25 Skills

[derekleffew]

From the SML:

Subject: Re: 25 skills everyone should know

Every Stagehand, at least.

1...foot something
2...walk a tall object down
3...carry heavy objects with a partner
4...understand the terms "Table","180","Turtle" and "Four Corner" when handling scenery or boxes
5...coil cable
6...properly use a ratchet strap
7...yell "heads!"
8...hang a drop/border/leg
9...fold a drop/border/leg
10...lift properly
11...cut and label gel
12...use a battery operated drill/screwgun
13...do simple hand-stitching
14...put a connector on raw cable
15...replace a lamp
16...hang an instrument
17...be quiet
18...identify lumber
19...wash out a paintbrush
20...read a scale rule
21...read a groundplan/light plot
22...read a tape measure
23...know how to hold a tape measure for a truss or piece being flown out
24...understand how the fly rail works
25...tie (at least) a bowline, a clove hitch, a figure 8 and a square knot.

 

[Sony]

I can confidently and happily say I know everything on that list

 

[derekleffew]

Okay then, explain #4: "Turtle" and #23: how to hold a tape measure...

(And, in order to accomplish #14: install a connector, to ship's satisfaction, requires at least 8 hours of instruction/supervision.)

 

[Sony]

Turtling is flipping a piece upside down so the face (or top) of the piece is facing the floor. I've known this for a while because as an accomplished sailor I have turtled my 14' Sunfish sailboat many times haha!

For the tape measure I assume you mean a surveyors tape measure for measuring truss height, I usually pull out about 20' (or however much the height is supposed to be) of it and let it unravel off the floor, then of course you measure the actual height of the truss or piece from the floor/deck. I did not think there was a specific way to hold the tape measure other than to be careful not to rip it off the truss too early.

I don't know ships exact method of making cables unfortunately, but I have made many and not one has shorted or failed on me yet

 

[MNicolai]

I've only ever heard the term "dog-leg" used in the way that you're using the word "turtle."

And I envy no one who has to put connectors on as per Ship's specifications. For that matter, while in most places where "I think the lamp burned out," would suffice, that's got to be just the beginning of an entire afternoon listening to him diagnose how it failed.

 

[DuckJordan]

I've only ever heard the term "dog-leg" used in the way that you're using the word "turtle."

And I envy no one who has to put connectors on as per Ship's specifications. For that matter, while in most places where "I think the lamp burned out," would suffice, that's got to be just the beginning of an entire afternoon listening to him diagnose how it failed.

Ah but knowing how it failed would lead you to know whats wrong instead of just covering up the problem by replacing a bad socket or plug.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Ah but knowing how it failed would lead you to know whats wrong instead of just covering up the problem by replacing a bad socket or plug.

You're going to have to elaborate for me, how is a corroded socket not the root of an issue with lamps dying prematurely?

How is a bad plug not what's wrong when a plug shorts out/melts?

 

[MNicolai]

You're going to have to elaborate for me, how is a corroded socket not the root of an issue with lamps dying prematurely?

How is a bad plug not what's wrong when a plug shorts out/melts?

Well, sometimes the building is on fire.

Cue Ship explaining in gross detail the different causes for lamp failure.

 

[DuckJordan]

You're going to have to elaborate for me, how is a corroded socket not the root of an issue with lamps dying prematurely?

How is a bad plug not what's wrong when a plug shorts out/melts?

Well what happens when you notice all of your sockets once in a while corroding and failing (not the normal rate). Then how would you know without looking for more things how its always seeming to end the sockets life in such a short time. Maybe its a out of phase dimmer? what happens when the lamp explodes but you only think it was from someone touching the lamp itself, but this keeps happening over and over in the same light on the same circuit? how would you know without ships amazing attention to detail?


I was just giving you crud but I'm sure there are others on here who would take it more seriously (just to name a few examples above).

 

[WooferHound]

Yeah a 180 is very common, but is it clockwise or counterclockwise ?

and then there is the question of should you 90 it or is it a 270 ?

Plus my favorite skill is not on the list, I like Breasting . . .

