Thread: FCG Help

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Hi, all!

Okay, I've been through many different tutorials on FCG, and have discovered that none of them detail threading the ghost! Or I just have not found the proper tutorial.

I received a crank mechanism today, but am confused about how the head is threaded...I understand the arms wires go thru the screweyes at the end of each of the extended parts, and then to the 3-hole washer on the crank...I thought that the screw-eye on the back of the crank frame was for stringing the head, but the length of the crank goes past that screw-eye by a couple of inches, so not sure how to attach head to string to frame to crank without it getting tangled...I must be missing something...argghh!
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Got a pic?

On my ghost there is a seperate eye hook at the back of the rig on the main frame that has the pulley and attachment point for the head. The crank turns in front of this head attachment point. I am sorry i dont have a pic of this but the ghost is in storage right now till the big night.

Sounds like the rear (head) eye bolt is too close or your crank is too long.
When I built mine I made each eye bolt (I used pulleys) the same distance from the end of the crank.

okay, I think I may know what the issue is, check out the pic...the motor shaft is at one end of the motor...is the motor mounted backwards (meaning should I flip it horizontally)? That definitely would make the crank shorter than the location of that back head screweye...whaddya think?

Originally Posted by davy2

okay, I think I may know what the issue is, check out the pic...the motor shaft is at one end of the motor...is the motor mounted backwards (meaning should I flip it horizontally)? That definitely would make the crank shorter than the location of that back head screweye...whaddya think?

I would definitely try that. It shouldn't be blocking the eye hook.

I see what you mean. The crank is definitely going to interfere with the head string. You're right - try rotating the motor 180° and see if it clears the eyebolt. Also, I noticed that eyebolt on the arm extension looks like it's in the wrong place. Should it be at the end of the extension, not at the pivot?

Originally Posted by Otaku

Also, I noticed that eyebolt on the arm extension looks like it's in the wrong place. Should it be at the end of the extension, not at the pivot?

I'm guessing that eye bolt is used for hanging the unit from the ceiling. That's my guess.

One thing though, even when you get your crank to clear the eye bolt it looks like the crank is sitting too high on top of the motor. I think the FCG lines will work smoother if the fender washer is even with, or just above the eye bolt (when the unit is orientated to it's hung position).
Try it anyway. Like I said, I've always used pulleys instead of eye bolts.

Thanks, everyone, yes it seems like the motor was mounted backwards, I flipped it..it clears fine now...very strange! This was driving me crazy...

Mr. Chicken, that's what I thought, also...
Otaku, DavethegGrave is correct, that eye bolt you see is actually for hanging, since the pic is with the crank upside down; there's another eye bolt on the end of the arm extension...
DavetheGrave, thanks for the advice, it's very helpful, if motion is not smooth, I'll look for a shorter shaft nut, I know I've seen them at the hardware store...I never would have known to look for that!

The crank arm there is definately longer than the arm on mine is. My rig actually has a back bar with a pulley for the head line to run. I would use pulleys rather than eye hooks, i imagine they both would work but the puleys give a very nice smooth movement.