Return-Path: X-Real-To: stagecraftlist [at] theatrical.net Received: by prxy.net (CommuniGate Pro PIPE 4.2.10) with PIPE id 30534917; Thu, 25 May 2006 03:02:21 -0700 X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.1 (2006-03-10) on localhost X-Spam-Status: No, score=-3.5 required=5.0 tests=ADVANCE_FEE_1,AWL,BAYES_00, NO_RECEIVED,NO_RELAYS,TW_RQ autolearn=unavailable version=3.1.1 X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 4.2.10 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: Message-ID: From: "Stagecraft" Sender: "Stagecraft" To: "Stagecraft" Precedence: list Subject: Stagecraft Digest #821 Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 03:00:32 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Disposition: inline X-TFF-CGPSA-Version: 1.4 X-prxy-Spam-Filter: Scanned For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Stagecraft Digest, Issue #821 1. Re: What caused this cable damage? by Bill Sapsis 2. Re: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions by "Peter Scheu" 3. Re: What caused this cable damage? by "Delbert Hall" 4. Re: What caused this cable damage? by "Peter Scheu" 5. Re: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions by "Bill Conner" 6. Re: C-Clamps (was Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom...) by "C. Dopher" 7. Re: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions by "Bill Conner" 8. Re: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions by "ladesigners [at] juno.com" 9. Re: video clip by SS 10. Re: Academic Plotting policies by "Benjamin G. Stickels" 11. Re: lighting clamps (was: video clip) by Andy Ciddor 12. Re: Elevator Doors by "Paul Guncheon" 13. Re: C-Clamps by Ron Cargile 14. Pyro technician needed by "Dave McManus" 15. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 16. Olllld source 4's... by "Jason Cowperthwaite" 17. Re: What caused this cable damage? by Clive Mitchell 18. Re: What caused this cable damage? by Clive Mitchell 19. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by Clive Mitchell 20. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 21. Re: Olllld source 4's... by Greg Persinger 22. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by Jerry Durand 23. Re: Olllld source 4's... by "Jason Cowperthwaite" 24. Re: Olllld source 4's... by Stephen Litterst 25. Re: elephants by CB 26. Re: Olllld source 4's... by "Abby Downing" 27. Re: Olllld source 4's... by "Abby Downing" 28. Re: elephants - steeds. et al by IAEG [at] aol.com 29. Re: Olllld source 4's... by "Jason Cowperthwaite" 30. Re: Olllld source 4's... by "Salvatori, Jason" 31. Re: Taiko Drums by CB 32. Re: noise level and frequency... was Re: Taiko Drums by CB 33. Re: Olllld source 4's... by Stephen Litterst 34. Re: What caused this cable damage? by "Brian Munroe" 35. Victorian upright piano shell needed! (MD/VA/DE area) by "Dre Suchoski" 36. Loud Shows/Headset Isolation (Was:Re: Taiko Drums) by CB 37. Re: Elevator Doors by "Bill Nelson" 38. Re: Taiko Drums by CB 39. More uses for LEDs by CB 40. DC Motors by John Stahrr 41. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by "Bill Nelson" 42. Re: Taiko Drums by Stephen Litterst 43. Re: Taiko Drums by "Brian Munroe" 44. PC/VGA to TV by CB 45. Re: PC/VGA to TV by 46. Re: What caused this cable damage? by "Delbert Hall" 47. Re: DC Motors by PatrickMcCreary 48. Re: Olllld source 4's... by "Shawn King" 49. Re: Loud Shows/Headset Isolation (Was:Re: Taiko Drums) by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 50. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by Charlie Richmond 51. Re: Taiko Drums by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 52. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 53. Re: What caused this cable damage? by Clive Mitchell 54. Re: Auditorium Draw Pipe by "Curtis L. Mortimore" 55. Re: PC/VGA to TV by "John Penisten" 56. Re: elephants - steeds. et al by "RD" 57. Re: elephants by "ladesigners [at] juno.com" 58. Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! by "Bill Nelson" 59. Re: PC/VGA to TV by Kenneth Zinkl 60. Re: PC/VGA to TV by David Duffy 61. Re: PC/VGA to TV by "Bill Nelson" *** Please update the subject line of your reply to use the subject *** line of the message you are replying to! Please only reply to *** one message subject in each reply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 06:10:03 -0400 Subject: Re: What caused this cable damage? From: Bill Sapsis Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Loren. I'm not so sure. You're right that there is more pressure thee than anywhere else, but if the D/d ratio is correct it should not increase the stress significantly. Tread pressure yes. Stress? Not so sure. One of the reasons that you get a core pop is that there's enough flex in the wire rope for the core to muscle it's way through. I would think you would see that happening between the blocks not on them. Or not. Bill S. ETCP Certified Rigger - Theatre www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 267.278.4561 mobile Join the Long Reach Long Riders on their 3rd annual cross country charity motorcycle ride. On 5/23/06 9:26 PM, "Loren Schreiber" wrote: > Bill and Delbert, tell me what you think--but I think the point of highest > stress in a line set cable is when it is turning over the head or loft > blocks. That is where one might expect to see damage from repeated > loadings. I would suggest watching the panel on the AC drive and see if > there is point where load seems to increase momentarily. This subtle bounce > might also account for the overspeed, as the stretched cable recovers its > original shape. If the encoder is on the motor, rather than the drum, then > even small variations in the load will show up as large variations at the > drive. ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "Peter Scheu" Subject: RE: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 07:19:19 -0400 Organization: Scheu Consulting Services, Inc. Message-ID: In-reply-to: Greg, with all of the greatest respect for your passion on this subject, = I see some fundamental flaws in a few of your arguments. >Well if each county in the country paid $500 a year to the=20 >NFPA as a licensing fee to use the copyrighted material of=20 >each book that they adopted as code I'm sure almost every county in the country spends a lot more than that already. Can you just imagine what the County of Los Angeles, Dade = County, FL, NYC, or Cook Co., IL, budgets for code references? And that doesn't figure in that almost every municipality will revise a national model = code to meet local requirements. Do I really need to build a Cat 5 hurricane proof building in Syracuse? Do they need to figure in my snow loads in Miami? >In the same spirit as your post, don't you think it is kind of=20 >silly for a bunch of safety experts to sit around and dream up=20 >the next catastrophe you need to save us from Unfortunately, most life safety codes are reactive rather than = proactive. In fact, the NFPA didn't even come into existence until many people had = already died from "bad practices" (i.e. the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire). Another example is the recent "one manger per 50 people rule" just = adopted after the Station fire. It seems that it's the culture in this country = that people have to die before the rules are changed. Then there's the codes enforcement issue (more on that later). >Oh yeah that's right we should have bought the book. What is=20 >the price of audience safety? Priceless. No you, as an end user, shouldn't have to buy the book. Just = as I wouldn't expect every homeowner to buy a copy of their local building = code and then check to see if their house meets them. They didn't design and build their house. You didn't design and build your theatre. Many things = may be grandfathered in. I do expect that every facility manager develop a = good and open relationship with their AHJ, and I expect the AHJ to be = proactive in informing their "clients" of changes in the codes. That's their job. Unfortunately, I'm fully aware that's not the case most of the time with civil servants... But I can dream, can't I? >Not everyone works in educational theater with budgets to buy=20 >code books. Again, you shouldn't have to. Your Buildings and Facilities department = (or some such) would have these. And besides, most colleges and universities = (or their related parent systems, like SUNY, and the CA university system) = have their own set of codes. All codes, like politics, are local. >I would venture to guess that most people on this list would=20 >download and refer to the codes if made available for free on=20 >the internet. Some local municipalities already do this. The NYC fire code is = available free online, for example. >For the record I do have my own copy of NEC and I probably=20 >need to update it and purchase Life Safety Code What's the point of trying to meet a "national" code if your local code differs? A good relationship with your local AHJ is the still best = strategy, IMHO. >Thanks for your work, but I feel until the code distribution=20 >practices are changed you will never be as effective in your=20 >efforts as you could be and that I sincerely believe that you=20 >want to be. Your welcome. But, as I see it, code enforcement is really the issue. If your venue is not being inspected on a regular basis by a savvy, = educated, competent, and reasonable AHJ, that's where the real problem lies. And = it's been my experience that if one takes the attitude that "I know better = than them because I know the code" just gets one shut down faster than flash paper burns. Ensuring the safety of the audience, performers, technicians, and staff = is a cooperative effort by persons both inside and outside of an = organization. It's ultimately not about books and publishing fees. It's about relationships and common goals. But I really, really respect your passion in trying to get it right. Peter Scheu =20 Scheu Consulting Services, Inc. Syracuse, NY www.scheuconsulting.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 07:20:55 -0400 From: "Delbert Hall" Subject: Re: What caused this cable damage? In-Reply-To: References:

