Pan Screw or Yoke Bolt?

[chris325]

If you loosen the Yoke bolt or can tug on the yoke and the fixture moves then that fixture is not "Locked - Down" any passing doofus can accidentally hit it with their head, leg, arm, whatever and knock it out of focus.

For any fixture that is hung where non-technician traffic is around (backstage, etc) I always fully tighten the pan screw and yoke bolt, as those fixtures and the trees they are clamped onto tend to get bumped into. However, there is rarely anybody but technicians, and non-technicians are informed beforehand not to touch any fixtures unless explicitly instructed to.

Whenever I hang yoke down or with the yoke positioned parallel to the stage (the latter being rather common,) I always fully tighten both bolts.

 

[Les]

So I'm only minorly dismayed at the number of responders who say " Ijust tug on the Yoke..." or, " ..that way you don't need to re-tighten the yoke bolt...". If you loosen the Yoke bolt or can tug on the yoke and the fixture moves then that fixture is not "Locked - Down" any passing doofus can accidentally hit it with their head, leg, arm, whatever and knock it out of focus. If you are on my electrics crew you WILL tighten theat yoke bolt back down after focusing. "Carpenter Focus" fixes make me angry...

Van, if it's any consolation, I require my fixtures to be tight enough to necessitate a pretty firm tug. Also, my method (pulling the yoke and hopefully not having to re-tighten) is primarily used for minor adjustments, where even a 'locked down' fixture can be tweeked in to place. For more involved movements, I always loosen the fixture, focus it, and lock down when I'm finished.

 

[WestlakeTech]

It's a bolt head, not a nut, but IS (square) nut-shaped.
Some use "Jesus!" as an expletive, when the head shears off the shaft.

Makes perfect sense, but the term should be avoided nonetheless, for a variety of reasons.

Touche. We were never actually taught to call it that. We were taught "pan screw." Jesus Nut was just a term used among students. I'm really not sure of how it got spread around. Though I think for the most part it's died out with my graduating class anyway.

 

[Les]

Touche. We were never actually taught to call it that. We were taught "pan screw." Jesus Nut was just a term used among students. I'm really not sure of how it got spread around. Though I think for the most part it's died out with my graduating class anyway.

Actually, "Jesus Nut" isn't exclusive to your school - it's a pretty common term in the industry. However, I'm with derekleffew on avoiding calling it that. You never know who you might offend, and it's better to be safe [and professional] than sorry. Besides, simply calling it a pan screw takes less breath than "Jesus Nut", "F**k Me Nut", and all those other nicknames.

 

[chris325]

The Jesus (Altman) wrench is a fairly common term, as a result of the wrench's shape. But with how awesome it is, sometimes it deserves the name. The nickname, along with "Dracula wrench" was even mentioned the in the glossary article about the Altman wrench.

 

[Les]

The Jesus (Altman) wrench is a fairly common term, as a result of the wrench's shape. But with how awesome it is, sometimes it deserves the name. The nickname, along with "Dracula wrench" was even mentioned the in the glossary article about the Altman wrench.

Yes, but in the case of the Jesus Wrench, Jesus isn't used as an explicative. Many people consider shouting "Jesus!" (as you might when you sheer off a pan bolt head) as using God's name in vain.

 

[Grog12]

I don't know, its just something about loosening the bolt that keeps the light in the air that I don't like.

Exactly. +1

 

[Les]

Exactly. +1

Still, the way I see it, you have about an inch of bolt holding that 15lb light up. That's a lot of bolt for 15lbs. Backing it out 1/32" isn't going to cause you any problems unless you just don't know what you're doing. Similarly: Loosening the focus knob to run the barrel out would be considered "just as risky" since you are loosening the bolt that keeps the lens tube from falling out, but I don't think any of us ever think twice about it.
A mere 4x 6x1/2 hex head sheet metal screws keep the heavy soda lime lenses and their tube from detaching from the gate of an Altman 360Q and potentially falling to the audience below.

One reason I avoid the pan screw if/when I can is because it is a big pain running the jaws of my crescent wrench so far in to fit that tiny bolt. I don't think that I am sacrificing safety by taking this shortcut, however.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Actually any time I have to loosen the tube knob in the air, let alone change a tube in the air, I ALWAYS worry about it falling, even if it's very unlikely.

