Truss debate

[Techiegirly]

Help me out here...

A couple of weeks ago I was assembling truss in a manner I have now FOR YEARS only to come back from lunch to find a know-it-all co-worker and house rigger re-doing my work. I've always put the bolts like so:
2 bolts facing one way the other 2 the other way. I know it's longer to strike and all but really I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" way to face the bolts. As long as they're on there and tight I see no reason why either my way or their way is wrong. They wanted all of the bolts facing the same direction.

How do you do it? Or can anyone prove to me that ther's a right and wrong way to do it backing it up with scientific reasoning...

 

[DaveySimps]

I am not sure if your method is "wrong". However, from my expirence, the standard method of assembly is all of the bolts going in the same direction.

~Dave

 

[porkchop]

I must concur that although personally I face all the bolts the same direction that I see no reason the it would be wrong to do two one way and two the other.

 

[soundlight]

I wouldn't say it's wrong, just not the standard in my experience - all bolts going the same direction is the way I've always been told to do it, and always do it.

 

[Techiegirly]

I TOTALLY understand doing it one "standard way", however I was basically attacked by the 2 guys because they though it to be unsafe. The fact is NO ONE has ever been able to prove that to me since this happened so for me it's almost equal to having an argument that not leaving a courtesy tab is unsafe when in fact it is not, it's just "standard" to do so.

 

[derekleffew]

Structurally, it matters not which way the bolts go; but as has been pointed out, the standard is all the bolts on one joint, (and ideally the entire length of truss), go the same way--makes the load-out faster. Had I seen you doing it "your way," I would have corrected you and most-likely, provided no serious time constraints, made you change it.

Another important point: "Keep your nuts out of the corner block,"--as it's very difficult to get the deep socket into most blocks.

One more thing: The open-end/box wrench goes on the bolt head, and the socket is used to tighten/loosen the nut--never the reverse.

 

[derekleffew]

derek
Why not use the wrench on the nut and the socket on the bolt head? (I didn't think there was a difference.) Does that apply to any nut-bolt assembly? Or just truss?
Joe

jwl868's post moved here: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/question-day/9566-nuts-bolts.html.

 

[len]

I was always taught to tighten the nut onto the bolt. I don't know why. When supervising a load in, I'm constantly walking around saying "nuts to dimmers" (assuming dimmers are stage right where they typically are) or "nuts right" so that all the bolts go in from the same side.

 

[Footer]

It's the house rigger...just do what they say. :]

But I don't think it has to do with safety. Probably just how it's done.

Its simple. If all bolts go the same way you can drop the impact wrench in on the OUT (NOT THE IN) and break the truss faster. Truss breaking faster means it can get stacked sooner.... And in the truck... and gone. There is nothing worse then standing around waiting for the last stick to break because of bad threads or something of that nature.

 

[Footer]

And the truss is usually the last thing to come apart since the lights are already taken off and loaded back on the truck.

And Techiegirly, most of what we do doesn't have scientific proof, so if you want scientific proof about any theater stuff, good luck! Well unless it has to do with beams of light, but as for how to hang lights and where stuff goes, it's just the way it's done for quickness.

There is PLENTY of scientific proof behind how anything concerned with rigging is done, the OP's specific question however, no, there is no life altering reason to do it, besides having people mad at you on the out.

Remember, a theatre/arena/random venue is just a large physics lab.

 

[len]

And the truss is usually the last thing to come apart since the lights are already taken off and loaded back on the truck.

And Techiegirly, most of what we do doesn't have scientific proof, so if you want scientific proof about any theater stuff, good luck! Well unless it has to do with beams of light, but as for how to hang lights and where stuff goes, it's just the way it's done for quickness.

Actually, it's the motors, the distro(s) and feeder that get knocked down last, since the motors can't/shouldn't get de-rigged (is that a word?) until the truss is out of the way. And always best to have motors and rigging on the back of the truck as they usually need to come off first. That and my workbox so I can start making my coffee.