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Double Drop Clamps


AndyJones

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Hello Guys,

 

I need to hang a mac, due to the current place were the bars are I need to lower it about a metre or so, and ordinary drop clap is not long enough, so I was going to use two drop clamps on to a bit of scaff, and then too more drop clamps onto another bit of scaff, the clamps I'm planning on using have loops on the back for safety's, and I was going to safety both bits of scaff and the mac. can any one see any problems with this or suggest any easier ways of doing this?

 

I can see this being copared to using lots of 4 way extension blocks when working in electrics, but at the same time it seems perfectly safe to double drop clamp.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

 

If this doesn't make any sence I will go into paint and make a diagram......

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Simpler solution, TV Hook Clamp, Adjustable Drop Arm, Single Fix Mac Bracket (find a TV hire co for one) then you can have the Mac at any height you want.

 

Alternatively keep playing with scaff... nowt wrong with doing it that way...

 

Regards

 

Tim

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  • 2 weeks later...

The thing to watch out for is the SWL of the clamps.

Double-ended hook clamps have a rather low SWL, so the additional weight of the extra scaff pole and second set of clamps may take you closer to the SWL than you'd like.

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How about some long C clamps? (I have about 8 in my rig right now) they are avalible in bigger sizes, havent measured mine, but they are a similar length to using 2 normal sized ones in the way you describe.

 

I'm assuming you mean C clamps. (or double hook clamps, or what ever people call them!)

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  • 1 year later...

Hi,

No one has posted in this topic for a while but it was left open... We are facing a similar problem -Andy Jones, did you find a solution last year? Does anyone else have any ideas about how to lower the height of scaff using Double-ended hook clamps?

 

We have some hook clamps from Doughty, the 600mm ones (T20710). They apparently have a SWL of 40KG. This may seem like a bit of a silly question, but if we used two of these clamps on a piece of scaff, would it raise the SWL to 80kg as the weight would be distributed over two?

 

I noticed that Andy said he would 'safety both bits of scaff and the mac'. How would everyone go about doing this? Could you drill small holes in each end of the scaff and attach safety bonds to it? (I would have thought this would damage it's structure, similar to a piece of truss, and it's SWL would drop?)

How about the lanterns? Would you just safety bond these to the scaff or would you try and safety bond these to the main lighting bar from which the scaff is hanging? Can you get safety bonds this long?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Joel Burden

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Tim hit the nail on the head with this thread.

 

TV Hook Clamp, Adjustable Drop Arm, Single Fix Mac Bracket

 

If you've never seen one I'll take a picture of one next time I'm at work.

 

Try a hire company that regularly supplies tv studios.

 

James

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...We have some hook clamps from Doughty, the 600mm ones (T20710). They apparently have a SWL of 40KG. This may seem like a bit of a silly question, but if we used two of these clamps on a piece of scaff, would it raise the SWL to 80kg as the weight would be distributed over two?

Yes, thats how it works. Provided the load is evenly distrubuted over the two clamps. And assuming you are adding secondary suspentions.

 

I noticed that Andy said he would 'safety both bits of scaff and the mac'. How would everyone go about doing this? Could you drill small holes in each end of the scaff and attach safety bonds to it? (I would have thought this would damage it's structure, similar to a piece of truss, and it's SWL would drop?)

How about the lanterns? Would you just safety bond these to the scaff or would you try and safety bond these to the main lighting bar from which the scaff is hanging? Can you get safety bonds this long?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Joel Burden

 

I have seen the drilling thing done, but its not something I would do myself as I have no idea how much it reduces the strength of the pipe.

If possible I would use a sutible clamp (of the type that has bolts either side on the pipe holding it together) and safety from that, arranging the safetys so they are linked to ensure the mac safety can't slide off. As for long safetys, if you have ones with the right rating, just link them together. So long as you minimise slack!.. You can also make up steels to the right length and use them... But only if you are competent to do so!

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