How do you pack your kit?

[One Vision]

Hya folks, this thread is to find out the right and wrong ways of packing equipment away, be it wrapping cables up or packing away effects etc. to minimize damage short and long term.

It came up in a recent thread that I was actualy wrapping my cables wrong, the trouble is I was taught this method from somebody who has been in the business for 20+ years so took as gospel so to speak.

I suppose most situations in packing kit is common sens, but what are the proper methods that work in the short and long term to reduce failures and potential safety risks and in fact to minimise PAT test failure?

How do you pack and store?
Cables; power, speaker and XLR types etc.?
Spare lamps etc.?
Lighting effects?
Atmospheric effects machines?
Spare fluids?
Other equipment not mentioned?

Please be honest if you think you may be doing something wrong, unsure of the proper methods or simply post your methods so others can point you in the right direction "but be honest" :)

[Vectis]

Cables; power, speaker and XLR types etc.?
Short cables I tend to just pile them into a plastic crate as-is, power on the left, 'data' on the right.

Longer cables ie speaker, XLR, DMX etc. I halve and halve again until there's about 1m length and then tie a loose knot in them.

Cables for specific effects live in the flightcases/bags with said effects.

Vulnerable cables such as VGA leads I stick a short length of gaffa over the ends of the plugs/sockets and then coil them loosely before stashing in a specific briefcase-style flightcase.



Spare lamps etc.?
Keep 'em in the van in the glovebox in their shipping packaging.



Lighting effects?
Everything properly flightcased. I can't recommend enough the need to spend out on flightcases. They're worth their often considerable weight in gold! (OK not quite but you know what I'm saying...)



Atmospheric effects machines?
Empty fluid, external clean/dry with an old teatowel. Mr Cool when used has a few silica gel sachets chucked into the box each time.



Spare fluids?
Kept in 5l containers in the van behind one of the removable side panels.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Cables - Coiled, i was told that all cables have a natural coil, which is true (you can especially see it when you get new ones). Thats all cables, long short, whatever. Then fastened with either velcro ties or electrical tape. Not ont gaffa tape as it can leave a sticky residue. Then in either a hard box or holdall.

Lapms - Aluminium briefcase thingy..with the foam inserts that you cut yourself

Lighting effects - Flightcased, or atleased cased in such as protex boxes

Smoke machine - Flightcased

Smoke fluid - 5L container

[rob1963]

I coil my cables.

Most of my other gear is flightcased, apart from my lights which I just put in the van loose, but in a place where they can't move around. For what they cost me, I saw little point in forking out for cases for them.

[Penfold42]

How do you pack your kit?

...very carefully. :)

[Spirits High]

How do you pack your kit?

...very carefully. :)


and Tone just for you......;)

How do you close the boot of the car :p

All together now ....very carefully :D :D

[Penfold42]

and Tone just for you......;)

How do you close the boot of the car :p

All together now ....very carefully :D :D

That's not my kit smart arse!.....:moon:

:D :D :D :D :D

[One Vision]

There's always one in the classroom ;)

[nigelwright7557]

I have never really seen the need for flight cases.
Maybe if i was stacking the gear I might but i have plenty of room to fit the gear in the motor.

I dont drive like a lunatic so the gear usually stays put.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I have never really seen the need for flight cases.


Why doesn't that surprise me?

I always use flightcases, and bags to prolong the life of my gear and keep it looking brand new. What's the point of making an investment in gear if you don't look after it?

Oh, that's right, you don't invest in gear, you make your own.

[nigelwright7557]

Why doesn't that surprise me?

I always use flightcases, and bags to prolong the life of my gear and keep it looking brand new. What's the point of making an investment in gear if you don't look after it?

Oh, that's right, you don't invest in gear, you make your own.

But I am not rough with my gear, I take great care of it.

If you want to throw your gear in the van them flight cases are a must.
If you want to stack gear then flight cases are a must.
I do neither.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Sorry Nigel, but you can be as careful as you like and things will get knocked and bumped. It has nothing to do with being rough with it.

I have never thrown gear about or stacked it either, but I would say proper cases are very important if you using your gear regularly.

[One Vision]

But I am not rough with my gear, I take great care of it.

If you want to throw your gear in the van them flight cases are a must.
If you want to stack gear then flight cases are a must.
I do neither.

If your method works please let us know the methods :)

[Creature]

the cables are looped around my armes and use velco fasteners to hold them - most of my cables go into an old light soft bag.

the cables (inc mains) for mixer,cd,cortex, all wrap up and fit in the back of my homemade mixer unit.

