Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Drifts ???

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skitipzip
Walk-On
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Joined: 10/02/07
Location: United States
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Topic: Drifts ???
Posted: 10/02/07 at 6:36am

I have been asked to build 4 12' "drifts", I am not sure what they are or used for. But they do have something to do with hold up the set without putting screws into the floor.

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
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Posted: 10/02/07 at 8:49am

I realise our theatre terms are different, but I'm lost as to what a 12' means or used for.
I doubt it means a' stage drift' which is an aside between the actor & the audiance or when the show it's self starts to drift from the script.
I feel this could be as in a 12' french brace, to stop the tops of 12' flats from moving? Normally this would be handled by a Ledger.
There again it could be a 'clearance pole' used for guiding battens from fouling in tightly packed Fly systems.
So I think it would be a clue to ask the question of the one wanting the drifts Confused

.
Unless someone here can throw some light on it as a localised term? Ermm

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Shatcher
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Posted: 10/02/07 at 10:14am

I call em Jacks

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Nanette
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Posted: 10/02/07 at 1:16pm

12' means it's 12 feet tall, Gaafa. I'm also assuming skitipzip means a French brace.

Skitipzip ... a French brace is simply a triangular frame, hinged to the back of a piece of standing scenery and folded flat for storage. You weight the base of it (w/ pig weight or sandbags) to hold the scenery down, instead of nailing it directly into the stage.

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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Gaafa
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 10/02/07 at 10:22pm

Sorry Nanette!
I forgot to add 'drift' to the question "What a 12' .... means?
I feel sure it is a [french] stage brace as you descibe, is what Skitptipzip is chacing.
We usualy refer to Shaters 'Jacks' in stage bracing as being a french brace with a castor on the end of the base board, which is hinged at the other end on the up right. The cross brace timber is hinged at at the top of the up right as well, leaving the other end free floating . On the base board, which is flat a nogging is added to hold the cross brace t& jam behind. In order to support the brace & the sets Flat while it's on the deck.
If & when the Flat wall needs to be shifted. With the braces base held up by the castor off the deck.
The techie steps on the end of the base board & jacks up the Set, untill the cross brace slides along the base board & jams behind a further nogging. Allowing the set to be moved on the castor.
The operation is reveresed to drop the Set flats on to the deck again.
Gawd this is hopless to describe properly, where a drawing would be far easier!
But it's wonderful how we have different terms that relate to the same thing!
Maybe we could do with a cross reference glossary? Wink

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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

Author	Message
skitipzip Walk-On Joined: 10/02/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Drifts ??? Posted: 10/02/07 at 6:36am
	I have been asked to build 4 12' "drifts", I am not sure what they are or used for. But they do have something to do with hold up the set without putting screws into the floor.

	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 10/02/07 at 8:49am
	I realise our theatre terms are different, but I'm lost as to what a 12' means or used for. I doubt it means a' stage drift' which is an aside between the actor & the audiance or when the show it's self starts to drift from the script. I feel this could be as in a 12' french brace, to stop the tops of 12' flats from moving? Normally this would be handled by a Ledger. There again it could be a 'clearance pole' used for guiding battens from fouling in tightly packed Fly systems. So I think it would be a clue to ask the question of the one wanting the drifts. Unless someone here can throw some light on it as a localised term?
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

Shatcher Celebrity Joined: 2/21/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 251	Posted: 10/02/07 at 10:14am
	I call em Jacks
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Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 10/02/07 at 1:16pm
	12' means it's 12 feet tall, Gaafa. I'm also assuming skitipzip means a French brace. Skitipzip ... a French brace is simply a triangular frame, hinged to the back of a piece of standing scenery and folded flat for storage. You weight the base of it (w/ pig weight or sandbags) to hold the scenery down, instead of nailing it directly into the stage.
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 10/02/07 at 10:22pm
	Sorry Nanette! I forgot to add 'drift' to the question "What a 12' .... means? I feel sure it is a [french] stage brace as you descibe, is what Skitptipzip is chacing. We usualy refer to Shaters 'Jacks' in stage bracing as being a french brace with a castor on the end of the base board, which is hinged at the other end on the up right. The cross brace timber is hinged at at the top of the up right as well, leaving the other end free floating . On the base board, which is flat a nogging is added to hold the cross brace t& jam behind. In order to support the brace & the sets Flat while it's on the deck. If & when the Flat wall needs to be shifted. With the braces base held up by the castor off the deck. The techie steps on the end of the base board & jacks up the Set, untill the cross brace slides along the base board & jams behind a further nogging. Allowing the set to be moved on the castor. The operation is reveresed to drop the Set flats on to the deck again. Gawd this is hopless to describe properly, where a drawing would be far easier! But it's wonderful how we have different terms that relate to the same thing! Maybe we could do with a cross reference glossary?
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

Topic: Drifts ???( Topic Closed)