[SML] Platforming to go on the road

Wed Feb 8 21:43:20 UTC 2017

I have not looked at steel per se.  Cost is of course always a factor as
well as weight and setup speed.  I'm not sure that I need to get that heavy
duty.  Only the one corner with the scrim is really visible.  I think the
rest can be masked pretty well so that I can put all the x-bracing I need
in those locations.

I am mostly wondering what options are for this sort of thing using wood
for the most part.  As I think I mentioned earlier I could do gates, stud
walls, some of my masking walls could be built heavy enough to be load
bearing.

I could find out where festival is and check load in limitations and
possibly make a steel structured wagon that is welded for a portion of it.
If there is room for load in though doors, etc. that could be made with
lift jacks or use a pallet jack to move and it becomes my main anchor
point.  Or as you say a bolt together.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Paul

On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 4:35 PM, Richard Niederberg <ladesigners at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Dear Paul,
> Watch out for torsion forces - make sure that an actor on the upper deck
> does not move in a way that causes a twisting of that deck
> [action/reaction] in relation to the lower deck. Have you considered 4"
> steel tubing, steel corner, top, and bottom (caster) plates, and large
> diameter hardened bolts, nuts and star washers? If you didn't have to break
> down your 8' cube, I'd assemble it using a certified welder.
> /s/ Richard
> _________
>
> On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 1:00 PM, Paul Anderson via Stagecraft <
> stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>
>> 2- 4 x 8 and 2-4 x 6 platforms so 8 feet by 14 feet.
>>
>> One 4x8 gets a trap door of about 2' x 2'.
>>
>> Not sure if I can attach jpgs or not or I could show you what I'm up
>> against.
>>
>> Thanks everyone for responses.  Still pondering options.
>>
>> Paul
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 11:24 AM, dale <dale at cybercom.net> wrote:
>>
>>> How large is the upper platform? Is it free standing or is there another
>>> set piece attached to it?
>>>
>>> The thought I had is you build the upper platform with sockets where you
>>> slide in appropriately long pieces of schedule 40 inch and a half pipes as
>>> the legs.
>>>
>>> The bottoms of the pipes are screwed into flanges which are firmly
>>> attached to a low platform with the same footprint as the upper.     Some X
>>> bracing or a more solid wall unit bolts into the back face and one of the
>>> side faces to provide stability.
>>>
>>> I haven't worked out the math to be sure, but pipes on the four corners
>>> should hold weight of platform plus one actor.  If the actor is dancing or
>>> there are more than one of them, then add more vertical pipes.
>>> Assembly and disassembly would want some kind of lift to tip the thing
>>> upright.  And whatever the tipping axis is should have additional X bracing
>>> to resist the twisting and racking of the tipping up.
>>>
>>> For extra points, design into the underside of the upper platform
>>> storage pockets for the pipe and X braces.  The bottom sheet can strap to
>>> the upper platform to make a nice truck friendly unit.  Add a couple of
>>> casters to make it easier to roll onto the truck.  Probably on the skinny
>>> edge so it can just roll on and get strapped to the wall of the truck.
>>>
>>> Dale
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE smartphone
>>>
>>>
>>> -------- Original message --------
>>> From: Paul Anderson via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
>>> Date: 2/8/17 09:38 (GMT-05:00)
>>> To: Stagecraft Mailing list <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
>>> Cc: Paul Anderson <panderson at hope.edu>
>>> Subject: [SML] Platforming to go on the road
>>>
>>> I work for a small 4 year college and basically build scenery that sits
>>> on the stage till strike.  The only shows I've built for packing in a truck
>>> were already designed with that in mind.
>>>
>>> Our current production is being entered for ACTF participation and is
>>> being designed by what are basically not designers.  So far they have a
>>> platform setup that is 8 feet in the air.  The thought of raising heavy
>>> platforms that high scares me.
>>>
>>> Not having done this I'm not sure what my options are.  One thought I
>>> suppose is that there could be some sort of legging system put on each
>>> platform while upside down, then roll those assemblies upright one at a
>>> time and tie together.  Some sort of folding gate legs and simple plywood
>>> tops instead of framed platforms is something I've also seen done.
>>>
>>> There is some masking underneath which could be load bearing.  But one
>>> corner is to be black scrim with some action to be revealed under the
>>> platform.  And one platform has to have a trap to get into this underneath
>>> playing area.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions welcome.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Paul Anderson
>>> Technical Director for Theater
>>> Hope College
>>> Holland, MI
>>> 616-395-7104 <(616)%20395-7104>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Paul Anderson
>> Technical Director for Theater
>> Hope College
>> Holland, MI
>> 616-395-7104 <(616)%20395-7104>
>>
>> ____________________________________________________________
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>
>
>
> --
> /s/ Richard
> _________
>

-- 
Paul Anderson
Technical Director for Theater
Hope College
Holland, MI
616-395-7104
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