I agree. You have the capabilities of a Jesus Wrench in a much smaller package with a C-Wrench. Plus they make better weapons. Those things hurt!
wrenches
- Thread starternuggetman
- Start date
http://www.toolsforstagecraft.com/n317.htm has a bunch of stuff. The cross shaped wrench you want may be the Altman wrench they have. I also like the little Gator grip wrench. Very small, so you can't get a lot of torque on it, but it does fit into really tight spaces. Also comes in a 1/2" drive for larger bolts. I don't recommend their wing nut wrench. I like http://www.wingnutspanner.co.uk/ better.
techieman33
Well-Known Member
Well, I wasn;t referring to their capacity for demolition (thought that's a really neat story), I meant their usefulness as what I like to think of as an actor-prod. Farmers use short, sharp, shocks to get cattle to move, sometimes the same thing necessary for an actor standing aimlessley in the booth. Obviously you try to disguise it, but being jostled continuously, and having a wrench "accidentally" hit you does tend to convince people that perhaps they sould move.
moojoe
Active Member
depending on what im doing, ill use either an 8inch cressent wrench, or an altman wrench. the altman wrench is deffentently a good invention. especially during focus
moojoe
Active Member
true, thats the one fault with the altman wrench. i dont really like using in places where it could fall and hurt someone else because of that. but if im doing ground work its really all i use
techieman33
Well-Known Member
i don't like the altman's because you can't tie them down, and they get torn up really easily at least the one i have did, it's made out of cheap aluminum, and it get's all torn up, the hole's strip out, it's junk. Give me a crescent wrench any day.
Mayhem said:My favourites were the left-handed screwdriver and the striped safety paint
Hahaha, classic. Another good one (if you're working in an OLD theatre and have really old gels lying around) is to tell the newb to rinse off the gels.
"You did WHAT to our gels?"
"I...uh..."
"It's fine, it's fine. Did you use the wrong kind of soap? Oh, you used the wrong kind of soap. Try again."
[wait 5 minutes]
"I....I....uh..."
That'll humble anyone. Until they catch on, of course.
techieman33 said:
We have three Altman tools, and while they are starting to wear a bit (the pan bolt hole is beginning to strip a bit) they have worked really well for over four and a half years. I can't imagine doing lighting without an Altman tool - adjusting a crescent wrench when you're fifteen feet up on a ladder is just a pain.
otto said:Mayhem said:My favourites were the left-handed screwdriver and the striped safety paint
Hahaha, classic. Another good one (if you're working in an OLD theatre and have really old gels lying around) is to tell the newb to rinse off the gels.
"You did WHAT to our gels?"
"I...uh..."
"It's fine, it's fine. Did you use the wrong kind of soap? Oh, you used the wrong kind of soap. Try again."
[wait 5 minutes]
"I....I....uh..."
That'll humble anyone. Until they catch on, of course.
i like when you tell freshman to go make some cuts of 2x4.
and they come back, and try to assemble the peices and they cut something too short.
you tell them to go get the board stretcher.
its hilarious to watch them search the shop for a good 15 minutes.
and when they ask one of the older members, they go along with it.
and ya, we have a whole bunch of old gelatin gel that we dont use, so every time we have a new lighting tech, we make them wash them.
we just give a very dissapointed look when they return and are freaking out.
good times.
and then lastly, when we are hanging anything, and someone asks where we are hanging it from. and what we are using.
we simply explain that we are going to use some sky-hooks.
and then send them on their way to find some.
amazing.
This one only works on the truly green ones, tell them to get you a 2*4 about 18 inches long then when they bring it you you ask them if they measued it when it turns out to be 1.5*3.5 give them some crap and say next time measure it. Not a waste of time if you have them sort wood while the hunt for the true 2*4
When I was working as an electrician, I always had a C-wrench in my toolbox/bag, but my primary working wrench was a Lightspeed:
This is a ratcheting socket wrench with sockets sized for all the common bolts on a C-clamp, and is available with a plastic safety ring to attach it to a lanyard (that's the white ring on the one in the picture).
