Lex Product Introduces Bento Box

Lex Products has recently announced the Bento Box: a small, lightweight power distribution box for the Motion Picture market.

Weighing less than 8 pounds, the Bento Box is constructed for safe, easy use and is UL Listed. The new product is built of electrically insulated heavy duty PVC and designed to be resistant to corrosion, shock, and impact.  Boxes are compact for easy storage and portability and are stackable.  Specifically, six Bento Boxes fit in a six-gallon milk crate for easy carrying and storage.

The Bento Box features a 100 Amp Stage Pin inlet to (5) NEMA 5-20, 20 Amp duplex receptacles and a feed through 100 Amp Stage Pin receptacle, commonly referred to as the “lunch box” configuration.  Circuit breakers and indicator lights are mounted on the face plate for easy access and circuit identification.  Typical applications include powering lights or light tools and craft services in a Theatrical or Motion Picture production.

In addition, Lex is able to provide a range of customized solutions to fit specific needs for each of the standard Bento Box designs. For more information, visit The Lex Product website at www.lexproducts.com.

Lex Products Adds Molded Motor Control Cables to EverGrip Line

Lex Products announces the addition of Molded 7 and 14 Pin Motor Control Cable to its growing line of EverGrip cable assemblies. Lex’s overmold technology provides enhanced safety and durability for critical motor and hoist applications used in Entertainment scenery and rigging. The cables feature 7 and 14 pin Veam compatible quarter turn motor configuration connectors and heavy-duty 16AWG 7 conductor SOOW cable.

The core of EverGrip is a polypropylene premold which provides a mechanical bond between the cable and connector and totally encapsulates the contacts and conductors to prevent the possibility of pushed pins, and broken conductors. Short circuits due to stray wires are eliminated. A solid Santoprene overmold absorbs impact to protect internal conductors and provides enhanced flex and strain relief to extend cable life.

Standard length cable assemblies are available from 5ft. thru 200ft. Custom cable lengths and cable labels can also be specified. Lex can also retrofit new EverGrip molded connectors to your damaged motor cables, extending the life of your cable.

To help reduce potential losses do to mixing of dealers cable on job sites and to increase dealers brand identity, the customer’s name or logo can be molded into each connector body for a nominal charge.

Lex offers a 5 year limited warranty on EverGrip molded male and female connectors. Lex also molding of names and logo’s on the connectors of the cables. To learn more about the new Molded Motor Control Cables, visit Lex Product’s website at www.lexproducts.com.

Lex Products Offers Custom Printing on EverGrip Cables

Lex Products can now provide custom legend printing up to 50 characters on your choice of EverGrip˙ overmolded or traditional LSC19 pin multi-cable assemblies.

Build brand identity, deter theft and prevent mixing of cables by printing your company name, phone number, part numbers or other important information spaced every 2 ft. along the entire length of cable.

The bold type 1/8″ characters are printed in sky blue ink for high visibility.

Custom legend printing can be provided on 12/14, 12/18, 14/14, and 16/18 multi-cable extensions at no additional charge with a minimum order of 1000 ft. of cable.

To learn more about custom labeling on EverGrip products, visit Lex’s website at www.lexproducts.com.

#LDI2010 Preview: Lex Products DMX Slim Dimmer

Lex Products has added DMX512 support to its popular Slim Dimmer line of compact 1.8kW dimmers in the form of the Slim Dimmer Plus. Designed specifically for television and film location work, as well as theatrical and event dimming, the rugged Slim Dimmer Plus is tough enough to survive in a production and rental environment.

With DMX capabilities, the Slim Dimmer Plus can also be used as a part of a larger dimming system, as well as being able to operate in a standalone mode with local control through a high quality fader on its face. It can also compliment any full lighting package, providing users with that “just one more dimmer” capability. Compact enough to be added to a lighting kit case, backpack or toolbox, the Slim Dimmer Plus is a must have addition to the kit of every serious gaffer and freelance lighting technician.
Whether it is just one dimmer or just one more dimmer, the new Lex Slim Dimmer Plus 1.8kW dimmer will provide new dimming capability for small lighting projects in a variety of applications.

