Scenery Stage brace hardware.

[gafftapegreenia]

I’m curious if anyone has some extra stage brace hardware they’d be willing to sell me, or perhaps the hardware off an existing set. I’d like to have a few in my possession both as an historical artifact, and as a utility tool.

This also leads me into other questions, such as, what is the best wood to use for a stage brace? What were the common lengths? Is there a specific name for each piece of hardware on it?

 

[ship]

I have a few boxes of stage brace hardware and Oak is the wood.. I don't have the center clamp, but do have each end fittings for good home.

 

[derekleffew]

I was going to say oak as well; almost every one of these I've touched gave me splinters. As for terminology, there's the hook, the heel, and in the middle, the clamp. Also a spacer / idler near the end of each piece.

I recall in the early eighties Rosco or similar tried to sell a version using telescoping aluminum tube instead of wood. Can't improve on obsolescence.

Just as diverse are the many types of stage screws (before "improved stage screw"). The screw end was made for one purpose" to wreck a stage as fast as possible. The "handle" is where all the fun is. "New York style", "comfort peg" and so on. I 've sketched those and some others in my Burris-Meyer-Cole I think. And to think I paid to learn this useless crap in college!

 

[ship]

I have never used the stage screw. See the holes and have at times seen the stage screw floor insert on a deck. Wondered about the placement of them at times. But have used stage braces - normally screwewed into a weighted base plate with rubber bottom. Always love seeing a bracket wall full of them when I visit a theater proper.
I own a c,.1911 8-14' brace. It is great to have and used at times in even clearing the snow off the roof. I remember it's use for removing gel frames between scenes. More myth in me putting in a gel frame with one, but possible.

 

[ship]

I am amazed that E-Bay has none and RoseBrand has none. https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNZ5z9wjFmUWYIZ7gPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1714566013/RO=10/RU=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P47aXTDdib8/RK=2/RS=.A7Vn0npp50SVBq3qr0zPHkNkMo-
Best I could find in... that's a stage jack. One would think such useless things to normal people would be sold off. Perhaps search of fire hook in something similar or useful for out there but not termed properly.

I have a J.R. Clancy and Channon catalogs from period. I can find the part numbers if useful. Otherwise Rosebrand has a lot of installers who have time at theaters viewing such things as stage braces in stock but no-longer used. Might contact them about theater sources with stage braces which their contractors have in mind sources for, or if they know of sources for modern Stage Braces. I'm sure they would love the challenge of finding some or sourcing them out. Scottish Rite Theater in Peoria - IL. for instance has a lot of them. Stage Braces are currently stored in a Pabst brewing company HQ basement. They have no use for the stage braces and are dark as a theater. The theare still exist as a management company and would also be a resorce for some 1926 stage braces. Reaching out to them or other RoseBrand would probably be good time spent as example. Another place I traded my c.1911 brace from would be the Athaeum Theater in Chicago. Had lots of them back 30 years ago.

Note also, my Clancy and Channon catalogs are probably on the CB Wikkee part of the website already.

Channon Corp I have for a hook is well not existant but part # SB4 I did not search for. Looking at my actual stage brace, it is also a Channon SB4 for the top hook. The top of the brace bolted ring is something like a SB 5 or 6 in not a good stamp.
The also bolted but wing nut clamp for it assembly is not stamped for part number

 

[almorton]

Doughty still manufacture stage braces - maybe they also sell spares.