tracked floor... eek...

[danl]

i'm looking for info and help on tracking a stage floor... not a lot of tracks, just a couple, but it's not something i've done... for SOME reason, i'm just never happy with a regular ol' stage floor... lol...

anyone had experience with this??? where do i even begin???

dan'l

[icewolf08]

What exactly do you mean by "tracking a stage floor"? Are you putting in tracks for moving scenery or are you putting in channels so your electricians can run wiring? Or are you trying to track down a floor or figure out where your floor is going?

[danl]

a grooved deck for moving scenery... i don't even know where to start...

[avkid]

Originally Posted by danl

a grooved deck for moving scenery... i don't even know where to start...

Why do you want to do that?

[icewolf08]

Well, since we always lay cellotex and masonite on our decks whose thickness adds up to 1 inch, we use two pieces of 1" angle iron to make a track. The angle iron gets screwed to the floor and the cellotex and maso gets laid over. For a knife on the wagons, usually a piece of 1/4" steel or you could use UHMW plastic. This technique seems to work well for us. If I had pictures I would post them, but I don't. I could probably make a sketch if you need.

[avkid]

Originally Posted by icewolf08

Well, since we always lay masonite on our decks

Did you guys stockpile it?

[icewolf08]

well, we reuse what we have as much as possible, then buy what we have to.

[icewolf08]

Here is a picture:

[Footer]

Originally Posted by charcoaldabs

Alex, I'm not sure I follow exactly what you are saying. The tracking is inset into your stage floor? So you add an inch layer of masonite across the whole deck?... Wow.

Thats pretty common practice. You will walk into many theatres that have cut slots in the deck for tracking and it messes up the deck for the rest of the decks life. It gets even more fun with you want to add some automation in that track, you have to raise the stage 4-6 inches which means triscuits or 4x8's accross the entire deck plus all the tracking mechanisms. This is also the reason that nearly every broadway touring show carries their own deck so the tracks are perfect every time. Add in a revolve the things get expensive REALLY quick. Tracking things onstage can be one of the biggest pains in the world, even simple tracks just to get a wagon upstage/downstage can be a real pain to do.

[icewolf08]

Originally Posted by charcoaldabs

Is this an extremely common practice? This is just to get position correct on scenic elements? Is there a trip hazard associated with it? What happens if a nut falls into the grove? Should a pre-show check include all tracking?
How thick is the knife, of what material, etc?

The knife and track system is to keep moving scenery in the right place as it moves. Simple tracks are straight, but complicated moves can be done with curved tracks. This keeps movement consistent.

Now comes the part where I refer you back to my two previous posts. If you look at the drawing and read, your questions would have been answered. Is there a trip hazard? No, the track is totally flush with the floor and usually just over 1/4 wide. The knife is usually 1/4 plate steel or another piece of angle iron. You can also use UHMW Plastic.

Part of preshow checks are to check the tracks and the movement of all scenic elements.