My lights are wrapped in felt cloth and then inserted into soft bags, my amp is currently in the cardboard box ibrought it in - just got to get around to putting it into a amp box when i find time.

[nigelwright7557]

Sorry Nigel, but you can be as careful as you like and things will get knocked and bumped. It has nothing to do with being rough with it.

I have never thrown gear about or stacked it either, but I would say proper cases are very important if you using your gear regularly.

Some of my gear is heavy enough without boxing it as well.

My amp is 1000WRMS and the transformer in it weighs a ton.

The CD player is already in a box anyway so that is OK.

The lights are left loose and despite having had them a couple of years now are still scratch free.

I find more damage happens from punters tripping over the gear or fighting and falling over it. At a gig in August two lads started fighting and one fell over the loudspeaker box. Luckily it was on castors and rolled rather than broke.

[discomobiledj]

I have a couple of tubs which have my lights and mirror ball in, another smaller tub with all my cables, stand goes in the back behind the front seats and amp/cd and mixer/cd controller in the boot with speakers on top of them.

Amazing what I can fit in a Focus hatchback with the seats down.

[nigelwright7557]

I have a couple of tubs which have my lights and mirror ball in, another smaller tub with all my cables, stand goes in the back behind the front seats and amp/cd and mixer/cd controller in the boot with speakers on top of them.

Amazing what I can fit in a Focus hatchback with the seats down.

I use a Focus estate, loads of room.
I used to have a Mondeo hatchback which was fine except the high lip at the boot. Used to put one speaker on the passenger seat and a box of cables in the front passenger well.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Proper DJs have vans...:sj:

[nigelwright7557]

Proper DJs have vans...:sj:

An estate is just the same size as a van !

i.e. the Astra van is exactly same size as Astra estate car.

Wouldnt buy a van, wouldnt want to turn up on a date in a van.
Better visibilty in an estate car too.

[Tom]

I have a couple of tubs which have my lights and mirror ball in, another smaller tub with all my cables, stand goes in the back behind the front seats and amp/cd and mixer/cd controller in the boot with speakers on top of them.

Amazing what I can fit in a Focus hatchback with the seats down.

I second that. I have a 3 door hatch and I can fit a full rig in there no problem.

So I can have a nice car during the day and a tardis during the evening. lol.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

An estate is just the same size as a van !

i.e. the Astra van is exactly same size as Astra estate car.

Wouldnt buy a van, wouldnt want to turn up on a date in a van.
Better visibilty in an estate car too.

I was joking actually.

However, an estate car isn't the same size inside as a van which doesn't have seats. A car has windows and less security. A car is not made to carry anything of a commercial nature and will eventually have the interior ripped to pieces.

I wouldn't turn up on a date in a van either, as

A. I am happily married and
B. I have a car

[One Vision]

I don't know how people get the gear in a car, my car is a Volvo v40 estate and just putting the speakers and play out system in has the car scratching its ass.

Until I get a van I'm using my sisters Discovery which just about fits the gear in.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Ive got a......fiesta :( That said it is a 1.8 diesel and can tow a tonne if needed so i use a trailer.

Saving all my pennies for a spanky new Nissan Navara with a snugtop though :)

[Corabar Steve]

My amp is 1000WRMS and the transformer in it weighs a ton.You shouldn't have something that heavy in a car :sj:


An estate is just the same size as a van !

i.e. the Astra van is exactly same size as Astra estate car.
No it's not. The actual load space is smaller, even with the seats down.

[theoloyla]

Good equipment will last a long time if you look after it (as I have proved) and having used cars and trailers I certainly find it easier to load a Transit.

[rob1963]

I wouldn't turn up on a date in a van either, as

A. I am happily married and
B. I have a car

I would, as

A. I'm not happily married and
B. I don't have a car

:D


I don't know how people get the gear in a car

Same here.

The people I know who use their car have to mess about putting the seats down, and often have to put the gear in a certain way, or they won't get it all in!

I only use a Ford Courier van, but it's so easy...I just open the rear doors & can put the gear in any way I like with no problems whatsoever.

To be honest, I could probably get double the amount of gear in the van that I actually carry.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

having used cars and trailers I certainly find it easier to load a Transit.

I used a trailer for 20+ years and always thought it was the most convenient way, but having had a van for 6 months, it is so much easier to load and so much less of a jigsaw puzzle....

[rob1963]

I used a trailer for 20+ years and always thought it was the most convenient way, but having had a van for 6 months, it is so much easier to load and so much less of a jigsaw puzzle....

