What's wrong in these pictures?

[derekleffew]

EDIT, 12/31/07: Attempting to be a good moderator, and move off-topic posts from here to this new thread. This thread is NOT intended to insult or offend charcoaldabs, (far from it), and I felt he and other CB members could learn from his pictures.

Originally Posted by charcoaldabs

Ha, the position of the batten is nearly identical to those in my catwalk. however, we have a couple of additional aforementioned bars which make getting instruments hung a pain. (We also have netting on a large portion of our catwalks.)...

Well, at least he (gafftaper) won't be trying to hang 1KL fixtures from his hanging positions. But he'd still have issues with a 410 or 405!

[Charc]

I have to go in to school now to get a few numbers, I'll snap some pics of my catwalks for comparison.

[Charc]

Er, so yea, there are some key differences, but from first impressions, I think I like mine better.

(P.S. Someone already gave the pride-of-place speech, last time I posted pics... so I should cleaned before I took these, or something.)

Edit:
Note the lighting that comes from both fluro work lights, and small rope-light style lighting along the floor.
The grating is pretty small, but even so gel frames and other objects can fit through, however most of the section of catwalk are over sound tiles, which catches anything that would fall through. Fall limiters along each lighting position, midrails, and nice distribution. (What's that called? raceway?) Plus netting, emergency power loss and fire alarm lighting. (Appears that we have two separate systems in the building.) as well as fire extinguishers... classy.


Picture#1: H.R. Catwalk

Picture#1 above.

Picture#2: 4th AP Slot to the left, sound tiles to the right, leading to back of house with the DMX run on top running under the gaff.

Picture#2 above.

Picture#3: 4th AP Slot

Picture#3 above.

Picture#4: H.L. Catwalk Stairs

Picture#4 above.

Picture#5: H.L. Catwalk

Picture#5 above.

[derekleffew]

Yes, it's called a raceway. I see so many things wrong in those pictures I don't even know where to begin. I'll sleep so much better when you get into college. How long is that? Two and a half years? I need Ambien!

[Charc]

18 months. (Prescription sleep aids, ha, always have some in my house.)

Uh okay what's wrong:

That fallen piece of gel I see in the first picture.

The way the cables are laid out as trip hazards.

The fact that the fire extinguishers aren't secured.

(Not pictured: The IC cable running up the ladder, as to be a trip hazard.)

The fact that we cut through the netting.

The dimples in the pipe, and portion of pipe visible where an inch or two of paint has been scraped off, creating a future structural weak point, due to oxidation. (It's all over the place!)

[JD]

Lets see... Let me try to add... tripping already covered...
(good mental exercise!)

1) Don't see anything securing the Lycian on casters.
2) Nasty cable at the connector plugged in #113
3) Hot end of the ERS pushed up against the netting...
4) Don't see safety cables on all the lights, but they may be out of view.

Of course, compared to a rock and roll road show, looks like a pleasure! (Walking trusses 30 feet up comes to mind!)

Well, off to the NYE party! See everyone in 2008!

[Charc]

Not only is the cap against the netting, I'll have you know I have all my 6x22s lamped with 1,000W FELs.

Re: Cable at 113.
Yea, probably 40%-60% of the connectors in the theatre (not including the new raceways) have improper / no strain relief. The cable at 113 should be fixed, but on most other connectors, it is the "thin" type jacket/cable, and there no longer is that little plastic piece in the connector to old on to something that thin, so it just won't old the jacket in.

Edit: Most should have safeties, we have just about enough. Some safeties in better conditions than others. I've had to make some judgement calls in which instruments get better safeties, and which don't get any at all.

[JD]

Can't say too much there! I once crammed a FEL in a 3.5 leko for an effect!

Originally Posted by charcoaldabs

And if you look closely, you can see Derek is the 1 out of 16 spots flailing around wildly in the audience.

Hee hee! You guys!
Now I really do have to go to the party!

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by charcoaldabs

Re: Cable at 113.
Yea, probably 40%-60% of the connectors in the theatre (not including the new raceways) have improper / no strain relief. The cable at 113 should be fixed, but on most other connectors, it is the "thin" type jacket/cable, and there no longer is that little plastic piece in the connector to hold on to something that thin, so it just won't hold the jacket in.

By "'thin' type jacket/cable" do you mean SJO? Mu understanding is it shouldn't be used for anything over 3', and then only for twofers and break-ins/outs.

You know all those 3/4" pieces of 12/3 SO outer jacket you're going to have when putting on new connectors, or re-terminating the old ones? Save those, they're like gold! Make one cut linearly, then put that around smaller cables and especially the fiberglass sleeving of fixtures. Some will not approve, but it has always worked for me. I'll admit a better option is to purchase "that little plastic piece in the connector to hold on to something that thin, so it just won't hold the jacket in." Union Connector part#20-2P&G-SR9 (bag of 100).

On your 12/3 cable, too much length of the outer jacket was stripped away. I said 3/4" above but that may not be accurate for your brand of connectors. The older square UnionConnectors that need the ring flag terminals required, IIRC, a 5/8" strip, then cut the ground shorter, as it uses the straight terminal.
There really is an art to affixing pin connectors, and many tricks and tips one picks up from experience. Now I've gone and hijacked the thread again, shame on me.

[gafftaper]

Is the Lycian plugged in with a 14 gauge cable?

PIG TALES... I'm jealous. I wish I had pig tales.