Unsafe safety cables

[kiwitechgirl]

See, I wonder every time I see a thread like this why the USA has never seemed to have taken to the clamps commonly in use here in Aus/NZ and also in Britain. Link to them here:
50mm Stage Lighting G CLAMP Black - WhyBuyNew.co.uk

The older ones don't tend to be rated, but new ones usually have a SWL of 50kg stamped on them. I've happily hung Mac250s off a pair of them, and they have the advantage (in my eyes anyway) of not being able to slip off the bar once you've hung the light, before anything is tightened up or safetied. Yeah, you do have to lift the unit a couple of centrimetres higher, but not that much...and I've never seen one break, not like a C-clamp. Here Down Under they tend to have a 3-cornered plastic handle for tightening, rather than a wing bolt as in that link, but pretty much the same thing.

 

[mstaylor]

I work with a company locally that has about thirty UniPars with them on them and I hate them with a passion. I assume ity all about what you are used to but I prefer anything before them. I won't get into the simpler reasons I don't like them but the biggest thing is you can't side hang or top hang anything with them.

 

[Wood4321]

I agree with Michael,
I hate those clamps with a passion. they also don't get as secure as I would like.
Then again, I hate any clamp that leaves a mark in truss.
I have been putting mega claws or cheese boroughs on everything I hang.

 

[MPowers]

I agree with Michael,
I hate those clamps with a passion. they also don't get as secure as I would like.
Then again, I hate any clamp that leaves a mark in truss.
I have been putting mega claws or cheese boroughs on everything I hang.

Which clamps do y0u hate? The Euro style or the Mega-Clamp??

Oh, and BTW, you should never leave a mark on your truss, if you are using any type of clamp that drives a bolt into the tube to fasten(all types of "C" Clamp) you should be using a truss protector.
Truss Protector, C-Clip, Black

 

[sww1235]

Oh, and BTW, you should never leave a mark on your truss, if you are using any type of clamp that drives a bolt into the tube to fasten(all types of "C" Clamp) you should be using a truss protector.
Truss Protector, C-Clip, Black

I believe that for iron pipe, the safest thing would be a load rated C-type clamp, Like the mega clamp from lightsource. This way it is load rated, and you can put marks in iron pipe.

For anything aluminum, such as tubing or truss, use a coupler or device that will not leave a mark. such as [url=http://www.thelightsource.com/products/7/view].

For specialized hanging positions such as, channelloc or the equivelent, use specificly made clamps such as this one [url=http://www.thelightsource.com/products/88/view] or this one [url=http://www.thelightsource.com/products/82/view]

hanging on tents or other things, there are special clamps that do not damage the central pole or where ever you are hanging from.

Note the above is IMHO safe and standard practice. if I missed something please point it out.

also the above is not an indorsement of lightsource, I just happen to be most familiar with their product line.

someone mentioned that a theatre did not buy safety cables b/c they were too expensive. I worked in a theatre that owned safety cables. they did not however install them on the lights. This theatre was also a total mess. as an example, I once was working late and had nothing better to do, so I tried to clean the trap. I removed a 55 gallon trash can full of assorted cable from under the stage, all of it worked, just someone had not cleaned up after themselves.

sorry for the rant but was just so amazed at how dirty the theatre was.

 

[Wood4321]

I hate the euro style,
And as for the truss protectors, they tend to get lost in touring, so I stick with non marring clamps.
The eurostyle will leave a mark btw, especially when stagehands get over zealous tightening them.