Platform Safety

josh88 said:
I'm not trying to be rude but do people really do this? Is it common to find platforms out of 1x? I was always taught to use 2x stock, most of the time 2x4. The couple of times I've seen 1x4-1x6 framed platforms in the real world they have seemed way too light and not strong enough to take any real abuse even if they are legged and braced nicely. I mean as a carpenter I use 1x all the time to make furniture but I'm also not jumping on, dancing on, or generally beating up my tables and stuff. It just strikes me as I'd rather have the added strength and thickness of a 2x4
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Yes, Josh, it's extremely common. If you were to build a set with 4x8 platforms framed with 2x in this town people would probably be wondering what planet you come from. A lot has to do with how you leg, what the intended purpose is and what the load is going to be. Would I frame a piano riser with 1x ? no, Of course not, unless it is a 5" rise and the plat is sitting directly on the deck. But by the time you 'properly leg a 2x framed platform, you might as well have framed with 1x. a 4' span of 1x4 covered with 3/4" properly nailed and glued is more that sufficient for carrying typical stage traffic.
I don't know what 1x6 or 1x4 framed platforms you may have looked at but believe me I quit framing with 2x4 about 20 years ago.
 
Van said:
Yes, Josh, it's extremely common. If you were to build a set with 4x8 platforms framed with 2x in this town people would probably be wondering what planet you come from. A lot has to do with how you leg, what the intended purpose is and what the load is going to be. Would I frame a piano riser with 1x ? no, Of course not, unless it is a 5" rise and the plat is sitting directly on the deck. But by the time you 'properly leg a 2x framed platform, you might as well have framed with 1x. a 4' span of 1x4 covered with 3/4" properly nailed and glued is more that sufficient for carrying typical stage traffic.
I don't know what 1x6 or 1x4 framed platforms you may have looked at but believe me I quit framing with 2x4 about 20 years ago.
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I have 2 2x8 platforms and 4 4x8 platforms built from 3/4" ply and framed with 1x6. I plan on legging these all together to form the pit platform . it has to hold the weight of 2 guitar players, 1 bass player, 1 keyboard, 1 drumset, 1 sax, 2 clarinets, 2 violinist's, and 1 trumpet. I didn't officially find out the count of the pit until today. So no one is really running around on them basically it just has to hold all these people plus equipment.
 
BLengyel said:
I have 2 2x8 platforms and 4 4x8 platforms built from 3/4" ply and framed with 1x6. I plan on legging these all together to form the pit platform . it has to hold the weight of 2 guitar players, 1 bass player, 1 keyboard, 1 drumset, 1 sax, 2 clarinets, 2 violinist's, and 1 trumpet. I didn't officially find out the count of the pit until today. So no one is really running around on them basically it just has to hold all these people plus equipment.
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If you leg each corner an the middle of each span you should be able to carry that liitle weight easily. The important thing being that the framing is good < not full of knot holes> and that the coer is sufficiently bonded to the framing < Lots of staples/screws and a still-good coat of glue. If the glue has dried and cracked and the tops are loose at all then you should strip and recover or rebuild.> Remember that the big thing with the legging is that you want to either use a larger enough leg that is can't bend under load or make sure that it is sufficiently cross braced so it can't bend.
 
Van said:
If you leg each corner an the middle of each span you should be able to carry that liitle weight easily. The important thing being that the framing is good < not full of knot holes> and that the coer is sufficiently bonded to the framing < Lots of staples/screws and a still-good coat of glue. If the glue has dried and cracked and the tops are loose at all then you should strip and recover or rebuild.> Remember that the big thing with the legging is that you want to either use a larger enough leg that is can't bend under load or make sure that it is sufficiently cross braced so it can't bend.
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I suppose that would be fine then, would you recommend compression legs. I know we have a ton of compression legs on stock from last years show but I suppose we could build a knee wall legging system instead of compression legs. I feel that the might take the load a lot better then the compression legs made from 2x4 and 1x4. I'm kind of freakin out because If I mess this up then we are in big trouble, because we're crunched for building time as it is and have a very small margin of time to do this. So basically it has to be reliable the first time.
 
As long as the platforms and the legs are in good shape this shouldn't be a problem. 2x4 comp legs work great with 1x4 framing as the 2x material will support 2 platforms at once. Of course you still want the plat forms botled together to help give each other strength..
 
huh, well then,
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granted the times I saw them were in storage in a venue that probably had someone who had heard to build them with 1x but probably didn't know what they were doing, so they were shoddily made and with 1/2 on top I think. I guess I hadn't thought about it honestly, my students have such a tendency to split 2x4's even after pre drilling things, that they would destroy 1x4's in a heartbeat. That sure would cut down on the weight, I may have to read up some more.
 

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Yes, I'm very curious about this. The varying information makes me worry about taking the risk. I guess it all really comes down to the quality of the build, bracing and legging.
 
So what I think I'm going to go with is 4 4x8 platforms framed in 1x6 with 8-9 compression legs per platform. so basically a leg ever 4 feet, and then brace it with 1x4's and toe rail. Then Bolt all of the platforms together and secure them to the floor with angle irons. I'm a bit skeptical but I feel fairly confident that this should work out. I hope.
 
How much would someone estimate that a 4x8 platform framed in 1x6 properly with 3 toggle rails and a 3/4 inch lid 9, 9 compression legs (1 for each toggle, each corner and in the middle of the 8 foot sections of the frame), all braced with 1x4's diagonals and toe rails, with each platform bolted together by the frame then secured to the stage with plenty of angle irons. Would you believe this could hold upwards around 2000lbs distributed. (as an estimate) around 1500-1600 is a closer estimate based on the people that are in the pit with the weight of amps, keyboard, and drum-set figured in.
 
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BLengyel said:
How much would someone estimate that a 4x8 platform... ...Would you believe this could hold upwards around 2000lbs distributed. (as an estimate) around 1500-1600 is a closer estimate based on the people that are in the pit with the weight of amps, keyboard, and drum-set figured in.
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How are you going to get all that on a 4x8 platform? ;)

I realize that you're actually going to be using a system of platforms. One note - don't underestimate the weight of the keyboard rig. Looks like it will be fine, but estimate that the keyboard and and amp will weigh about 200 pounds if they're using an 88-key weighted board. They're darn heavy! They also take a lot of space, so make sure that the measurements you have taken include the player in a comfortable position. Nothing is worse for a keyboard/piano player than having to sit too close to their board.
 
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Les said:
How are you going to get all that on a 4x8 platform? ;)

I realize that you're actually going to be using a system of platforms. One note - don't underestimate the weight of the keyboard rig. Looks like it will be fine, but estimate that the keyboard and and amp will weigh about 200 pounds if they're using an 88-key weighted board. They're darn heavy! They also take a lot of space, so make sure that the measurements you have taken include the player in a comfortable position. Nothing if worse for a keyboard/piano player than having to sit too close to their board.
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haha yeah I just realized that. I do believe it is an 88 weighted board. But I figured in 3 amps at around 50 pounds each and about 100 pounds for the keyboard.
 
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BLengyel said:
haha yeah I just realized that. I do believe it is an 88 weighted board. But I figured in 3 amps at around 50 pounds each and about 100 pounds for the keyboard.
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That sounds about right!
 
Don't forget to make sure they are level, especially between platforms. If not, your drummer may want to kill you later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
chausman said:
Don't forget to make sure they are level, especially between platforms. If not, your drummer may want to kill you later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Oh believe me I know, I went through hell last year trying to get our once upon a mattress set level. those platforms just wouldn't stay flush. Our stage just isn't the greatest so It's not level in many place so we may require some shims for this mass of platforms.
 
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