# Jerry Rigging?



## CrazyTechie (Oct 18, 2009)

I just wanted to know what everyone's view on jerry rigging was cause I know I've had to do it a few times because there really wasn't anything else I could do with the things I had to work with. Is it appropriate to do when there really isn't anything else you can do? Should it be avoided at all costs even if it means changing around plans and parts or even purchasing something else that would work in place of the jerry rigging? Let me know what you think.


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## Clifford (Oct 18, 2009)

I might be missing a term, but could you mean jury rigging? If so, what is being jury rigged, and is it likely to violate CB's TOS?


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## CrazyTechie (Oct 18, 2009)

I'm not sure what the exact term of it is I've also heard of it being called jimmy rigging. I wasn't meaning to make it seem as though I was planning on doing it I was just wondering what people thought of the subject in general so I don't think it has issues with the TOS. Sorry for not making that clear before.


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## Clifford (Oct 18, 2009)

Jury rigging is an avoided practice where possible. It is by definition the lesser option. There are certain things which shouldn't be jury rigged under any circumstances. I'm not going to say much more, before I end up inadvertently violating the TOS.


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## CrazyTechie (Oct 18, 2009)

Okay, that's what I was thinking about it, and yes it is a very touchy subject, sorry about that.


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## derekleffew (Oct 18, 2009)

The answer is simple. Really!

Rig right, or die!



To paraphase Bill Sapsis: At the hospital, when you tell the doctor that you didn't have the time/budget/materials to do it correctly, he WILL NOT say, "Oh, in that case the patient's not dead."


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## CrazyTechie (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks for all the input and it really is true if something isn't done right things can and will go wrong.


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## Footer (Oct 18, 2009)

If its something that someone could get hurt because its done improperly, thats one thing... 

If its gaffing gel to the front of a light because your out of frames, thats another thing. If its connecting 8 types of adapters together to get a signal out of an amp and to supply a line to a console thats another as well. 

In this world you have to be able to make things work, sometimes thats means you might have to get a bit Macgyver. That does not mean you should ever do anything that puts something over someones head that is not done correctly or make an electrical repair that could start a fire.

The other day my dimmers were overheating because a fan died. I strapped a box fan to the front and it brought the temperature back down until the show was over and I swapped out the fan. It was jury rigged to all get out... but it worked.


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## photoatdv (Oct 18, 2009)

I LOVE the fan... not the first time I've heard of that being done... but the first time I've seen a pic!

Though I do know of another high school that tried that (none too successfully) as a permanent solution.


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## CrazyTechie (Oct 18, 2009)

Footer said:


> The other day my dimmers were overheating because a fan died. I strapped a box fan to the front and it brought the temperature back down until the show was over and I swapped out the fan. It was jury rigged to all get out... but it worked.



Thanks, that is what I meant when I asked the question is about stuff like that.


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## photoatdv (Oct 18, 2009)

My take on Jerry rigging:

1. Is it safe (for people and property)?
2. Is it going to make the show go better?

If those two answers are yes then do it... if one or both are no then don't.


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## Grog12 (Oct 21, 2009)

CrazyTechie said:


> I'm not sure what the exact term of it is I've also heard of it being called jimmy rigging. I wasn't meaning to make it seem as though I was planning on doing it I was just wondering what people thought of the subject in general so I don't think it has issues with the TOS. Sorry for not making that clear before.





One of my favorite phrases (while following the rules that photoatdv posted) is "Its not Jury Rigged...its custom."


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## fredthe (Oct 21, 2009)

There are also a few terms for this which I will not repeat... but one "polite" form I've heard used is "High School Engineering". (No offense to the students on here).

I personally consider it, when it's done safely, as sometimes necessary to get get things done quickly, when the proper materials are not available. 

As an example, I'll sometimes stack a set of (audio/data/etc.) adapters to get something that works. If it's just for a test or a one-off, it's fine. If it's for any long term use, I'll then get/build the appropriate cable.

