The History of Counterweight Rigging (book)

"Nobody Looks Up: The History of the Counterweight Rigging System" published by Grid Well Press came available last week. It has already been nominated for the "USITT Golden Pen Award".

Richard Pilbrow wrote:
Congratulations. "Nobody Looks Up" is a magnificent and very important piece of work to our industry. The detail of your research and the conclusions you reach make quite fascinating reading. I'm overawed and feel that I've learnt a great deal. Thank you.

To learn more about this book visit: www.counterweightrigging.com

Congratulations! That sounds like a lot of work and yet the results sound fascinating. I look forward to reading it.

Great job taking this on!!! I ordered two copies - one to keep and one to share. Thanks much for your work and standing by to read upon delivery.

David

Best title of the year.

Maybe he talks about it in the book, but his bio says he invented a front loading arbor? I'd like to see that...

bobgaggle said:

Maybe he talks about it in the book, but his bio says he invented a front loading arbor? I'd like to see that...

Click to expand...

"Maybe he talks about it in the book" ? To what does that refer. If not in the book, and I know, I can respond.
See the Brickhouse front loading arbor at www.thernstage.com or installed in southern Jersey at the Levoy Theatre in Millville, NJ.

Not to drag this too far off topic (just ordered my copy - can't wait to read it!), but how does the front-loading arbor hold "more weight in less space"? Is the arbor taller than a traditional arbor to allow for space to be left in between the shelves without reducing the total weight able to be held? Or is it the same height as a regular arbor, with the understanding that for the rare time when the arbor is fully loaded, the shelves will become mostly irrelevant? Are you basing the increased capacity on the inability to load bricks into the top several inches of a traditional arbor because of being unable to angle the brick in? And finally, how much lighter is each brick as a result of cutting a handle in it? I would think this would add up to a significant amount just on its own, but please feel free to correct me - that page on your website is the first and only information I've heard about this.

You have the answer; the elimination of the tipping height is were the gain is made. However, the shorter the arbor the greater the impact, the longer the arbor the less. But for a given payload the front loading arbor is 8 to 10 inches shorter, on average.

But the arbor itself is also heavier - 135 pounds vs 90 pounds. The shoes are heavier - 20 pounds vs 6 pounds. We need fewer bricks to hit pipe weight allowing for more bricks for live load.

The length savings are actually minimal - maybe 2% of travel - but with a move to 50 foot max on flytowers to comply with fire codes, 2% is significant.

But there are other benefits. The 10 inches reduction might be the difference between the loader having to crawl off the gallery and into the well, or being able to load safely from the gallery. And not having to crawl into the well might allow for a compliant safety rail on the arbor side of the loading gallery. The benefits of front loading kind of cascade a bit in quite significant ways.

But, of course, the geometry of each existing theatre is different. And how do we get the architect of the next theatre to get it right?

I will be in Cincinnati at USITT in the BellaTEX booth #421. I would be pleased to discuss any points of interest. Rick.

It seems sales of this book are good. I ordered a copy from Amazon(US) and when I placed my order it was listed as in stock, but my invoice listed it as out of stock, they would email me when available. I just contacted Amazon (a week after placing the order) and they said the sales have been very good and they are filling orders as they get more copies. I am glad to see that sales are good for this, and I am anxious to read it.

I am frustrated with Amazon. I was on the phone (on hold) when your post came through. I am on hold yet again. I am trying to get the book back on. I do not know if I will be successful before I leave for Cincinnati. Will you be at USITT?

Amazon is a great service. But it is a huge machine in which, if anything is out of the ordinary, all the parts to not connect.

Your 'analog guy' statement is in full effect on this day.

Sorry, won't be able to be at USITT, wish I could. The customer service rep did state that he was going to contact the right dept to have the book "made avail".
A friend of mine had issues with Amazon with his book. The first version they carried, the second version was only available as a self published CDrom because it was photo heavy and that was the only way to get it published at the time, Amazon had it listed, but as out of stock, yet they never ordered copies of it. The third version was published by Focal Press and they do carry it. (The book is "Killer Camera Rigs" by Dan Selakovich)

Rick,
Will your book be available at USITT?

Yes. Booth 421.

I picked up the book and greatly enjoyed talking to Rick. It's obvious that the book was a real labor of love. I've read the first few chapters and found it fascinating. I'll report more on it when I'm done.