TheatrePros
Member
Hey All,
So for the paramount I am doing a price out for a universal show deck. One that I can remove a row, replace it with platforms with track, remove the center section, add a turntable, etc. The big trick is they want an adjustable rake. So it can be flat for concerts and then add a rake for shows and avoid the cost of a crew coming in each time as sometimes the concerts happen during tech. The deck is roughly 50' wide and 40' deep, with the 50 platforms and frame and people, I am aiming for 15 tons of expected weight. I have several ideas that I would love feedback on.
Idea #1:
Hydraulic rams, have some sort of scissors mechanism that can lie flatish and have rams push on it from upstage (I have 6'9" upstage of my last useable lineset) thus causing it to lift and wham bam thank you mam. Pros: I know it will work, I cam get rams that have limits way above what I need. Cons: I am starting from scratch and have no good place for the HPU. I am also concerned with noise if it ever becomes an effect that will happen during a show, the control system, as well as the headache of match all the speeds exactly on the manifold so the stage isnt cockeyed.
Idea #2:
Electric Actuators, same as above with a scissoring mechanism or maybe a single leg that rides on a track that the actuator pushes the bottom. Pros: inherently quieter, I know I can use creative conners system with it as well as Flyhouse's IRig control system. Cons: Never used actuators before that would be rated this high so I am worried about cost.
Ideally I would put my platforms on I-beams, so the lifts would just lift the beams and I could remove the platforms to replace them with the custom pieces to accommodate additional tricks and gadgets. I also would like to keep the height of the deck (beams and platforms) to less than 13" and if I follow AEA I wouldn't have it raise more than 20" in addition to that (based on 1/2" rise per 1' run), but I would like it to go to 3'-4' so I can get underneath for maintainance and ease of running encoders, cables etc. I also am aiming to create a system that I could eventually add to a universal show control if it become a cue-able effect in the future and I know hydraulics can cause problems (in my experience)
Would love ideas. and suggestions for actuators for those who have used really butch ones (30"+ throw and 5-8 ton capacities).
So for the paramount I am doing a price out for a universal show deck. One that I can remove a row, replace it with platforms with track, remove the center section, add a turntable, etc. The big trick is they want an adjustable rake. So it can be flat for concerts and then add a rake for shows and avoid the cost of a crew coming in each time as sometimes the concerts happen during tech. The deck is roughly 50' wide and 40' deep, with the 50 platforms and frame and people, I am aiming for 15 tons of expected weight. I have several ideas that I would love feedback on.
Idea #1:
Hydraulic rams, have some sort of scissors mechanism that can lie flatish and have rams push on it from upstage (I have 6'9" upstage of my last useable lineset) thus causing it to lift and wham bam thank you mam. Pros: I know it will work, I cam get rams that have limits way above what I need. Cons: I am starting from scratch and have no good place for the HPU. I am also concerned with noise if it ever becomes an effect that will happen during a show, the control system, as well as the headache of match all the speeds exactly on the manifold so the stage isnt cockeyed.
Idea #2:
Electric Actuators, same as above with a scissoring mechanism or maybe a single leg that rides on a track that the actuator pushes the bottom. Pros: inherently quieter, I know I can use creative conners system with it as well as Flyhouse's IRig control system. Cons: Never used actuators before that would be rated this high so I am worried about cost.
Ideally I would put my platforms on I-beams, so the lifts would just lift the beams and I could remove the platforms to replace them with the custom pieces to accommodate additional tricks and gadgets. I also would like to keep the height of the deck (beams and platforms) to less than 13" and if I follow AEA I wouldn't have it raise more than 20" in addition to that (based on 1/2" rise per 1' run), but I would like it to go to 3'-4' so I can get underneath for maintainance and ease of running encoders, cables etc. I also am aiming to create a system that I could eventually add to a universal show control if it become a cue-able effect in the future and I know hydraulics can cause problems (in my experience)
Would love ideas. and suggestions for actuators for those who have used really butch ones (30"+ throw and 5-8 ton capacities).