The thing is, sure we as trained technicians know to keep the yoke bolt tight, however there is a world out there that doesn't. These are the people that would leave the yoke bolt loose. And you know what, I see it happen daily! You can't tell me this is a common sense thing because just a few months in academia will show you most people can't even figure out righty-tighty. If I'm going to train someone on tightening a light I might as well train them the right way, and for me the right way is to use the pan screw. The world is full of people who are mechanically inept and when these people show up on my crew to get their departmental shop hours in I'd rather them be loosening the bolt that affects the horizontal movement than the bolt that holds the light in the air.

 

[Lotos]

Still, the way I see it, you have about an inch of bolt holding that 15lb light up. That's a lot of bolt for 15lbs. Backing it out 1/32" isn't going to cause you any problems unless you just don't know what you're doing. Similarly: Loosening the focus knob to run the barrel out would be considered "just as risky" since you are loosening the bolt that keeps the lens tube from falling out, but I don't think any of us ever think twice about it.
A mere 4x 6x1/2 hex head sheet metal screws keep the heavy soda lime lenses and their tube from detaching from the gate of an Altman 360Q and potentially falling to the audience below.

While I agree with you, personally, I use the Pan Screw whenever I am focusing a standard hung light. The Yoke Bolt is used only when I am undoing it against gravity. It's just the way I was taught...

All the C-Clamps on my fixtures get checked before they go up in the air, to make sure there's no damage, everything moves freely, etc... If there is a problem, a new clamp goes on the fixture, and the old one goes into my 'parts' box.

I also expect the same of any electricians I hire... As I've yet to have a single one of them successfully 'justify' their use of the Yoke Bolt for focus adjustments. (I usually get the 'quicker' argument... Which I do not support)

And as for 'pulling' a fixture into focus... imho That's a quick way to seize the Yoke Bolt if you over-do it... And then when the LD asks you to "No, no, go back the other way a bit" you literally have to 'shove' the light and ruin the focus to get your movement back.

One reason I avoid the pan screw if/when I can is because it is a big pain running the jaws of my crescent wrench so far in to fit that tiny bolt. I don't think that I am sacrificing safety by taking this shortcut, however.

As I said above, this is the common retort when I catch an electrician using the Yoke Bolt in a standard hung fixture instead of the Pan Screw... That just doesn't fly with me... 'Faster' is *never* an excuse. If it's that big of a deal for you, I'll tether a Combonation Wrench of the appropriate size for the Pan Nut to your harness centre ring.


NOTE: I know, you're not trying to justify with 'faster' You understand the workings of the light itself and the physics involved, I personally agree with your logic, I am just illustrating a point

 

[Les]

99% of the time, I don't loosen the yoke bolt to pan an instrument. I pan the instrument by grabbing the yoke and pointing it in the direction I want. If I want the pool of light 5' more to the right, this is easy, even if the instrument is overly locked-down (in which case I might even deliberately loosen it off a little). [Maybe I should stress, I only do this with subtle changes and touchups -- a little bit that-a-way] If panning to the left, I always make sure the yoke bolt is the proper tightness after I'm finished. For more drastic changes, yes I use the pan screw. In my experience, it is hard to over-torque a c-clamp's yoke bolt as long as it's using a proper flat washer. Not unheard of, but I have had WAY more issues with mega clamps and their belleville washers. That and the ETC lock washers.

I should also mention that many of the venues I work in have their FOH positions so that the instruments are yoked out about 45* because of low clearance between the pipe and the catwalk deck. In these cases, the pan screw is fairly inaccessible. I use the pan screw whenever possible, but the constraints on clearance sometimes don't allow it.

 

[WestlakeTech]

Actually, "Jesus Nut" isn't exclusive to your school - it's a pretty common term in the industry. However, I'm with derekleffew on avoiding calling it that. You never know who you might offend, and it's better to be safe [and professional] than sorry. Besides, simply calling it a pan screw takes less breath than "Jesus Nut", "F**k Me Nut", and all those other nicknames.

