ADVICE ON MAKING LARGE PAPER STACKS

[dmarushy]

Hello, does anybody have any suggestions on building tall stacks of paper without using a ton of paper and keeping them reasonably light? I need about 3 stacks around 3' tall. They will want to look somewhat disheveled.

Help?

 

[ajb]

How close is the audience? What kind of paper? You could build up from foam, and paint. Cost-wise, real paper is probably the best bet. It's a PITA, but you can actually drill through it and insert threaded rod or tie wire to hold it all together if need be.

 

[dmarushy]

It's going to be random paper, legal and standard sized, mostly yellowed tones (it's set in the early 1900's). We'll supplement the piles with books. I bet we could fatten up the piles with news paper with the folded part cut off. The Audience is pretty close in this theatre.

 

[derekleffew]

Perhaps something from this similar thread: Fake Books.

 

[BrianWolfe]

I had great results using some high density foam. I used an old set of dado blades and cut some of the cutters down making them different lengths. I made the blocks of foam the size I wanted then ran them through the table saw using the uneven dado blade set. Made an awsome and very lightweight stack of papers.

I used this same method on wood to make vacuum form molds so I can make the same thing in large quantities in vinyl.

 

[MNicolai]

In everyday life, I wouldn't even think about it, but in theatre if someone mentions large piles of paper, my mind immediately thinks about what kind of fire hazard that would be, especially if they were ignited and then blown across the theatre.

I think Brian's got the right idea. Plus, when it comes to scenery and props, he's nothing short of brilliant.

 

[dmarushy]

By High Density Foam, are you talking about Hard Styrofoam (used for home insulation etc.) Or high density "soft" foam, like the squishy stuff used in uphostery?

 

[BrianWolfe]

By High Density Foam, are you talking about Hard Styrofoam (used for home insulation etc.) Or high density "soft" foam, like the squishy stuff used in uphostery?

Actually neither. It is a closed cell crosslinked polyethelene foam called MC1900 you can get from M. H. Stahlman. It is flexible and compresses but not nearly so much as foam rubber. Not cheap either at $104 for a 4 'x 6' x 2" sheet. I am sure the same technique will work with other foams but this stuff is very strong even in thin slices which worked well for the paper stacks.

 

[jessamarie6]

I just did something similar to make a large fake book, but I don't see any reason why the technique couldn't be expanded. I used high density foam sheets (available at craft stores usually near the felt) printer paper, and tracing paper all mixed together. I'm sure you could mix in some newspaper and some insulation foam painted white. I feel like variety is the key to making it look real.