Flying a Hard Flat

[CLEFFEL]

When flying a hard flat, what is the best way to secure the aircraft cable to the flat?

Eye bolt to the top rail?

Run the aircraft cable through the top rail and stile and secure to the bottom rail?

Chewing gum?

TIA!

-Chris

[Traitor800]

Through the top rail and any toggles, to a d-ring mounted on the bottom rail. Usually it goes from botom up d-ring, quicklink, turnbuckle, aircraft cable.

[icewolf08]

Just to reiterate, you always want to pick up any flying piece from the bottom if you can. You can't do that with drops, but any hard pieces should be picked up from the bottom.

[gafftaper]

Rosco sells all the hardware you need.

[derekleffew]

Courtesy of http://www.rosebrand.com/

The one pictured on the left goes on the bottom of the flat. The one pictured on the right is mounted at the top. The cable comes down thru the top ring and then terminates, usually to a turnbuckle attached to the bottom device. The top device is needed to keep the flat vertical. Use bolts and nuts not screws. Always fly joints under compression. If at all in doubt, consult a qualified rigger.

[montnc02]

If you are reffering to flying a Hollywood style flat you generally want to make your rigging hardware attachments in the stiles of the flat, not the rails, unless you are using significant reinforcement between the rails and the stiles. Flown from the rails would place the rail to stile joint in compression however 1x4 has a low bending moment along its minor axis, making the bottom rail a less than ideal location to restrain the forces of lifting, especially the dynamic forces that moving scenery is subject to.

[derekleffew]

Good catch, montnc02. I hadn't considered a "Hollywood" style flat. If that's the case use what's pictured below at the bottom of the stile in the center of the 1x4 and drill 1/4" holes in alignment thru the top rail and all stiles. Although it's called a "Top Hanger Iron" by the manufacturer, it should only be used at the top of very lightweight pieces.

[Footer]

With all of this hardware, make sure it is stove bolted into your scenery, not screwed. Putting drywall screws in shear... not the best thing ever.

[Van]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

With all of this hardware, make sure it is stove bolted into your scenery, not screwed. Putting drywall screws in shear... not the best thing ever.

I've always used 1/4-20 bolts, put them all the way through the wood, torque them way down so the nut embeds itself into the wood. Grab the end of the bolt with Vice-grips, wiggle it back and forth to break it off and leave it just a little proud of the nut. Hit the end of the bolt with a grinder, but don't make it flush with the nut. Then whack the end of the bolt to flare it, basically "peening" it to the nut. Viola' , Ain't comming loose.

The above construction technique, was brought to you by a great old MC I worked with once building an opera. His name was Gordan, I can't remember his last name. He forgot more stuff than I think I'll ever know.


As with any Rigging technique, please consult a licensed qualified rigger if you have any doubts or questions about what you're doing. As Mr. Foy Said, "If you ever walk into a theatre, look up into the rigging and say " I wonder if I could...", Don't, 'cause I don't wonder, I know."

[montnc02]

Too much torque can actually do more damage to to a bolt than, and make a rigging situation more dangerous than not enough torque. If you are concerned about the bolt coming free and the scenery falling use locktite, or a locking nut, although I have found that even that is generally excessive. Remember that 1/4" grade 2 hardware has an allowable shear load between 160 and 370 lbs, depending on where the load is centered, and the type of shear (single or double) under ideal circumstances. By modifying a bolt (cutting) heating a bolt (grinding) and cold forging a bolt (hitting) you are changing the bolts physical properties. By altering the bolt in these ways you are altering its modulus of elasticity, which is determined by its physical characteristics. Your new case hardened bolt my never ever come off that scenery again, but it also my by several times more brittle than it was when it was installed, making it less able to bend and recover to the forces of a flat bouncing off a deck, or fouling with an adjacent batten. Whenever the properties of a bolt come into question, go up a grade if going up a size is not an option. Increasing to a grade 5 fastener increases the strength of the bolt nearly 1.5 times, and going to grade 8 (the only grade approved for over head lifting) increase nearly 3 fold.