[SML] Platforming to go on the road

Wed Feb 8 21:52:28 UTC 2017

Dear Paul,
Also consider the 'lever' effect. a small shaking on the bottom is
amplified by a 8' lever to the top. You don't want apprehensive actors,
even if they are safe. Casters with little or no 'play' can help with this.
/s/ Richard
_________

On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 1:43 PM, Paul Anderson <panderson at hope.edu> wrote:

> 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 <(616)%20395-7104>
>

-- 
/s/ Richard
_________
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