Bottom hangers across multiple flats

[StradivariusBone]

I'm trying to make sense of the current best practice on flying multiple broadway flats. Like the title implies, I've got a few flats that I'm joining and flying. In the past I've used bottom hangers on each corner of a flat, but in this show we need a larger wall and it makes sense to join multiple flats. I've seen in a few books that indicate that one bottom hanger can be sufficient to suspend two flats at the joint, but I don't see exactly how one would bolt through both flats with one hanger iron.

I was thinking a stiffener between the two might help, but the hanger iron is pretty tight in there as these are hard flats (so luan, 1x, corner block and it's snug). Is there a piece of hardware that makes this joining easier or should I just stick with running two lines close together? I'm wondering if a plate under the bottom corner of both flats would help? That would aid in keeping everything in compression.

 

[RonHebbard]

I'm trying to make sense of the current best practice on flying multiple broadway flats. Like the title implies, I've got a few flats that I'm joining and flying. In the past I've used bottom hangers on each corner of a flat, but in this show we need a larger wall and it makes sense to join multiple flats. I've seen in a few books that indicate that one bottom hanger can be sufficient to suspend two flats at the joint, but I don't see exactly how one would bolt through both flats with one hanger iron.

I was thinking a stiffener between the two might help, but the hanger iron is pretty tight in there as these are hard flats (so luan, 1x, corner block and it's snug). Is there a piece of hardware that makes this joining easier or should I just stick with running two lines close together? I'm wondering if a plate under the bottom corner of both flats would help? That would aid in keeping everything in compression.

Have you considered a full width metal stiffener, aluminum perhaps?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[bobgaggle]

I haven't run into the problem, but your idea of a plate seems like a good solution. A piece of steel 1/4"x1 flat bar screwed into the bottom of both flats, then the hanger under that? sounds good to me...

 

[StradivariusBone]

Have you considered a full width metal stiffener, aluminum perhaps?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

I've thought about doing some kind of stiffener like that, but the main problem is that anything that adds to the width of the flat won't allow it to fit inside the "J" of the bottom hanger. I'm thinking the only way to do it would be some sort of sill plate under the bottom rail, just to add a little more of a ledger for it to sit in. I've done hogstrough stiffeners and sometimes just loose pin hinges to keep them together without too much trouble, however I'm concerned about the bottom support and figured I might learn something new if I ask.

 

[Amiers]

If you have a welder you weld on some wings to you J hanger and through bolt through the flat.

Could also make a super wide hanger.

You could also put the stiffener on the outside of the J hanger and shim or block the stiffener and bolt accordingly.

 

[StradivariusBone]

If you have a welder you weld on some wings to you J hanger and through bolt through the flat.

Could also make a super wide hanger.

You could also put the stiffener on the outside of the J hanger and shim or block the stiffener and bolt accordingly.

I like the wide hanger idea. That wouldn't be too challenging fabricate in our shop either. I also like the idea of putting the stiffener on the back and bolting through all the way across.

 

[Amiers]

Both would work it really comes down to what you want to do and time and material.