The Slim Dimmer Plus is debuting at LDI this week in Las Vegas. See it in the Lex Products booth 2020.

#LDI2010: Preview of Lex Products

Lex Products not only moved locations earlier this fall, but they continued to to develop and bring life to some new products and services.  At LDI next week, Lex Products will be showing off a number of things and well as letting you in on a couple of new things that are coming up.

Here is a listing of new things to see at LDI from Lex Products.

• New, industry leading Multi-Cable Legending – Have your company name printed the full length of your EverGrip multi-cable assemblies. A great way to promote your company while reducing losses due to theft.
• EverGrip – now has a Weatherproof Cover option. Take a look at this innovative way to protect your EverGrip Molded  Multi-Cable investment. .
• New Slim Dimmer Plus with DMX – Take a look at the new addition to this compact 1.8kW dimmer line. A must have addition to your portable lighting kit. Perfect for places where you need one dimmer or one more dimmer.
• Lex Does Audio – We now have a comprehensive line of audio cable assemblies. Take advantage of one stop shopping for all your power, audio and data cable assembly requirements.

Lex will also have a sneak peak at some up coming products:

• Vanten Connectors – Revolutionary line of single pole connectors that improve safety and ease of use.
• Redesigned Brick Portable Distribution Box – The smallest part of the PowerHOUSE™ line utilizes unique construction and engineered thermoplastics for a lightweight compact package with all the features you expect in a Lex box PowerHOUSE™.
• Audio Stage Box – Learn about our Remote Microphone Stage Box. Made of durable extruded PVC with Nylon end caps. Available in 8, 12, 16 and 20 channel versions. Can be configured for any combination of inputs and returns. Easily customized with cord grip or multi-connector of your choice.

Here is another good reason to stop b Lex Products booth, (2020).. WIN A FREE iPad!  If you have not done so already, register for a floor pass using led Products registration code and you will be automatically entered into the contest to win an Apple iPad that they will be giving out at their booth.

Lex Products Introduces Thermoset Type W Colored Feeder Cable

WOW, why didn’t some one think of this before?  Color coded feeder cable, excellent idea!  Though, I can see the both sides of the argument on color vs. black cable, but I leave that one alone.  Check out the image I snagged from Lex Products website.

Read more about Lex Products new Cables by visiting their website at www.lexproducts.com.

Lex Products adds Break-Ins and Breakouts to EverGrip Line Up

Lex Products has announced the addition of molded 6 -circuit Break-Ins and Break-Outs to its recently launched EverGrip™ line of Multi-Cable Assemblies. The cable assemblies feature Lex  Socapex compatible connectors which go through two separate molding processes to ensure they can stand up to the most demanding stage and studio applications.

The core of EverGrip™ is a polypropylene pre-mold which provides a mechanical bond between the cable and connector and totally encapsulates the contacts and conductors to prevent the possibility of pushed pins, broken conductors and damaged ground rings. A solid Santoprene™ over-mold absorbs impact to protect internal conductors and provides enhanced flex and strain relief to extend cable life.Lex offers a 5 year limited warranty on LSC19 molded male and female connectors.

Break-Ins and Break-Outs are offered with a variety of Edison straight blade, NEMA locking, or Bates® connectors, including 5-15, L5-20, and L6-20 configurations. Standard lengths include 3FT, and 6FT. Staggered and custom cable lengths and connectors can also be specified.
To learn more about the Lex Break-in and Breakout EverGrip series, visit their web site at www.lexproducts.com.

Lex Products Offers Custom Cable Labels

How many times has it happened to you, you can’t tell which cables are yours because cables just all look alike?  Lex Products now offers standard cable labels using new permanently self-laminating, weatherproof, durable vinyl labels which are wrapped around the cable. These rugged labels are then covered with the clear heat shrink that is included on every cable assembly, providing multi-layer label protection. This new method has several benefits, including:

• High quality printing of logos and text for superior readability
• Permanently self-laminating labels under clear heat shrink offer multiple layers of protection for longer life
• Labels can be applied to in-stock cable, reducing lead times
• Colored labels available
• All cables now include length and catalog number labels

To see about getting custom labels for your cables, download the Custom Cable Label Order Form from Lex Products and contact your local dealer for more information.

