# Bad Spansets



## LavaASU (Oct 10, 2012)

Hey Guys!

I was wondering if anyone in Phoenix has any damaged/old/retired for whatever reason Spansets that they're throwing out. I am working on an engineering team developing sustainable building materials and we want to try polyester fibers (the inner part of a spanset) as a strengthening component for one of our prototypes. I figure since the goal is sustainable materials it would impress the professor if we are as sustainable as possible in our prototyping (ex reusing things that would otherwise wind up in a landfill).

Oh, and no, this is not the strangest thing I've had to source for this project .


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## derekleffew (Oct 10, 2012)

Good luck in your quest. But any _responsible_ rigger will *destroy*, as in cut up in little pieces, any rope, sling, or harness before disposal. I'd contact one of the larger entertainment rigging companies: Branam, Kish, Stage Rigging, Sapsis, _et al_. Most have gone to GAC flex (or similar) however.

How long do you need the fibers? And don't say, "Oh, just a couple of weeks." :rimshot: A home center might sell small amounts of the poly fibers sometimes used to reinforce concrete, but those are rather short.

.


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## LavaASU (Oct 10, 2012)

I was planning on trying 4 to 6" pieces for one thing (mixed into the mixture) and 2 or 4' for another (criss-crossing the surface of the composite tiles) . The idea is to reinforce a plywood like composite material we're developing. And no, gac flex won't work (obviously).


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## porkchop (Oct 10, 2012)

I might actually be able to help you on this one, when might you need this material by?


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## LavaASU (Oct 10, 2012)

Around the end of the month. That would be awesome if so Brett! You still touring?


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## porkchop (Oct 11, 2012)

Oh yes still touring. I'm still waiting to hear back on a spanset that sounds like what you need. If the time frame works out (I would expect it to) I'll PM you.

And just for anyone wondering about Derek's post on destroying bad hardware. Being cut into 4 6" sections with the rest being cut into 2-4' sections makes it unusable for rigging, which is pretty much the point of destroying rigging hardware. I mean you're supposed to destroy critically damaged truss too, but they make great frames for tour BBQ's.


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## kicknargel (Oct 11, 2012)

I'd think you could cut off the jacket, leaving the fibers in tact, and satisfy the destruction requirement.


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## LavaASU (Oct 11, 2012)

I'd throw out the fact that someone's already doing some epically wrong rigging if they can figure out how to use a spanset thats cut even once for rigging purposes...

Oh, and I think we need a pic of the truss turned into barbeque holder


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## paulsbutiq (Oct 11, 2012)

I can probably give you a few laying around the shop that I can't use anymore, probably 3' or 4' spans. We usually toss them when they're nfg, or one of my guys is a rock climber, he repurposes them somehow for that. i don't know **** about rock climbing though, so for all i know maybe he just uses them to hold a sandwich while he climbs...

PM me and I'll see what I can dig up, I need to clean up my office a bit anyways...


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## porkchop (Oct 11, 2012)

LavaASU said:


> I'd throw out the fact that someone's already doing some epically wrong rigging if they can figure out how to use a spanset thats cut even once for rigging purposes...
> 
> Oh, and I think we need a pic of the truss turned into barbeque holder



It would seem your imagination is not as strong as some people's stupidity. That's why we have to thoroughly destroy all rigging materials.

I'm actually having trouble finding a picture of a truss grill that I like, but here's one the day we installed the grill with smoker box into the truss. The final product is really nice, but the unit that has it is something like 5,000 miles away from me currently.


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## LavaASU (Oct 11, 2012)

porkchop said:


> It would seem your imagination is not as strong as some people's stupidity. That's why we have to thoroughly destroy all rigging materials.View attachment 7903



Oh, I didn't say it can't be done ;-). I said it'd have to be rigged epically wrong for them to be able to.

That said I wish our lab had destructive testing equipment strong enough to test rigging gear-- I could have some fun with that!

I have a friend that uses his retired ones for climbing as well-- that said I'm not sure I'd trust my life on something retired because it's unsafe (yes, I know a human weighs a lot less than arena rigs, but still)!


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## avkid (Oct 11, 2012)

If you have a forklift and a piece of T rail with an eye on it you can do plenty of destructive testing.


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## ruinexplorer (Oct 11, 2012)

Have you checked with Arizona Wire Rope & Rigging? They also do destructive testing there (which I had the good fortune of being able to observe).


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## porkchop (Oct 18, 2012)

Sorry man, turns out they want to keep the spanset in question in inventory so I can't send it to you. Hope you find someone else to help you


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## DuckJordan (Oct 18, 2012)

we recently decomisioned a set of spansets I'll see if we have any to spare. I know they want to keep one as an educational tool for our general safety class (its now a requirement for new stagehands, union is lacking in training and we are stepping up)


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## LavaASU (Oct 18, 2012)

Hey gang-- sorry for sorta disappearing-- slammed at the moment. Thanks anyway Brett-- though should we be concerned that they're still using the bad one?

I should mention I'm at LDI so if anyone whos attending has any (that they could bring if they haven't left yet or if they live here) that would work too. And being cut into pieces works fine for what I'm doing . I'd prefer if you leave the jacket on the pieces so I don't end up with a giant hairball though. I promise I'm not trying to use pieces for rigging or any other safety critical use! Closest to rigging would be I figured if I have extra I'd try to glue/tie one end of a 6" piece so it'll stay together enough that I can pass it around at our rigging classes for people to see whats inside of them.


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## porkchop (Oct 19, 2012)

I knew someone would ask. I'm being told I have to keep it in inventory. That doesn't mean I have to remove the marks highlighting the questionable area or than I have to use it, just that I can't get rid of it...


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## TJCornish (Oct 19, 2012)

porkchop said:


> Sorry man, turns out they want to keep the spanset in question in inventory so I can't send it to you. Hope you find someone else to help you



Aren't they like $6.00? I ordered I think 12 of them a couple years ago for the grand total of $75.


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## derekleffew (Oct 19, 2012)

Not sure what you're buying/bought for $6/ea., but it sure ain't a SpanSet or LiftAll Tuflex brand 6' polyester round sling. 

SS60 Spanset 6' Stage Sling - Black 
Sapsis Rigging Inc.: Tuflex Roundsling: Purple w/Black Cover 6'


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## LavaASU (Oct 20, 2012)

I doubt 6' rated ones were $6 (though not impossible of course), but the crane industry (purple/green) tend to be between 25 and 50 percent cheaper than black stage ones.


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## porkchop (Oct 21, 2012)

The spanset inquestion is from Certified Slings and it's rated for 6250lbs. I doubt highly even with our bulk discount they cost anywhere near as little as $6. That being said cheap ones might work for the OP.


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## ruinexplorer (Oct 23, 2012)

What's your deadline for getting materials? I put the word out elsewhere and am waiting to hear back.


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## TJCornish (Oct 26, 2012)

derekleffew said:


> Not sure what you're buying/bought for $6/ea., but it sure ain't a SpanSet or LiftAll Tuflex brand 6' polyester round sling.
> 
> SS60 Spanset 6' Stage Sling - Black
> Sapsis Rigging Inc.: Tuflex Roundsling: Purple w/Black Cover 6'


I have these:
Lifting - TWINTEX® Polyester Stage Slings® | SpanSet USA

Maybe they were $10 - $12 each (direct from the factory), but they were cheaper than I thought they would be.


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