Not very nice language to be using on people you only know on-line. Belittling or calling people names is not within the policy of the forum or good taste. This post was about an observation which the poster already knew was bad in finding out and questioning already. Posting about it however is in some ways monumental in importance for all to read by way of what if others are doing so also and have not had this problem yet, or at least in sharing even a basic concept for all to know and think about first for if not this, other applications. This to the extent of mounting a light fixture to un-treated lumber on a set which could also catch on fire. In other words, in my opinion, while I laughed my head off over it's telling, planned my own jokes for those at work about it (in something those the joked would learn from) within a safe environment to test from, I very much also see such a post out of the blue to be something very important to pass onto others. Who knows who else is reading the forum, perhaps others that use cardboard gobos?
Anyone else posted about this general concept we all take for granted as not safe yet? Given it's a unique topic in post, kudos should be given to this poster for briging up the issue that otherwise before now simply didn't get to the broad base of knowledge of all readers.
If a joke (in there in fact no way to flame proof a gobo of any type by way of some form of coating), it should have at least been followed up in a toung and cheek type of way with a bunch of smily faces and in quoting the reference to "flame proofing" the gobo as a "I get it response." If posting just to call someone's once seen problem of gee, that probably was not such a good idea, it by way of this response direct to your's proves no doubt that your own posting was not so well thought out either. In fact some metals and aluminum materials when coated can also catch fire when in direct heat. Not the metal but the coating, as with some coatings and flame proofings that are rated for a certain temperature but very specifically not above it. Bit of "Pam" left on the pie tin? Will Teflon coatings to a pie tin help or hinder heat resistance to a gobo?
If it as a response was referring to my end result graphite coated cardboard gobos as part of an idea for an extended joke, it also would not work. There is no real good way to flame proof cardboard. There is a flaw in the concept that only extreme effort by way of changing the cardboard into something by nature able to take heat would solve = nothing sprayed on or flame treated would solve this. Even some form of pressurized super saturation of the cardboard would only solve the flame problem but not the smolder problem.
As to why one would do a cardboard gobo, you know people of all sorts do and direct others in the industy. Often great ideas come out of nowhere, sometimes things that are not so well thought out are done if even out of tradition and always worked before. Often short of experienced instruction, it is a trial by error and not the fault of those under such systems. More the fault of both instructor that failed to learn sufficient for what they supervised and instructed, and for those that taught the instructor sufficient to do, but not sufficient to understand. This much less a system that allowed a school to have other than the best instructors possible for all from Spanish to Theater. It's the next generation we pass on to, lowest in pay person willing to do the job does not always equal the best in education by way of instructor or student under them afterwards. Some people get stage craft classes and beyond in school, others have Gymatoriums with the students making up their own rules and policies for the occasional problem.
Heck, what about 15 years ago, I was using vinyl coated butt splices and THHN wire inside light fixtures because it was all I knew. On carpentry, for years and years scenery the City of Chicago used for it's events, that was used out doors had Elmers White Glue at it's joints instead of wood or outdoor glue. Changed to the more economical at the time than outdoor glue to just plain wood glue and the repairs to scenery after every show dropped to about half. Who will have thunk it until someone noted a problem, analized it and came up with another solution.
Very good post concept. Idiot... just doesn't come to mind either by way of post or those using it in the past and finding out later it was not such a good idea. This other than if intentional and nothing was later learned by such a bad idea.
