Return-Path: X-Processed-By: Virex 7 on prxy.net X-Real-To: stagecraftlist [at] theatrical.net Received: by prxy.net (CommuniGate Pro PIPE 4.2) with PIPE id 4540732; Wed, 29 Sep 2004 03:00:23 -0700 X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 4.2 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: Message-ID: From: "Stagecraft" Sender: "Stagecraft" To: "Stagecraft" Precedence: list Subject: Stagecraft Digest #147 Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 03:00:12 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Disposition: inline X-Spam-Status: No, score=-3.2 required=5.0 tests=ALL_TRUSTED,AWL,BAYES_00, MAILTO_TO_SPAM_ADDR autolearn=ham version=3.0.0-pre4 X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.0-pre4 (2004-08-04) on prxy.net X-prxy-Spam-Filter: Scanned X-TFF-CGPSA-Version: 1.4a3 For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Stagecraft Digest, Issue #147 1. Candy canes by "Dougherty, Jim" 2. Core Drilling by "Dempsey, John" 3. Re: Hog III PC by "Joe Golden" 4. Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) by Dale Farmer 5. Programming bids wanted by Jerry Durand 6. Re: Cdn Rules for Coring, x-raying by "Riter, Andrew (Head Ltg)" 7. Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) by Stephen Litterst 8. Re: Candy canes by Dale Farmer 9. Re: Candy canes by Steve Larson 10. Re: candy cane by Steve Larson 11. Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 12. Re: Candy canes by "Ann Warren" 13. Programming bid clarification by Jerry Durand 14. Re: Candy canes by MissWisc [at] aol.com 15. Re: Remotely firing a pistol by CB 16. Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) by David Duffy 17. Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) by Steve Bailey 18. Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt by "Paul H. Sullivan" 19. Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt by Stuart Wheaton 20. Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt by Mike Brubaker *** Please update the subject line of your reply to use the subject *** line of the message you are replying to! Please only reply to *** one message subject in each reply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 09:11:42 -0400 Subject: Candy canes From: "Dougherty, Jim" Message-ID: To add another possibility to the mix, we can purchase expanded polystyrene (aka beadboard, white styrofoam, etc.) in thick sheets off the rack, or in custom thicknesses with a time delay, from a local timber framing concern. Others elsewhere might be able to do the same. Prices run about $0.17 per board foot, so it's not unreasonable. Depending on the size of your canes, and how many you're doing, a similar place might have scrap in the size you need. Failing that, one can laminate up the thinner stuff available at building supply yards. With a piece as thick as your tube, you should be able to sculpt the curved section from the foam, and join it to the tube. It can be done with hand tools, hot wire cutters, or power tools. If you have to do many of them, it would be worth setting up jigs to mass produce them. One way is to use a bandsaw and templates to cut the profiles and a drill press as a big shaper (see the appropriate Yale Tech Brief - be safe) to put on the curves. It can be messy depending on the technique you use, but they would be solid, and already white. I would like the hear from anyone who has had success bending PVC in the larger diameters (6" for example) into the sort of tight curve needed for a proportionately sized candy cane - does it really bend that tightly? - Jim Dougherty ATD, Middlebury College Theatre Department ------------------------------ Subject: Core Drilling Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 09:58:21 -0500 Message-ID: <28D62335F7D5D44C8C47692CF001DF5ED3C877 [at] EMPMAIL.ad.csbsju.edu> From: "Dempsey, John" Talk about core drilling! We spent this past summer following sprinkler fitters around as they had to core drill about every wall in the art center to install fire sprinkler pipe. There was much conduit cut. But we did consult blue prints on almost every instance but it is very hard to tell where the electricians of 40 years ago ran conduit. We kept our electricians busy re-pulling wire that was cut. Didn't lose any lighting circuits though. Might've had something to do with the fact that we were pulling new wire for that system this summer as well. But there are no rules that I know of as far as X-raying before core drilling. We didn't discover the cut Clear Com wire until a couple days before the first show however. Talk about pulling new wire in a hurry! Jack Dempsey, Production Manager Benedicta Arts Center College of St. Benedict 37 S. College Ave.=20 St. Joseph, MN 56374 320-363-5905 - office 320-363-6097 - fax ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Hog III PC Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 08:24:35 -0700 Message-ID: From: "Joe Golden" Yes it will, Check out http://forums.delphiforums.com/lightnetwork/messages?msg=3D14328.4 HTH Joe > -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Marriott [mailto:mike.stagelist [at] optusnet.com.au]=20 > Sent: Monday, September 27, 2004 11:17 PM > To: Stagecraft > Subject: Hog III PC >=20 >=20 > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see=20 > > --------------------------------------------------- >=20 > Highend currently have this on there website, I cant find it=20 > on the Flying Pig Site.