Recent content by Benjamin Fink

Assuming these are just fabric panels, my thought is to go with a set of three roll drops hung on a single batten. As you detailed above, hanging the panels on separate fly lines would mean that they would not line up with each other, and I think that if you tried using pulleys to hang the...

I just got a set of Pliant MicroComXR units (their less expensive option) in house and have used them on a couple of performances. I haven't had a chance to fully put them through their paces, but I've been impressed by their build quality and performance so far.

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear your horses are still happily galloping to this day. I'll be sure to update the board once ours are built!

I'm looking to build a new stock of folding sawhorses based on the Stock Scenery Construction Handbook plans, and wondering what lessons other folks have learned so I don't have to learn them myself.In the book, they're drawn 4'6" wide -this seems like the best size for stock use, but are...

What's your budget? Do you need to work in 2D and 3D? What kind of drawings do you need to create, and are they just for your own use to plan things out, or do they need to be shared with others?I work with Vectorworks, but depending on your needs, there are a number of other products out...

Can you hide a small smoke effect by the actor's feet and/or add a strobe above or behind them? Or maybe have them palm a small strobe flashlight or attach it to the end of the cable that they can trigger? If you have blinders that you can use to flash the audience with that would also...

Thirding this. We have bought lamps which come wrapped with a piece of paper and a section of foam, and I usually just pull the lamp and the packing material out together and use the packaging to keep from touching the envelope.

I agree that you'll likely want to paint the flat instead of (or in addition to) having it be reflective itself. If the flat is actually a reflective metal, it will just be reflecting the audience and the stage lights, whereas the trailer in the scene would be reflecting the rest of the trailer...

I just purchased this book from Lost Art Press and would highly recommend it. Jeffrey Hill (the author) is an ER physician and woodworker, and it's specifically focused on first aid for workshop accidents. The book has a list of recommended supplies as well as instructions to deal with a wide...

What type, thickness, and density of foam would you recommend for this? We are looking to resurface our cutting tables and replace the old homasote that is there. Our plan was to just directly replace with a new sheet of homasote, but if there's a better option I'd love to do it the right way...

In addition to the Backstage Handbook, The Stock Scenery Construction Handbook is a great resource to learn theatre carpentry. I don't have my copy in front of me, so I'm not sure if there are instructions for building window reveals, but if you are learning how to build scenery, I would fully...

I've found some other results by searching for a flush mount 2-pin hinge, including this one on Amazon. It looks like most of the hinges available for sale are designed for light use for table tops or boat hatches, so I'm not sure how large of a trapdoor you could support with them.If you have...

Are these needing to be installed directly on the stage deck and visible for the full show (i.e. they can't be on a raised platform or a rolling wagon)? If there's a rigid rod, then it will need somewhere to go when retracted, e.g. down through the deck into the trap room, or retracted into a...

I think I saw an exhibit or workshop at USITT this year on cable and tentacle mechanisms, and I think that might be a solution for this, or may be overkill but a decent starting point to brainstorm. I foud a couple of excerpts from the Rick Baker School on Youtube on cable mechanisms. They...

Thanks for all the replies. This is exactly the info I was looking for.