Brian - Loren's post got me to thinking about the potential problem caused by the secondary arbor hanging out to the side of the primary arbor. Depending on how it is rigged, this could result in a torqing of both arbors and cause them to bind in one or more locations on the T-bar track as them move. I am assuming that one of the battens and its lift cable have been removed so that just the arbor in use, and the lift cables going to the batten are attached directly to the primary arbor, with the secondary arbor married to the primary arbor. 1500 lbs is a lot of weight to have hang out to the side of the lift cables and I would think that the arbors have to be trying to torque to balance the load. Over time, this force could wear the guides on the arbors or possibly even bend the T-bar track itself. Loren's suggestion about monitoring the current reading on the winch would help you determine if you have a binding issue. If you moved the headblock between the two arbors so the they are not torqueing, then it is far less likely that this is the problem. Just a thought. -Delbert --=20 Delbert L. Hall ZFX Flying Director Phone: 714-585-7070 ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "Peter Scheu" Subject: RE: What caused this cable damage? Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 07:28:05 -0400 Organization: Scheu Consulting Services, Inc. Message-ID: In-reply-to: I'm still trying to wrap my brain around a 3,000 lb capacity, 5 HP motor, double arbor system for a set of legs. Can someone please clarify why this system needs to be so butch? Peter Scheu Scheu Consulting Services, Inc. Syracuse, NY www.scheuconsulting.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: <004201c67f2a$a3755ed0$6501a8c0 [at] BCA1> Reply-To: "Bill Conner" From: "Bill Conner" Subject: Re: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 07:07:32 -0500 Richard posted: The cost of development is already being borne by the writers and their employers, as well as by manufacturers. Not the full cost, only the expenses and perhaps time of the volunteers. That doesn't cover the cost of the NFPA or ICC (or ESTA) staff and all those expenses. This process requires a whole lot more than just volunteers getting together a couple times a year. In the case of at least the ICC, the ICC pays for the expenses of the building officials that come meetings. Virtually all of the NFPA's and ICC's income is from the sale of the codes. It's a not for profit corporation that produces a product and pays their expenses. And I doubt 6-10 times as many people will pay $20 instead of those that now pay $150, or whatever it is. And besides, if you only need to look something up, you can for free at NFPA - just a little slow and no printing. Bill C. ASTC, ETCP CR-T ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: <783B95C0-C2D7-4A1C-898C-5DF1A3F6DBD0 [at] dopher.com> From: "C. Dopher" Subject: Re: C-Clamps (was Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom...) Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 08:48:11 -0400 Stephen Litterst wrote: > That being said, has anyone ever directly witnessed a cast iron C- > clamp > broken with an 8" wrench? Yes, on at least three occasions. On the first of those occasion, nobody got hurt but it was interesting to see how fast a new Source Four can divest itself of its constituent parts after a 35' drop (new clamp, BTW; dropped from highest hanging position in the theatre - go figure). Wasn't my show. On the two later occasions, once was an axial and another was one end of a 6' R40 striplight. In both cases, the electricians were following my instructions on hanging procedure - one of the few things I insist on if I'm present at the hang - and the instruments were caught by the safety cable. (Proper hanging procedure is to hook the c-clamp on the batten and set the bolt finger-tight, then immediately get the safety through the yoke and around the batten and - if on a modern Source4 - clipped to the body, and THEN to position the instrument on the pipe and tighten the bolt.) I have come to believe that it generally takes two over-tightening instances to kill a C-clamp. The cast iron seems to crack over time if it is overtightened on the pipe. At the NEXT hang where it's overtightened, the already weakened iron just gives way. This theory may be pure fantasy, YMMV. Cris Dopher ------------------------------ Message-ID: <004601c67f30$6ccf98e0$6501a8c0 [at] BCA1> Reply-To: "Bill Conner" From: "Bill Conner" Subject: Re: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 07:48:58 -0500 Greg posted: "Well if each county in the country paid $500 a year to the NFPA as a licensing fee to use the copyrighted material of each book that they adopted as code, NFPA would pull in an estimated $2 million per code book that could be used for development." I think my village's code department spends around $30,000 a year to purchase model codes. NFPA alone seems to have several hundred staff so maybe a budget of $25 million? I don't know but that seems like the order of magnitude - so up that $500 per county to $5000. (I'm guess-timating - I'll see if I can find out from someone on staff.) Greg posted: "In my opinion this requires two things. The information is easy to obtain and the information is easy to understand." It is available at most libraries. It would seem that any institution that owns and operates a building as large as a theatre could afford the several hundred a year necessary to maintain a minimum code library. If they can acquire and maintain tools and lighting and scenery and so on, certainly this is not the killer. In a larger community, share with other theatres. Maybe a local theatre dealer could arrange to have a book shelf and a reading area. I'll bet the building department or fire department would allow you to come in and use there books as well, maybe even give you the last edition. There's a lot not perfect about the way codes or any of the laws in this country are developed and enforced but it sure seems to me that building regulation is one of the shining lights of all or our laws and regulations. Unfortunately, just as we have more crimes of all types, we have a poorer record for safety than many countries. Bill Conner ASTC, ETCP CR-T ------------------------------ From: "ladesigners [at] juno.com" Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 14:05:23 GMT Subject: Re: Fire Curtain Rules & Exceptions Message-Id: <20060524.070612.28846.3514 [at] webmail31.lax.untd.com> A major advantage to the widespread distribution of codes is the promoti= on of consistency. I want to be able to look at an installation and be a= ble to ascertain by color-code or the use of specific hardware what the = electrician who came before me was attempting to accomplish BEFORE I pul= l out my Amprobe, Wiggie, and other testing devices to find the safest t= ap-in point, or conversely, discover the failure point during a post-mor= tem analysis. I therefore feel that the widest distribution of codes pos= sible, especially ones that have been customized to reflect the idiosync= rasies of a particular jurisdiction, is highly desirable, and a major ob= stacle to achieving widespread distribution of this information is the h= igh price. I am not offended by an advertiser-supported website with pri= nt options, or even an code book with a manufacturer's part number annot= ations. Ideally, there would be both, plus codes on CDs to amortize the = costs over a large support base. It would be very convenient to consult = the code on-line or on CD and be able to click on a SKU next to the indi= vidual code section, and have the part number printed on an order list f= or me in real time, including 'red' flags that would tell me if the part= s selected were incompatible with each other, or help me determine if a = length of 2" EMT can be legally supported within 6" from the same piece = of Unistrut that is supporting a 2" gas line, by having all the applicab= le codes that impact each other displayed at the same time to show me co= nflicts. /s/ Richard _______________________________________ And besides, if you only need to look something up, you can for free at = NFPA - just a little slow and no printing. Bill C. ASTC, ETCP CR-T = ------------------------------ Message-ID: <8231e7ea0605240719i38bcacb5i9ab450c18fbec5df [at] mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 10:19:00 -0400 From: SS Subject: Re: video clip In-Reply-To: References: >>>>>Who first posted this and where did they hear about it. We need the details and we need them now, or this will go on forever.....