Question about flash/strobist equipment

LOL! wait til you start looking for stands!
I'm currently looking for a decent (read stable) yet poratable and compact stand that can hit 2 metres and its a nightmare to find one cheap but not too cheap...

List of stuff I want grows every day...

Small stand for back light (maybe a tiny tripod)
Light stand (portable, 2m high)
Umbrella.
Umbrella holder.
Smoke bombs (from a paintball supplier that can't post item)
More light!!
Gels (actually on the way along with an LED-video-shoemount-light)
FA50-1.4 (under £200... Fat chance)
Permission to use a multi-storey carpark at night without being arrested...

Erm... I might have ignored what I said about shipping... Vivitar 285hv on route from the states...

Read a load of reviews... You never know when you'll need the most powerful hotshoe flash around...

Lets not mention this to my girlfriend...

Dave I have a smoke machine. Any use?

Could well be... I have an idea... Never used a model before... may ask a friend to model... Thinking carpark... smoke... backlit left and right in blue... off side forward fill...
Is your smoke machine portable? Battery powered?

Its a small thing but it runs off mains power.
I used it when I played gigs in Leeds. Great for setting smoke alarms off and clearing rooms.

LOL!
I was thinking about something like these http://www.tlsfx.co.uk/p-40-150-second-smoke-grenades.aspx

Try Lumopro, they compare very favorable to AAA brands like manfrotto for example

This for the Vivitar 285hv
Guide No.120'/37 m at 35mm

So the number you said was in feets

This for the YN560
58 (at 35mm focal length, ISO 100 in meters)

So the YN560 is quite a bit more powerful (58 vs 37)!

I have a demo coming up soon in my video series on how to make stands dirt cheap.
as for smoke bombs, I'd melt sugar over low heat (out doors) add potasium nitrate (50:50 ratio) and cook it till it is caramel colored the drop spoonfuls onto cookie sheets onto strike anywhere wooden matches... these smoke bombs give off a bright white foggy smoke and even burn (once lit) if buried...
or... go the easy ways and go shopping for a fog machine and liquid after halloween... I bought a 400 watt unit for $5.00., again you can see it in use in one of my earlier video of a photo shoot.
as for umbrellas I did a how to for three bucks....
link

What is the max number of flash units you can fire at the same time?

And can the on board camera flash be used at the same time?

I don't beleive there is a maximum.

If you're using the other flashes on manual then you can't use the camera-flash because that's only an automatic flash so your exposure will not be good, you can use it though if you use the P-TTL wireless systyem that are in most of the newer flashes designed for Pentax.
But in all honesty in the end you would like to have controll over your light so that isn't a real option for strobist photography.

@ Karl, go the extra mile and buy some proper flash kit, I promise you wont be disappointed: http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/eng/product/calumet_genesis_300b_flash_head/cf0507 Ignore the '3 to 7 second recharge time' that only applies to running on the battery - its 1 second on mains.

It is futile trying to use little on-camera flashes off-camera

Calumet also do high quality stands that wont break the bank.

I know this is an old thread

Just looked on ebay and like everything pentax either none or expensive

I see ffordes have these @ £99 just out of reach by 40-50%

Karl... What did you do in the end?
Are you all set up and flashing all over the shop?