brainstorming: wide, rollable rigid material

kicknargel

kicknargel

Well-Known Member
OK, I fully expect there's no answer to this.

I'm looking for some kind of skin material that I could paint, apply graphics to, etc, then roll it up for transport. So at the gig (a corporate ballroom-type show) I could attach a million stock flats together to form a wall, then attach this material to the face to create and already-art-ed, seamless surface.

High-impact-polystyrene (HIPS) like you use for vacuforming has the qualities I'd be looking for: paintable, rigid but rollable. But I've only seen it in 4x8 sheets. I'd like it to be an 8'x32' solid piece. Or even 4'x32'--that would at least reduce the seams.

Fabric would work if we were just painting, but we're applying posters and stuff (wheatpasted poster look). Plus it's hard to get every last wrinkle out of fabric in this type of application.

Any thoughts? If I could find an affordable product like this I'd use it all the time (I'm a real seam-Nazi).
 
The problem that I see is that if you have a more rigid (wrinkle free) material, then the paint will have difficulty with the rolling for transport. I'm thinking that it will flake. However, if you were to bond a fabric directly to a more rigid surface, then the paint would adhere to the fabric and be wrinkle free. Vendors such as Piper Plastics have a wide variety of materials that could potentially be used as the backing (I'm sure there's someone local in Denver area as well).
 
I'd be very tempted to look into direct printing onto plasticized canvas, of the type normally used for billboards - that stuff is available in truly gigantic sizes and is reasonably rigid - not so much as the styrene used in vacforming, but enough for what you're looking for. It doesn't wrinkle easily, and is available in matte-finishes (at least, it is in Ecuador, and since we lag behind the rest of the world I'd assume it was also in the US.) This is stiff enough to support wheat-pasted posters and flexible enough to roll like a backcloth for mobility.
 
32' in length would be a transportation problem in most situations, as a solid piece.

do a google search for "digital priniting" and find a service shop near by. Sew What is one of the most popular digital drop and backdrop companies I've seen used by touring shows. There are all kinds of shops that will do this for you with a wide selection of fabric choices.

Kenneth Pogin
Production / Tour Manager
Minnesota Ballet
 
I have a material in stock that sounds like what you want. It is a sign vinyl that I use for vac-form that comes in a .030 thickness. I get it in 54" x 300 lb rolls which are about 300 continuous feet long. You can roll it up on a 6" core cardboard tube. 32' would be very easy to deal with. You can get it from Boltaron or Klockner Pentaplast. The only problem you might have is in buying the minimum amount which is often 5000 lbs. They will give you the names of companies that sell in smaller quantities.

There are also sign companies now that will print anything on vinyl fabric. That might work even better.

Let me know if you need any contact info or phone numbers.

Brian
 
Last edited:
I print my theater's vinyl sandwich signs with PrintRunner.com. For a 4x4 sign, they were 30% cheaper than Kinkos for 2 2x3 signs.. no brainer for my producer....

Their price calculator for 8'x32' comes to just over $1000 - before shipping from California....
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Stuart R
This week's stage flooring post :-)
Replies
0
Views
1K
Stuart R
Stuart R
S
How to protect outdoor hard legs from the elements
Replies
10
Views
3K
wolf825
wolf825
S
painting old fixtures
Replies
8
Views
3K
David Ashton
D
derekleffew
Lighting Fixture Maintenance
Replies
0
Views
7K
derekleffew
derekleffew
gafftaper
Getting a Job in the Industry
Replies
0
Views
10K
gafftaper
gafftaper

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back