Re: Beam Clamp

[gafftapegreenia]

See the wiki entry beam clamp.

I hope this can foster a discussion about which type of beam clamps are acceptable vs. which are not.

I have found that the last style of clamp I provided, while being the most common, is also perhaps the most questionable. It is made of malleable iron, the same material as is found in conventional c-clamps, a material that is the source of another long running debate on here. In addition, they seldom come with hardware suitable for attaching then to the yoke of conventional lighting instrument. Thus, I often find them attached to instruments using unmarked bolts with random stacks of washers used as spacers. Not to mention the annoyance that comes with the fact that no matter who's lighting wrench you own, it likely won't fit whatever bolt is holding said beam clamp to the instrument.

 

[mstaylor]

When I rig I generally am hanging trusses so the only beam clamp I would be using is the first one in the Wiki. Some of the others might good for light duty stuff but I would want to have it in my hands to decide. I would also have to read any info the manufacture has. Anything mallable is going to be on the bottom of the list.