=20 >=20 > Does any one know if it will be released the same as the=20 > original HOG PC ? (ie Free ?) >=20 > Kind Regards > Mike Marriott >=20 >=20 ------------------------------ Message-ID: <41598B56.8E67ECB6 [at] cybercom.net> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 12:03:34 -0400 From: Dale Farmer Subject: Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) References: David Duffy wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > Greg Bierly wrote: > > >>> there has to be some reason the rental house I bought these > >>> from didn't make that change. > >> > >> > >> Yeah, they HAD adaptors > > > > > > Why would a rental house pay to have the standard connector changed. > > They just have to have 3 pin cables in their rental inventory or make > > sure the renter knows the connector supplied. I never figured out why > > many of the ML manufacturers put 3 pin on their instruments (cost?). > > At least some of the console manufacturers are putting out consoles > > with 3 pin connectors. > > > > By the time you have torn the fixture apart and successfully swapped > > out the 3pins for 5. You may as well have either made all new cables > > or swapped connectors on existing dmx cables. Then just make one 5 to > > 3 pin adaptor for the console to the first fixture in line. > > I replace the 3 pins with 5 pins wherever possible in my own gear. > That way almost all of my leads are 5 pin and I only need the odd > adapter for the ones I couldn't change. (PCB mounted too hard) > Consoles with 3 pin connectors are just as bad as 3 pin fixtures! > The DJ market has a lot to answer for. > David... What I think I'd do is put an adapter on the thing to change it to five pin. And attach the adapter to the fixture so it stays attached. Preferably I'd not go with that brand to begin with. I get very suspicious when a manufacturer goes off specification on something like this, and then I start to wonder where else they are cutting corners and cheaping out. --Dale ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.2.0.0.20040928085851.056c9ed0 [at] localhost> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 08:58:56 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Programming bids wanted We need to have a Mac driver written for our USB lighting controller. Our controller installs as an HID (that's been tested, Macs install it properly). We need a driver to allow this to appear as a serial port that a standard terminal emulator and other programs can talk to. We're also considering a Linux driver, but this is a lower priority. ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com pgp: 45A2 0A52 1D56 70C2 B865 9D5C 83F2 2112 04CE 2B54 ------------------------------ Message-ID: <297C9E3B63B2D3119C8100508B5ED28F1601FEED [at] exchange2.ubc.ca> From: "Riter, Andrew (Head Ltg)" Subject: RE: Cdn Rules for Coring, x-raying Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 09:01:02 -0700 Dale wrote: >IN the US there is no rule or common practice to xray or ultrasound a wall >before drilling. This sort of thing should be repaired >at the contractor's cost, unless the contractor was specifically told to >"Drill here." then that responsibility transfers to the person directing >the drilling contractor to make the hole there. There was some thought put into where the holes would originally go, but on the day-of the coring machine couldn't be placed on the wall (too much other stuff surface mounted). It was suggested, by me, "what about this large section of wall over here?" I should have kept my mouth shut. So much for trying to be helpful. The cost is being argued over now (see above about keeping mouth shut). Then they cored through the wall in the original spot, having taken the wheels off the coring machine to make it fit. My higher-ups were more p****d off about more coring without x-raying after the first accident than with the first accident. I wasn't there the day they cored through. When they did, they didn't tell anybody until the next day. Electricians were working on the restore a day later. Still not done yet (a week later). It's amazing how fast a project can go south. The breakout boxes had to go back to get re-fabricated, they've now hung conduit from an air duct, didn't use the proper, or enough, vibration isolation material, and apparently didn't read the specs (or the specs didn't get passed along to the crews actually doing the work). I think this the last project I'll get approved for a while. sigh Andrew M. Riter Head Lighting Technician Chan Centre ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 12:03:05 -0400 From: Stephen Litterst Subject: Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) Message-id: <41598B39.7E2F0AFC [at] ithaca.edu> Organization: IC-Dept. of Theatre Arts References: Dale Farmer wrote: > --------------------------------------------------- > > What I think I'd do is put an adapter on the thing to change it to > five pin. And attach the adapter to the fixture so it stays attached. > Preferably I'd not go with that brand to begin with. I get very > suspicious when a manufacturer goes off specification on something > like this, and then I start to wonder where else they are cutting > corners and cheaping out. Except I think every manufacturer has been doing this. Are there any MLs out there that take 5-pin connectors? I had considered the dedicated adapter idea, but that's going to cost more than replacing the panel mounts, and there's still a good chance the adapters will be removed, misplaced, etc... Steve l. -- Stephen C. Litterst Technical Supervisor Ithaca College Dept. of Theatre Arts 607/274-3947 slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ Message-ID: <415998AD.D20A3CDE [at] cybercom.net> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 13:00:29 -0400 From: Dale Farmer Subject: Re: Candy canes References: "Dougherty, Jim" wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > To add another possibility to the mix, we can purchase expanded polystyrene > (aka beadboard, white styrofoam, etc.) in thick sheets off the rack, or in > custom thicknesses with a time delay, from a local timber framing concern. > Others elsewhere might be able to do the same. Prices run about $0.17 per > board foot, so it's not unreasonable. Depending on the size of your canes, > and how many you're doing, a similar place might have scrap in the size you > need. Failing that, one can laminate up the thinner stuff available at > building supply yards. > > With a piece as thick as your tube, you should be able to sculpt the curved > section from the foam, and join it to the tube. It can be done with hand > tools, hot wire cutters, or power tools. If you have to do many of them, it > would be worth setting up jigs to mass produce them. One way is to use a > bandsaw and templates to cut the profiles and a drill press as a big shaper > (see the appropriate Yale Tech Brief - be safe) to put on the curves. It > can be messy depending on the technique you use, but they would be solid, > and already white. > > I would like the hear from anyone who has had success bending PVC in the > larger diameters (6" for example) into the sort of tight curve needed for a > proportionately sized candy cane - does it really bend that tightly? They can bend that tightly, but if your heating is uneven, you run the risk of pulling the plastic apart or leaving ridges. You probably will leave ridges anyway, since the bend is so extreme. Figure on losing the first couple that you try as you get your technique down. Pack with sand, and give the heat time to get through the plastic and into the sand. Sand should be completely dry as well ( Bake it in an oven first ) as you will risk ruining your work if there is enough moisture to make steam bubbles. Slow and easy is the key. Good ventilation as well, PVC makes nasty fumes. Preheating the sand will also speed up your operation. Make a form or mold for the inside curve of the loop. Start with the pipe packed with sand, standing up vertically. Apply heat to area to be bent, starting with the low end. Apply gentle bending force to the pipe as it warms up and the plastic starts to soften. If you are doing a lot, rig a weight and line running over the jig to bend it for you. Let the weight of the sand do the work for you on the bending. Once an area is almost touching the jig/mold, stop applying heat and move up to the next zone. Leave the pipe longer than finish length, you will need a section of cool pipe to handle, and it helps you with your leverage. Do this project out on the loading dock, you will end up spilling sand everywhere and stinking up the place otherwise. Wear good heat resistant gloves, safety goggles, and long sleeves, unless you like being burned. Have an air vent in the pipe, let the steam, hot air and fumes out rather than blowing bubbles in the plastic. --Dale ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 13:18:24 -0400 Subject: Re: Candy canes From: Steve Larson Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Has anyone googled to see what they would cost over the net. Surely someone has a good price. Sounds like the process is fairly labor intensive. Steve ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 13:41:37 -0400 Subject: Re: candy cane From: Steve Larson Message-ID: In-Reply-To: What size are you talking about? eBay has 1" diameter x 30" tall decorations. Steve on 9/27/04 12:49 PM, Roger Harrison at rocky082259 [at] yahoo.com wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > This may sound stupid but, i need to make a few large > candy canes for Miracle on 34th street. I thought > about using sonotubes but, I can't figure out how to > make the curve at the top. I want it to look smooth. > does anyone have any other suggestions? different > materials? Or maybe buy them on the cheep? > > Thanks > Roger Harrison > TD Aztec High School > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. > http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo > > ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 13:46:44 EDT Subject: Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt In a message dated 21/09/04 03:00:03 GMT Daylight Time, sdwheaton [at] fuse.net writes: > Depending on the staging, a blank fired from a gun with an > open barrel might kick up enough dust by itself. It probably would. But guns with open barrels should NEVER be used on stage, for obvious reasons. You might get away, dependent on your OHJ, with a steel plug with a small hole in it welded in the muzzle. