foot activated stops
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3870
Printed Date: 5/13/24 at 9:40pm
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Topic: foot activated stops
Posted By: Charlie328
Subject: foot activated stops
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 8:43am
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Hello All,
I was attending a play the other day and saw the stage crew roll set pieces out on stage and press a quick release foot activated stop to lock them in place, then release the stop with another foot press......Great!! Does anyone know the name of this "stop" and where one can go to purchase them? I realize that I am showing my absolute ignorance but....I learn something new each day and that is what makes it fun to continue in theatre. Probably covered in Set Building 101 or something....must have been sleeping through that part of the lecture.
 Thank you in advance for any input.
Charlie ------------- "TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) Heinlein |
Replies:
Posted By: imamember
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 8:57am
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We're using those on a set wagon for 'Holes' right now. I'll find out the details when I'm there again and let you know if someone hasn't answered you by then. |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 11:03am
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Just go to Lowes or Home depot and ask for them in the wheel caster department. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 12:10pm
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My solution for this is a straight line toggle clamp as shown here
http://books.google.com/books?id=XwS1NO09uBcC&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77&dq=straight+line+toggle+clamps&source=bl&ots=yIzBynXE8i&sig=lthqxJpicA4e1pdItvi7AeMfgsA&hl=en&ei=1S61Sd_fDqKBtwe73OjqDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=28&ct=result#PPA77,M1 - http://books.google.com/books?id=XwS1NO09uBcC&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77&dq=%22straight+line+toggle+clamps%22&source=bl&ots=yIzBynXE8i&sig=lthqxJpicA4e1pdItvi7AeMfgsA&hl=en&ei=1S61Sd_fDqKBtwe73OjqDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=28&ct=result#PPA77,M1
Hopefully this very long link can make it through.
That little rubber foot isn't adequate though. When stage hands move the wagon with the foot down the foot wears off onto the floor. It isn't that stable either. I modify the clamp by replacing the foot with a 2"x 4" block of wood (oak in my case) with a flat rubber pad on the bottom. This can be quite stable, but you still usually need 2 per wagon. The objective is to lift the wagon by about 1/4" to lift the wheel at that corner to transfer the weight from the wheel to the clamp.
To install clamp, screw the bolt in as far as possible (the bolt can get bent if too much is exposed). Attach the clamp in the down position and place a 1/4" piece of plywood under the wheel at that corner. That should give you just enough lift to hold the wagon.
I buy them at woodcraft because they are close to where I live. Be careful though. There are a lot of variations on this style device designed for different applications.
Let me know if this doesn't make sense.
I would be interested in hearing about any other solutions. ------------- David M |
Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 5:24pm
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You could just as easily buy locking casters similar (or perhaps exactly) like those on hospital beds and other equipment. Those come in many sizes and it just acts like a BRAKE on the rubber caster so it doesn't move. There are others that anchor to the stage with a rubber foot that drops down when you step on it and then it releases with a little release lever you also step on. They're spring loaded so they're not in use in the UP position. Many variations on the theme - some more or less expensive depending upon what you get. Buy specific locking stage casters and you pay for the specific item - pay less someplace else like a hardware store that also might have the same thing that isn't for stage use. Got to shop around. Nothing new - just variations on a theme. Good luck. They're easy to find.
TonyDi
------------- "Almost famous" |
Posted By: Charlie328
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 7:47pm
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Thank you everyone for the ideas....have been looking around at Lowes and Home Depot....no luck as yet....either my market area is too small for the items to be stocked or I haven't been able to ask the right people yet.
Will continue.....the ones I saw were the spring loaded variety....have the locking castors but when mounted under a rolling flat are hardto get too especially in a black out scene change situation....and the wedges are too hard to do in a quick scene change....
Again...thank you all for the quick and informative responses....will post a message upon successful completion of the hunt.
Charlie ------------- "TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) Heinlein |
Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 8:45pm
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Try these items - one of many types.....
http://www.productionadvantageonline.com/Wagon-Brakes/GH-302-F.aspx - http://www.productionadvantageonline.com/Wagon-Brakes/GH-302-F.aspx
These clamp flat on the outside corners of the platform/wagon and you can either operate the lever by hand or with your foot. Works nicely but they show. CAN perhaps be camoflauged or painted to match wagon or spray black to not show.
Also here - near bottom of page with price
http://www.stagespot.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?search=action&keywords=rig_hrdwr - http://www.stagespot.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?search=action&keywords=rig_hrdwr
TonyDi
------------- "Almost famous" |
Posted By: Charlie328
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 10:22pm
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Toni, Thank you for the sites. Will be ordering them today....get a couple and then check the applications out and order the sets we need.
Charlie ------------- "TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) Heinlein |
Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 3/09/09 at 11:00pm
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Tony That is the same one I use. Here is link is the item's page http://www.stagespot.com/product/ROS-WAGBRAKES/Wagon%20Brakes%20300lbs - http://www.stagespot.com/product/ROS-WAGBRAKES/Wagon%20Brakes%20300lbs Production Advantage has the better price though.
On this page note the bolt with the rubber bumper on the end. That little piece of rubber just doesn't hold a wagon very well. I attach a block of wood using the original bolt (you have to countersink it) then add a rubber pad on the bottom.
