Drape to electric batten distance

[Edgineer]

Hi folks,

I have a bit of a dilemma with a new stage install. We have a bi-parting traveler (21 oz fire retardant velour at 75% fullness) just upstage of a dead-hung lighting position. The traveler track and batten are specified at the same height (due to space considerations, otherwise I'd have wanted the lighting batten higher). Our lighting contractor says 18" between the traveler track and electric batten should be fine, but this seems awfully tight for access, maintenance, and allowing movement. The drape material would be 12 to 15 inches from the batten. I might have some profile spots and eventually movers on that batten, so I'm wondering if I should move the batten 6" downstage. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!!

 

[SteveB]

Hi folks,

I have a bit of a dilemma with a new stage install. We have a bi-parting traveler (21 oz fire retardant velour at 75% fullness) just upstage of a dead-hung lighting position. The traveler track and batten are specified at the same height (due to space considerations, otherwise I'd have wanted the lighting batten higher). Our lighting contractor says 18" between the traveler track and electric batten should be fine, but this seems awfully tight for access, maintenance, and allowing movement. The drape material would be 12 to 15 inches from the batten. I might have some profile spots and eventually movers on that batten, so I'm wondering if I should move the batten 6" downstage. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!!

I agree, move the electric. You are going to have problems with gathered material at the pipe ends when the traveler is open.

Steve B.

 

[derekleffew]

... You are going to have problems with gathered material at the pipe ends when the traveler is open.

Just to be cantankerous, I'll disagree with SteveB. Any fixtures far enough offstage to interfere with "stacking space" will be sidelights, and less than 13.3" wide. As an LD, I'd want the electric as far US as safely possible.

All SourceFours are 8.5" from yoke to rear if parallel to the floor, which seems an unlikely position. From yoke to lens, the 19°-50° are 14.3" (70° and 90° are shorter), but again, it's unlikely a fixture would be pointing flat upstage, even when projecting gobos on the cyc. (I'm guessing this is a mid-stage traveler.)

The VL1000 is probably the longest fixture readily available. It may be hung on 26.5" centers, so is 13.25" max. width during calibration. The manual, in 27 different languages, states "3.Note distance requirement from combustible materials or illuminated objects for VARI❋LITE® luminaires." Of course it never specifies a distance requirement.

All the above being said, if this is for a non-professional facility, yeah, move the distance between electric and border to 24". But that still won't prevent someone from pointing a lit fixture directly at a piece of black velour less than 12" away--one of the biggest hazards of working with moving lights. I've come very close to burning many a ballroom carpet, testing fixtures before the truss has blown to trim.

 

[1kfresnel]

If in doubt, space it out. But seriously, when I was in high school we received a new grand curtain and valance. The rigging company never bothered to check the spacing to the 1st electric, or thought it was enough. Sadly, we didn't even own it a week before it caught and the lining was torn. They had to come back and move the electric, along with have someone from their soft goods department do some stitching. I don't know the exact spacing they used, but it couldn't have been much, the 1st electric houses Altman 65Q fresnels mostly, with the occasional 1KAF or ellipsoidal special.

 

[Edgineer]

Hey thanks so much for the responses! I agree as an LD to have the electric as far upstage as possible, and it turned out that the track had to be hung about a foot lower than specified because of structural bracing above it. Also, the rigger found that he can hang the electric a little higher, so we think the batten will be 18" above the track (22" or so above the top of the drape). This should eliminate any fixture/maintenance space issues. Hmmm....I wonder if I should sneak the batten another 6" upstage.

PS, thanks for the VL1000 info. I was thinking of that one myself.

 

[SteveB]

Just to be cantankerous,

I thought that was a given.... (grinning in NY)

My rational was my own experience at my own space, which has Altman Shakespeare 15/30 zooms as hi-sides. My travelers vary from 10" distance from 3rd Elec to 3'-5" from 4 Elec., but I always seem to have issues as the units are so ****ed long. I also have a low grid, so even though stuff flies, the travelers, even when gridded, have a gathering of material right next to the pipe ends.

So as Mr. Cantankerous has pointed out, much depends on placement of fixtures as well as the fixture choice and you may well get away with it if using a standard S4, but not a Shakespeare zoom.

In any event, a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year goes out to Derek, as well as everyone on CB.

Steve Bailey
Brooklyn College