The only issue I ever had was that occasionally the set screw on some of the clamps we had in college were a different size than the socket on the Lightspeed, but they were sized to fit the one in a Mega Handle mini wrench, which I always have on me. Between the two, I was set, and they could ratchet and I wasn't constantly resizing.
I was in Sears today, and they have a very nice set of two C-wrenches that adjust like normal, but if you turn them in the opposite direction they slip open to act as a ratchet (to unscrew, you just flip the wrench over, which reverses which way the ratchet slips). This is a great little tool, much like a ratcheting crescent I have in my toolbox, called the Pop Pro Wrench, except that the Pop fully slips, so instead of adjusting it with the screw, you just slip it open as far as you need it (it binds in one direction, slips in the other). These are a bit wonky on clamps, since they're free-floating and it's easy to slip off the head of the bolt (as with any wrench, but it's easier to do it when ratcheting the slip head), but great on many other things.
FWIW,
Andy
This is a ratcheting socket wrench with sockets sized for all the common bolts on a C-clamp, and is available with a plastic safety ring to attach it to a lanyard (that's the white ring on the one in the picture).
The only issue I ever had was that occasionally the set screw on some of the clamps we had in college were a different size than the socket on the Lightspeed, but they were sized to fit the one in a Mega Handle mini wrench, which I always have on me. Between the two, I was set, and they could ratchet and I wasn't constantly resizing.
I was in Sears today, and they have a very nice set of two C-wrenches that adjust like normal, but if you turn them in the opposite direction they slip open to act as a ratchet (to unscrew, you just flip the wrench over, which reverses which way the ratchet slips). This is a great little tool, much like a ratcheting crescent I have in my toolbox, called the Pop Pro Wrench, except that the Pop fully slips, so instead of adjusting it with the screw, you just slip it open as far as you need it (it binds in one direction, slips in the other). These are a bit wonky on clamps, since they're free-floating and it's easy to slip off the head of the bolt (as with any wrench, but it's easier to do it when ratcheting the slip head), but great on many other things.
FWIW,
Andy
soundman said:
Reminds me that after the inventory I'm working on with the new college graduate is done, I need to send him out for a halogen pressure tester for some of these lamps, than for the filler machine. Others with more experience will know what he is looking for and send him to the next location to find such a thing as the person that had it last. Up until this person hits "the old man of the theater" in the shop what will belittle him sufficiently for asking for such a thing.
Had one game at one point beyond the can of "elbow grease" or bucket of muzzle flash, much less ID10T forms we used to send people for in the military.
Presented here:
February 29, 2000
Operation New Guy #1
Premises: Un-Specified New guy is sent to Brian by his Crew Chief, Steve or Tommy to get an MSR 1200 Lamp.
Brian gives a MSR 1200/2 as normal and sends the subject away. Tommy receives the lamp and sends him back with it for an MSR 1200 old style Lamp instead.
This is the trigger which sets the ball in motion:
Brian takes back the lamp and takes out the 1200. He signs out the new lamp, opens it up, shakes it, looks at it, remarks “wow that is low,” than tells the new guy he had better check to see if Johnny, packed an extra pound of mercury vapor in the road box because 'Kid from the hoist department had mentioned it was going to be really hot down south. “At least that is what I think Kid Mentioned.” You might also check with Kid on that.
New guy goes to John to relay my message:
John becomes really interested in what new guy has to say and needs to know what the exact pressure is going to be to know what weight to put in. Ask Kid what the pressure is?
New guy goes to Kid and asks. 'Kid replies rain, and does not remember after that. Go ask Greg from the tansport department what the pressure is supposed to be at that event, he tracks stuff like that. Only do not say it too loud or we will have to put covers on all of our filters, and do not let Tony the equipment manager know or he will get pissed.
