G.W. Craig C-clamp

gafftapegreenia

CBMod
CB Mods
As some may recall, I have in my possession an old and unique PC spotlight made G.W. Craig of Detroit Michigan. Recently, while working another job in Detroit area, at an auditorium completely unrelated to where I found the PC spot, I found a G.W. Craig C-clamp. Check it out, it sure is unique.

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Electro Controls, similar shape to the later Altman Heavy Duty for 1KL series.
Kliegl No 1850, 5/16" yoke bolt, 3/4" stand-off
WestLite 4711, 5/16" clamp bolt and 5/16" yoke bolt, and seems the wrong shape to fit on any size pipe.

In the late 1970s, Grand Stage Lighting of Chicago commissioned a foundry to make them a run of clamps with the name "GRAND" on them. Somebody got something backwards and they came out with "DNARG" on them. Len and ship, be on the lookout for these.
 
I have quite a few of those Kliegl and EC clamps back in the electrics shop at school.
 
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We have 3 of those at our school... They haven't been used in years, nobody's even bothered trying... they weigh like a thousand pounds.
 
We have 3 of those at our school... They haven't been used in years, nobody's even bothered trying... they weigh like a thousand pounds.

The 20º weighs aprox 26 lbs, fyi, and the pattern projection is crisp and clean. You won't find a more even field either. The shutter action is smooth and crisp. Focus is a snap. A dream to work with.
 
Got some old clamps myself - no "Craig" clamps - very cool. On the DNARG clamp... eyes are peeled, that would be cool. Got some Century clamps in stock as with Major, old Mole, and Grand but mostly not very exciting. Got three spoke wheel 1" NPT boom bases by Major and I think two by Century or were they Major in those companies somehow linked in this area along with some link between Major and Chicago Stage Lighting. Major I remember made the reflectors on the Century "Lekolights." (Don't know for sure on the other boom bases, the storage department lost my 8x9 Centuries that had the boom bases attached. Not thrown out, just have not seen them sufficient to give them back in two years given a big building an a few storage trailers. Constantly would sware they have seen them in re-locating them, but cannot put their finger on where they are.) Got a G-Clamp with a large antique cast wing screw on it that's kind of cool also, this and a old broken cast aluminum studio style side arm by Major.

What I'm more looking for is a fitting that goes between a 1920's stand light for both a box spot and an Ovalite which goes from the (roughly hand cut) 1/2-13 screw thread at flower sort of spud flair and the what would no doubt be a 1" NPT pipe thread. Sort of an angle bracket which would have a pipe fitting on the bottom end and slip plate for a wide flange and bolt on the other side.

Interesting on the Craig clamp on the other hand, looks like an NPT fitting on the outside for use with a coupler in say making a side arm, with the bolt and it's casting as with the others above by derekeffew in bending.

Just made a 24 way 208V AC distro and needed a 1/4" plate to support the LED Little Light transformer. Built most of it at home after normal working hours where I was not able to be bugged every 15 minutes by someone needing something or having some question. Love working at home on stuff. Don't get bugged, TV on, a bit of refreshment etc. Used what was left of a Channon I-Beam clamp part of a hemp rope shiv for this. Here is this 1926 or possibly much earlier plate out of a German style church Opera house that in part got used as a rowing machine hardware part a few months ago in needing it to do something or another, and what was cut off in being a 1/4x1x6" strip that still had Channon written on it, into this few thousand dollars worth of AC distro for a new form of hoist system on a rock tour. Kind of cool turn around in never throwing away nothing, this much less the history in a part living a life in the industry.

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Electro Controls, similar shape to the later Altman Heavy Duty for 1KL series.
Kliegl No 1850, 5/16" yoke bolt, 3/4" stand-off
WestLite 4711, 5/16" clamp bolt and 5/16" yoke bolt, and seems the wrong shape to fit on any size pipe.

In the late 1970s, Grand Stage Lighting of Chicago commissioned a foundry to make them a run of clamps with the name "GRAND" on them. Somebody got something backwards and they came out with "DNARG" on them. Len and ship, be on the lookout for these.
 
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Just saw a Colortran C-Clamp in the garage. That's going to become rare I think.

On the subject of C-Clamps, a quick warning on something I learned in the early 90's. BE on the look out for some seemingly black normal Altman looking C-Clamps without a name brand on them. Look kind of black but as if a varnish coating over them. Very specific to that varnish looking top coat in painting the C-Clamp.

These were a early cheap off shore C-Clamp available at the time and were cast with a weaker or less refined metal. This not just in set screws breaking but the clamp itself breaking as opposed to bending.

If you see one, throw it out and don't let it be used. (This assuming one asks first.) Do not use such a clamp it is very dangerous.
 
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Electro Controls, similar shape to the later Altman Heavy Duty for 1KL series.
Kliegl No 1850, 5/16" yoke bolt, 3/4" stand-off
WestLite 4711, 5/16" clamp bolt and 5/16" yoke bolt, and seems the wrong shape to fit on any size pipe.

In the late 1970s, Grand Stage Lighting of Chicago commissioned a foundry to make them a run of clamps with the name "GRAND" on them. Somebody got something backwards and they came out with "DNARG" on them. Len and ship, be on the lookout for these.

BTW, those "heavy Duty" Clamps suck. They create a pivot point and it is difficult at best to keep them focused where i want them. The only good use of these, that i can see, is on really large diameter pipe.
 
Still have that stuff? Thx


Of course I do, I'm a reliable thespian packrat. In addition to my "baby" PC, I also found another light at an antique store in St. Clair Shores last summer!

My original thread is here:

So, what drew you here to the G Craig story, @LowStress ?
 

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