Recent content by Les Engineer

Project completed successfully. Actually, it was far better than I hoped it would be. No issues with columns, beams. joists, or overall structure. If anything, it was too sturdy: strike took four days. Wish I had photos to share (I have them, but not on this computer.) Huge set, 28 feet...

Mr. Hess, I'm just beginning the construction phase this week. The design stage was difficult, in that an unforeseen difficulty forced me to abandon 3 months of planning, a thick book of blueprints, and cut sheets for the builders: everything was measured to the 16th of an inch, and not on...

Thank you. Absolutely. I'll probably use carriage bolts, Simpson Strong-Drive SDW Truss-Ply screws or the equivalent, although I know that we theater folks normally like to use whatever's in the big bucket under the fake sink, as well as epoxy and good clamping techniques. This should minimize...

Ha! My wife and I are both theater geeks - have been since childhood, but from very different theater traditions, geography, and training. Oddly, we understand theater and theater terms and traditions in the same way, except for one huge bone of contention, the role, realm, form, and function...

It's now on my Christmas List!

Also, I'm not starting construction for 3 months - plenty of time to worry this to death. Also, unlike here at work, where I have a bottomless budget, skilled labor, and the best equipment money can buy, at the theater I have no money, ma and pa kettle putting this thing together (and taking it...

I think you're going to need to provide more detail. I'm a little confused by what you're trying to do. Generally platforms are legged with 2x or 4x, and cross braced underneath for stability. I imagine you're thinking of columns in wall construction in homes. where 2,3,4... 2x4 studs are nailed...

I'm planning on building some very tall (and medium tall) columns to hold platforms. Having poured over the literature for several weeks, I've still not found information on built-up columns (i.e., mechanically laminated two-bys) that include a variation on the theme of "hog-troughing," a term...

Update: Yes, they definatly scan from the audience and yes, they're annoying. By the time I finish difffusing them I might as well have paid for the expensive (i.e. with diffuser) fixtures. Lesson learned.

Yes! making my own diffusers... why didn't I think of that? Thanks.

Hello hive! Quick question: practical fluorescent lighting with the instruments visable to the audience - how distracting is this? Time is moving and the budget for this little drama (as usual) is small. The design calls for fluorescent lighting that can be manipulated by the actor. Shop lights...

^ No doubt you guys have got me thinking hard about this. No one has even mentioned turning around and walking on it while it's spinning, which was my intention. I have (in my mind) slowed it down to 2 rpm or less, which is about walkway speed (without the centrifigal force), and it still...

Good things to think about. Is 4 rpm at 18 diameter playground speed? It does seem very fast, now that I walk it out, especially at that weight: a lot of torque to stop it. Funny how we've moved from "will it turn fast enough and long enough" to "will it turn slow enough and stop easily enough."...

Yikes! That's really something I've not considered at all, actually, TE, so thanks again. This configuration is strictly for two/three mature adults, well-rehearsed and the rotation sparingly used. The revolve is actually just the central cog in a sort of literal deus ex machina that sets a...

All of the above is true, so thank you all. The guys here at the shop are determined to make a central bearing device of some sort. Don't know why - I think they just like going to the junk yard. The great thing about bouncing ideas around in Control Booth is that it lets you toss a handfull...