Now, if you are talking about some unqualified guy named Jerry doing some Rigging, that's right out.

-Fred


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## CrazyTechie (Oct 22, 2009)

Ha ha the last two posts made me laugh a little. Thanks everyone for the input. I totally agree that it's mainly for temporary fixes but long term things should be done the right way no if's, and's or but's about it.


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## mstaylor (Oct 25, 2009)

Never ever jury rig anything that will hang unless you have the expertise to know if it is safe or not. I rigged a show recently that didn't carry the variety of rigging components that normal. We had to get creative but it was done in a completely safe and approved manner. There are many places in the theatre to jury rig many things. By definition, it is meant to get you out of a jam. Once you are past the crisis, fix it.


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## eternalfire1244 (Oct 26, 2009)

I agree that jerry rigging should be done if there is no risk of injury to people though it can cause problems for you down the line. I generally avoid it as much as I can, but have had to do it on occasion. 

The best one I learned from one of my teachers was one he thought of when he started working in northern Ontario - He always had a 3 pin xlr- U- ground one was female and the other male. I guess he had used it only once in his career but it was so that he could use an extension cord as a unshielded XLR in EMERGENCY situations (like on a Saturday night in some remote location and you NEED one more mic cable). Believe it or not it works out pretty well, not ideal by any stretch of the imagination but it works- just make sure that the ends of the extension cords are taped to the adapter VERY well to prevent some idiot from putting 120 into your gear.

The worst thing I have seen so far in a theatre was a rig for lifting a big fabric hat with a light wire frame into the gallery (aprox 5- 8 lbs). It looked like a single crossbar from a scaffold (1" I think) and was held down to the catwalk railing by a pair of old unrated come alongs and some line with overhand knots - I didn't see it when it was in use, but I was told to take it down after show and was more than a little bit disturbed. Rigging should NEVER under ANY circumstances be jerry rigged.


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## museav (Oct 26, 2009)

photoatdv said:


> My take on Jerry rigging:
> 
> 1. Is it safe (for people and property)?
> 2. Is it going to make the show go better?
> ...


I'd add a third:

3. Are you really qualified to make these determinations?

The unfortunate reality is that many instances of people getting or narrowly avoiding injury probably had someone asking themselves the first two questions and answering affirmatively, only to later realize that they really weren't qualified to make such determinations.


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## gafftaper (Oct 26, 2009)

> 1. Is it safe (for people and property)?
> 2. Is it going to make the show go better?
> 3. Are you really qualified to make these determinations?


I agree as long as we add the disclaimer: Never Jerry Rigg anything lifted overhead, anything thing with a voltage higher than 9 volts, anything that may explode, or can shoot out flames.


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## Goph704 (Oct 26, 2009)

I got to agree with Gaff there. Part of the problem with this industry is if you are constantly hitting the budget people up for replacement parts, eventually you won't have a job any more. Same thing goes with constantly saying you can't because of safety concerns, eventually They'll hire somebody who cares less than you do, which guarantees that someone will get hurt. 
However... I find Jury rigging in any space at any time really promotes bad habits all around. If your not careful to learn the right way first you will eventually walk into a new space and do things the way you've always done and find out that the previous way of approaching the problem will get somebody killed. I really think that's why standards like USITT are so important in our industry. 
And that's a couple of pennies your way.


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## CrazyTechie (Oct 30, 2009)

Yeah anything over head needs to be done the right way and a good example comes from the performance tonight. 

When the theatre who made the soft goods for our set came in to hang it all they for some strange reason decided to hang one of the larger posters with tie line and the poster is about 25'x25' or so, so it weighs around 40 pounds. Well tonight in the middle of the performance one of the tie lines snapped but luckily they tied it on each end and once in the middle so it didn't come falling down but we had to take it off in the middle of the show so it wouldn't come crashing down on some actors head.

The long and the short of it is if it's overhead there is no alternative for doing it the right way other wise you can ask the three questions about it and see if it fits those criteria but even then, done right is best.


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