attaching a stage extension to a stage

[DMurphy]

Hello everyone!

We recently built a stage extension for our proscenium stage which adds about six feet to the front of our stage, but we built it in pieces. Unfortunately, our theater is used during the day for classes (it's at a university) and the extension cannot remain there during the day. We have to put it in place before each dance rehearsal and remove it right after and store it in the wings.

My question is:

What do you think the best way to secure the pieces together and to the stage would be? I would like something that is quick, easy, and does not wear the legs of the extension down. Maybe some sort of bracket that can be locked into place and stays attached to the legs?

If anyone has run into a similar problem or has any advice, I would love to hear from you. PLEASE let me know! Thanks!

[LekoBoy]

I'd use coffin-locks.

[ajb]

Coffin locks to connect the platforms to each other, but I'd do something different to connect to the stage.

You could do a pinch cleat. Rip two pieces of 1x with a 45 along one edge. Screw one to the front edge of the stage with the beveled edge on top and the wide face away from the stage, so you wind up with a v-groove on top. Screw the other piece to the US edge of the extension platforms, but with the beveled edge down. Then you can just hook the platforms onto the edge of the stage.

[Dionysus]

+1 for coffin locks (at least to attach the risers together). Quick and easy to put together and pull apart.

I also like the pinch cleat idea, I've seen it work well.

I would stray away from ideas like bolting the sections together or to the existing deck as you'd have to put bolt holes on your apron AND it takes a LOT of time and hassle to assemble/disassemble.

Screws are also a very bad idea, as you'll make it all look like swiss cheese by the time you are done and it'll get to the point where it just won't hold. Also very time consuming... Did I mention the holes?

If you build your extension and lock it together you may not need much (if any) affixment (to coin a new word, I think) to the main deck. The community theatre here has a series of risers that they use in various thrust configurations and once you get enough of the risers hooked together it takes a LOT to budge them. I'd prefer a connection to the deck however.

[Footer]

How are you attaching it currently? What is the material the stage edge is made out of? When the extension is not there, how "gone" does it have to be? What is the extension made out of? is the stage level to the floor and vice versa?

[BrianWolfe]

heavy duty loose pin hinges

[BrockTucker]

C Clamps or similar of any variety

[MarshallPope]

I second the suggestion for C-clamps to attach the sections together. Nice and quick.

[kendal69]

C- Clamps are easy but they will work use depending on the activity on stage.

[Anvilx]

You could do a pinch cleat.

A "pinch cleat" ehh, I think you meant french cleat.

[derekleffew]

A "pinch cleat" ehh, I think you meant french cleat.

As they are synonymous, either term is acceptable. Perhaps someone will add pinch cleat and french cleat, as well as cleat, to our wiki?

[mixmaster]

Hello everyone!

We recently built a stage extension for our proscenium stage which adds about six feet to the front of our stage, but we built it in pieces. Unfortunately, our theater is used during the day for classes (it's at a university) and the extension cannot remain there during the day. We have to put it in place before each dance rehearsal and remove it right after and store it in the wings.

My question is:

What do you think the best way to secure the pieces together and to the stage would be? I would like something that is quick, easy, and does not wear the legs of the extension down. Maybe some sort of bracket that can be locked into place and stays attached to the legs?

If anyone has run into a similar problem or has any advice, I would love to hear from you. PLEASE let me know! Thanks!

