hanging clouds

I am planning on a cloud of 4" 703 filling a 7'x2' frame with 1x4s and some diagonal bracing in the corners. The thing is tha I was hoping to use chains splayed out from the sides on the front that is closer to the ceiling and the lower side hanging from the wall Now that I think about it I am wondering if the chains on the sides will pull this sucker apart. I have 2'x2' tiles above and I would rather not go through these to get to my joists. Is this a bad idea? thanks in advance. -I've been trolling around here the past 2 weeks. Great info folks!

Sounds like that mounting could do just as you fear - your total weight should run not much more than 40 pounds or so, I'd just use something like 1/8" cable (HD sells it where I am) and do some REALLY small holes thru your tiles (they don't do much for soundproofing anyway) and into ceiling joists. Seems like 2' wide isn't much of a cloud though, usually more like 4' wide... Steve

Thanks steve. My new dimensions are now 8' x 3' - it's more of a hanging broudband spaceship than a cloud. I am putting it at an angle above my monitors sloping down to the wall behind the monitors. I actually just got some 1/16" cable. too thin? Do I need a special tool for the furrules? can I just use a quick connect crimp tool? sorry I have so many questions, but I've dever had this potential of danger on top of my desk. -I also have questions about making this frame stable, I'll make same sketches. Sorry this is all verbal, I dl'd the popular sw here and plan to make sketches.

1/16" should be fine, even at 8x3 (24 sq foot, 8 cubic foot of 3 PCF = 24 pounds plus your 1x4 frame) it's still not too heavy. I've seen picture hanging wire thinner than that rated at 30-35 pounds, and you'd have four or more. IF you use a "quick crimp", I'd use it to make loops - and I'd tie the end of the cable so it can't pull thru the crimp, just in case... Steve

the ferrrule is like this http://www.hardwareandtools.com/invt/6873798# Can I crimp these with any tool, or do I need a special tool? It's really late but I am not sure on the weight calc for 703. I am stacking 2 layers of 2" 703 -so I thought it would be 48 lbs right? is cubix feet figured into the depth? hmm... I need sleep.

Charlie, for those ferrules you need a special crimp tool - this http://stageriggingonline.com/1scmini.html is probably about the least expensive one you'll find at $45. IF you enlarge the pic by clicking on the tool itself, you'll see that it almost completely surrounds the aluminum ferrule and gives full circumference swaging of the aluminum. 703 is 3 pounds per cubic foot, 4" is 1/3 of a foot, so 1 square foot 4" thick = 1 pound - 24 sq ft = 24 pounds. If your 1x4 is dry, it'll weigh just under 0.7 pounds per lineal foot, so a perimeter frame would weigh about 16 pounds, adding a couple of cross-pieces would raise this to around 20-22 pounds, adding insulation weight, the total would be around 44-46 pounds. Divide by 6 hangers, and you have under 10 pounds per hanger. For something like that, you could just use #10-12 electrical ring terminals and a $15 crimper from Home Depot, being sure to tie a knot in the wire so it can't slip thru if the crimp doesn't hold - if you're not sure what I mean, I'll try to post a pic (but please try; I'm home sick and trying to stay close to the heater for the next couple days :cry: ) Steve

Thanks steve, I got it. It was just too late to think last night.

It was just too late to think last night That's where I spend most of my time :?