How do you store your Gobos?

[jstandfast]

Mostly I use the sleeves they arrive in, marked by manufacturer and Type. A good few can be fit in one of those sleeves. Loose "B" size fit really well in Scotch 33/35 tape cans.

 

[icewolf08]

Given that my template inventory numbers somewhere in the thousands of individual templates, I use a file cabinet with index-card sized drawers. I have a drawer for Rosco, one for Gam, I have been building one for Apollo as more LDs request Apollo templates, and I even have some space for Lee and SFX/Theatre Magic as well. We cut up old matboard signs that the theatre used for pevious events to make dividers for the drawers. One of these days I could snap a photo if anyone cares to see.

 

[chausman]

One of these days I could snap a photo if anyone cares to see.

I'd like to see it. Just about anythings got to be better then a bunch of torn envelopes...

 

[len]

gobo storage

Finally found a couple decent sized gobo storage bins. Sadly, they're plastic, but they should work for the shop. What are they? 3.5" floppy storage boxes, which should work, although the plastic sleeves might be a little wide. Anyway, hope they work out better than the cd folders I was using, which were terrible.

 

[natedogg08]

Re: gobo storage

The theatre I used to work at had close to 100 gobos. We kept them in a small accordian file, and used the different sections for the different types, aka breakups, trees, clouds, shatter, words, abstract, etc. Easy and it kept us organized.

 

[Beans45601]

Gobo sleeve uses?

I imagine we all have a similar problem, but I find myself wondering what to do with the hundreds (and growing) of those PVC sleeves that gobos come in (at least from Apollo and Rosco). Have y'all found any uses, aside from throwing them into the recycling bin (I don't think we do #3 plastic here, anyway...).

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Re: Gobo sleeve uses?

They're good for keeping your gobos in. That way when you have a stack of say, leafy break up gobos, they don't all foul on each other.

 

[Beans45601]

Re: Gobo sleeve uses?

They're good for keeping your gobos in. That way when you have a stack of say, leafy break up gobos, they don't all foul on each other.

Well of course, but I don't keep one gobo in each sleeve, I keep 10 of the same gobo in one sleeve. Unless they have been in an old instrument and are warped, this works just fine... I'm just wondering if anyone has any brilliant ideas on what to do with all these extra sleeves.

 

[techietim]

Re: Gobo sleeve uses?

We have a little custom sized box made by one of the Theatre crew with a couple of dividers built into the box.
Works very well!!

 

[StNic54]

Re: Gobo sleeve uses?

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer a filing cabinet with hanging file folders, and I staple the gobo sleeves into each labeled folder. I had too many situations where other folks walked away with the gobo boxes and they became unavailable when needed most. I'm a fan of a designated, immovable location for all your needs.

 

[msfixit]

Hi all,
I just started as a TD at a school with a large theatre program. They've never had a TD before, so I'm starting from scratch in terms of storage and organization. We currently have a box with a dozen or so gobos and about 20 template holders and was wondering what the best way to store these was. My old theatre had a filing cabinet drawer dedicated to them, but don't have the amount of gobos to really justify that.

Any ideas?

 

[sk8rsdad]

Try small box for the the holders, or hang them on a safety chain if shelf space is limited.
Use a CD binder for the gobos.

 

[josh88]

I've also seen a 3 ring binder with cd pages in it so you could flip through in a similar way and store it on a bookshelf.

 

[AsherSB]

I've also seen a CD binder used before, although if you only have a dozen or so, maybe you don't need anything more then a box.

 

[mikeydoesstuff]

I seal M sized envelopes, and cut them in half, they store about 10-12 B size or smaller if theyre all still flat, less if theyre warped, or A size. Print an image, paste it on the front, toss them in an old floppy disc box, done! Easy to add and subtract, visual references, can add postit tabs... whatever floats your boat.

 

[theatricalmatt]

I use archive boxes size for 4 x 6 index cards from Staples, and index card guides to separate the templates. Each index card guide gets the gobo number and name, plus a full-size print of the gobo images pasted to the index card guide. I also keep an spreadsheet with the same information, plus quantities of A and B size, as well as an image of the template.

For extra gobo sleeves, I find they work really well for sorting smaller gel cuts -- MR-16 striplight gels, for instance, or birdie cuts. I print a label on the side of the gobo sleeve, and then they go into a similar archive box for storage.

 

[DELO72]

I am the Accessories(Gels, Gobos, Barn Doors, Half Hats etc) Manager and we are redoing our theatre and I am wondering how other people store their Gobos.

I agree with the others on the small card-catalog size filing cabinets. We used those at a few theatres I worked and taught at. What I did (and it worked well for us) was we bought manila envelopes, cut them in half (you can use both sides), and photocopied the gobo onto the front and labeled them by name and #. And stored them numerically by brand (all the Roscos in one, GAM in another, Apollo in another, etc. Then keep a spreadsheet on file of the # you have of each. This way you know what you have in stock, and when you need to order more, etc. just by checking the spreadsheet first. Attached is how they looked when done. There are a lot of great other suggestions on here though! All sound like good ideas.