 

[Les]

Well what happens when you notice all of your sockets once in a while corroding and failing (not the normal rate). Then how would you know without looking for more things how its always seeming to end the sockets life in such a short time. Maybe its a out of phase dimmer? what happens when the lamp explodes but you only think it was from someone touching the lamp itself, but this keeps happening over and over in the same light on the same circuit? how would you know without ships amazing attention to detail?


I was just giving you crud but I'm sure there are others on here who would take it more seriously (just to name a few examples above).

When a group of sockets start dying, it usually means that the instruments were bought at about the same time and are all similarly used . Sometimes, the root cause would be someone putting arced lamps in to good sockets, but that's not something you can diagnose with a multimeter. Some type of blunt object might help solve the problem though if you catch someone doing it.

 

[Van]

In 35 years I have never, ever heard the term Turtle to refer to flipping something upside down. The Only times I have ever heard the term Dog-leg used was in reference to something that was bent or had a kick out in it. e.g. " Here we are on the 14th hole a 400 yarder with a sharp dogleg to the right."

 

[MNicolai]

Like Derek and I were discussing via PM, there's some very regional jargon going on here. I've never heard the term turtle, but recall hearing dog-leg regularly throughout different facilities in the area. A Google search shows that just about no one uses the term dog-leg like that.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

For some reason, in my head, dog-leg refers to a platform where two legs are shorter than the other two. Not sure where I got that from.

 

[soundman]

For the tape measure I assume you mean a surveyors tape measure for measuring truss height, I usually pull out about 20' (or however much the height is supposed to be) of it and let it unravel off the floor, then of course you measure the actual height of the truss or piece from the floor/deck. I did not think there was a specific way to hold the tape measure other than to be careful not to rip it off the truss too early.

How I like my hands to hold a tape -
1.) Pull out more than enough tape to get to the required distance.
2.) With one hand hold the target number to the ground. Soft pressure with one finger is enough. If I overshoot the mark I want to know by how much, not have the tape be pulled off.
3.) with the other hand pull the tape against you other hand to show how much slack is left in the tape. Ideally this will be done above head height so I don't have to look through your body while running the motors.

But who am I kidding, once I level it someone will need it brought back in anyway, we'll repeat the process and then the LD will eyeball it from FOH anyway.

Who I am kidding, most days I will use a laser anyway.

I have also had a house crew refuse to let me use a laser to level a truss saying the floor wasn't level so doing that would be pointless. Instead the put a tape on every motor and set up a line level laser in the center of the grid. By shooting the laser at the tape they were able to create a flat surface to measure off of. While it did make it nice and level it also took 3X as long to do and pushed the crew into OT.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Maybe its a out of phase dimmer?

I've never heard of an out of phase dimmer before, is that where one light is sucking light in while the other ones are pushing light out?

 

[DuckJordan]

I've never heard of an out of phase dimmer before, is that where one light is sucking light in while the other ones are pushing light out?

I was really trying to express what happens if the dimmer is malfunctioning and sending more voltage down the line than supposed to be (possibly wrong there too) what i'm trying to say is what happens if the dimmer malfunctions and causes the lamp to explode much like the oil from your skin causes on the lamp.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

I was really trying to express what happens if the dimmer is malfunctioning and sending more voltage down the line than supposed to be (possibly wrong there too) what i'm trying to say is what happens if the dimmer malfunctions and causes the lamp to explode much like the oil from your skin causes on the lamp.

And how would a dimmer rack send a higher voltage down a single dimmer than the voltage it was receiving?

//Also if a lamp blows because of someone touching it you will see a nice big bubble where it was touched.

///

 

[HiThere]

I've learned to place the tape over the truss and hold the end as the truss goes out, double the trim measurement at the floor.
it takes a little math but you dont have to worry about brinning the tape down on your head

if we can add to the list: Know how to "save the face" of a drop.

 

[museav]

In 35 years I have never, ever heard the term Turtle to refer to flipping something upside down.

It registered immediately with me but like Trevor, the first connection in my mind was related to sailing and canoeing/kayaking. However, I can see how it applies.

And being rather biased, what also hit me is that the list of 25 items contains no items related specifically to sound or video. Apparently the lampies have the stagehands doing half your job for you while the noise boys have to do ours all by ourselves!