Ahhh yes...I remember your trailer, and seem to recall that it was an incredibly tight fit.

[OllieJames]

I have a black case for audio cables, and cables that power my cd players and speakers, then i have another black case for my DMX cables, controllers & power cables for lighting (i also keep my spare lamps in this case in the top section).

As for lights, my scanners are flightcased, but my magic gobos are in their boxes. (:o)

My smoke machine is in its box, but with the hazer i want i'll get a flightcase for it. Spare fluid just in its bottle left in the car.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Ahhh yes...I remember your trailer, and seem to recall that it was an incredibly tight fit.

Towards the end it was, as the moving heads cases were massive.
What annoyed me was getting gear out that I wasn't using to get to gear I was using and then having to put it back etc etc

[leighinstoke]

Flight cases for everything that needs or comes with a case. Crates with padding in them for lights. Crates on their own for cables, etc (one exclusively for mains, another for sound, etc). Covers for all speakers and, what looks like a long rifle case, for stands, poles, etc....

[Ajaysdisco]

Leads, I coil them and put them in a toolbox
Lamps, old small CD case with a lot of bubble warp
Lighting effects, flightcased and I use a large “really useful” box.
Smoke machine, vary rarely used so stored as is.
Smoke fluid, I never take, the fog machine has a very large tank and I will have to use a lot of fog to empty it.

On a different note it doesn’t matter if you get a van you will still fill it!

[JAMdisco]

Leads are coiled or halved twice and loose knot then packed in a holdall.

Extension leads and plug banks have cables coiled and packed in a hard case.

Par cans currently packed loose but looking to get soft cases.

Impossibled in original box with original polysyrene packing.

Acme scanners in original box with original polysyrene packing - boxes for these are getting a bit tatty so soon to invest in soft or hard cases.

Other lights - not often used are all loose.

Haze machine - original box.

Fluid - 5 litre bottle.

Amp - currently loose.

DJ stand - in a soft zip up case.

Starcloth - soft original zip up case.

Laptop - soft good quality carry bag.

Speakers - loose.

It all goes in an Escort Estate with careful arrangement. :)

[Andy Westcott]

Fortunately my equipment fits fairly tightly in my Transit, without much room for movement. I use cut-down pallet boxes of appropriate sizes to sit various bits in, and these boxes sit in the van.

Bass bins are blanketed and strapped against the front bulkhead, the rest fitting within the remaining space.

Cables - I coil them to the largest diameter I can, consistent with fitting them in my old cardboard box. (20 odd years old and counting...)
There is a knack to correctly coiling cables, and you should try to accommodate their natural tendency to coil rather than introduce a twist. Takes time to learn to do this, but it's worth it I reckon.

[ppentertainments]

Smoke fluid, I never take, the fog machine has a very large tank and I will have to use a lot of fog to empty it.

I was thinking the same when reading through the thread. A lot of people mention smoke fluid but I reckon one fill would probably last me 6 months so I fill before leaving then thats it - 1 less thing to carry.

[spin mobile disco]

Speakers are in padded bags, Amps in abs rack cases. All decks and playout is in a console rack anyway. All my lights are in padded bags or cases. My trussing is kept in a large padded bag and all my cables are kept in a very large holdall type bag.

Bubble machine and smoke are kept in padded bag with spare fluid for each held in a plastic bottle.

Only thing not packed like any of this is my sub as I have not had any luck findng a suitable transit cover for it as yet. But as I have fitted platic edging and corners on it this reduces bumps and marks quite well.

[Ajaysdisco]

I was thinking the same when reading through the thread. A lot of people mention smoke fluid but I reckon one fill would probably last me 6 months so I fill before leaving then thats it - 1 less thing to carry.

Well I think the last time I filled mine up was over three years ago!!

[AnthonyG]

Gosh i sound quite professional with my carpet lined stackable plastic boxes!

[DeckstarDeluxe]

At bpm the htfr cd stand (not the main one) was giving away zoom bags which are great!

I got three, one for power cables (not 4ways) one for dmx and ca8 controllers and one for audio and speakon cables.

I need to get some more this year if they do that again as some of the zips are broke

Every single thing I have is flightcased apart from some of the led lights however they are placed in a van in such a way its very unlikely to be damaged.

After having a corsa and then a laguna i can say the best thing I did was buy a van. It allows room for expansion for your rig and its more professional..

As turning up for dates in it well its been awhile! however from day one they would know Im a dj and what comes with it, if they dont like it then bye bye birdie (cue the birdie song) :D