of outdated equipment can be a real problem. The state of Washington has serious laws about materials purchase by student clubs. ASB funds must be handled very carefully. An auditor from the state could get very picky about how those instruments are disposed of. If they were purchased by the district when your theatre was built it comes under different rules and regulations. Make sure to check if it is still on the district inventory lists as you might have to use the district surplus paperwork system to even take it out of the theatre. ------------------------------ Warren Kerr Theatre Arts Teacher Auburn School District Auburn WA ------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54 From: Bryan Sullivan Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment. I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated. ------------------------------ Bryan Sullivan Theatre Director Silverdale WA ------------------------------

You mentioned outdated and broken fixtures. Repair of lighting fixtures can sometimes be very basic. Open up the connectors by unscrewing the screws on the plugs. Make sure that the wires inside are connected. The crimps may have just come loose. If you are uncomfortable with this type of repair, consult with the school maintenance person they can be a great resource. It's also worth mentioning that you need an inventory of spare lamps for your lighting fixtures. I take inventory at least once a year and then do one large order of lamps. I have also explained to the business managers at every school district that I've worked at the lamps are just like lightbulbs and are a building expense not a theatre only expense. Between checking lamps and basic repair you may be able to make a number of those fixtures in storage useful fixtures in your inventory. ------------------------------ John Whapham Cincinnati OH ------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54 From: Bryan Sullivan Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment. I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated. ------------------------------ Bryan Sullivan Theatre Director Silverdale WA ------------------------------

You should donate it. One man's trash is another man's treasure. It might be much easier to repair broken equipment than to purchase new equipment.
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Hugh Fletcher
Performing Arts Coordinator
IS 229 Dr. Roland Patterson Middle School
Bronx NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54
From: Bryan Sullivan
Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment.

I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated.

------------------------------
Bryan Sullivan
Theatre Director
Silverdale WA
------------------------------

Hi,

There are many ways to get value out of an old light.

If you just want to get rid of them, put them on craigslist or free-cycle. You will have to do very little work to be rid of old parts.

There are metal guys in our area who will take anything from where they find it. In other words, you won't even have to move the stuff.

But, if you want to pull value out of old lights, read on...

To me an old light is...

a lamp - you may still be using those lamps somewhere, or put them in a box of 12 and eBay them.

a clamp - we still use the same clamp we used 30 years ago (with safety cables of course).

a plug - can be reused if it still fits your system. If it is a twist-lock, it may be the most valuable part.

a cable - usually recycled for copper or thrown away, old cables/wires are a bad risk.BTW,  If the wires are covered with a white or grey fabric type coating (not black rubber), don't even touch the lights. Call your district or maintenance person and tell them you think you have asbestos. The offending lights will be gone very quickly.

The actual light which may have lenses and housing parts. Probably recyclable metal. The glass lens is desired by stained glass crafts people.

Unfortunately for me, I have trouble discarding any of these parts. But, luckily for you (maybe) is that almost all these parts have value on eBay. If the inter-district donation does not work for you, you may be able to recover some money that way.

I have sold old shop tools on craigslist and got some cash for the program at a time we really needed it.

 

John

 

 

 

In my old district, each school had to keep an written inventory of equipment, which was turned in to central office at the end of the school year.  If anything was not accounted for, there were serious repercussions.  When we got rid of anything, we had to contact building services, and they would either ok us giving it to middle schools, or picking it up for the year-end surplus materials auction.

 I'd recommend contacting your administrator to see how to proceed.  That could save you some major headaches at the end of the school year.

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Robert Fowler
Co-Developer
Interactive Educational Video, LLC
Chesterfield MO
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54
From: Bryan Sullivan
Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment.

I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated.

------------------------------
Bryan Sullivan
Theatre Director
Silverdale WA
------------------------------

Your feeder schools, or local community theatre, might appreciate anything that works.  You can save one or two of the nonfunctional things to keep as examples that can be taken apart without fear of destroying something expensive.  Show and tell for tech classes.

 

Otherwise, ebay/craigslist/backpage/flea-market?

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Josh Belk
Director of Theatre
Monument CO
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54
From: Bryan Sullivan
Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment.

I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated.

------------------------------
Bryan Sullivan
Theatre Director
Silverdale WA
------------------------------

You might give the working instruments to a feeder school.  But be careful if the cords are not in good shape.  Old instruments may have asbestos in the electrical cords.

You might look for a metal recycling location that will take them off your hands.  

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C. J. Breland
Asheville NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-10-2015 18:54
From: Bryan Sullivan
Subject: What do I do with outdated lighting equipment.

I'm the new theatre director at my school and storage is very limited. I'm sorting through lighting equipment and some of it is ancient. A lot of it doesn't work but there are a few that do. They are just sitting, taking up storage space. What can I do with them. Throw them away? Give them away? Any advice would be appreciated.

------------------------------
Bryan Sullivan
Theatre Director
Silverdale WA
------------------------------