Years ago (before my time with the university) someone decided that our stage was not big enough so we needed an extension. The extension was custom built by a stage company to fit the pit area. We move all 12 x 35 feet of it about 5 times a year as needs dictate. The individual sections of the extension are held together with coffin locks and leg clamps and the extension is secured to the front of the stage by 6 or 8 brackets. The brackets are basically 3/8" all-thread with a metal hook that catches the framing under the stage. The all-thread screws into threaded sleeves driven into the front trim piece of the apron, then the hook is clipped under the frame of the stage extension. A nut and washer allow us to snug everything down tight. When the extension is out, the holes are visible in the front of the apron trim, but theres 15 feet between our front row of seats and the apron so the holes don't show. I've often contemplated using screws with white heads to fill and cover the holes, just never gotten around to trying it.The entire proscess take a crew of six about 3 hours to construct, but the time consuming part is assembling the legs to the platform sections. Once it's in place we can secure the extension to the face of the stage in about 10 minutes.
I've also got a runway that I built for our annual fashion show that gets used a couple times a year now. Its 4x8 platforms, legged up with doubled 2x4s, and cross braced. Those platforms get bolted together with 3/8" carriage bolts and then C clamped to the front edge of the extension. The runway is heavy, solid, completely self supporting and doesn't rely on being attached to the stage, but because even a small gap between the stage and runway could be a problem for a young lady in 5 inch spike heals, I check all my hardware before each show. in 3 years, I've never had the bolts work loose, but I found one loose clamp once.
Matt

[DMurphy]

Thank you for the advice everyone!

We are going to use C-clamps for the next few weeks and then we are going to buy coffin locks and install them on the platforms.

I found out yesterday that we cannot drill into the front of the stage, which is just plywood. The extension does not move very much even when freestanding because it is 6ft wide and about 30ft long, but we put some stage weights in front of the upstage legs to make sure it does not budge at all. We also have sandbags that we might use in the future if we need those stage weights.

Does anyone have any suggestions for attaching the deck to the front of the stage, again so it can be moved and removed relatively easily? I know two people have made suggestions already, but both involve drilling into the front of the stage, which we cannot do.

And yes the extension is level with the edge of the stage.

Thanks!

[scenerymaker]

Can you put anchors into the floor or into the front of the stage wall at the bottom where it won't be noticed as much? If you can, only put legs under the down stage side of your new platform. Support the upstage side with diagonal braces to the front legs. Prevent the legs from skidding out with the floor anchors. Then you lean the whole thing against the stage and add a few sandbags.

If, on the other hand, you must fasten the whole thing down but are not allowed to fasten anything to the stage or to the floor, you are left with plywood magnets. It will be cheaper to tear out the stage and rebuild it.

[ajb]

Can you mortise out a recess in the top surface of the extension and stage for a ~1.5" x 6" piece of strap steel that spans across the joint? With an accurate mortise and countersunk flat head bolts you can make the whole thing nice and flat. Simply for the purposes of securing against motion in the horizontal plane, you probably don't need more than 3 straps, so you're talking about 3 1.5"w x 3"l x 3/16"d mortises on the top of the DS edge of the stage, which you could fill when the extension is not in place with half-size bits of the same strap steel.

[dramatech]

A few years ago I assisted the High school that my keds went to, in building a stage extension that was removeable, and could be setup and attached in less than five minutes. We used the ratcheting cargo straps.
We installed lageyes to the bottom front of the stage extension and just under the stage front edge. We then ran cargo straps in a crisscross pattern from the eyes on the extension to the eyes just under the stage. Tightened the staps and ratched the final inches. It worked like a charm and was used quite often in a moments notice. The only caveat, is that we had a stage that was hollow underneath, so that the eyes when not used were not obtrusive. If allowed, you could put the eyes in a small box inserted into the front of the stage, with a door that could be close when not in use.

[DMurphy]

The floor is concrete, so attaching the legs to that would be very tough.

I think we're going to use the sandbags until I can convince someone to let me drill into the front of the stage.

Thanks again everybody!

[BrianWolfe]

Is there a way to make a new facia for the stage that covers the screw or bolt holes that you drill into the existing stage front?

[kicknargel]

When using clamps or coffin locks, I'd recommend building registration pins into the platforms--install 3/4" dowel pins (or similar) that stick out of the frame of the platform and fit into holes in the platform it connects to. That will help the joints between platforms be nice and flush. It helps to taper the ends of the pins so they have an easy time finding their holes.