Topic: Clamp-aholics. The ultimate clamping and rigging team thread

[F.O.Bean]

What caused this clamp to break?  I wouldn't expect a metal clamp to break unless maybe it fell on a concrete floor.

A stupid designer was the root cause.  Anyone can see there is insufficient inside corner radius at the fracture site ---- huge stress riser, fracture waiting to happen.

This, the stand never fell, it was just the normal stress of tightening the section.

Same here. My Lowel half pole never hit the ground either. Just tightened it a hair too much

Digi-Gal, did you just get ahold of Lowel directly? Or did you go through where you bought the stand to get the replacement

[capnhook]

Sure, it won't fall, because it is all wedged-up and tightened.  Stuff's not supposed to prematurely fail when it has proper design, which is the point I'm trying to make.

Did Lowel re-design the clamp, or do they continue to re-supply junk that will again hit the landfull too soon?

[F.O.Bean]

Sure, it won't fall, because it is all wedged-up and tightened.  Stuff's not supposed to prematurely fail when it has proper design, which is the point I'm trying to make.

Did Lowel re-design the clamp, or do they continue to re-supply junk that will again hit the landfull too soon?

Its a shame too, because other than the poorly designed clamps, they are quality poles/stands

[DigiGal]

What caused this clamp to break?  I wouldn't expect a metal clamp to break unless maybe it fell on a concrete floor.

A stupid designer was the root cause.  Anyone can see there is insufficient inside corner radius at the fracture site ---- huge stress riser, fracture waiting to happen.

This, the stand never fell, it was just the normal stress of tightening the section.

Same here. My Lowel half pole never hit the ground either. Just tightened it a hair too much

Digi-Gal, did you just get ahold of Lowel directly? Or did you go through where you bought the stand to get the replacement

Here you go Bean - http://lowel.tiffen.com/parts.html  You can buy parts directly from Lowell or through authorized dealer.  Everything you need you can get from the link.

No the part is not improved, they've had a history of clamps breaking and while the newer clamps have changed a bit in the last couple of decades they are still prone to failure.

Overall Lowell stands aren't bad but they are not indestructible and there are certainly other options out there that can meet the task equally as well or even better!

[F.O.Bean]

What caused this clamp to break?  I wouldn't expect a metal clamp to break unless maybe it fell on a concrete floor.

A stupid designer was the root cause.  Anyone can see there is insufficient inside corner radius at the fracture site ---- huge stress riser, fracture waiting to happen.

This, the stand never fell, it was just the normal stress of tightening the section.

Same here. My Lowel half pole never hit the ground either. Just tightened it a hair too much

Digi-Gal, did you just get ahold of Lowel directly? Or did you go through where you bought the stand to get the replacement

Here you go Bean - http://lowel.tiffen.com/parts.html  You can buy parts directly from Lowell or through authorized dealer.  Everything you need you can get from the link.

No the part is not improved, they've had a history of clamps breaking and while the newer clamps have changed a bit in the last couple of decades they are still prone to failure.

Overall Lowell stands aren't bad but they are not indestructible and there are certainly other options out there that can meet the task equally as well or even better!

Thanks a LOT DigiGal But I'm unsure if I need part 3004 or 3005 Do you remember which one you ordered to replace the clamp? Thanks in advance For $9.00, i surely don't want to order the wrong part I'm 99.9999% sure I need 3005, correct?

TIA,
Bean

[StarkRavingCalm]

Agreed with everything page has to say regarding safety cables.  The only thing I'd add is, if they still make them, you might want to see if you can find cables with a plastic/vinyl/rubber coating like what you find on tool handles rather than the exposed braided steel.  Not that it's guaranteed to happen, but they're less likely to mar up the surface of whatever you have to attach them to.  I picked up a few of the coated ones at B&H years ago but couldn't find them now when I took a quick look online.

Does anyone know where to get the cables Fried Chicken Boy speaks of?
I'd like to get some safety cables for future balcony clamping but don't want to scratch any thing up in the process.

[voltronic]

I'm considering picking up a 099B pole to clamp onto a balcony rail in an auditorium.  What I'm wondering is if the super clamp holds tight enough where I can cantilever the pole out from the balcony at a 45° angle.  I've been quite impressed with how strong the clamp holds, but in this case I'm wondering if I would be asking too much of it given the torsional stress.  Anyone have experience doing this?

