First show in our black box, and almost got somebody killed.

[Les]

We don't have the money for more, so I usually end up making them. Which isn't usually a problem, but we're out of clips, so now I can't. I had to hang a ton of pars in our black box, so guess what, I now have 6 S4 JR ERSs that are safety cable-less...

Safety cables are only a couple of dollars a piece. It costs more to make them than it does to buy them premade. I promise the department can scrape together the money to buy at least a handful of safeties. For less than 20 bucks, those 6 Source Fours would have safety cables.

Making them yourself isn't a bad alternative if doing a large lot and perhaps they need to be a certain length, but take in to consideration that the guidelines and materials used to make a proper safety cable are extremely tight.

 

[bull]

Yea, I mean I use the same aircraft cable used in standard pre-made safety cables, just make them myself, I have to use what we have, the department won't spend any money on anything for me right now, they say "use everything that we have, and if it doesn't work fix it" well I'm sorry, if it's broken, I need to replace the broken part, I apologize for not knowing how to make lenses for spotlights... hahaha.

 

[Les]

I understand where you're coming from, believe me on that!

Hopefully you are using copper Nicopress Sleeves and not aluminum (you saw what happened to your Little Clamp )
Also, what type of snap/clip do you use? Search the forums for home made safety cables, there's been a lot of good discussion on the subject over the years including tons of tips, tricks and necessary evils to making them yourself.

 

[bull]

Seeing as I use the came cable for my rigging and safety cables, and occasionally use my safety cables in rigging, I use cosby bolts so that I can adjust the size of the cable easily.

 

[Chris15]

I use cosby bolts so that I can adjust the size of the cable easily.

Which, from my recollections of the discussions over the years, are not rated for the shock loading a safety cable is intended to sustain...