Manfrotto Expan 046MC is supplied in pairs with metal chain.
The expan is pushed into the cardboard core of the background and then the knob is turned whereupon the expan expands and locks into place. The adjustable thickness of the expan is Ø45mm to Ø78mm. The standard diameter of the cardboard cores for Colorama and Manfrotto background paper with a width of 2.72m and 1.35m is approx. Ø52mm.
With the expan pair in place in the paper background, the background is hung in the holder that is available for wall mounting, ceiling mounting or for tripods. Make sure that the groove of the expans fits correctly in the hook of the holder so that the paper background can be easily rotated.
When the background hangs in place in the holder, be sure to set the right amount of inertia for the roll out of the paper so that the paper can be rolled out easily but stays in the extended position.
One expan of the pair is equipped with a chain for rolling out and rolling in the background paper. Make sure the expan bar is in a horizontal position so the chain can run freely.
There are several different types of holders for paper backgrounds. If you have a fixed studio location, it is best to use a holder that is screwed to the wall or ceiling. If you are building a temporary studio, the Autopole stand is a very good option provided you can lock the stand to the ceiling and floor.
If high mobility is desired, a background stand set can be the solution. This set consists of two heavy-duty lighting stands with an extendable boom in between. Be sure to hang sandbags as a counterweight at the bottom of the stand as the background paper is relatively heavy at the top of the stand.