<<<<< I first posted. I have no info. Sorry. A friend emailed it to me. It made me chuckle at first, but after watching it again, myself and another friend/fellow-lister started noticing all the inconsistenies and what not that you have all mentioned. Those two reasons alone prompted me to post. I presume it is a fake as well. I venture to say Delbert's comment sums it best thought: "Someone had a good time making this". However, I have enjoyed reading everyone's opinion on the clip. I didn't think (but should have known) I'd be starting a national (or international because of Clive) debate!! :)- -SS TTS-EKU "Diplomacy is the art of saying "good doggie" until you find a suitable roc= k. " ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 10:28:47 -0400 Subject: Re: Academic Plotting policies Message-ID: In-Reply-To: From: "Benjamin G. Stickels" > Does anyone else have a "fair" system for this, or do people just not > worry about it. Here at Western Michigan, the lab manager has more or less determined a fee per print on the plotter and color printers, taking into account an average amount of ink per print, the size of the print, and the paper type. Students who need to plot must do so with a lab monitor in the room, and all plotting must be logged. At the end of the year, printing bills are sent out, and if not paid by the date due, posted to their student account. Student designers have access to the plotter, and are still charged, but those plotting charges are drawn from a 'designer' budget for that show. -- Benjamin G. Stickels Digital Media Production Assistant Multi-Media Room Technician Western Michigan University Benjamin.Stickels [at] gmail.com ------------------------------ Message-Id: <7.0.1.0.2.20060525002336.076f84d0 [at] kilowatt.com.au> Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 00:38:57 +1000 From: Andy Ciddor Subject: Re: lighting clamps (was: video clip) In-Reply-To: References:

At 00:19 25.05.2006, SS wrote: >I first posted. I have no info. >However, I have enjoyed reading everyone's opinion on the clip. I >didn't think (but should have known) I'd be starting a national (or >international because of Clive) debate!! There have been few international replies, because lighting clamps are pretty much of a non-issue in the places that use standard scaffold pipe (1 29/32" or 48.3mm OD) and bent mild steel clamps. I've never seen one break in the line of duty in the last 35+ years. Virtually every cast iron clamp that strays into Oz is either binned or put aside to go back on the gear when it leaves the country. We were shocked to see the first Source 4s came into this country: late 20th century optical systems suspended by Victorian era clamps was such a contrast. But then I love how some US companies build high power contemporary technology radio and TV transmitters, then style them to look like they came straight out of a 1950s Saturday afternoon sci-fi movie. Andy ------------------------------ Message-ID: <006b01c67f4c$cfa44850$0202a8c0 [at] HUNKACRAP> From: "Paul Guncheon" References: Subject: Re: Elevator Doors Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 06:12:08 -1000 When I did "How to Succeed" I made the elevators open to one side only. The 'door" was in two parts. The "lead "door pushed or pulled the "following" door. Quite simple... no ropes, pulleys, etc. Laters, Paul "I was adopted," said Tom transparently. ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.2.3.4.2.20060524092854.01d81160 [at] pop.uci.edu> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 09:33:09 -0700 From: Ron Cargile Subject: Re: C-Clamps I have a C-clamp that split the long way, along the axis of the clamp. It was less than a year old, too. Granted this was a bad casting, but without close inspection, you'd never know. The student who found it had a hand on the instrument so there was no accident. I keep it as an example for the use of safeties, and funny, after I show the new students that clamp, safeties are never missed. ....Ron ---- Ron Cargile ME, Univ of Calif, Irvine ------------------------------ From: "Dave McManus" Subject: Pyro technician needed Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:31:10 -0400 Message-ID: North Carolina Theatre, a regional AEA-affiliated theatre located in Raleigh, NC, is seeking a Pyro Technician/Operator for their upcoming production of "Wizard of OZ" in July. Load-in commences July 1 and production opens July 8, running through July 16. Salary negotiable. Contact Dave McManus, Production Supervisor, at dmcmanus [at] nctheatre.com or 919-622-5178. Dave McManus Production Supervisor North Carolina Theatre 1 East South Street Raleigh, NC 27601 Voice: 919/831-6945 Mobile: 919/622-5178 Fax: 919/831-6951 E-Mail: dmcmanus [at] nctheatre.com Web: www.nctheatre.com -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.0/346 - Release Date: 5/23/2006 ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <275.a9caf26.31a5f3a1 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:36:33 EDT Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! In a message dated 23/05/06 23:51:50 GMT Daylight Time, bill [at] sapsis-rigging.com writes: > Set up or not, would someone please tell me why we still use those cast iron > "C" clamps. I mean, I'm just a rigger and I don't know much about lighting, > but why would I want to put something up in the air over my head that I > could break with an 8" adjustable wrench? I've often wondered. UK ones are simply a length of 1" x 1/4" mild steel bar, bent into a sort of G shape. It secures to the pipe with a wing bolt, and the lantern to it with a bolt and wing nut. No wrenches needed, and nearly unbreakable. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-ID: <3eb8da960605241040g715385e0q1c3f0e5f441a7289 [at] mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:40:15 -0400 From: "Jason Cowperthwaite" Subject: Olllld source 4's... Hey... if anyone has a copy of the user manual /assembly guide for the 1994 dated source 4 ERS's , could you please email me off list? Even better, if there is an ETC rep on the list, I could use some off list help. Thanks! Jason Cowperthwaite ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 17:41:50 +0100 From: Clive Mitchell Subject: Re: What caused this cable damage? References: In-Reply-To: In message , Brian Munroe writes >Saturday night as the piece was moving from it's in trim to the out >trim, the automation computer stopped the piece with an overspeed >fault. I'm wondering if the scenery truss got caught up as it flew in then suddenly dropped causing the overspeed trip due to the loose cable snapping taut and yanking the drum.. That could explain why the cables pop was at the exact point the winch tripped. The affected wires didn't have a specific clew plate common did they? -- Clive Mitchell http://www.bigclive.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 17:59:36 +0100 From: Clive Mitchell Subject: Re: What caused this cable damage? References:

In-Reply-To: In message , Peter Scheu writes >I'm still trying to wrap my brain around a 3,000 lb capacity, 5 HP >motor, double arbor system for a set of legs. > >Can someone please clarify why this system needs to be so butch? It's so that if anything snags it just rips at it until it pops up. :) 5HP. That is a scary winch. And the load was counterbalanced? Maybe it's the counterbalance that jammed.... Even a namby pamby 1/2 HP curtain motor can cause carnage when something impedes it's load. I've seen detached wall fixings, sheared drums, bent rail and desiccated curtains in the past. :) -- Clive Mitchell http://www.bigclive.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: <6U4LXQL9xJdEFw16 [at] ntlworld.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:48:45 +0100 From: Clive Mitchell Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! References: In-Reply-To: In message , FrankWood95 [at] aol.com writes >I've often wondered. UK ones are simply a length of 1" x 1/4" mild >steel bar, bent into a sort of G shape. It secures to the pipe with a >wing bolt, and the lantern to it with a bolt and wing nut. No wrenches >needed, and nearly unbreakable. Although fortunately someone came up with the idea of a wingnut spanner that fits over the wingnut and lets you crack it right in until the thread strips on both bolt and clamp. Must remember to have a toolbox talk on a particular upcoming job this year! I'm not going to confiscate them... Just control the torque that's applied to them. -- Clive Mitchell http://www.bigclive.com ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <417.2d26714.31a5f793 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:53:23 EDT Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! In a message dated 24/05/06 03:18:23 GMT Daylight Time, MissWisc [at] aol.com writes: > For the same reason we still use the qwerty keyboard... use so widespread > that has become a habit. And, believe it or not, it was actually designed to be awkward and slow you down. Typing too fast on an old mechanical typewriter oflen lead to bits of the mechanism jamming and tangling. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:04:41 -0500 Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... From: Greg Persinger Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Jason, Just call ETC and ask them for the information. They will be glad to help you. Greg Persinger on 5/24/06 12:40 PM, Jason Cowperthwaite at jasonclights [at] gmail.com wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Hey... if anyone has a copy of the user manual /assembly guide for the > 1994 dated source 4 ERS's , could you please email me off list? Even > better, if there is an ETC rep on the list, I could use some off list > help. > > > Thanks! > > > Jason Cowperthwaite > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 11:15:39 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! In-reply-to: Message-id: <7.0.1.0.0.20060524111406.01f37d38 [at] interstellar.com> References: At 10:53 AM 5/24/2006, FrankWood95 [at] aol.com wrote: >And, believe it or not, it was actually designed to be awkward and slow you >down. Typing too fast on an old mechanical typewriter oflen lead to >bits of the >mechanism jamming and tangling. And typing too fast on Windows leads to missed characters (never understood why they don't use the keyboard buffer properly, but then MicroSoft knows best...so they say). -- Jerry Durand, Durand Interstellar, Inc. www.interstellar.com 219 Oak Wood Way, Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886, USA toll free: 1 866 356-3886 Skype: jerrydurand ------------------------------ Message-ID: <3eb8da960605241130s390fe334l159e2a811a3cdd9d [at] mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 14:30:20 -0400 From: "Jason Cowperthwaite" Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... In-Reply-To: References:

Actually, someone from ETC already jumped on it. I unfortunately am not able to sit in a call stack right now, so I was hoping(and did) find a kind soul who was willing to help out a fellow lister. thanks though! Jason On 5/24/06, Greg Persinger wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Jason, > > Just call ETC and ask them for the information. They will be glad to help > you. > > Greg Persinger > > > on 5/24/06 12:40 PM, Jason Cowperthwaite at jasonclights [at] gmail.com wrote: > > > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > > --------------------------------------------------- > > > > Hey... if anyone has a copy of the user manual /assembly guide for the > > 1994 dated source 4 ERS's , could you please email me off list? Even > > better, if there is an ETC rep on the list, I could use some off list > > help. > > > > > > Thanks! > > > > > > Jason Cowperthwaite > > > > > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 14:45:45 -0400 From: Stephen Litterst Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... In-reply-to: Message-id: <4474A9D9.5000800 [at] ithaca.edu> References:

Jason Cowperthwaite wrote: > --------------------------------------------------- > Actually, someone from ETC already jumped on it. I unfortunately am > not able to sit in a call stack right now, so I was hoping(and did) > find a kind soul who was willing to help out a fellow lister. I have found it rare that I end up waiting in a call stack when I call ETC's tech services. Steve L. -- Stephen Litterst Technical Supervisor Ithaca College, Theatre Arts 607.274.3947 slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20060524115532.00d3bb78 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 11:55:32 From: CB Subject: Re: elephants > if Brunhilda needs a steed as living prop, as a= >ny respectable Valkyrie would, you just have to come up with one. The au= >dience expects nothing less when they are paying hundreds of dollars per= > seat. Richard, I always respect your contributions to the list, so this surprised me. I made the statement that I wouldn't compromise safety for snazzy, and you responded with what seems to be, "then you aren't being responsible to your audience". We usually don't get any say over the budget, or how much of it we can put toward livestock and trainers, and even if we could, I think that realism can be taken too far. Hey, if I need a sunrise for two lovers to watch, I ain't gonna book the superstar Sol. I'm gonna get the lighting guys to trick 'em. My bet is that they're not really going to be fooled, but they're gonna allow you to fool 'em anyways, just 'cause its 'funner'. We did a stick pony in front of a... what do you scenic guys call those things that are painted scenery on two rollers that travels from one roller to another to give the illusion of the person-holding-a-stick-pony-in-front-of-it moving?... one of those. It was definately not a comedy, but this was definately funny. The audience forgave us for not having a horse because we entertained them. They roared when the 'return trip' consisted of the roller-cyc contraption being wound the other way. If your budget allows you to do anything that you want and elephants or horses ar ecalled for an it makes the play better and you can do it with the time you have, safely and properly, yeah, sure, why not? If you can't, well, you shouldn't. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Olllld source 4's... Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:01:50 -0400 Message-ID: <7AE59BA9B8D15D4787EB1C7A2DB6DFBA3F7C64 [at] jekyll-sbs.ollsi.local> From: "Abby Downing" Also, I'm most certainly not trying to step on your toes or change a good working system, if you've got one...but a couple of years ago I wrote a "how to maintenance source fours" type report for a client. We deal with hundreds of them from a rental shop perspective, and the maintenance-ing of them is a common occurrence for us here. If you would find it useful, I'd be happy to send it to you if I can find it. Abby -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Jason Cowperthwaite Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 2:30 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Actually, someone from ETC already jumped on it. I unfortunately am not able to sit in a call stack right now, so I was hoping(and did) find a kind soul who was willing to help out a fellow lister. thanks though! Jason On 5/24/06, Greg Persinger wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see=20 > > --------------------------------------------------- > > Jason, > > Just call ETC and ask them for the information. They will be glad to=20 > help you. > > Greg Persinger > > > on 5/24/06 12:40 PM, Jason Cowperthwaite at jasonclights [at] gmail.com=20 > wrote: > > > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see=20 > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > > > > Hey... if anyone has a copy of the user manual /assembly guide for=20 > > the 1994 dated source 4 ERS's , could you please email me off list? > > Even better, if there is an ETC rep on the list, I could use some=20 > > off list help. > > > > > > Thanks! > > > > > > Jason Cowperthwaite > > > > > ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Olllld source 4's... Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:04:16 -0400 Message-ID: <7AE59BA9B8D15D4787EB1C7A2DB6DFBA3F7C65 [at] jekyll-sbs.ollsi.local> From: "Abby Downing" Sorry all. I meant this to be a private reply to Jason. My apologies for the bandwidth. Abby -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Abby Downing Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 3:02 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Also, I'm most certainly not trying to step on your toes or change a good working system, if you've got one...but a couple of years ago I wrote a "how to maintenance source fours" type report for a client. We deal with hundreds of them from a rental shop perspective, and the maintenance-ing of them is a common occurrence for us here. If you would find it useful, I'd be happy to send it to you if I can find it. > > ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: <26e.a7a8e7f.31a605db [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 14:54:19 EDT Subject: Re: elephants - steeds. et al In a message dated 5/24/06 2:49:30 PM, psyd [at] cox.net writes: << We did a stick pony in front of a... what do you scenic guys call those things that are painted scenery on two rollers that travels from one roller to another to give the illusion of the person-holding-a-stick-pony-in-front-of-it moving?... one of those. It was definately not a comedy, but this was definately funny. The audience forgave us for not having a horse because we entertained them. They roared when the 'return trip' consisted of the roller-cyc contraption being wound the other way. If your budget allows you to do anything that you want and elephants or horses ar ecalled for an it makes the play better and you can do it with the time you have, safely and properly, yeah, sure, why not? If you can't, well, you shouldn't. >> There was a HUGE commercial stage production of BEN HUR done a few years ago in ORLANDO, a group of christian investors had hoped to turn it into a long term run / tourist attraction at the difficult to produce in theatre at the Orange Co Convention Center. Needless to say it had a short run and ended in lawsuits, etc. From what I heard, the "faux" chariot race was one of the more un intentionally hilarious stage moments of the last decade. best regards, Keith Arsenault International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, FL ------------------------------ Message-ID: <3eb8da960605241158k4bbe124etc18c5be9a0c7de14 [at] mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 14:58:02 -0400 From: "Jason Cowperthwaite" Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... In-Reply-To: References: I would actually be very interested in this. There really is no system here. When I walked into this place at the beginning of the last academic year, the most recent concerted maintenance effort I could find evidence of was about 4 years ago... and that was only for our ERS units... the others in our stock may not have been maintenanced in at least 25 years (old Kliegls that are still used in every show). While