product-info Archives - Page 6 of 7

27 Jan 2016

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in CM Hoist School Permalink

10 Things You’ll Love About Our CM Hoist School

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On January 27, 2016

The 31st Annual CM Hoist School: February 29th – March 4th
March is one of our favorite times of the year, because we bring in the month hosting our Annual CM Hoist School. For 30 years, Mountain Productions has been educating and providing the resources necessary to start a career in entertainment rigging and production. Our Hoist School takes a deep dive into chain hoist maintenance with one of the leading manufacturers in entertainment, Columbus McKinnon. But why should you attend our 31^st year? Here are 10 things we’re sure you’ll enjoy if you attend:

1) Mountain Productions’ campus
Students are welcomed to Mountain Productions with a tour of our operations. As you walk through the multiple buildings and offices at our location, you’ll see familiar equipment, and probably something new along the way. We take pride in maintaining our workspace, and invite you to see where it’s all made!

13 Jan 2016

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Tips, Tools, & Resources Permalink

IP Ratings Explained

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On January 13, 2016

We work outside all the time. Although the spring/summer festival season usually brings warm weather and sunshine along, there are certainly times when we find ourselves and our equipment out in the rain or inclement weather. How can you make sure that your equipment is protected from the elements?

Leica’s E7400x DISTO is IP65 Rated

The IP Code (IEC standard 60529) classifies and rates the degree of protection provided against intrusion, dust, accidental contact, and water by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures. This standard was defined in order to further identify equipment as not simply “waterproof”, but to clearly state exactly what level of protection a piece of equipment has. CM’s newest hoist model, the IP66 Rated Lodestar, is named after its newly added weather-proofing features. But what exactly does “IP66” mean?

06 Jan 2016

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Insight from the Experts Q+A Permalink

Insight from the Experts [Q+A]: CM’s Newest Hoist – IP66 Rated Next-Gen Lodestar

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On January 6, 2016

CM’s research and development department has been busy as ever, listening to customer feedback and demands, and working on new products that truly change the way we work. As one of the leading providers of quality chain hoists in the entertainment industry, CM has created hoists that cater directly to our needs. Last April, the 2-Ton, Single Reeve Lodestar was launched, giving customers and economical hoist that is lighter and easier to rig and transport (among many other added features! Read our article on CM’s RRS Lodestar here).

Now, CM has created a product that, again, is the solution to entertainment’s unique demands. We spoke to CM product expert and Vertical Market Specialist, Ken Tilson, about the newest chain hoist from CM: the IP66 Rated Next-Gen Lodestar.

15 Dec 2015

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in MTN News Permalink

An Inside Look at Columbus McKinnon’s Virginia Facility

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On December 15, 2015

Located in a small town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Columbus McKinnon stands as one of the industrial landmarks in Damascus (well known as a “Trail Town” to oudoors enthusiasts and the Appalachian Trail community). When I was given the chance to visit the plant and work with CM’s team for a few days, I jumped on the opportunity. Mountain Productions is one of CM’s largest distributors and has maintained a long-lasting relationship with the manufacturing powerhouse. During my brief visit, I started to see what makes Columbus McKinnon stand out from its competition, and why Mountain Productions has stood by CM and its products for years.

10 Dec 2015

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Tips, Tools, & Resources Permalink

Understanding the Lodestar Serial Number System

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On December 10, 2015

People have been trusting in CM’s legendary Lodestar chain hoist for years. Some of the oldest Lodestars ever manufactured are still in use today. Alot has changed over the years in terms of the Lodestar assembly and specific parts required.

It’s important when re-ordering chain hoist replacement parts to know which year your hoist was manufactured, as some parts have been outdated, updated, replaced or have been assigned a new part number. There’s an easy way to identify what year your hoist was from, and it’s all in understanding your Lodestar’s serial number. Take a look:

17 Nov 2015

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Tips, Tools, & Resources Permalink

The Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2015 and How to Avoid Them

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On November 17, 2015

OSHA released the top ten most common workplace safety violations for 2015 in October, and you’ll most likely not be surprised by what you read. These top ten violations have been identical for the past 5 years, and are recurring issues across the industry for many years now. They are also areas that are very common to our industry, and situations that ourselves and our colleagues deal with every day. Here’s the list, along with some tips on how to avoid a hefty OSHA fine in the future:

Fall Prevention (6,721 citations)

Our crews are frequently working at height, and are mandated to use proper personal fall protection and fall arrest systems where necessary. Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry.

Read more

05 Nov 2015

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Insight from the Experts Q+A Permalink

Insight from the Experts [Q&A]: Innovation from TOMCAT – The EVO Truss

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On November 5, 2015

In today’s age of innovation and technology, it takes a truly unique product to really make an impact. TOMCAT Global, experts in truss manufacturing, have achieved this hype with their brand new product in development, the EVO Truss. Debuted at LDI 2015 in Las Vegas, the EVO Truss made an overwhelmingly good first impression on visitors to Tomcat’s booth. We took some time to reach out to TOMCAT’s Design Specialist, Dayne Cook, who worked closely on the EVO Truss in development, to dig a little deeper into the EVO Truss and what it’s all about.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Tips, Tools, & Resources Permalink

The Meaning Behind the Name “Lodestar”

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On August 25, 2015

The CM Lodestar® is one of the most renowned hoists in the entertainment industry, but do you know why it’s called the “Lodestar”?

In response to this question, CM replied on their blog with the explanation of the iconic name “Lodestar”:

Our entertainment trainer, Dave Carmack, travels the world to teach and share important information about entertainment rigging and hoisting safety. At the end of his classes, he likes to stump his students with this question: “Can you tell me why we spell our hoist, LODESTAR, instead of LOADSTAR?”

09 Jul 2015

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Tips, Tools, & Resources Permalink

Understanding OSHA vs. ANSI

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On July 9, 2015

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all encountered and are familiar with “OSHA” and “ANSI” over the course of our careers. These two organizations have helped articulate and enact many of the accepted safety standards/regulations that maintain safe working conditions and compliance in the equipment we use, on a daily basis. OSHA and ANSI regulations affect every aspect of the entertainment industry, but do you know the difference between the two?

OSHA

Signed into law in 1970, The Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted by President Richard Nixon. Its purpose was to ensure industry and manufacturing sectors possessed the most effective safety protocols, and minimize the risk faced by workers in inherently hazardous environments.

01 Jul 2015

Sticky Post By mountainproductions Posted in Tips, Tools, & Resources Permalink

What is Suspension Trauma?

Sticky Post By mountainproductions On July 1, 2015

We spend a lot of time training with our safety gear. After all, a product is only as good as the knowledgeable person using it. From donning a harness to establishing anchor points at height, our crews are always trained for heightened awareness when it comes to safety (and if you aren’t, what are you waiting for?).

Along with knowing the proper use and handling of fall protection items on site, workers also need to be aware of the dangers that occur after an incident happens, and how to quickly act. We invest a lot into fall protection systems to prevent the unthinkable, but there are always inherent dangers that come with our jobs that we can’t always avoid.

Fall Prevention (6,721 citations)

OSHA