MSE Unveils Claw
The lightweight clamp is designed to mount Astera Hyperion, Titan and Helios fixtures as well as T12 tube lights to standard grip equipment.
Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc., has released The Claw, a clamp for mounting Astera Hyperion, Titan and Helios fixtures as well as T12 tube lights to standard grip equipment.
Designed by key grip Richard Mall with gaffer Jeremy Launais and crafted by the MSE team in Burbank, Calif., The Claw is made of lightweight aluminum with a black anodized finish and weighs 7.5 ounces. It offers the familiar operation of the Matthellini Clamp but is purpose-built for delicate tubular lighting fixtures and features an attachment insert for a safety strap.
The Claw offers compatibility with any common rigging that has a Baby receiver. Integral to its design is a Matthews 5"-long industry-standard 5/8" Baby Pin. The ¼"-20 threaded receiver allows the pin to be extended using a MicroRod or similar hardware. Adding Claws to a grip kit facilitates easy stacking of any number of tubes and a variety of custom-designed tube-light arrays.
The Claw’s threaded pin can be activated by rotating its winged handle. Clockwise tightening engages the jaw’s four fingers, clamping them more than 180 degrees around the fixture for a secure hold. The handle is specially sized to eliminate over cranking.
Each Claw finger is padded with textured rubber to prevent surface damage and slippage. Within the jaw, a series of magnets keeps the Claw fingers in the open position, ready to receive a tube.
The Claw lists for $89.
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