# Hemp Rigging System Pointers



## Amishplumber (Aug 12, 2011)

Hi all,

So, I've recently gotten my first taste of working with a hemp rigging system. As someone who has worked with mostly counterweight systems and occasionally hoists, frankly, it scares the sh*t out of me! Is there any way to safely operate such a system? The building superintendent showed me around the system and showed me how to untie the lift lines for the pin rail and raise and lower things. All seemed simple and safe enough when the linesets are properly weighted, but of course I don't want to leave it alone, I want to strike some things and hang others.

My real question is, how do you safely load a batten with such a system? There is no loading rail! Do I really just load up the batten, have 3 guys pull it up by hand, tie it off and then clip some sandbags on?! That seems like a horrible idea.

Also, a few of the battens are not level. How do I fix that? Each lineset has some sort of black clamp box that holds the 3 lift lines even with each other and has a place to clip on sand bags (would love to know what that thing is called) but I can only access it when the pipe is all the way out. Do I really have to empty the batten, lift it all the way and then manually adjust while having some one next to me manually hold the lift lines?

Any general pointers as well as checks I can do make this ancient system as safe as possible are much appreciated. I realize its ancient, but I figure there must be a safe way to use it if it was the norm for many years.

To my younger eyes this thing seems like a death trap, but I'm hoping that thats only because I've only been taught proper procedures on newer systems.

Thanks in advance!


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## derekleffew (Aug 12, 2011)

Amishplumber said:


> ...Each lineset has some sort of black clamp box that holds the 3 lift lines even with each other and has a place to clip on sand bags (would love to know what that thing is called) ...


 Trim clamp, Easy Trim clamp, or trimming clamp, a special type of clew.

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books.google.com results for hemp rigging
You should already have bought the book, but now is a great time and reason.
Amazon.com: Stage-Rigging-Handbook, Jay-Glerum


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## Van (Aug 12, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> Trim clamp, Easy Trim clamp, or trimming clamp.


 
Or Clew.
inside the box of the clew are little spring loaded fingers that grip the rope they will allow the rope to go through when pulled from below but they will not let the clew slip down the rope under weight.


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## sk8rsdad (Aug 12, 2011)

It may also be called a clew, assuming it's the point where multiple lines are being ganged into one.


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## derekleffew (Aug 12, 2011)

All trim clamps are clews, but not all clews are trim clamps.


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## rochem (Aug 12, 2011)

Van said:


> Or Clew.
> inside the box of the clew are little spring loaded fingers that grip the rope they will allow the rope to go through when pulled from below but they will not let the clew slip down the rope under weight.


 

sk8rsdad said:


> It may also be called a clew, assuming it's the point where multiple lines are being ganged into one.



"What do you call a rigger who can't combine multiple lines into one?"

"Clew-less" 

(and now back to your regularly scheduled programming)


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## MPowers (Aug 13, 2011)

OK, Here we go. Hemp House 101. 
First: Hemp house operated properly, can be as safe as any other rigging system.
Second: Hemp house operated poorly, can be the most dangerous place in the world.

So! Obvious point is: Learn to operate it properly and pay attention to any and ALL safety rules. Don't take short cuts. Don't try to rush. In the theatre, we're always in a hurry, but don't ever get in a rush. Rushing causes hands to get careless, skip steps and miss signs and warnings.

First a few simple rules:

Basic:
1. Don't guess, Make sure the action/weight/move will work before trying.
2. Never take a chance. Rigging is NOT play. Mistakes kill people.
3. Jokes, horse play and gags are all fine, but NOT when rigging and moving/hanging over someone's head.
4. Never rush.
5. Never guess.
6. never rush.
Are you catching on to a theme here??? 

1. Check the system daily. Everything. Look for any damaged gear, leaking sand bags, slipping Trim Clamps or sundays, frayed lines, in and out trim spikes , etc. ad infinitum.
2. Check trim and level of every line set every day, Trim, level and move to spike as needed. Especially important if you system is rigged with natural fiber lines.
3. Keep the pin rail area clean and neat. Do not allow rope loops and free ends to lay on the deck. Do not allow gear, head set cords, chairs stools etc. on the operating area of the rail. 
4. Never try to rig alone.
5. Plan the hang/strike in advance. 
6. Get all equipment, gear, hardware in place before starting.
7. make sure you have the right number of crew for the job at hand.
8. Learn basic hemp/pin rail techniques, under over under 8 is the standard tie off. Light loads will hold with just under 8, but it is poor practice to use this tie off on anything more than an empty batten.
9. Learn how to "ride" an un weighted load to the deck.

For Hemp house rigging you will need some method of over hauling line sets. Block and fall, capstan winch, chain hoist rigged for over haul. 

Standard method of Loading a line set. This method assumes the line sets are rigged in sets with a wood or pipe batten parallel to the plaster line and not spot rigged at various points.
1. Attach a clew, trim clamp or sunday to the group of lines.
2. Attach a block and fall, chain hoist either manual or powered, or some other type of over haul line. 
3. Pay out the line to the deck.
4. Attach load to batten.
5. Using over haul, raise load to out trim height.
6. Attach sand bags as needed. Remember, the scenery must be heavy or the scenery won't go down/in. 
7. Check and set trim spikes. Check for smooth running. Adjust level. 

Basic unloading.
1. Move sand bags to rail. 
2. If load is too heavy to "ride in" attach over haul to clew/sunday/trim clamp. 
3. Remove sand bags.
4. Lower batten/scenery to floor. 
5. Remove scenery.
6. Raise batten to grid (or begin next loading sequence) Tie off and remove over haul.

