Lighting Batten Pulleys

wonder

Member
Hello

I own a small recording studio and am trying to rig up a lighting bar I can bring up and down via pulleys.

I have drawn out a crude representation.

The issue is, when I pull, only one side is bring raised/lowered. The lighting bar isn't moving in unison.

Can someone help me? What am i doing wrong?

 

Attachments

  • Lighting-Bar.jpg
    Lighting-Bar.jpg
    19.9 KB · Views: 341
Just friction and inertia prevent this from working as you would like. It probably requires two lines, and more pulleys to get same mechanical advantage.

I appreciate your design, and only know it doesn't work for similar experience. There would be ways to make it stay level, but I'm sure more pulleys and two lines are easiest and least expensive.
 
Just friction and inertia prevent this from working as you would like. It probably requires two lines, and more pulleys to get same mechanical advantage.

I appreciate your design, and only know it doesn't work for similar experience. There would be ways to make it stay level, but I'm sure more pulleys and two lines are easiest and least expensive.


Bill, thanks so much for the informative reply.

I did just that. I made a separate line to the left side and right side and just pull them together and it works perfectly.
I did some research and thought it would work based upon some garage bicycle pulley hangars...but alas, the 2 cable system works just great.

Thanks!
 
I was worried by the reduced mechanical advantage, but you may not really have 4 source 4s hanging on it. I am glad I could help.

In thinking about it, I realized that "stops" would also have made your system work, though maybe precariously. So one end hits a stop and then the other end moves.
 
I was worried by the reduced mechanical advantage, but you may not really have 4 source 4s hanging on it. I am glad I could help.

In thinking about it, I realized that "stops" would also have made your system work, though maybe precariously. So one end hits a stop and then the other end moves.

Here's a crude drawing of what I rigged up.

Basically Rope 1 for the left side of the bar and Rope 2 for the right side. I just pull them at the same time and its working fine....is this not a good system?

I googled "4 source 4s" and realized you're referring to lights. Those lights in the photo are just a stock image I downloaded to give reference to where my lights would hang. I'll just be hanging small LED 22watt lights. I'm not hanging any real large or heavy lights.

See below for attachment.

Rope 1 = RED
Rope 2 = GREEN
 

Attachments

  • Lighting-Bar2.jpg
    Lighting-Bar2.jpg
    25.2 KB · Views: 242
I understood your change and did assume the image - representing maybe 100 pounds - was for illustration. I'm glad it works. Please exercise great care in tying these off. A less than perfect tie off could end very poorly. Over a stage, I would rarely allow this single point failure condition. Even a second cleat and enough rope to tie off twice would add some redundancy.
 
The rig you show is remarkably like ceiling storage rigs for bicycles. do a search for something like "ceiling storage pulley system"
 
OP said he was inspired by bike hangers. I've owned those hangers and you run into the same problem. the hook nearest the pull line raises first. Not usually a problem when you're storing a bike though, you just lift enough to get it out of the way then go take a shower...
 
OP said he was inspired by bike hangers. I've owned those hangers and you run into the same problem. the hook nearest the pull line raises first. Not usually a problem when you're storing a bike though, you just lift enough to get it out of the way then go take a shower...
Yes - but it doesn't work down so well. With a bike when you lower it one tire hits and then the other I believe. You really want the lights to lower more parallel to ground, but in any case just to maybe waist high, not one end on the ground and then the other.
 
I agree that some sort of safety would be a wise precaution. Wire rope on either end sized to make the batten sit level at its lowest desired "setting" would work. This way if you let go of one (or both) of the ropes or you have a failure, nothing will hit the floor (or a person).

Also noting that HOW the ropes are terminated, blocks are attached to the ceiling/whatever and the batten are all very important, along with the selection of rope and selection of blocks/shivs is VERY IMPORTANT. Don't just go to your regular hardware store and buy the first thing you see. If people are going to be under it, it needs to be done right.
A clew plate is also a good idea as mentioned.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back