<div dir="ltr">What is the engineering consideration for 3'-6" vs. 5' wide? There's certainly a lot more weight an end user could cram into a 5' catwalk ;)<div><br></div><div>As for the raceway: You can't know everything that will be attempted in a venue when designing it. Putting a large obstruction all the way across a catwalk vs 3 or 4 small boxes with the circuits clustered together seems like a better option (in terms of usability in the future, etc). I can't tell you how many times I've had to lean out around/under/on top of a raceway to hang a light, focus a light, or rig something. </div><div><br></div><div>My favorite design in a FOH catwalk is 3 boxes per catwalk with 10 circuits each; each pigtail can reach more than halfway to the next box (so there's rarely a need for jumpers). The boxes are 12"x12" and are almost entirely out of the way of everything other than top-hanging a light directly below them.</div><div><br></div><div>--Sean</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Feb 12, 2021 at 11:39 AM Bill Conner via Stagecraft <<a href="mailto:stagecraft@theatrical.net">stagecraft@theatrical.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">I should have added this one is wide - 5' - because it's for the follow spots. With Robert Juliat follow spots - both loved and detested - they are quiet enough to not require an enclosed room, plus I like the steeper angle with no "moon" on back drop. Other catwalks are usually 3'-6" - under 4'-0" so sprinklers are not required under them (though a cloud partially under the catwalk might require sprinklers). Most of the cost of catwalks is in the hangers and railings - not the deck - so wider is not significant cost. Same with loading bridges - two beams, two rails - why force riggers to walk on counterweight? I cringe when I see a loading bridge just 3'-0" with weights stacked to top of toe boards and having to walk on it.</div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Feb 11, 2021 at 7:06 AM Bill Conner <<a href="mailto:billconnerastc@gmail.com" target="_blank">billconnerastc@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div>Good points and thank you.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">On other than high schools, I am more likely to make the rail movable. Its a significant additional cost especially when the catwalks are targeted by superintendents for cutting as superfluous. Also worry about safety vigilance in a high school. Will it be put back correctly? Will it be secured when removed? Heard on one if my community college projects with removable rails, a section fell through an empty seat during an intermission gel change. <div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Not seeing the obstructing plug strip - 6' above deck. This was prior to LED with probably 30 circuits plus non-dims on this catwalk. Now, with LED, usually 3 or 4 upright plug boxes per position and lots of powercon jumpers.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">What did I miss? Somehow I feel like you're seeing something I didn't.</div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote" dir="auto"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 10, 2021, 10:53 PM Sean McCarthy via Stagecraft <<a href="mailto:stagecraft@theatrical.net" target="_blank">stagecraft@theatrical.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Bill,<div><br></div><div>That catwalk looks very spacious (which is great), but as an end user (no, not of your project) I have some thoughts. Having the lower pipe be removable is incredibly valuable for things like specialized rigging, or installation of larger moving lights.</div><div><br></div><div>Also, I know continuous raceways are popular with a lot of people, but placing it that low above the hanging position makes it difficult to tophang equipment when needed, or to lean out/reach over to get to odd rigging solutions. For a school I can see the value in how you've designed this, but breaking the raceway up into 3 or 4 boxes along the catwalk is much more flexible than a continuous obstacle across the whole catwalk.</div><div><br></div><div>I'm curious as to your experience on the other side of the consulting equation. It's something that's bothered me for years in more modern catwalk design.</div><div><br></div><div>--Sean</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif">SEAN R. McCARTHY<br>
Master Electrician<br>
</span><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:maroon">SHAKESPEARE
THEATRE COMPANY</span> </div><div>Washington, DC <br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 10, 2021 at 3:18 PM Bill Conner via Stagecraft <<a href="mailto:stagecraft@theatrical.net" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">stagecraft@theatrical.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">My typical catwalk - in one of a very few where structure etc. was painted white rather than black - better photo!<img src="cid:ii_kkzviw410" alt="evv catwalk.jpg" width="517" height="388"><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 10, 2021 at 3:09 PM Bill Conner <<a href="mailto:billconnerastc@gmail.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">billconnerastc@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">The IBC and LSC which are most widely used in the US permit non-standard rail spacing on lighting catwalks (and a few other places for entertainment technology). My standard is for 22" clear between top of toe board and bottom of lower rail, and 22" between top of lower rail and bottom of upper rail. (I used to do 30" when 8" ERSs were more common.) This may not be enough to satisfy OSHA requirements for fall protection. <div><div><br></div><div>I believe it's very important to not require people to lean out to focus and service the gear. It's much safer if both feet are flat and your body balanced over the catwalk deck.<br><div><br></div><div>I attach a page from a presentation I did at TEAC 2010 that shows a design that does provide fall protection, and sounds like what someone had in mind but didn't really know what they were doing would not work well.</div></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 10, 2021 at 1:58 PM Ross via Stagecraft <<a href="mailto:stagecraft@theatrical.net" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">stagecraft@theatrical.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<div>Here is a question for those of you who have renovated or built new theatre
spaces. The local school district has just built a new high school with a
state of the art theatre space. In touring the space I see that somewhere
along the lines someone put chain link fence along the catwalk railing. Is
that a safety feature that being included in new construction or just some
random bright idea? I would try to look up the building codes but I am not
sure where to look, (that and trying to read them make my eyes glaze
over).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The reason I am asking because when adjusting light on Cat #2 you have to
lay on the floor & stick one are under the fence to adjust said light, OR
one person grabs the belt of a second person as they lean over the railing,
(& pray they say in their pants). </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I should point out that at this time I do not have a formal contract with
the school for anything. I just help out on productions as asked. That is
the reason I do not ask any of the construction guys finishing up the
project. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Clay
Ross<br>Pro Dreamer</div></div></div><div id="gmail-m_-4438318618998607743gmail-m_4768168896699917699m_-5582410970791806235gmail-m_-2532465167087315525gmail-m_-8987724884172272537gmail-m_4699569942714567791DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br>
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