I hope this helps. I really can't be more specific on line. Best bet is bring in an experienced rigger to do some training if possible. Don't be shy/ashamed to admit any lack of training or knowledge/experience. There was a time in my career when I had better knowledge of 5th position plie' than a rope. Don't be afraid to ask for information/advice/help from people with more experience. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. You will be respected more for asking than for trying on your own and screwing up. Don't be afraid to learn and don't be afraid to admit you are new at rigging. Rigging leaves very little room for mistakes, VERY LITTLE. Build a flat and make it an inch tall. It can be fixed. Paint a prop the wrong color. It can be fixed. Sing off key, embarrassing but "everyone lives" (Dr. Who reference for anyone that wants to guess) mistakes in rigging can injure or kill people. Very experienced riggers are hurt or killed every year because they forget the basics. "I've climbed this ladder a million times, I don't need to clip in." (30 year experienced Stage hand who fell to his death at a Florida concert) , "This is the way we've always done it"(just before the run-a-way at the Galliger that ruined a million$$ of Blue Man Group gear and canceled the show.)

Ask the question. Don't rush. Take your time. Don't rush. Plan ahead. Don't rush. No safety step is wasted time. Don't rush. 
Old adage...."Safety is NO accident!"

Please feel free to ask me questions open or PM. There are other experienced riggers on this list, ask them. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.


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## MPowers (Aug 13, 2011)

> Also, a few of the battens are not level. How do I fix that? Each lineset has some sort of black clamp box that holds the 3 lift lines even with each other and has a place to clip on sand bags (would love to know what that thing is called) but I can only access it when the pipe is all the way out. Do I really have to empty the batten, lift it all the way and then manually adjust while having some one next to me manually hold the lift lines?



Several Q's here. First, What's the "black box" It sounds like an Easy Trim Clamp 

Easy Trim Clamp / Carriages, Clews, Trim Clamp, Rigging & Hoists / Rope & Rigging Hardware / Home - Mutual Hardware

To level, hold firm on the clamp, usually requires a helper. Gently pull the rope that is less tensioned. Continue until all ropes are equally tensioned.


> Do I really have to empty the batten, lift it all the way and then manually adjust while having some one next to me manually hold the lift lines



In a word, Yes! That's the way hemp houses work.


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## Footer (Aug 13, 2011)

Fist, buy this book: Amazon.com: Stage Rigging Handbook, Revised, 2nd Edition (9780809317448): Jay O. Glerum M.A. B.A.: Books

Second, buy a 1/2 ton chain hoist. Hemp houses without a loading rail are 10x more dangerous then a counterweight system without a loading rail. Because the normal operation of a hemp system requires the system to be pipe heavy, you can run into some very sticky situations. Bull lines and such can alleviate some of these problems but not all. With a chain hoist you can safely take the weight of the load, remove the counterweight, and in a controlled fashion bring the load into the deck. Same thing goes for the loading of the batten. 

Other options do exist for getting a load out. There is always the brute force approach. It can work as long as a the line is always in some sort of hitch on the rail. I walked into a situation several years ago due to a "Hey, we need a hand getting _______ out onstage and can't figure out how to do it". They were trying to pull the load out using a come-along (which can work but is painfully slow and dangerous) and an electric bumper winch (which is not rated for overhead lifting and had overheated and blown itself up prior to my arrival). 




After seeing the situation, I went down to the other theatre I was working at, grabbed a chain hoist, secured it to the rail, tied a sunday off to the lines at the grid and attached the hoist. Soon there after had the load in the air, properly trimmed, and safely in weight. No one broke their back. We did not snap any cables on the come along. Most importantly, the load was secure the entire time. Its not the way our grandparents did it or even our fathers, but its the way it should be done with modern practices. 

You will learn more about rigging in a hemp system then any other system out there. You really get to "feel" the load. As Michael said, they can be operated very safely. However, in the wrong hands they can be deadly. They need constant care and attention.


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## JChenault (Aug 13, 2011)

I believe that with an EZ Trim clamp (what I think is described here) it is not necessary to unload the batten to re trim the pipe. Indeed, as hemp changes size with humidity (assuming real hemp here) you may have to retrim daily.

If you take the low line and jerk it, it will move through the spring fingers even while there is a load on it. You are only moving the line a half inch or so with each jerk. Lots easier than unloading the batten, etc.


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## gafftaper (Aug 13, 2011)

I smell a collaborative article here. I'm going to copy most of MPowers and Footer's posts to start it. Will you please stop in and edit as you two see fit.

EDIT: Collaborative Article created here.*
Experts only:* please feel free to edit or add to the article.


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## Amishplumber (Aug 13, 2011)

Wow! Thanks for all the info. Exactly the answers I needed. I will trim the battens as described using the clew, now that I know how it works.

The most complicated thing I'm attempting to do is move 2- 4 circuit R40 strips from one batten to another and of course raise it up to trim height.

I will do this with the help and supervision of the building superintendent. He definitely knows how to operate this system as he's been here for decades, but that is also the problem. I don't think I've ever met a theater professional so out of touch with the times, and still practicing. He creates pretty good looking sets, but they are entirely 2 dimensional! Set building to him is all backdrops, flats, groundrows. Basically luan painted a million different ways. He also used to do lighting, but swore that off once computer consoles became the norm. When I talked to him about the rigging system he regarded counterweight rigging as some sort of fancy new technology. Clearly, I wanted a separate perspective on how to work with hemp before I went up there with him.

Glad to see this might become a collaborative article as well!


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