Stage Weights

[scenerymaker]

I have used sandbags from the local lumbar yard, used for winter weight in a pickup truck, and you're right. Those are a leak waiting to happen. Fortunately, that has only happened to me on loadout. The other thing that I've used is 80 pound bags of water softener salt from a commercial softener place,. Those bags seem to be indestructable. Then when the show's over, people take them home for their softeners. No storage or disposal problems!

 

[ajb]

Since you'll be going to a steel fabricator anyway for stage weights, you could also have them cut 2-3" plates in whatever shape fits into your scenery if you need a lot of weight in a small area. I'm looking at doing this for a touring production that needs climbable towers with relatively small bases.

 

[kicknargel]

As a last word of caution be sure you do not overload your arbors. Your original installers should have equipped you with enough weight to load every arbor to it's maximum. I know that somehow even stage weights have an ability to walk off, but please do not exceed the OEM specifications of your rig.

Also, I believe it's the case that sometimes the grid structure isn't rated to handle all of your arbors fully loaded at the same time. They may have supplied you with the amount of weight your system can handle.

 

[rochem]

Also, I believe it's the case that sometimes the grid structure isn't rated to handle all of your arbors fully loaded at the same time. They may have supplied you with the amount of weight your system can handle.

Wouldn't (shouldn't) a limitation like this be clearly spelled out on a large sign, or at least documented in some paperwork somewhere? I find it hard to believe that a user is supposed to determine the structural capacity of their grid by counting their stage weights. Besides, this system would be totally thrown off if you ever needed to rigged anything from the grid such as lighting or sound towers or large set pieces.

As a last word of caution be sure you do not overload your arbors. Your original installers should have equipped you with enough weight to load every arbor to it's maximum. I know that somehow even stage weights have an ability to walk off, but please do not exceed the OEM specifications of your rig.

I was under the impression that the size of the arbor reflected the maximum load you can put on it. So when you can't fit any more bricks on the arbor, you're at the maximum. Is this not true?

 

[Footer]

I was under the impression that the size of the arbor reflected the maximum load you can put on it. So when you can't fit any more bricks on the arbor, you're at the maximum. Is this not true?

Not true at all. At my wifes venue, they have 8' arbors double purchase... with lead stageweights. At my venue I also have 8' arbors double purchase, with cast iron stageweights. Both systems have the same arbor size but my max weight on my lines is 800#, hers is 1400#. They designed the system to use the larger weights. Systems are designed for the weights that go on them and what that weight is can vary greatly from venue to venue. There is a 2# difference between having steel and cast iron bricks. However, over an 8' arbor that adds up to an additional 200#. When a venue is complete, it should be marked how much weight each line can hold.

There is also one more variable in the equation. How much can your grid hold? You might have a grid that can support 20,000#, in a house with 35 linesets. Each lineset can hold 1000#. However, they only give you 20,000# in weight because that is your maximum that the grid can handle. I have seen this type of setup in older venues that are renovated. If you do decide to go in and hang truss and motors you have to account for that weight on the grid as well.

 

[KeepOnTruckin]

For one show we needed wieght for, we went to home depot and bought 20 bags of play sand, left it in the bags and weighted the scenery, and when the show was over we returned it to HD. Worked very well.

 

[kicknargel]

Wouldn't (shouldn't) a limitation like this be clearly spelled out on a large sign, or at least documented in some paperwork somewhere?

Now that you mention it, I think it's strange that no venue I've seen has a posting of "maximum grid load." Probably because it's more complicated than that. There's a total max, but also different limitation for a point load, or various distributions. I guess they figure only knowledgeable personnel should ever be in a place to have to know that information. A little information is a dangerous thing, and all that. Hopefully you have documentation somewhere.

 

[lieperjp]

I have used sandbags from the local lumbar yard, used for winter weight in a pickup truck, and you're right. Those are a leak waiting to happen. Fortunately, that has only happened to me on loadout. The other thing that I've used is 80 pound bags of water softener salt from a commercial softener place,. Those bags seem to be indestructable. Then when the show's over, people take them home for their softeners. No storage or disposal problems!

Drat! Someone beat me to it! We also use water softener salt bags. After several years of re-use, the bags finally split and we had to get new ones. We just used the 50-lb ones that you can get at the grocery store.

 

[Footer]

Now that you mention it, I think it's strange that no venue I've seen has a posting of "maximum grid load." Probably because it's more complicated than that. There's a total max, but also different limitation for a point load, or various distributions. I guess they figure only knowledgeable personnel should ever be in a place to have to know that information. A little information is a dangerous thing, and all that. Hopefully you have documentation somewhere.

I have seen it before. Usually its a sign that says each beam can be loaded to ____ plf with a center point load of _____. Its only in newer venues.

 

[kicknargel]

Incidentally, for a stock sandbag situation, instead of spend the $$ on Rosco bags, I buy Home Depot playsand, wrap that in a heavy-duty garbage bag, and put that in a cheap gym bag. You get handles and everything. Corporate guys make fun of me until I point out that mine were $15 and theirs $50.

 

[MPowers]

We have stage weights usually in stock. I would need to know what the size is you are looking for. email me at [email protected]

You're a couple years late. The OP was 2009.