Stagecraft chapter 5

choosing wood

1)look for straight grain and even texture

2) should be straight, not warped, strong and rigid

3) inexpensive and available in sufficient quantities

grading quality

A - D

choosing wood

1)look for straight grain and even texture

2) should be straight, not warped, strong and rigid

3) inexpensive and available in sufficient quantities

grading quality

A - D

A grading

used for all practical purposes

B grading

difficult to acquire and is expensive

C grading

top grade for use in construction, has small blemishes and deflects but do not physically detract from it

D grading

there are more surface blemishes but none so great that significantly detracts the property of the material

common grades

1 - 5

grades 1-2

generally considered structurally sound and used for scenery framing or where appearance is NOT a factor

grades 3-5

are increasingly difficult to use with out considering amount of waste due to knotholes and other defects that must be avoided

board lumber

referenced by its thickness, width, and sold by its board foot

1 × 12

1” thick and 12” wide

12 × 12 × 1

1” thick, 12” wide, 12” long

1 inch in lumber sizes

Actual size: 3/4 “

2 - 6 inches in lumber sizes

Actual sizes: 1” 1/2 , 2” 1/2 , 3” 1/2 , 5” 1/2

8 - 10 inches in lumber sizes

Actual sizes: 7” 1/4, 9” 1/4, 11” 1/4

Use of 1 × 2

used for small framing members

Use of 1 × 3

used for standard framing

Use of 1 × 4

used for battens or large framed units

1 × 6 and 8

used for door, window casings, and framing and achitectural trim

1 × 10 and 12

used for properties, furniture, and architectural trim

3/4” x 3 and 4

used for light platform, framing and large framed units

2 × 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

used for weight bearing structures and trusses

Sheet goods

aka paneling, are manufactured products created from the by products of wood

plywood

used for flooring surfaces and it is composed of layers of wood w/ grains that lay adjacent from another

lauan

type of hardwood plywood and used to cover hard covered flats, very smooth but not environmentally friendly

particle board

composed of small wood chips, saw dust, and glue (costs considerably less than plywood but is heavier and weaker) however is hard to work with and is often used for cabinets and cabinets

MDF (medium density fiberpine)

fine grain version of the particle board and is very easy to use in machines and routing

OSB (Oriented strand board)

composed of compressed strands arranged in layers oriented right angles to one another. . . can be used similar to plywood if finish is not important

Masonite

aka hardboard/pressboard, used for nonstructural flooring and facing. . . can come tempered (very hard) or non tempered

Homosote

works well for sound deadening as part of the decking of a floor or platform and can be used as the top surface of a deck for a sculpted or heavily textured finish

Celotex

less expensive and readily available than homosote, softer and requires greater care to prevent compression when used in flooring applications

Quarter Round Moulding

Half Round Moulding

Cove moulding

Ogee Moulding

Picture Rail Moulding

Crown moulding

Cornice moulding

“W” Wide Flange Beam

“S” Standard Beam

Moulding

variety of shapes for door and window casings, baseboards, chair rails, picture rails and cornic mouldings

Metal

an alternative to traditional wood construction, the structural characteristics meet demands of modern scenic design

structural steel

used scenery applications with with a plain oxide finish

Tubing

round, rectangular, square steel tubing is useful in steel construction for scenery, alternative to board lumber

plastics

synthetic or organic materials that can be shaped when soft and hardened, capable of being moulded

styrofoam

most prevalent form of plastic and available in varying densities

beadboard

manufactured from expandable polystyrene beads, most often found formed into sheets for use by the building trades as insulation

Acrylic

commonly known as plexiglass and comes in sheets, rods, bars as well as a variety of textures and colors

Lexan

is highly resistant to impact, kind of similar to acrylic and is ideally suited for transparent weight-bearing surfaces

Ethafoam

low density, flexible material available in sheets and rods. Particularly useful in number of moulding and trim applications on curved surfaces

Polyurethane foam

two part liquid that when mixed together expands and hardens into a rigid polysterene like material. Once hard, the material can be carved very easily

PVC (polyvinyl chloride)

commonly used in the theater as pipe but can be available in rods and sheets

fabric

used in theatrical scenery construction and general stage use fall into three basic categories: scenery fabrics, stage draperies and speciality fabrics

scenery fabrics

used in scenic construction with the goal of representing something else. These fabrics are typically meant to be painted

Muslin

a plain weave cotton fabric is the most common material in this category and is used primarily for drops and soft covered flats, and to provide a quality painting surface on hard covered scenic units (comes with limited color assortment)

canvas

a very strong and durable, closely woven cotton fabric used primarily for ground cloths and to provide a quality point surface for false doors and platforms. . . also used in covering for scenic units that are very large or expected to withstand heavy use or rough treatment

Sharkstooth scrim

used extensively for theatrical application requiring a bleedthrough effect

(when the front line is removed and the scene behind the scrim is lit, the scrim and its painting appear to dissolve, revealing the scene behind)

Leno Skilled Scrim

an opaque, densely knit fabric will no render a bleed through effect. . . very elastic, making it virtually wrinkle free and an excellent choice for cycloramas or full stage backings

cotton scrim

open weave fabric made of very fine threads, can be used like sharkstooth scrim in smaller and less demanding applications

theatrical gauze

coarser and a larger weave than cotton scrim

Bobbinet

larger open weave than sharkstooth and cannot be lit to appear opaque

scenic netting

used to support cut out drops, borders, and legs

opera netting

similar to sharkstooth but with a more open weave

cheesecloth

commonly used to cover foam and plastic

Burlap

a very coarse, heavy, plain weave fabric made of cotton jute or hemp. . . used to provide a textured surface

stage draperies

these fabrics are used primarily for stage curtains such as front drapes, travelers, masking legs, borders, and backdrops. They are also used to cover constructed pieces such as portals and hard legs, and as general purpose masking fabric.

Velour

first choice for stage draperies. . . has a long, thick nap, which gives the fabric a rich texture and absorbs light well, making it an excellent fabric for masking drapes.

Velveteen

a lightweight velour available

Wool Serge

used in england in place of velour for stage draperies. . .it is extremely dense, brushed-weave fabric with excellent light absorption properties

duvetyn

is a soft felted fabric used extensively for masking and blackout drapes.

commando cloth

another name for duvetyn. Refers to heavy weight devetyn.

other stage draperies

fabrics of assorted colors. . . with textures and patterns woven.

box nails

have a large flat head and a thinner diameter shank than common nails, and come in a smaller range of sizes

Finish Nails

used to secure moulding or in any application where exposed nail heads would be obtrusive. . .have a very small head so it’s not so visible

Duplex nails

known as double head or scaffolding nails. . . used for temporary fastening

roofing nails

have wide, flat heads, which makes them useful in holding soft and easily compressible materials like Homosote or Celotex. Can be used in pneumatic nailers

Clout Nails

designed to penetrate through the wood, strike a metal plate placed under the material and curl back into the wood fibers. . . this creates a secure joint

corrugated fasteners

used to temporarily. hold a corner joint together until a permanent fastening can be completed.

wood screws

are most useful when a joint needs to be taken apart at a later date, to fasten hardware to scenic units, and on occasions when the clamping force and holding power of a screw can be used to advantage

Drywall Screws

useful for certain applications. . . they are tempered which causes them to shatter under certain conditions

lag screws

large, heavy duty wood screws. . . come with a square or hex head are are sometimes called lag bolts

Sheet metal screws

designed to fasten metal to metal

Self drilling screws

aka tek screws, combine a drill and screw into a single efficient unit to save time and labor costs. . . terrific fastener to use when applying wood coverings to steel frames

Machine bolts

have square or haxagonal heads and are threaded over approximately the first 1 1/2” shank

Stove bolts

have flat or round slotted heads and are threaded over the entire length of the bolt shank

machine screws

like stove bolts, but with finer threads

carriage bolts

have a round head and a square portion of shank just below the head. . . designed to refrain the bolt from turning

Yellow Glue

aka carpenter’s glue used for most wood on wood applications. . . it dries one to two hours and should NOT be used to adhere muslin to flat frames because it discolors fabric

White glue

is more flexible, and suitible for use with fabrics, wood, and paper. It can be diluted and cleaned with water before it dries

Epoxy

used when a waterproof adhesive is required. . . it generally comes in two parts. . . they are very strong and fast drying

contact cement

most commonly used to adhere nonporous materials. . . .its advantage is that it holds on contact, which can be very useful for some theater applications

Glue sticks

hot glue sticks are used with a glue gun for applications that do no require strength

The back flap hinge

available with a tight pin or loose pin. . . the pin is easily inserted and removed to faciliated the quick scene shift and the tight pin back is used for longer lasting unions

The butt hinge

is most commonly found on doors, and is designed to be mortised into the edge of the door and the door jamb

Piano Hinge

aka continuous hinge

Strap hinges

can also be either tight pin or loose pin

latches

used to secure doors, cupboards, and windows as well as for a variety of creative uses.

Rigid casters

fixed, straight, or stationary casters that move along a single line

Swivel casters

allow for movement in any direction. . . some casters are equipped with a locking mechanism that turns them rigid

furniture caster

may employ a ball or roller in place of the wheel