How to Best Carry Cube Taps on Film Set

The tools and items that a typically lighting technician will have to keep track of. And carry with them when working a film set are almost endless. There’s so much to incorporate into the given setup. And you never know when you’ll need a particular item like a cube tap. In fact, learning how to best carry cube taps on film set is something that a newly aspiring lighting technician will almost certainly seek to figure out early on in their career. But how? And why?

What is a Cube Tap?

Before we go into how to best carry cube taps on the film set, it’s important for any newly aspiring technicians. To understand what a cube tap is. And what the purpose of this equipment is on the set.

Cube taps represent 15 amp single receptacle converters that can be used to convert a single receptacle opening to 3 openings.

It’s important to know that these cube taps represent 15 amp devices though. Because adding multiple receptacles may have the newbie thinking that just about anything could be plugged in. Don’t go over 15 amps!

Physically

Cube taps look like a cube. They have a receptacle plug on one side, and on the other three sides they have outlet openings. The three prong design allows for lighting technicians to maximize their ability/

To plug in lighting equipment and units in spaces where plugs or receptacles may otherwise be limited.

How to Best Carry Cube Taps on Film Set

Since you’ll almost certainly need cube taps at some point when setting up the lighting on a set. It’s important to keep two or three of these devices on you at all times.

According to most unions, cube taps are to be attached to an expendables pouch which provides added storage for the lighting technician when working the set. 

How To

To attach the cube taps to your belt, use a binder clip or a small pouch. A repurposed tape measure pouch can work wonders at providing additional belt storage for things like cube taps when you’re working on the set.

In fact, repurposing an old tape measure pouch to hold your various items, like your c-47s and cube taps will provide just enough storage without adding too much weight or interfering with your movement on the set.

If you don’t have an old tape measure pouch, consider the next best way to carry cube taps on the film set which is by adding them to your binder clip. Simply plug them into the clip on your belt and when you need one, pull it free.

As you work the set, and learn more about how to best carry cube taps on the film set, you’ll find what works for you based on the types of lighting setups that you create and how many cube taps you typically need.