Baby / Junior Nail On
A Baby/Junior Nail On (frequently called a Wall Plate) is an essential rigging tool for any grip or gaffer. This tool consists of a standard mounting pin welded to a flat steel plate. The plate contains several pre-drilled holes. These holes allow you to screw or nail the plate directly onto flat surfaces. By doing this, you create a stable mounting point for lights or flags in places where a traditional light stand cannot go.
Understanding Baby vs. Junior Plates
Like most grip equipment, these plates come in two primary sizes to match industry-standard mounting hardware.
| Baby Nail On | This version features a 5/8-inch (16mm) pin. It is the most common size for small to medium lighting fixtures and modifiers. It allows you to mount a light directly to a set wall or a piece of lumber. |
| Junior Nail On | This version features a 1-1/8-inch (28mm) receiver or pin. Because Junior fixtures are much heavier, these plates are larger and require more robust mounting. They are ideal for supporting large LED panels or heavy Fresnels. |
Common Applications on Set
The versatility of the nail-on plate makes it a “problem-solver” on a film set.
Beaver Boards and Skid Plates
A common use for a baby nail-on is the creation of a Beaver Board. To make one, a grip screws a baby plate onto a Pancake apple box. This creates an ultra-low-profile light stand. You can place this rig on the floor to hide a light behind furniture or to create dramatic uplighting. This is far more stable and compact than a “turtle base” stand.
Architectural and Set Rigging
Grips often need to place lights in high or narrow locations. You can screw a nail-on plate into wooden beams, columns, or set walls. This is perfect for rigging “back-lights” in tight spaces. Additionally, you can use these plates to rig overhead softboxes or to position flags to cut unwanted light spill.
Essential Safety Practices
Because you are often screwing these plates into physical structures, safety is the top priority.
| 1. | Select the Right Hardware | Always use high-quality wood screws or nails that are appropriate for the surface. Ensure the screws are long enough to bite deeply into the wood, but not so long that they damage hidden wires or pipes. |
| 2. | Check for Stability | Once the plate is mounted, give it a firm “tug test.” It should not wiggle or pull away from the surface. |
| 3. | Use Safety Chains | If you mount a light overhead using a nail-on plate, you must use a safety chain. Secure the chain to a permanent structural member, such as a joist or a stud. This ensures the light will not fall if the screws fail. |
| 4. | Protect the Location | Only use nail-on plates on sets or surfaces where drilling is permitted. If you are in a high-end location, always check with the locations department before driving screws into any surface. |
