must have in every gaffers bag...? less than $100
 

Gaffer tape
Clothes pin c-47
gel filters
stingers
velcro cable ties
Manfrotto super clamp (which is better quick action clamp or super clamp?)
collapsible reflectors

what else?

Pony clamps 6" and 4"

Electrical Tape

I keep a dozen 6" bungee balls with me

Gloves

Small and large door stops

I like to keep a sandbag or two. I use the 'fillable' kind, so I can fill them with sand/shot/whatever if necessary, and don't have to haul the weight if I don't need it.

plugin outlet checker, $10.

can potentially save your life when you encounter a live ground when plugging into unknown wall power. found a live ground in a marina shore power outlet that I was gonna power a light from hung on a metal pipe support for a awning. could of electrified the entire structure.

some 1/4-20, 3/8, 5/16, 1/2" nuts and bolts. cost is a couple of dollars and can save your you know what when you need it

skip the manfrotto maffer clam, at least the cheap black ones. they break ! the castings are filled with air and can let go at anytime if you use them to hang lights or heavy items - say 10 lbs +. get the more expensive "gravity" cast silver ones instead. you get what you pay for.

couple of 5/8" pins, maybe 4" long. use them for mounting lights in c stand arms, grip heads, ect.

digital volt meter with freq counter

clamp on amp meter

- Blackwrap
- Converter from E27 lightbulb socket to power socket.
- Dimmers
...

Gotta' have some tin foil...

well, how about a good used Sekonic light meter. You can pickup a studio deluxe for less than 100 bucks.

Keys to the padlock on the back of the 5-ton

Steve,

Why with a freq counter? How/why would I use that feature?

Thank you,
Bill

20' extension cord
Leatherman multi-tool
small maglite

Here's a pretty good article to check out http://www.dv.com/features/features_...cleId=18901484
Although, I'm diggin' the Harbor Freight dimmers these days.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=43060

I've learned to always pack a small flashlight...

to check line freq, especially with small / cheap generators. yes I have a meter thats happy to read 120V in freq mode. ideally you find one that can resolve to .1hz

they can also be handy when in forgein countries, especially tourists hotels where you can find a suprising array of different power types, like 120V 50 or 60hz in a hotel that caters to NA customers, while another caters to Euro customers has 220V 50hz. depends on if they get power from the grid or local generator.

Thank you Steve.

Oh boy! A new tool to reserach and buy!! :-)

Bill