Century Stand or C-stands are a must have on a set of any size they are invaluable as a way to hang lights, hold flags, bounce cards, emergency mic stand and much, much more. For the independent filmmaker on a cheap or low budget the fact that a good C-stand can cost upward of $175 each can be a bit of a downer. Well for those do-it-yourself filmmakers here is a great little solution for around $30 + a little elbow grease and some time you can build your own C-stands. Listed below is a brief overview of the pros and cons of this solution, read through it and if your up for a little fun check out the full set of instructions here.

FROM DIY PHOTO GEAR:

The Cons:
Number one-they’re not very portable. As described, they don’t fold and as such, they’re best used in a permanent studio.
Number two-they’re not as adjustable as most C-Stands. Although you can put longer upper stems in them for added height, there’s a certain point where they’re just plain going to become unstable and the usable range of height might limit you in some setups. (the maximum height you can use in your studio is of course determined by your ceiling height , minus 1/2 the distance of any soft box you might hang on the stand.) I’ve found that an adjustment of a couple feet is the most that I ever move my commercial c-stands anyway when used in a lower ceiling studio (10′ max.)
Number three-They’re not the prettiest things in the world. If you’re worried that equipment made from plumbing parts might turn your clients off, you’re probably better off not making these. I have found that you can paint them flat black, wrap the whole thing in insulating pipe wrap or other covering and no body will ever know they’re made of plumbing fittings. Even if you don’t use these as your primary stands ‘out front’, they make great ‘backdrop’ stands and extra stands for holding flags, gobos and reflectors.

The benefit - cost. Even on eBay, the cheapest I’ve seen a c-stand go for is $35.00 or so (which is a steal if you can get them for that) but they’re so heavy that you’re going to pay an additional $35.00 or so to get it shipped. At $70.00, that’s still a great deal on a c-stand as most pro studio retailers sell them from $125.00 to $200.00 plus shipping and even the cheapest buy it now on eBay adds up to $105.00. But what if you could build one for $30.00 (or less if you’ve already got some of the parts)??? You could certainly build several for the cost of just one from the retailers.

(VIA DIY PHOTO GEAR)