[ScoobieKW]

I use my 099b/superclamp combo at 0, 45 and 90 degree orientations with Busman BSC1.

I do refrain from fully extending the pole when using it as a boom.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

Agreed with everything page has to say regarding safety cables.  The only thing I'd add is, if they still make them, you might want to see if you can find cables with a plastic/vinyl/rubber coating like what you find on tool handles rather than the exposed braided steel.  Not that it's guaranteed to happen, but they're less likely to mar up the surface of whatever you have to attach them to.  I picked up a few of the coated ones at B&H years ago but couldn't find them now when I took a quick look online.

Does anyone know where to get the cables Fried Chicken Boy speaks of?
I'd like to get some safety cables for future balcony clamping but don't want to scratch any thing up in the process.

Wow, that's an old post!   I haven't seen the coated safety cables at B&H or other shops I frequent in at least 3-4 years.  Guessing there weren't enough people asking for them?  A few PVC-coated ones did turn up in a Google search, with the first link maybe being a little more in line with our hobby (and I think they're the ones I have):

http://www.musson.com/safety-cable-30-black-pvc-coated.html

http://www.iboats.com/Garelick-Heavy-Duty-Motor-Safety-Cable/dm/cart_id.599243056--session_id.670190673--view_id.38013

As a few alternatives, you could also buy the cables that people use for locking up their bicycles (perhaps a little too thick or long) and add your own carabiner,  or coat the bare steel cable yourself in something like Plasti Dip. > http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip

[fobstl]

I have these safety cables from B&H and they seem to work well:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/32222-REG/Lowel_CM_50_Safety_Cable.html

[voltronic]

I use my 099b/superclamp combo at 0, 45 and 90 degree orientations with Busman BSC1.

I do refrain from fully extending the pole when using it as a boom.

Good to know - thanks.

[voltronic]

I remember reading this thread a while back about using paracord since it's so strong.  Although if you read through the thread Chris make a quite strenuous point that it's a bad idea when you think of what might happen in a fire.
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=163695.msg2051301

Never having tried it, my inclination is to use both.  Steel safety cable around main rig and pipe or whatever you're clamping to.  But the paracord would allow you to take strain off the rig when cantilevered out as in the pics in the first post of that thread which I think is a neat idea.  In the event the paracord burns up in a fire, the steel cable is still there to save everything from falling.

[flipp]

Coated steel cable* is available in bulk at many (most?) hardware stores along with lead "blanks" for joining two pieces of cable. Add the hardware you want (carabiner, etc), strip off a small amount of the coating so the "blanks" grip the wire of the cable and have the store fabricate a safety cable of any length and diameter you want. No postage and minimal waiting involved.


* usually on spools in the same rack with bulk chain and carabiners, d-rings etc are often close by

[if_then_else]

I guess Matthellini/Cardellini clamps have already been discussed at length in this thread - but what would be the sturdiest option to go off a Cardellini clamp at a right angle (or basically any angle) when using the clamp in combination with a camcorder + video head? I have two Manfrotto swivel umbrella and flash adapters but I doubt they're sturdy enough, if you mount something really heavy onto them.

I've had a look at the Matthews Right Angle Baby Pin Adapter (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/33176-REG/Matthews_429232_Right_Angle_Baby_Pin.html) - but there are only a few distributors here in Europe (UK, CH, NL) who'd have it in stock. Moreover, the shipping costs would almost match the price of the item.

Are there any alternatives to this adapter or are there any other heavy-duty adapters (or grip heads) that would allow me to rotate the video head in any desired position?

N.B.: I know there are right-angle Cardellini clamps (http://www.cardelliniclamp.com/inc/sdetail/185) or Muralini clamps (https://www.mbfshop.de/de/Stockclearing/Muraro-MU019-Muralini-Clamp-with-5/8-hexagonal-socket.html) that could be attached to a superclamp. But I'd prefer to reuse on of my existing clamps in order to minimise the amount of gear I'll have to carry.

[macdaddy]

I use the magic finger. I stuck a cotter pin in the hole for added security to avoid slippage...

http://www.filmtools.com/mamaficatno3.html

Pretty sure this is it ( somewhere in this thread I linked to the place I purchased it; thus us just the first link that popped up on google)...