HANG TRACK LIGHTING FROM AIRCRAFT CABLE?

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SPierce

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Nebraska
Was hoping this would fall under an engineering issue, so I posted it here. Have a project coming up where there will be quite a bit of track lighting suspended from an open ceiling. I've only supported track with all-thread, but GC was hoping we could use a type of aircraft cable for a cleaner look. Someone suggested that when you install several heads on a straight piece of track supported from a cable, the weight of the heads would make the track "tilt". Does anyone have any experience hanging track from a cable or some other means other than all-thread? Any input would be appreciated.
 

GoldDigger

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Was hoping this would fall under an engineering issue, so I posted it here. Have a project coming up where there will be quite a bit of track lighting suspended from an open ceiling. I've only supported track with all-thread, but GC was hoping we could use a type of aircraft cable for a cleaner look. Someone suggested that when you install several heads on a straight piece of track supported from a cable, the weight of the heads would make the track "tilt". Does anyone have any experience hanging track from a cable or some other means other than all-thread? Any input would be appreciated.
If the wiring is a type required to be "secured" in place rather than just suspended, all thread will have a lot more resistance to side to side movement than cable would.
And unless you use two cables spaced a few inches on either side of the track with a rigid bar OR attach the single cable to a foot or so long rigid eye bolt, you will have problems with the track tilting, and it may even put more torque on the track segment connections than they are designed for.
 

infinity

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Lately we've been using stem hung track which allows a rigid connection at both ends of the stem with locknuts that can be made wrench tight. Sounds like aircraft cable will be more trouble than it's worth.
 

iwire

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Location
Massachusetts
I see it tipping and generally being a pain to aim heads on. If these tracks are more than one track long and are coupled together I would have serious concerns about the coupling being damaged from movement as people install and aim heads.
 

PetrosA

Senior Member
I think you could get away with it on anything but a straight track, but there may be a way to make it work even with a straight run. If you have someone who can do brazing for you, you're set. Have them braze the aircraft cable to one end of a length of 1/4" rod that's about 12" long. Thread 10/24 threads at the other end of the rod about 1/2" in. With that length of rod, the lights shouldn't be able to tip the track on the aircraft cable anymore (it's a question of extending the leverage away from the back of the track). How you attach the cable to the ceiling is up to you ;)
 

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
Was hoping this would fall under an engineering issue, so I posted it here. Have a project coming up where there will be quite a bit of track lighting suspended from an open ceiling. I've only supported track with all-thread, but GC was hoping we could use a type of aircraft cable for a cleaner look. Someone suggested that when you install several heads on a straight piece of track supported from a cable, the weight of the heads would make the track "tilt". Does anyone have any experience hanging track from a cable or some other means other than all-thread? Any input would be appreciated.

i had to hang "floating" track lights in a data center they wanted to
make a showpiece out of, for ATT.

laid all tracklight out on floor, spotted 1/4" holes on back of track.
used a laser to transfer to ceiling... set 1/4" anchors, coupled 1/4"
running thread to them.

set the laser up to throw a level line, cut 1/2" emt the right length
to completely sleeve the running thread, and end up level, correcting
slight differences in deck height above. cut running thread 1/2" short of
sleeve, used rod coupling with jam nut to make almost flush with end
of emt... painted emt flat black.

used allen head button machine screws to suck track up tight to emt.

turned out pretty nice. took a long time to do it right, but it didn't twist,
and if you cut the emt with a tubing cutter, it looks good.

cable will, imho, suck trying to make it work. this was hard enough.
 
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