New guy goes to Greg and asks the pressure: Greg asks where the event is? In the case the person knows what city it is in, he shuffles some paper on his desk, and comes up with a reading of 50.6. If the New guy does not know he sends him back to his crew chief to find out with a “why don’t you know where it is,” thrown in for good measure.
New guy returns to Johnny with the pressure. Johnny writes it down on a road box label for the show as fifty weight, and tells him to tell Brian “I am getting low in fifty PSI.”
New guy returns to me to state the weight of Mercury Vapor needed. Brian receives the info and asks what brand of lamp? Brian than drops what he is doing and stomps off to seemingly yell at Johnny while mumbling bad things under his breath. As he stomps up the stairs, he tells new guy, “you had better tell _______ (crew chief) to pack the vapor pressure test kit.
New guy returns to his crew chief and relays both the message and the lamp. Crew chief opens up the lamp and shakes it, looks at it than remarks “yup it is low” than sends New guy to 'Sluggo (Head of the Leko Prep Department) to get the kit and show him how to use it. Only do not let Tony know you taking it, say if he asks you are looking for an empty road box. “Here take this lamp with you, you will need it to test it.”
New guy goes to Eric/sluggo (these nicknames have a reason behind them) and asks for it. Eric in an un-friendly way sends New guy to 'Oscar or any of the back aisle guys if he does not know Oscar. It should be by the fog machines he tells the new guy. “I’m busy now, come back and see me when you are ready to test it.”
New guy goes to the back aisle and asks: thru the rough translation between a very Spanish understanding Oscar and a English speaking New Guy should take some time to no avail.
(P.S. Oscar is not in on the joke.)
New guy returns to Eric, probably with Oscar in tow. Eric gets pissed off and leads the two over to the smoke machine area to look. If Oscar (in not knowing what we are talking about, much less bad English) does not originally come with New Guy, Eric gets to call him over and demand he help find the thing. “We are looking for a box about the size of a "F-200" fog machine.” (Just to confuse the issue!)
After a little while looking, Eric asks Oscar where he put the blue box that 'Slayer brought back from New York last night? In the end, he sends the New guy over to Slayer (the truck driver) to find out where the box is.
When New guy arrives at Slayer, he points to the dock and says it should be out there.
New guy goes to the dock and looks for a moment than comes back to Slayer. Slayer upset with him takes New guy back to the dock to look to no avail. After a moment, he tells the new guy to ask Kid where he put it.
New guy goes to Kid who pleads innocently he did not touch it, he puts the New guy thru the third degree than sends him to Tom (the janitor - who is also not in on the joke, ) to see if he moved it, but not to let Daric (Shop Manager) or Tony (Equipment manger) know or they will get really pissed. You had better tell your crew chief if Tom (Head of the Electronics Repair Area) does not have it.
New guy goes to Tom who of course has never heard of such a thing, and soon goes back to his crew chief.
New guy arrives back at his Crew Chief and tells the bad news. His crew chief gets really pissed with the new guy, and puts him thru another third degree, than sends New guy off to ask Tom from electronics/moving lights, to see if he has an extra one. He also hands back the lamp and tells him to show him this.
New guy arrives at Tom and asks for the spare vapor pressure kit: Tom takes the lamp, Shakes it, looks at it, than says that it's low but there is no spare and He had better the kit or everyone will be here late looking for it.
New guy goes back to his crew chief and tells him the bad news. His crew chief seems very upset and tells him to go tell Daric ...”It Is Lost.”
Op.New Guy was forwarded as a plan to the various people in the know, but never accomplished to a sufficient level. We also avoided the "old man of the theater" visit as a newer factor in someone to visit while not in the know about the joke. Today, the 'Old Man works under the Kid in having their own department - the 'Kid's primary focus in in keeping the department running including and especially in keeping the 'old man focused upon getting work done as he is easily distracted. Most of the people in the game have been replaced and new department heads. Still those remaining members would quickly catch on in continuing the game.
The End.
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