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-Id: Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 14:00:17 -0500 From: "Ann Warren" Subject: Re: Candy canes Another option might be to use curved stove pipe or ducting. I'm not sure how tight of a curve you could get, but it might be worth checking into. Ann Warren Indiana State University Theater ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.2.0.0.20040928120428.0321f7a8 [at] localhost> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 12:04:34 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: Programming bid clarification We're not looking to make our hardware compatible with any of the "do-it-yourself" DMX control projects floating around, that would make us incompatible with the people who have been using our hardware since 1999. What we are looking for is a driver to allow people on Mac and Linux boxes use our existing hardware. ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com pgp: 45A2 0A52 1D56 70C2 B865 9D5C 83F2 2112 04CE 2B54 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 15:11:03 -0400 From: MissWisc [at] aol.com Subject: Re: Candy canes Message-ID: <10861B0B.5AC742D0.007B9F2A [at] aol.com> My dad made a shephers's crook out of conduit and a pipe bender. We rapped red and white ribbon around it for Christmas once. An idea... Kristi ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20040928130356.0195a9c8 [at] pop.west.cox.net> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 13:03:56 From: CB Subject: Re: Remotely firing a pistol >Nevertheless, as with any firearm, I think that there needs to be a stationary >period, to take aim, if you want realism. Depends on the firearm, the distance to the target, the size of the target and the operator of the firearm. If I were standing three feet from you with a loaded double action pistol, It'd take me longer to unholster than to draw a bead and commit the crime. And no, that's not a threat. >And, just what this has to do with the SM I don't know, even in your >scenario. Me, I'll go for an accurate script and copious rehearsals. The spiel you >have the SM giving belongs in the sound script. My point exactly. There are parts of some plays that need the ops to have freedom to be artistic, and part of the fluidity of the action, just as there are parts that need to be co-ordinated to make them seamless. I gave an example of the former, and there are way too many examples of the latter available to ignore. Except by some. Chris "Chris" Babbie Location Sound MON AZ Delete key training and post trimming done by appointment. Rates negotiable, will trade for typing lessons/ADD treatment... ------------------------------ Message-ID: <4159D665.5080305 [at] audiovisualdevices.com.au> Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 07:23:49 +1000 From: David Duffy Subject: Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) References: In-Reply-To: Dale Farmer wrote: >David Duffy wrote: > > >>I replace the 3 pins with 5 pins wherever possible in my own gear. >>That way almost all of my leads are 5 pin and I only need the odd >>adapter for the ones I couldn't change. (PCB mounted too hard) >>Consoles with 3 pin connectors are just as bad as 3 pin fixtures! >>The DJ market has a lot to answer for. >>David... >> >> > > What I think I'd do is put an adapter on the thing to change it to >five pin. And attach the adapter to the fixture so it stays attached. >Preferably I'd not go with that brand to begin with. I get very >suspicious when a manufacturer goes off specification on something >like this, and then I start to wonder where else they are cutting >corners and cheaping out. > The problem with that is you're much more likely to damage the fixture's XLR socket and possibly the PCB as well when it gets transported. Leaving plugs in gear when moving it is the quickest way to bugger them up - Murphy will see to that. :-) I bought a (used) Coemar Microscan the other day and it had 3 pin XLR's on it. Soon fixed in 15 minutes and $10 of parts. I also have a bunch of low cost "disco" fixures that I use for the schools. All of them now sport 5 pin XLRs. I'd rather spend my money on changing the sockets once, not buying adapters. David... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 17:33:47 -0400 From: Steve Bailey Subject: Re: Lamp Life (New Topic) Message-id: <005e01c4a5a2$d67085c0$6401a8c0 [at] computer> References: ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Litterst" > Except I think every manufacturer has been doing this. Are there any > MLs out there that take 5-pin connectors? I've seen newer MAC 2000's with both 3 and 5 pin (say's so on the website as well), though the current info. on a HES Studio Spot CMY says "DMX Data Connectors - Standard 3 pin male and female connectors". Seems they neglected to actually read the specifications for DMX, which I believe calls for 5 pin ONLY !. This has been a sore subject for years, especially when Martin used to use a reverse polarity 3 pin, thus the shops had to carry regular 3 to 5 plus Martin 3 to 5...... Which also means I need to spec 3 to 5's with the Studio Spots I'm 'bout to order. What a pain !. Steve Bailey Brooklyn College ------------------------------ Message-Id: <5.2.1.1.0.20040928175326.02d91258 [at] pop.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 17:53:30 -0400 From: "Paul H. Sullivan" Subject: Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt Johan; I would be very cautious in your choice of dirt. If Fermiculite contains Vermiculite, or it can contain high concentrations of of asbestos in a friable form. I would recommend something like a sand and peat mixture. And compressed air for the effect would be my vote for the effect. http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/verm.html#Garden At 08:58 PM 9/19/2004 -0400, you wrote: >For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see >--------------------------------------------------- > >In our production of Infinity's House it calls for the character to fire >two shots into the dirt. Our plans are to fire a blank gun, I am searching >for a method to displace our "sand" material. We have settled on >Fermiculite as a dirt substitute because of look, weight, and residual >dirt on actors costumes as the dig in the dirt. Does any one have a good >method to make it appear that a bullet has entered the ground? > >Johan Godwaldt >Technical Director >SUNY Oswego >NY >315 312 2987 >godwaldt [at] oswego.edu Paul H. Sullivan Production Manager Times Union Center for the Performing Arts Jacksonville FL 32202 (904) 633-6192 (904) 633-6190 fax ------------------------------ Message-ID: <415A0F03.7050402 [at] fuse.net> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 21:25:23 -0400 From: Stuart Wheaton Subject: Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt References: In-Reply-To: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com wrote: > > In a message dated 21/09/04 03:00:03 GMT Daylight Time, sdwheaton [at] fuse.net > writes: > > >>Depending on the staging, a blank fired from a gun with an >> open barrel might kick up enough dust by itself. > > > It probably would. But guns with open barrels should NEVER be used on stage, > for obvious reasons. What is the "obvious reason" since "depending on the staging" rules out safety concerns? > You might get away, dependent on your OHJ, with a steel > plug with a small hole in it welded in the muzzle. And in your vast gunsmithing experience what risk is there to everybody within 20 feet of the gun if you double or triple the pressure of the blank by plugging the barrel? You recently wrote in a related thread... > > As a resident of the UK, where pistol ownership is uncommon, and has recently > become totally illegal, I am less familair with their usage than you. Then perhaps you should shut-up and let those who know what they are saying do the talking??? > Nevertheless, as with any firearm, I think that there needs to be a stationary > period, to take aim, if you want realism. Anybody wanna take Frank trapshooting? The scenario described was perfectly plausible. But I must say congratulations, you properly attributed the quote, Chris will be pleased! Stuart ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.1.1.1.0.20040928212645.01d0fde0 [at] mail.insightbb.com> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 21:35:28 -0500 From: Mike Brubaker Subject: Re: Fake Gun Shot in Dirt In-Reply-To: References: I thought long about posting in response to this "commentary." It is possible to disagree with the *content* of what Frank says, even with *how* he says it, without turning it into an unpleasant (for the rest of us) personal attack. Please take it down a notch. Quoting from the "Do's and Don'ts" for this list: "Finally, be civil to each other. It is possible to have differing opinions, strong feelings and even vigorous debates without being discourteous to each other. Let's not degenerate into arguments about the "right" way to do things. We've found that different solutions are "right" in different situations. "Flames" generate heat, but not much light. It's always worth assuming that the other person has good intentions." Mike At 08:25 PM 9/28/2004, Stuart Wheaton wrote: >>It probably would. But guns with open barrels should NEVER be used on >>stage, for obvious reasons. > >What is the "obvious reason" since "depending on the staging" rules out >safety concerns? > >>You might get away, dependent on your OHJ, with a steel plug with a small >>hole in it welded in the muzzle. > >And in your vast gunsmithing experience what risk is there to everybody >within 20 feet of the gun if you double or triple the pressure of the >blank by plugging the barrel? >Then perhaps you should shut-up and let those who know what they are >saying do the talking??? ------------------------------ End of Stagecraft Digest #147 *****************************