Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: What Tools do you use?

Message

Originally posted by jt7724

Other people have already hit most of the important points, especially the fact that cordless saws are completely useless, but there is one thing that I think it's important to add.  If any part of your workforce is made up of inexperienced volunteers I find it essential that you have an angle grinder on hand.  Use it sparingly, but screws do get stripped and bent, and it is a whole lot easier to grind them off then to try and pull them out with pliers. 

I understand the point you're making, 'jt7724,' but I'm from the school of believing you should NEVER leave metal stuck in lumber.  Before I would use a grinder, I would employ a pair of 'vice-grips' to back the screw out of the wood. Leaving screws and nails in lumber (thick plywood and 2 by 4s are where I've encountered them most - and they're not always visible) invites really bad things to happen when someone UNKNOWINGLY tries to cut through the metal with a power saw of any kind.  It not only ruins the blade, but the sudden lock up of the machine can sometimes rip it out of your hand and into uncontrolled chaos until it stops. For the safety of everybody who comes after you, you should always remove the screws and nails and not just grind them flush.

Set Design and Construction
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction