What's the opposite of up?

[headcrab]

I've been thinking about this for the past few months, so here goes.
Back in January we had a show in our gym so we moved half our equipment to run it. Since there is no permanent lighting rig in the gym we take some of the S4s from our theater and some spare PARs and hang them on trees in the gym. I did this without checking the bolts...
In the middle of the first show, one of the arms falls of a tree, taking two S4s with it and the DMX for the other tree. I bypassed the faulted tree and ran the show with the lights on the second.
Two lamps later, the S4s are just fine.

 

[derekleffew]

Gravity. Not just a good idea--it's the law.

I hope the experience served as a lesson to reinforce the importance of Safety Cables.

 

[headcrab]

Safety cables wouldn't have helped. The S4s didn't come off the pipe, the pipe came out of the tree.

 

[Sean]

I've been thinking about this for the past few months, so here goes.
Back in January we had a show in our gym so we moved half our equipment to run it. Since there is no permanent lighting rig in the gym we take some of the S4s from our theater and some spare PARs and hang them on trees in the gym. I did this without checking the bolts...
In the middle of the first show, one of the arms falls of a tree, taking two S4s with it and the DMX for the other tree. I bypassed the faulted tree and ran the show with the lights on the second.
Two lamps later, the S4s are just fine.

Describe the exact combination of parts you used to construct what you're calling a 'tree'.

How far did the lights fall? Did something bump into said tree to make them fall during the show?

--Sean

 

[headcrab]

The lower sidearm, the one that fell off, was about six feet from the floor. As far as I know nothing hit them.
The tree is a commercially available tree with two sidearms and one pipe across the top. We can hang up to eight lights on each tree.

 

[jonliles]

I am wondering if you put too much weight on the one side-arm - a common mistake. This stype of tree is typically used in DJ applications where the lights don't weigh very much - a couple of S4's later and yo've exceeded the load rating.

I've had to encourage the school to dispose of a couple of their "trees" becuase of the trees inability to stay erect if any weight is placed on the arms. Since then, the school has purchased bases, pipe and Cheeseburroughs to fullfil their "tree" needs.

For less than $400, your school can do the same thing. Bases are inexpensive. Pipe is inexpensive. The load rated Cheeseburroughs where the most expensive items.

 

[len]

By "tree" do you mean a tripod?

 

[fredthe]

Were you using a tripod like this:
Lighting Tree

If so, the single sidearms are only rated for 20 lbs. A Source 4 weighs 14 lbs...

As for safeties, whenever I put something on a sidearm, I try and arrange the safety cable so that it will catch the instrument if the sidearm fails. You need to learn to look for all possible failure points, and think what will happen when they fail.

As others have mentioned, bases, iron pipe, and Cheeseburroughs are cheap... especially considering the cost of a lawsuit :shock:

Edit: If the link doesn't work, go to http://www.ultimatesupport.com and select Music Gear & Instrument Stands / Sound Reinforcement / Lighting Trees

-Fred

 

[headcrab]

Yes, that is what we have. I think I will only put one S4 on each sidearm in the future because all other options are more than $5 and that's outside of our budget...

 

[len]

What about having your maintenance department install a boom or two permanently? Put one about 8' tall so you don't have to worry about people hitting their heads on it. Then when shows happen, just attach the lights, maybe hang a tree dimmer, and you're good to go. It could be considered a capital improvement or something (believe me, there are ways to get this done, budget-wise) and would be much safer than a lawsuit. 2 x 1.5" ID pipe X 6' = $60 (at Home Depot prices) plus 4 90 degree right angles, plus installation, would be under $200. I'm sure the school can spend $200 for a permanent solution which will decrease their liability significantly. I'll bet you could find a couple parents to come up with the money.

 

[rcal]

buy an acro prop, some scaff pipe and scaff clamps and make a boom, its a fairly inexpensive and all round safer way of making a rig that you can move around (that is if you know how to erect it properly)