Wybron’s Mobile Showroom Heads to the Pacific Northwest April 12th

Every time I hear about the Wybron Mobile Showroom’s next tour dates, I get Tina Turner’s, Proud Mary song stuck in my head.  Just the part, “Big wheel keep on turning, Proud Mary keep on burning, and we’re rolling…”.  Crazy right?

Back to the Wybron news… Looks like Wybron’s Mobile Showroom will be rolling into the Pacific Northwest next week starting in San Clara, California and ending in Portland, Oregon. Here is a little more about the Wybron Mobile Showroom.

A custom-built, state-of-the-art enclosure which has become increasingly popular since its inception in October of 2009. The Mobile Showroom presents a survey of Wybron’s stable of products, including the new Cygnus LED Wash Light, in a environment more intimate than a trade show. It provides hands-on demonstration of Wybron offerings and an opportunity for tête-à-tête with lighting professionals, including their local dealers. Most importantly, however, the Mobile Showroom offers education on the general theory behind and mechanics of professional lighting to an audience who may be unfamiliar with either or both.

Here are the tour dates of the Wybron Mobile Showroom for next week:

• Monday, April 12 – Musson Theatrical Warehouse, Santa Clara, CA
• Tuesday, April 13 – Holzmueller Productions, San Francisco, CA
• Wednesday, April 14 – Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, OR
• Thursday, April 15 – Hollywood Lights, Portland, OR

Is the Mobile Showroom stopping near you?  Want to check it out?  Contact Dusty Hudgins from Wybron for more information at 719.548.9774. If you cannot make it to see the Mobile Showroom, you can always learn more about Wybron’s offerings by visiting their web site at www.wybron.com.

Review: Lex Products Slim Dimmer

Back in October, I mentioned that Lex Products announced and released a new portable dimmer, the 1.8kw Slim Dimmer. I recently had a chance to do a review of the Slim Dimmer. But before I get into the meat of the review, lets take a look at some of the details and specifications of the Slim Dimmer from Lex Products.

The Slim Dimmer from Lex Products is an 1800 Watt, 95 – 130VAC electronic dimmer with NEMA 5-15 (Edison) connectors. It is a compact, rugged, unfiltered dimmer with on-board fader control and digital intensity display.

Some features of the Slim Dimmer:

• Extremely compact
• Large, professional quality fader
• Accurate digital control and display
• Durable metal construction
• Easily hangable with optional C-clamp
• 6” L x 4.15” W x 2.5” H
• 1.6 lb

Who is the Slim Dimmer Designed for

From Lex Product’s website and cut sheets on the Slim Dimmer, they are saying that the dimmer is ideal for use in the Motion Picture, Television Production and Retail Displays.  I will not disagree there.  The simmer dimmer is perfect for those markets.  But I don’t think it it is limited to those markets which I am sure Lex Products will agree with me on.  I can see the Slim Dimmer having a place in the theatrical and live event markets as well. With the Slim Dimmers small and compact design, it can fit almost anywhere a dimmer might be useful or required.

Design and Construction

Talk about a one trick pony, the Slim Dimmer certainly falls under that category, but does that tick quick well.  With a max load of 1.8kw, there is plenty of room on the dimmer to load up an assortment of lights as long as the total load does not exceed 1.8kw.  Considering that most portable lights used in the TV/Film and production world are max 1K, there is still plenty of room to add lower wattage fixtures. It is important to note, since it is mentioned directly on the dimmer itself, is that the Slim Dimmer can only operate tungsten light sources, so no dimming HMI or Metal Halide sources.