I have my way of doing it, I am always looking for better and maybe more time efficient ways of attacking the problem. Thanks! Jason On 5/24/06, Abby Downing wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Also, I'm most certainly not trying to step on your toes or change a > good working system, if you've got one...but a couple of years ago I > wrote a "how to maintenance source fours" type report for a client. We > deal with hundreds of them from a rental shop perspective, and the > maintenance-ing of them is a common occurrence for us here. If you > would find it useful, I'd be happy to send it to you if I can find it. > > Abby > > -----Original Message----- > From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Jason > Cowperthwaite > Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 2:30 PM > To: Stagecraft > Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... > > > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Actually, someone from ETC already jumped on it. I unfortunately am not > able to sit in a call stack right now, so I was hoping(and did) find a > kind soul who was willing to help out a fellow lister. > > thanks though! > > Jason > > On 5/24/06, Greg Persinger wrote: > > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > > > > Jason, > > > > Just call ETC and ask them for the information. They will be glad to > > help you. > > > > Greg Persinger > > > > > > on 5/24/06 12:40 PM, Jason Cowperthwaite at jasonclights [at] gmail.com > > wrote: > > > > > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > Hey... if anyone has a copy of the user manual /assembly guide for > > > the 1994 dated source 4 ERS's , could you please email me off list? > > > > Even better, if there is an ETC rep on the list, I could use some > > > off list help. > > > > > > > > > Thanks! > > > > > > > > > Jason Cowperthwaite > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Olllld source 4's... Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:02:01 -0400 Message-ID: From: "Salvatori, Jason" >but a couple of years ago I wrote a "how to maintenance source=20 >fours" type report for a client. Abby, I'd love to get a copy of that too if you find it! jason.salvatori [at] vaughan.ca Jason Salvatori Technical Director City Playhouse Phone: 905-326-7469 Fax: 905-882-7949 _________________________________________________________________________= _ This e-mail, including any attachment(s), may be confidential and is = intended solely for the attention and information of the named = addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient or have received = this message in error, please notify me immediately by return e-mail and = permanently delete the original transmission from your computer, = including any attachment(s). Any unauthorized distribution, disclosure = or copying of this message and attachment(s) by anyone other than the = recipient is strictly prohibited. ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20060524122435.00d5c058 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 12:24:35 From: CB Subject: Re: Taiko Drums >I could hear the high pitched whistle of flyback transformers in video >monitors. People still don't believe that I can hear it, much less identify the sound as the flyback transformer. I can tell if the SM desk is left on when we walk out if I can hear the monitors. Ditto for the pit monitors, and in the TV studio I used to work in. I'm archiving this e-mail as future evidence. You may get some phone calls, too. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20060524123132.00d3bb78 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 12:31:32 From: CB Subject: Re: noise level and frequency... was Re: Taiko Drums >> How is the sound pressure affected by different instruments? >> A double bass say versus a violin >> Just off the top of my head, I think 105db from the low end >> of a double bass would be easier to handle for three seconds >> than the high end of a violin. >It might even loosen your bowels! That would need to be in the neighborhood of seven to fifteen Hertz, and at SPL that would be economically unfesable for most folk. As far as how a violin compares to a double bass, take a look at OSHA's chart . Just find the freq in question, and for any given other freq is show the 'relative' SPL when A weighted, or as interpreted by a machine to act like a human response. Before you whip out your Rat Shack meter and point it threateningly at the sound guy du jour, you may want to know what it is that you're saying to him. We tend to know just a little bit about sound, a bit about hearing protection, and a few nasty tricks to play in folk that revere power over kowledge. I will admit, however, that there are far too many people out there posing as sound engineers that know little about little, and think that louder is better. I'll help you beat them. So, a bit about the OSHA regs. Go here First, your audience isn't really covered. This is for workers who are exposed to high level sounds on a daily basis, week in and week out. Second, it says, in big little letters, 'A-weighted', and 'continuous'. Their definition of continuous notwithstanding, very little in entertainment sound is continuous. Anyone that has heard the soundguy 'Pink' the room knows continuous. Third, look at 1910.95(d)(2)(ii). It says that the monitoring equipment needs to be calibrated. Be careful of which doors you open, Pandora. Fourth, if you whip out your Rat Shack meter, and this guy counters with his Bruel and Kjaer, you have to go by his meter just on principle. For the same reason that he's using his Cadac J-eries and not your in-house Allen and Heath. According to the chart, you could *average* 100 dBA for two hours and still be in the accptable range. My guess is that if you are getting 110 dB peaks, your average is far closer to your noise floor than you think. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:29:36 -0400 From: Stephen Litterst Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... In-reply-to: Message-id: <4474B420.4060200 [at] ithaca.edu> References: Salvatori, Jason wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > >> but a couple of years ago I wrote a "how to maintenance source >> fours" type report for a client. > > Abby, I'd love to get a copy of that too if you find it! > > jason.salvatori [at] vaughan.ca Me Too! Abby, could you turn it into a .pdf and maybe Noah could throw it in the gallery on the website? Sounds like it would be pretty useful for all to have. Steve L. -- Stephen Litterst Technical Supervisor Ithaca College, Theatre Arts 607.274.3947 slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:40:15 -0400 From: "Brian Munroe" Cc: peter [at] scheuconsulting.com Subject: Re: What caused this cable damage? In-Reply-To: References:

On 5/24/06, Peter Scheu wrote: > I'm still trying to wrap my brain around a 3,000 lb capacity, 5 HP motor, > double arbor system for a set of legs. > > Can someone please clarify why this system needs to be so butch? It is a set of legs that weight 3000 pounds. Not a 150# set of legs installed on a 3000# capacity set. They are hard covered scenic legs with a lot of applique on them. Why a 5hp winch? Well, that is the stock winch from this particular shop. They use to use 3hp DC, but when they changed to AC motors some years ago they went with 5hp motors. Would a 2hp or 3hp winch work? Maybe. The shops are given parameters during the bid process and they spec the appropriate sized winch, based on speed requirements and shop-estimated weights . This particular piece was probably spec'ed at 3 feet per second, although we do not move it that fast. Our deck tracks are all 5hp as well, and one flying piece (8000#) is a 10hp winch. Sometimes it depends on what the shop has in stock, although that is not a good reason to have a winch stronger then you need. During tech we added a step unit into the house aisle from the stage, that retracts under the apron. Because of the time constraints and what was available at the shop, we ended up with a 5hp winch pushing a 50 pound staircase. The winch frame is bigger then the step unit! Yes, it has safety pressure tape to stop it if there are toes in the way. Bill S- The headblocks are correctly grooved for 1/4" hauling lines. Loren - Good idea, we will check the current draw on the drive. Delbert, Bill S - The piece has one top pipe, or rather one top flat truss, that runs back to 2 headblocks and arbors. There are no arbors hanging out without cables attached to them. The hauling line is attached to only one arbor, so there is potential for some binding there. We did notice a slightly turned shoe at the top of one of the arbors, so maybe that bound up when the piece starting moving. Clive - The cables that were damaged run back to the top of a common arbor. I am leaning towards the problem being on the arbor side as opposed to the piece itself fouling or being hung-up. I agree with Delbert that replacing the cables is treating the symptom and not the root problem. Until we can find the reason for the problem all we can do is replace the cables and monitor the situation. This piece has run for almost 4 years without this problem showing itself. Of course I probably just tempted Mr. Murphy. We will continue to look for the cause of the shock load - check the arbors, t-track, blocks, winch, etc. We will examine the speed ramps of the out cues (which is when this happened) and keep looking until we find something. But it is possible that