Safety Cable Attachment to vintage ETC fixtures

For lanterns without the specific safety-bond attachment point, the theatres I work in do as you have described or simply loop the safety bond around the yoke and barrel. Neither is safer than the other. However, the method you describe does prevent the bond becoming easily lost or stolen: but if you have to change the bond whilst up a ladder, it is much more difficult when it is attached to the yoke as you describe. This rarely has to be done, but I have had to change a couple due to faulty springs in the catches and this is much easier (whether up a ladder or on the deck) if you don't have to remove the yoke!

I don't think my 30" standard safety cables would fit around the barrel of a PAR or Source Four and then around a 2" pipe.... It seems to me that the most common failure is with the cast iron C Clamps. This is why a number of folks are making laser cut aluminum C clamps which don't have the small square headed bolt and only have the clamp for 2" Schedule 40 pipe. Saves weight and lower failure rate.

Being new to the theatrical lighting business after a 30 year hiatus, the technology curve is rather steep so I am asking 'newbie' questions.

Thanks for the reply.