The overall construction and size of the Slim Dimmer says it right in the products name.  It is Slim at only 6″ long by 4.15″ wide and a height of 2.5″ and only weighing 1.6lbs. The dimmer is made out of aluminum with small heat sinks designed into the case on the top and bottom to help cool the dimmer as there is no fan.  I ran a 1kw and a 650w on the Slim Dimmer at once and even though the case of the dimmer gives a warning that the case may get extremely warm, running the fixtures at both 85% and 100% for over an hour at each level, the dimmer was warm to the touch, but not requiring gloves.  It actually felt nice to pick up since my hands were cold from the winter weather.

The Slim Dimmer features a 15amp, push to reset breaker to help protect not only your lighting fixtures, but also the dimmer it’s self. For power into and out of the dimmer, there are 15amp edison connectors for each.  The power outlet is a flanged inlet that is large enough to fit almost any extension cable connector on the market. Now, in order to dim the fixtures plugged into the dimmer, there is a large slide fader on the front of the dimmer from 0% to 100%.  While there are markings on the case for 0%, 50% and 100%, and then a couple of small ticks in between, to get an accurate dimmer level, Lex included a digital read out of the current output level above the slide fader. In order to help protect the slide fader from getting accidentally nudged or broken, a top and bottom “wing” extend off the top and bottom of the Slim Dimmer, a nice safety feature.

The last thing I wanted to mention about the construction of the Slim Dimmer is Lex including a 1/4″ 20 screw terminal on the bottom of the dimmer.  This makes it easy for a grip to add a baby pin stud to the bottom and mafer clamp it to a c-stand or light stand to keep it off the floor and out of harms way from being kicked or stepped on.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a pretty powerful, silent portable dimmer, look no further, the Lex Product Slim Dimmer will work quite well for you. The dimmer can easily be added to any portable lighting kit as it takes up very little space and doesn’t require any additional cables then what you already have in your kit. With a retail price of just under $400.00USD, it might not be a bad investment.

I have heard mumblings Lex Product extending the Slim Dimmer product line to include DMX control of the dimmer.  This will make the Slim Dimmer more appealing to the theatrical and live event markets.  A time frame on this new version of the Slim Dimmer has not been laid out, but I am predicting a 2010 product announcement.

What to learn more or purchase the Lex Product Slim Dimmer, visit their website at www.lexproducts.com.

What Do You Think?

This this review is useful?  Want to say something about the Slim Dimmer?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section of this review.

Review Photos

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Lex Products Introduces Evergrip

We normally like to do our write up on new products, but Lex’s Press Release says it all!

Everyone in the entertainment technologies industry know that November means LDI. They also know that LDI means that Lex Products, winner of the ESTA Product of the Year award in the widget category for the past 6 years running, will show up in Orlando with something big up their sleeve. For 2009 that something big is EverGrip™, and it will change the way you think about multi-cable.

…

EverGrip connectors are overmolded, meaning they go through two separate molding processes that makes them exceptionally tough, remarkably safe, and maintenance free.

The core of EverGrip is a polypropylene premold that encapsulates the contact and wires, meaning the possibility of pushed pins is eliminated and the ground ring cannot loosen.

A Santoprene™ external overmold doesn’t just look nice – it provides superior flex and strain relief. The solid molded construction is impact resistant and covers all aspects of the connector, even the locking ring. This means total surface insulation when the devices are mated. Together, all of the advantages of overmolding can double the flex life of your assemblies. An optional weatherproof cover is offered to protect female connectors from weather, dust and dirt.

To learn more about the Evergrip, visit Lex’s website at www.lexproducts.com or visit their booth, 1157 next week at the LDI Show in Orlando.

Lex Products Donates Portion of Proceeds to Behind the Scenes

We love hearing news like this.  Since last LDI, Lex Products has been donating portion of the first year’s sales of the 6 Circuit Live Tester to ESTA’s Behind the Scenes.  Since that first year ends this LDI in Orlando, Lex has decided to extend this giving until the end of 2009.

This gives you two more months to not only get the Lex 6 circuit Live End Tester, but also help your fellow professionals in their time of need.

To learn more about the Lex Product 6 Circuit Live End Tester, visit Lex’s website at www.lexproducts.com.  To learn more about ESTA’s behind the Scenes Charity, visit their website at www.estafoundation.org.