What to do when you can't put a toggle?

[JLNorthGA]

I usually put a toggle rail midway in an 8' flat and sometimes put two toggles in a 10' flat.

The director (AKA Laurel), wants five flats with muslin fronts. Being Laurel, she wants them odd sizes and odd shapes. One of them is 6' W x 9' H. Another is 5' W and 11' H on one side and 9' 6" H on the other. Another is 5' W and 12' H on one side and 10' H on the other. The other two are still under negotiation.

She want them with a muslin front. I'm going to size the front side of the muslin and dye portions of the back for color "splotches" when I shine a light through them.

Obviously if I have a toggle, the back light would show the toggle. Therefore I have to find an alternative.

I thought of doing the sides as triangles - with the triangles also acting as stage jacks. That way my cross rails can just tie the two stiles (and triangles) together. I could also have toggles tying the two triangles together in back of the light path. It would also give me something to hang the lights on.

Does this sound reasonable - or might there be a better way?

[FatherMurphy]

It depends on what you're trying to accomplish by either using toggles or some other method. The original intent of a toggle is to control any tendency of the stile to warp and cause the outline of the flat to become hourglass shaped, or (much less likely) barrel shaped. If you're worried about the stiles bowing in while the sizing shrinks and dries, you can screw the flat frame to the floor while you size it, or temporarily install plastic-wrapped toggles. Another route would be to reinforce the stiles, either with angle iron, making them from wider lumber, making them from plywood strips instead of 1x, or making them from plywood angles. You could also make toggles from threaded rod, they'd still cast a shadow, but it would be much less noticeable than a 1x toggle, especially if the backlight was gobo textured.

[TheatrePros]

It the same situation I have made them from 18 gauge 1x1 steel and tacked a strip of plywood on the upstage side. This allowed me to staple the fabric on and create a unique shape with just the perimeter frame.

[JLNorthGA]

I think I will make the stiles "angled". If I can find the angle iron at a reasonable price, I may use that to reinforce the stiles. Other than that, I may just (as I said), make a right angle of 1 x 4.

[TEarlywine]

I've done similar with 1x1 steel frame as well (ours were 4x16 tracked panels that needed to have a scrim effect).

I'd do temporary toggles that you remove after the muslin is dry, or other securing of stiles, as recommended. Realistically, shrinking muslin will try to hourglass your flat regardless of frame material or structure, so you might as well make sure it can't ...easier than dealing with the hourglass later.

[mstaylor]

I've done similar with 1x1 steel frame as well (ours were 4x16 tracked panels that needed to have a scrim effect).

I'd do temporary toggles that you remove after the muslin is dry, or other securing of stiles, as recommended. Realistically, shrinking muslin will try to hourglass your flat regardless of frame material or structure, so you might as well make sure it can't ...easier than dealing with the hourglass later.

I agree, add a temp toggle while sizing. No matter how well you reinforce the rails, they will want to bow in the middle. Are these going to be single flats or a system? If a system then once it is dry, rip plywood to overlay the two rails to counteract the bowing. Of course bracing will much more important because they won't be as structurally sound.

[JLNorthGA]

I agree, add a temp toggle while sizing. No matter how well you reinforce the rails, they will want to bow in the middle. Are these going to be single flats or a system? If a system then once it is dry, rip plywood to overlay the two rails to counteract the bowing. Of course bracing will much more important because they won't be as structurally sound.

Single flats. I will add temporary toggles when sizing. I just need to figure out how to paint them for the transparent colors.