microstar
Well-Known Member
What is the standard center to center distance for rope locks on a counterweight system?
Lock rail centers?
- Thread startermicrostar
- Start date
I was unaware of a standard; we have four different spacings in Hamilton, Ontario alone including a Masonic Lodge with 4" centers, TALL / NARROW weights, and near zero finger space.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
From JRClancy document Theatrical Rigging System Design Guide :
From https://www.iweiss.com/ :
I've heard of 4.5" centers in some very old (pre-1930s) theatres.
From https://www.iweiss.com/ :
I've heard of 4.5" centers in some very old (pre-1930s) theatres.
Ted jones
Well-Known Member
Basically, it varies.
How many sets vs how deep is the stage?
As stated, 6 or 8" is pretty normal, but 4" or less is not unheard of. Usually those systems have arbors on each side of the stage with one side even numbered sets and the other side odd.
I've seen some systems where the sets are 12" (normal to a lot of venues) or up to 24" OC. Sometimes the arbors are in lattice tracks up against the wall. Those systems are 20"+ OC.
Sometimes you have a structural or architectural blockage that may screw up your nice even spacing.
Keep in mind that highly loaded sets requiring wide weights may force you to wider spacing. In T-guided systems, you could have 7" wide weights with sets 8" OC. 11" wide weights for 12" OC (rare).
So, Microstar, to what end do you ask?
microstar
Well-Known Member
The system is question is actually a wire-guide system, which unfortunately I failed to mention. It is also at the height limit for such as system. The lock rail is on a fly floor and 15' from a wall,
so out in the middle of nowhere.
Had a rigging company do a site visit for renovation yesterday and their answer was, for this system, 12" OC minimum. Sorry for the incomplete initial information. Appreciate the responses.
so out in the middle of nowhere.
Had a rigging company do a site visit for renovation yesterday and their answer was, for this system, 12" OC minimum. Sorry for the incomplete initial information. Appreciate the responses.
Ted jones
Well-Known Member
Personally, I think there is no place for wire guided arbors. They make an already dangerous CWT system more dangerous. Just saying.
Just because the lock rail is not near a wall doesn't mean you can't go with hard guides, it just means you add columns which could be large section Unistrut or structural shapes. We have done this several times.
Ah, Yeah, even greatly maintained Wire guide systems require more space for the twist factor. 5' feet from a wall? Hmm time for a complete retrofit.
teqniqal
Well-Known Member
If you are looking at a redo or redesign for a publicly owned venue, then you should be discussing this with an independent consultant, not a contractor. When public money is to be spent, an objective view provides good stewardship of the funds and there is no conflict of interest. This is good practice for privately owned venues, too, but there typically isn't any legal requirement to do it that way.
A separate consulting report for recommendations does not mean that you have to commit to design services, and it can help to explain to the facility administrators what needs to be done and the options to achieve that goal. Then, with the feedback from the report and with knowledge of the design task at hand, a consultant can provide an accurate estimate of the design effort involved. Asking for a design as a first step is misguided, as the consultant will not truly know what it is that needs to be designed.
(Insert shameless plug: I'm just a few hours away from you in Dallas, feel free to reach-out to me in the CB messaging system or directly. Over the years I've visited many venues in the Lawton area, I'd love to confirm which one this is.)
A separate consulting report for recommendations does not mean that you have to commit to design services, and it can help to explain to the facility administrators what needs to be done and the options to achieve that goal. Then, with the feedback from the report and with knowledge of the design task at hand, a consultant can provide an accurate estimate of the design effort involved. Asking for a design as a first step is misguided, as the consultant will not truly know what it is that needs to be designed.
(Insert shameless plug: I'm just a few hours away from you in Dallas, feel free to reach-out to me in the CB messaging system or directly. Over the years I've visited many venues in the Lawton area, I'd love to confirm which one this is.)
microstar
Well-Known Member
I have used your services before and am well aware of what consultants do. Not every part of every project requires one. In this specific case, I believe engaging one of the foremost rigging companies in the US
to do a site survey was more than sufficient for the task at hand. Thank you for your interest.