Two of them held 3 x 2-story wagons tied together with 18 pirates swaying side to side in unison. Well, not every night. One night they forgot to set the brakes. It was a very funny sight, but very dangerous and scary. They managed to hit a frequency in there sway that was sympathetic with the 3 linked wagons. The wagons were rolling back and forth to the beat. ------------- David M |
Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 3/10/09 at 7:09am
WOW!! A MUCH better idea. Yeah, I don't like that bolt with it's tiny rubber foot. Not much to hold things in place especially if there is a lot of movement or activity on the platforms. Better to use it as you suggest and a much greater footprint to keep things more secure. PLUS the more of them used the more stable it is - naturally. One on each corner is often not enough. Maybe better with three on a side - one at each corner and one at a mid-point along the sides length of the platform. Whatever it takes. If you CAN drill holes in the floor you can use a standard L brake similar or exactly the same as a gate L lock or the bigger screen door barrel locks that have the indent in the hardware to keep it in an open position and then by hand, drop the barrel into the hole in the floor. AND the holes need not be temporary. If you do this a lot you can create a permanent locking spot with a length of thick walled brass tubing inserted into the hole that is slightly larger than the barrel of the screen door sliding lock. If you CAN drill holes and don't want them to remain permanent then be sure you drill a hole the size of a length of dowel rod that can be inserted, glued and cut off flush filling the hole which would then get painted to hide the dowel.
Just some added thoughts.
TonyDi ------------- "Almost famous" |
Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:07am
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I've been getting away with 2 wagon breaks in the upstage corners. They only have to lift the wagon by 1/4" or even less. All you need is to take the weight off of a couple of the wheels and put it on the wagon break. I used a piece of oak that was about the size of a 2x3. There was an issue with the foot rotating and getting hung up under the wagon. My solution was to put a piece of luan on the back side of the foot such that the luan would ride up and down against the frame of the wagon. Alternatively, you could extend the edge of the frame enough to keep the foot from rotating.
Unfortunately a lot of us, maybe most, work in spaces that don't allow any holes in the stage. Many of us can't even paint the stage to match the show.
If anybody out there is designing a space to be used for theater you should consider building the floor in such a way that it is easy to replace damaged sections. Perhaps 3/4" plywood with a cover if Masonite or something.
If you do dance shows, You may want to invest in some sort of Marley (vinyl flooring) that can be put down for those shows. Serious dancers don't like to dance on a damaged stage. Here is an example. http://www.danceequipmentintl.com/content/mfloors.html - http://www.danceequipmentintl.com/content/mfloors.html
I've been looking for a fairley inexpensive flooring that could be painted and then taken up a nd re-used. No luck yet. ------------- David M |
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:42am
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If you don't own your own venue it can be tough. Of all the theaters I've worked, my favorite flooring, for building, is in my home theater. We have a wood thrust stage that has a plywood top. Over that top is glued an upside down carpet. Edges are trimed with metal. Again, the nap is down and the jute is up. Over this we pour copious amounts of old/miscolored paint to seal it.. Our old floor had about thirty years of pain on it and had a pretty solid finish, but the stage had to be replaced a few years back and we had to start over. We still don't have a real good seal on it, but every show makes it better. The advantages are that it still provides a solid enough surface for wheels (Real heavy wagons can cause ruts, but these can be "painted" out over time.) It provides a cushioned surface for prat falls etc. It deadens the sound of character shoes when they clip along the stage (of course if we really want tap we add a masonite cover) and most important for construction is that when we need to attatch to the floor (which is all the time) we just drill in a 3" drywall screw. When we remove it, the hole almost disapears and does self seal when repainted. of course over the decades, floor and cover will need to be replaced, but as I said we got about 30 years out of the last one. it is very important to glue the carpet down thouroughly.. When we replaced the old stage we made the mistake of putting it down like you would regular carpet, albeit upside down. The first time we ran wagons across it the weighted wheels pushed up the carpet in front of it... I know its not for everyone or every situation, but all in all it has served us well...
------------- Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.." |
Posted By: Charlie328
Date Posted: 3/10/09 at 7:43pm
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Wow Is right.....just "watching" you two brainstorm together is great....nice to "understudy" with people that know what they are doing.
Thank you all for all the great tips.... I will make good use of them and, of Course, make safety my highest priority.
Thank you all again,
Charlie ------------- "TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) Heinlein |
Posted By: jcf0mtr
Date Posted: 3/30/09 at 9:32am
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If you want to find odd wagon breaks CHEAP, check out the attached surplus company URL. Unfortunately the best true wagon breaks were already bought (including by me), but there is still a lot of cool stuff to consider. http://www.surpluscenter.com/sort.asp?UID=2009033008263963&catname=misc&keyword=XTTT - http://www.surpluscenter.com/sort.asp?UID=2009033008263963&catname=misc&keyword=XTTT
------------- Joe Pembroke Pines Theatre of the Performing Arts |
Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 3/30/09 at 3:32pm
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I only use 2 wagon-breaks per wagon. on the 2 upstage corners.
You only need to raise the wagon by about 1/4 ". If you install the break with the pad on the floor and the handle sticking straight out, that should do the trick. Or have the break fully extended, and put a 1/4" piece of plywood under the wheel while you attach the break.
Here is a crude image of the modification I use.
 ------------- David M |