pivot for small stage revolve.
- Thread starterShane
- Start date
Lots of threads about this. Typical solution is a schedule 40 pipe nipple, maybe 1-1/2" diameter, flanged to the floor, generously greased with something like Red N Tacky, and the next size up in pipe, maybe 2", fitted over the first one and flanged to the revolve. When I do this, I add a 12"ish square of hardboard or something between the bottom flange and the floor to catch any oozing grease so I don't have to clean it up at strike.
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Like @Colin said, I've always used 1 1/2" schd 40 pipe, attach it to a floor flange which is bolted to a 2'x2' <or whatever works for you> piece of 3/4" ply, then screw the ply to the deck. use a piece of 2" schd 40 on another flange bolted to a piece of ply and slide it right over the top. As Colin said, grease it up good. My horrible drawings on here even have a call out that says "Grease the heck out of it" . Here's a thread where I first posted my design, it's got an AutoCAD r14 DWG and some PDF's. God, it's horrible. I was just learning ACAD when I made it so don't judge. https://www.controlbooth.com/threads/revolve-plans.23526/
In Revit, with BIM support.
Friction is not only your friend, but an essential ally. Can you guarantee enough friction between "a large piece of plywood" and the stage deck, supporting a *moving* object without anchorage?
I'm not saying it can't be done but I'd sure want to see the engineering homework that shows the assembly would stay put in normal operation and if abnormal forces were applied.
Hugtrain
Member
Yeah, that makes sense. Can you recommend something better?
You'd just need to build the whole thing as a contained system so the parts can't move out of alignment with each other, plus it'd have to be massive enough (possibly with ballast added) that the whole unit wouldn't slide across the stage under whatever lateral forces it may encounter. Hopefully the revolve shape is a circle so you can build it wheels up. Bolt casters to strips of plywood (or whatever gives you the height you want for your revolve) radiating out from a center hub consisting of the pipe pivot bolted to plywood cut into an octagon or whatever number of sides gives you the array of casters you need to support what goes on top. If you need more casters in the outer caster rings, you can span between those radiating strips with more running in a circumferential manner (think spider web). Fasten all of it together so the hub and caster plates are one piece. This is a picture's-worth-1000-words thing. I feel like there's a thread somewhere on CB where someone built a portable revolve in this way, but I could be imagining that.