we may never find the real cause of the problem. It is the unknown causes of these issues that keep people awake at night. Thanks again everyone. Brian Munroe bpmunroe [at] gmail.com ------------------------------ Subject: Victorian upright piano shell needed! (MD/VA/DE area) Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:45:58 -0400 Message-ID: <071168C3EF37C34580207EB53478A0F732C7D3 [at] stage.OTC.local> In-Reply-To: From: "Dre Suchoski" Hello everyone! I am on the search for a Victorian upright piano shell for an upcoming produciton of Hedda Gabler. It wants to look lovely, but be extremely lightweight (it has to be moved for a scene change, and not at intermission) and no time or crew to build it, of course. I have also put the call out to the SPAM folks, with not much luck. Anyone willing to help out a lady in need? Thanks in advance! Dre Suchoski, Properties Supervisor/Artisan Olney Theatre Center 2001 Olney Sandy Spring Road Olney, MD 20832 shop: 301.924.4485 x122 ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20060524130016.00d3bb78 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:00:16 From: CB Subject: Loud Shows/Headset Isolation (Was:Re: Taiko Drums) >"cup-your-hands-and-yell-directly-into-a-coworker's-ear-and-still-not-be-= >heard" Oddly enough, if your co-worker were to lightly close his ear by pressing a finger on the... hmmm, how do I explain this without referring to Grey's?... the little flap at the mouth of the opening of the ear canal. Follow the Helix to the Helical Crest, er the curly part of the ear to where it meets the face, and not the lobe. This will allow your friend to hear you yeling without damaging his hearing more, and without pain. DAMHIKIJK. > This experience was frustrating enough that I'm considering buying a = >personal headset - can anyone recommend a com that has muffs with good = >room isolation and a mic with good noise cancellation? Short of wearing = >a helmet ala a helicopter pilot, I'm not sure what else to do.=20 You're a bit closer than you think, Randy, I actually use the mic from a helicopter pilot's helmet, and have attached it to a pair of cans that I liked the feel of and could hear out of really well. They broke, and I turned them into my personal com. The mic, an old EV thing that is still in use today in some form, is a noise-cancelling mic, so it doesn't get too much 'new' information that doens't originate right in front of it every time I key it. Go to ebay and search for 'helicoptor pilot headset'. There are some DC H10-76's with the newer version of the EV mic, and some boast 22dB ov noise reductions. It'd be really easy to adapt these for theatrical use, and the used kit from ebay will definately be cheaper than an equivalent product sold for theatrical use. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-ID: <3437.205.215.254.25.1148500985.squirrel [at] webmail.peak.org> In-Reply-To: References:

Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:03:05 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Elevator Doors From: "Bill Nelson" > When I did "How to Succeed" I made the elevators open to one side only. > The > 'door" was in two parts. The "lead "door pushed or pulled the "following" > door. Quite simple... no ropes, pulleys, etc. Yep, and it can be done in at several ways. You can have the lead door open as far as the second door, then both open the remaining distance. You now have a choice for closing. You can have the lead door go half way closed, then the second door follows - or you can have both doors move at the same rate until the second door is closed, then the lead door goes the rest of the way. You can have both doors open and close evenly, like you see in modern elevators. This can be done with a slotted linkage between the doors. Bill ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20060524131639.00d3bb78 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:16:39 From: CB Subject: Re: Taiko Drums >When you are surrounded by them all day at work, your brain just tunes them >out. It is a very narrow notch filter, because you can still hear one that has >lost lock. Thank you, Frank, for bringing this up. I'd like to explain, using this example, the difference between humans and sound guys. We don't do this. We have trained all the filters away. We can't ignore the three conversations going on around us, we never stop hearing the whine of the FBTXFMR's, we can't sleep with that damn watch ticking, or the ME snoring, no, we won't sleep on the plane, and yes, your dog annoys us at five in the morning when he barks incessantly when you turn him out. This is why the sound guys say "WHAT!?!?" Its not that we've blown our hearing out, its that we can't discern what you've said from all of the other sounds occuring in the same 'soundscape' as our conversation. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20060524131937.00d3bb78 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:19:37 From: CB Subject: More uses for LEDs "Even while you're driving!" Riiiiiiight... Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Subject: DC Motors Message-ID: From: John Stahrr Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 16:14:20 -0400 I am looking for info on DC motors and controllers for use with a turntable I am modifying for an upcoming show here in the fall. I want to swap out a 3/4 HP capacitance start AC motor with no speed control to a larger DC motor with similar or greater torque ratings. I am using a boat hoist motor/gear assembly that I originally built, but need to modify for speed control and ease of hitting cues. I also need to figure out how to either find or build a speed controller and some kind of feedback device to stop the turntable at specific points. I have a limited budget for the project, under 2k. Does anyone have any ideas for stock components or any good home-grown ideas? Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated. John P.Stahrr, Technical Director Harold & Sylvia Greenberg Theatre American University ------------------------------ Message-ID: <3453.205.215.254.25.1148502007.squirrel [at] webmail.peak.org> In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:20:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! From: "Bill Nelson" > I've often wondered. UK ones are simply a length of 1" x 1/4" mild steel > bar, > bent into a sort of G shape. It secures to the pipe with a wing bolt, and > the > lantern to it with a bolt and wing nut. No wrenches needed, and nearly > unbreakable. I doubt if it would hold position unless the instrument is mounted pretty close to its balance point. This could be overcome if the wing bolt has a pointed end to dig into the pipe. Bill ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 16:20:59 -0400 From: Stephen Litterst Subject: Re: Taiko Drums In-reply-to: Message-id: <4474C02B.5010401 [at] ithaca.edu> References: CB wrote: > --------------------------------------------------- > We have trained all the filters away. We can't ignore the three > conversations going on around us, we never stop hearing the whine of the > FBTXFMR's, we can't sleep with that damn watch ticking, or the ME snoring, I don't snore, that's the scroller fans you're hearing. :-D Steve L. -- Stephen Litterst Technical Supervisor Ithaca College, Theatre Arts 607.274.3947 slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 16:21:16 -0400 From: "Brian Munroe" Subject: Re: Taiko Drums In-Reply-To: References: On Wed, 24 May 2006 13:16:39, CB wrote: > I'd like to explain, using this > example, the difference between humans and sound guys. Oh, so THATS the difference! Thanks for clearing that up for us. And for asking for it with that explanation. Brian Munroe bpmunroe [at] gmail.com ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20060524135706.00d3bb78 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:57:06 From: CB Subject: PC/VGA to TV >-Most of my presenters put too much text on each slide >so the image must be clear. >-Must have composite out, either BNC or RCA. These two are going to have a tendency to be mutually exclusive. >-I only plan on using it with an LCD projector. And >yes I know that I can hook up the computer right to >the projector but I am trying to get hardware off the >edge of the stage. Wouldn't a long VGA extension do that? And also preserve the RGB seperation that makes the image so clear? All the rest of the solutions, short of a Sony DSC-1024 scan converter, will give you a less-than image. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20060524212008.51288.qmail [at] web81804.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 14:20:08 -0700 (PDT) From: Subject: Re: PC/VGA to TV In-Reply-To: I have thought of that but I have not found a drawing that shows me where I have empty conduit to pull a line from the booth to down center. Ken Z --- CB wrote: > > Wouldn't a long VGA extension do that? And also > preserve the RGB > seperation that makes the image so clear? > All the rest of the solutions, short of a Sony > DSC-1024 scan converter, > will give you a less-than image. > Chris "Chris" Babbie > Location Sound > MON AZ > > Delete key training and post trimming done by > appointment. Rates > negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD > treatment... > ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 17:33:16 -0400 From: "Delbert Hall" Subject: Re: What caused this cable damage? In-Reply-To: References:

Brian, You said that the truss is lifted by seven cables - correct? Three go to one arbor and four to the second arbor - correct? You said that the three cables that were damages were all terminated on the same arbor. Was this the arbor with three or four cables? If four cables are attach to this arbor, what is the fourth cable (you have said that #1 (long), #3, and #4 are attached to this arbor)? The fact that all of the damaged cables were connected to the same arbor does seem to be telling us something. Which arbor is the haul line attached to - the one where the damage occured or the other? How are the arbors attached to each other? Have to checked to see if anything here is bent or loose, or might overwise indicate some undue stress? I agree with your assesment that something (probably the arbor) on that lineset could have bound and then broke free causing a shockload to the system, and the damaged cables. Since the cables are under greater stress where the bend, this would explain why the cables were damage at the point where they passed around the headblock's sheave). I do not think the ramp speed is the cause of the problem. I think it is more likely an issue with the t-bar track or arbor guide. I also agree that you may never really be certain what really happened - which I am sure will drive you crazy. Good luck. -Delbert --=20 Delbert L. Hall ZFX Flying Director Phone: 714-585-7070 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 17:37:34 -0400 From: PatrickMcCreary Subject: Re: DC Motors In-reply-to: Message-id: <6.1.2.0.0.20060524172033.019a6bb0 [at] incoming.verizon.net> References: At 04:14 PM 2006-05-24, John P.Stahrr wrote: >For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see >--------------------------------------------------- > >I am looking for info on DC motors and controllers for use with a >turntable I am modifying for an upcoming show here in the fall. Grainger makes a nice series of 180VDC variable-speed constant-torque motors for $750.00 - $1,000.00; I use one with my t-table, have had it for 18 years. > I also need to figure out how to >either find or build a speed controller Their matching controller goes for about $450.00 - had one for 15 years, needed to replace it after someone rented it and wire it backwards - elsewise, never a problem. > and some kind of feedback device to stop the turntable at specific points. There are any number of ways of doing this, most of which depend on the gear rations and the specific mechanics of the drive. > I have a limited budget for the >project, under 2k. Does anyone have any ideas for stock components or any >good home-grown ideas? I use a 3.10 X 5 pneumatic tire against the edge of the disk, mounted on a gear reducer that has a high enough reduction ratio to act as a brake - the controller can be adjusted to brake the motor. Good luck - let me know if you need anything else. Patrick ------------------------------ Message-ID: <84c790f30605241442x5d4b7070s8b12348bfcc3fc34 [at] mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 17:42:12 -0400 From: "Shawn King" Subject: Re: Olllld source 4's... In-Reply-To: References: Hi Abby, I would love this also. It would be a great thing to give to my interns. Thanks, Shawn King On 5/24/06, Abby Downing wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Also, I'm most certainly not trying to step on your toes or change a > good working system, if you've got one...but a couple of years ago I > wrote a "how to maintenance source fours" type report for a client. We > deal with hundreds of them from a rental shop perspective, and the > maintenance-ing of them is a common occurrence for us here. If you > would find it useful, I'd be happy to send it to you if I can find it. > > Abby ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <434.216c703.31a632b5 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:05:41 EDT Subject: Re: Loud Shows/Headset Isolation (Was:Re: Taiko Drums) In a message dated 24/05/06 20:54:15 GMT Daylight Time, psyd [at] cox.net writes: > You're a bit closer than you think, Randy, I actually use the mic from a > helicopter pilot's helmet, and have attached it to a pair of cans that I > liked the feel of and could hear out of really well. They broke, and I > turned them into my personal com. The mic, an old EV thing that is still > in use today in some form, is a noise-cancelling mic, so it doesn't get too > much 'new' information that doens't originate right in front of it every > time I key it. Go to ebay and search for 'helicoptor pilot headset'. There > are some DC H10-76's with the newer version of the EV mic, and some boast > 22dB ov noise reductions. It'd be really easy to adapt these for > theatrical use, and the used kit from ebay will definately be cheaper than > an equivalent product sold for theatrical use. The ultimate noise-cancelling microphone is the BBC's type L2. It was designed back in the thirties for sports commentaries. It is not practical for more normal use, as there is a shaped bar on the housing which needs pressed to your upper lip. And, moreover, it is a ribbon microphone. But I still see them in use, 70 and more years after they were designed. Somebody got it right! Frank Wood ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 23:13:01 +0100 (BST) From: Charlie Richmond Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References:

On Wed, 24 May 2006, Jerry Durand wrote: > And typing too fast on Windows leads to missed characters (never understood I have a Toshiba notebook on which if you type too fast and hit certain key combos, it instantly shuts the computer off - bang!!! no wait - and it of course comes up saying Windows did not shut down properly etc etc.... using an external keyboard solves this so that's why the keyboard on my computer is 'untouched' *g* Charlie ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <41a.228d0f8.31a634cc [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:14:36 EDT Subject: Re: Taiko Drums In a message dated 24/05/06 21:21:54 GMT Daylight Time, slitterst [at] ithaca.edu writes: > I don't snore, that's the scroller fans you're hearing. :-D Seriously, that can be a harder problem. Even, regular snoring you can tune out. Variable, irregular snoring is a lot harder. It's a problem I have. Frank Wood ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <434.217bc40.31a63786 [at] aol.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:26:14 EDT Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! In a message dated 24/05/06 21:24:45 GMT Daylight Time, billn [at] peak.org writes: > I doubt if it would hold position unless the instrument is mounted pretty > close to its balance point. This could be overcome if the wing bolt has a > pointed end to dig into the pipe. The top centre of the yoke is good enough for me. I know that is a US custom to rig lanterns sideways on booms. This mut put large, and inappropriate, stresses into the clamps. Cast Iron is good at compression, and weak in tension. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 23:22:55 +0100 From: Clive Mitchell Subject: Re: What caused this cable damage? References:

In-Reply-To: In message , Brian Munroe writes >It is the unknown causes of these issues that keep people awake at night. Tell me about it! It's a major relief if you can pin the weird fault down, but no comfort at all if you can't. -- Clive Mitchell http://www.bigclive.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:36:58 -0400 Subject: Re: Auditorium Draw Pipe From: "Curtis L. Mortimore" Message-ID: Will, I asked an almost identical question some weeks back. I saved all of the responses from the list and can forward the word document to you if you like. Unfortunately for me my long run from our FOH to the pit got the =B3not-a-chance=B2 from Facilities Planning and Maintenance. The campus electrical engineer approached the staff at the 3500 seat road house on the other side of the wall from our theatre to see how they handled it. Though = I haven=B9t yet had time to to go see it for myself, they apparently have some type of cable path or draw pipe and have extreme difficulty getting touring shows to use it. The tour=B9s rational being =B3We don=B9t know what=B9s down there= , and we ain=B9t pullin our stuff through there.=B2 Which seems reasonable. However if it=B9s =B3my=B2 theatre and I=B9m the one sticking cable in it I would think it would be quite handy and allow for easy modifications to our systems. Once they nixed that idea we compromised and I managed to get the= m to install short runs through the proscenium wall into the SR and SL alcove= s and into the dimmer vault so we will be able to solve some of our problems. I also have them coming in later this month to help sort out the collection of wire and conduit already going in every direction to sort out what it is and how functional it may be... or not. Once we have done this the Electrical Engineer and I will sit down again to review the findings and draft a proposal for a new installed system. They don=B9t seen to mind drilling holes all over the place and creating dizzying conduit creations..= . As long as they know what is in each conduit. I hope we get something that more adequately serves our current needs. Good luck and let me know if you would like to see my compilation. --=20 Curtis L. Mortimore Technical Director Ball State University Department of Theatre and Dance Muncie, IN 47306 ------------------------------ Message-ID: <87e6786e0605241622w142e9f4bvb03464fe572731fe [at] mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:22:42 -0500 From: "John Penisten" Subject: Re: PC/VGA to TV In-Reply-To: References:

So does that mean that you have cable already pulled for video? I certainly don't want to second guess Chris's suggestion ;) but there are decent scan converters that are less than the Sony but better than the Focus Enhancements/Rat Shack variety. I have used and liked the Kramer products, which are pretty reasonably priced, for instance. They have a variety of options: http://www.kramerelectronics.com/indexes/index.asp?type=3D7 Do you have Cat5 between the booth and deck? If so video baluns might be an option. Intelix is one manufacturer whose products I have used with success, there are many others. For more information, take a look at: http://www.intelix.com/products/balun.htm In the interest of full disclosure; I work for Full Compass, a dealer of the above mentioned products, however I am not in sales and have nothing to gain by recommending any of these products, or any others. I run our rental and production shop and have the opportunity to "play" with a wide variety of gear. The opinions and suggestions are my own and do not in any way reflect those of my employer. My .02, may or may not be worth any more than that, John > > I have thought of that but I have not found a drawing > that shows me where I have empty conduit to pull a > line from the booth to down center. > > Ken Z > --- CB wrote: > > > > > Wouldn't a long VGA extension do that? And also > > preserve the RGB > > seperation that makes the image so clear? > > All the rest of the solutions, short of a Sony > > DSC-1024 scan converter, > > will give you a less-than image. ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "RD" Subject: RE: elephants - steeds. et al Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:13:03 -0600 Message-ID: <00a301c67f8f$fe95d140$c083c447 [at] doom1> In-Reply-To: Yes. And I was hired by the city to inspect it before it opened .... some day you can talk to me off line, so I can get the white bag. Doom -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of IAEG [at] aol.com Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 12:54 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: elephants - steeds. et al For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 5/24/06 2:49:30 PM, psyd [at] cox.net writes: << We did a stick pony in front of a... what do you scenic guys call those things that are painted scenery on two rollers that travels from one roller to another to give the illusion of the person-holding-a-stick-pony-in-front-of-it moving?... one of those. It was definately not a comedy, but this was definately funny. The audience forgave us for not having a horse because we entertained them. They roared when the 'return trip' consisted of the roller-cyc contraption being wound the other way. If your budget allows you to do anything that you want and elephants or horses ar ecalled for an it makes the play better and you can do it with the time you have, safely and properly, yeah, sure, why not? If you can't, well, you shouldn't. >> There was a HUGE commercial stage production of BEN HUR done a few years ago in ORLANDO, a group of christian investors had hoped to turn it into a long term run / tourist attraction at the difficult to produce in theatre at the Orange Co Convention Center. Needless to say it had a short run and ended in lawsuits, etc. From what I heard, the "faux" chariot race was one of the more un intentionally hilarious stage moments of the last decade. best regards, Keith Arsenault International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, FL ------------------------------ From: "ladesigners [at] juno.com" Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 01:26:57 GMT Subject: Re: elephants Message-Id: <20060524.182739.6600.5642 [at] webmail30.lax.untd.com> Dear Chris, I considered your comments, and I feel that I really must respond. _________ I wrote: > if Brunhilda needs a steed as living prop, as any respectable Valkyrie= would, you just have to come up with one. The audience expects nothing = less when they are paying hundreds of dollars per seat. ____________ You replied: Richard, I always respect your contributions to the list, so this surpri= sed me. I made the statement that I wouldn't compromise safety for snaz= zy, and you responded with what seems to be, "then you aren't being resp= onsible to your audience". = ####True, except that safety is never compromised for ticket sales. ___________________ We usually don't get any say over the budget, or how much of it we can p= ut toward livestock and trainers, and even if we could, I think that rea= lism can be taken too far. = ####As the Producer, I do have a say over the budget, and how much is sp= ent where. The Designers that I choose to work with are very influential= in determining the extent of realism found in our productions and they = work hard to create the atmosphere that they feel is necessary to preser= ve their artistic integrity and support the other elements of the produc= tion. = _________________________________ Hey, if I need a sunrise for two lovers to watch, I ain't gonna book the= superstar Sol. I'm gonna get the lighting guys to trick 'em. My bet i= s that they're not really going to be fooled, but they're gonna allow yo= u to fool 'em anyways, just 'cause its 'funner'. We did a stick pony in front of a... what do you scenic guys call those = things that are painted scenery on two rollers that travels from one rol= ler to another to give the illusion of the person-holding-a-stick-pony-in-front-of-it moving?... one of those. It was definately not a comedy, but this was definately funny. The audience forgave us for not having a horse because we entertained them. = They roared when the 'return trip' consisted of the roller-cyc contrapti= on being wound the other way. #### A stick pony would hardly be an acceptable alternative to an audien= ce member who just paid $10,000 for airfare, food, lodging, and tickets = to the four operas that make up the RING cycle in Bayreuth. ________________________ = If your budget allows you to do anything that you want and elephants or = horses ar ecalled for an it makes the play better and you can do it with= the time you have, safely and properly, yeah, sure, why not? If you ca= n't, well, you shouldn't. #### If the investors want to pay for living props, they will normally g= et what they pay for within the bounds of safety. ______________________ Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1069.205.215.255.46.1148521314.squirrel [at] webmail.peak.org> In-Reply-To: References: Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:41:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Can Falls Down, Goes Boom... on Reporter's Head! From: "Bill Nelson" > The top centre of the yoke is good enough for me. I know that is a US > custom > to rig lanterns sideways on booms. This mut put large, and inappropriate, > stresses into the clamps. Cast Iron is good at compression, and weak in > tension. Yes, we often top hang or side hang lanterns on battens - and side hanging instruments on booms is also common, especially in the wings. Bill ------------------------------ Message-ID: <44752598.5020206 [at] sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 22:33:44 -0500 From: Kenneth Zinkl Subject: Re: PC/VGA to TV References:

In-Reply-To: Yes, I actually have 33 separate video lines that all run back to the booth. I can't think of what I would do with 33 different lines yet. Any suggestions? John Penisten wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > So does that mean that you have cable already pulled for video? ------------------------------ Message-ID: <44752A2F.6020903 [at] audiovisualdevices.com.au> Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 13:53:19 +1000 From: David Duffy Subject: Re: PC/VGA to TV References:

In-Reply-To: Kenneth Zinkl wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Yes, I actually have 33 separate video lines that all run back to the > booth. I can't think of what I would do with 33 different lines yet. > Any suggestions? How about go from HD15 PC connector down separate video lines (RGBHV) and back to HD15 at projector? David... -- ___________________________________________ David Duffy Audio Visual Devices P/L Unit 8, 10 Hook St, Capalaba 4157 Australia Ph: +61 7 38235717 Fax: +61 7 38234717 Our Web Site: www.audiovisualdevices.com.au ___________________________________________ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <1190.205.215.255.194.1148532860.squirrel [at] webmail.peak.org> In-Reply-To: References:

Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 21:54:20 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: PC/VGA to TV From: "Bill Nelson" > How about go from HD15 PC connector down separate video lines (RGBHV) > and back to HD15 at projector? When I was responsible for the video systems at a local corporation, I had to get audio and composite video signals from the satellite head end to the distribution rack. I used fiber optics to do so, one transmitter and receiver for each channel. They were quite inexpensive - about $300 each box (if I recall correctly). Sorry, I don't recall the brand name. Fiber has plenty of bandwidth. There should be something similar for high resolution PC images. There may even be boxes that will send it over video cable. Bill ------------------------------ End of Stagecraft Digest #821 *****************************