Never said or thought it was. Just been curious as to how it came to be at Westlake when we were taught to call it a pan screw.

 

[Les]

Touche. We were never actually taught to call it that. We were taught "pan screw." Jesus Nut was just a term used among students. I'm really not sure of how it got spread around. Though I think for the most part it's died out with my graduating class anyway.

I must have misunderstood your above post since you didn't lead on to knowing it was an "industry term". No worries

 

[KeepOnTruckin]

If you have those clamps from The Light Source, they do not have a provision for a pan screw, so all adjustments are made via yoke bolt.\

As for alternative names for the pan screw, I heard that the reason it was called a Jesus Bolt is becuase you pray to Jesus that it would not be sheared off right when you need it. If it was then it became the F**K it nut .

I worked with a bunch of old colortran lekos that had a hand knob on the end of the pan screw instead of a square head, so that it could be adjusted with a hand. I found that to be the easiest method of adjusting.

 

[chris325]

I worked with a bunch of old colortran lekos that had a hand knob on the end of the pan screw instead of a square head, so that it could be adjusted with a hand. I found that to be the easiest method of adjusting.

Same here. It's about the only thing I like about those Colortran 5/50s.

 

[mstaylor]

I started using the yoke bolts years ago after I boought my first Sears 5/8-3/4 speed wrench. One end works the attachment bolt and the other fits the yoke bolt. I would carry a small 4in C wrench to tighten a pan bolt.

 

[Anvilx]

The thing is, sure we as trained technicians know to keep the yoke bolt tight, however there is a world out there that doesn't. These are the people that would leave the yoke bolt loose. And you know what, I see it happen daily! You can't tell me this is a common sense thing because just a few months in academia will show you most people can't even figure out righty-tighty. If I'm going to train someone on tightening a light I might as well train them the right way, and for me the right way is to use the pan screw. The world is full of people who are mechanically inept and when these people show up on my crew to get their departmental shop hours in I'd rather them be loosening the bolt that affects the horizontal movement than the bolt that holds the light in the air.

I hear you, I had 3 Pars that I left to the tech one class to hang. For some reason three people ended up doing it. Maybe none of them had used a ladder and wanted to share the experience.
Anyhow when I went up the next day to gel and focus, they were hung three different ways! One in particular that stood out was the one that the pipe was placed under the pipe bolt so that it was also touching the top of the shaft. If such a person can't handle the initial hang then how can I expect them to be able to do anything else in the air safely?

 

[Scarrgo]

In all my years of lighting I have used the yoke bolt, many years with a jesus wrench while using altmans. When I switched to S4's I moved to the speed wrench, My most used tool. That being said, the light must be tight, it drives me crazy every time I come across a loose light. I am not perfect and I make my share of mistakes, but please wrench down that light...
P.S. I hate using that horrid bolt on the side of the clamp

Just my two bits

Sean

 

[mbandgeek]

I used to use only the Yoke bolt, but i find that the Pan Screw is actually easier.

 

[Grog12]

Still, the way I see it, you have about an inch of bolt holding that 15lb light up. That's a lot of bolt for 15lbs. Backing it out 1/32" isn't going to cause you any problems unless you just don't know what you're doing. Similarly: Loosening the focus knob to run the barrel out would be considered "just as risky" since you are loosening the bolt that keeps the lens tube from falling out, but I don't think any of us ever think twice about it.
A mere 4x 6x1/2 hex head sheet metal screws keep the heavy soda lime lenses and their tube from detaching from the gate of an Altman 360Q and potentially falling to the audience below.

One reason I avoid the pan screw if/when I can is because it is a big pain running the jaws of my crescent wrench so far in to fit that tiny bolt. I don't think that I am sacrificing safety by taking this shortcut, however.

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. The yoke bolt is meant soley to hold the c-clamp to the yoke.

Most people don't realize that when they loosen the yoke bolt to focus a light then move it back and forth to focus it they generally loosen it even more, and aren't keeping a hand on the bolt itself. Sure the light is saftied but the bolt isn't.

A good electrician keeps their hand on both the screw and the lens when running a barrell minimizing that risk.