Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: "fire"

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Nanette
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Joined: 8/01/06
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Topic: "fire"
Posted: 1/21/08 at 9:49am

I would love to simulate a fire in the fireplace in Little Women, and know it can be done w/ a little fan, light, and strips of fabric. Anyone have a diagram (or really simple instructions) I can give to someone creative to make one for me?

Thanks!

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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JoeMc
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Joined: 3/13/06
Location: Australia
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Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:54pm

I can't help you with a diagram. as I'm not that creative with 'puters {[Since my son up\graded my MacHines to XP & I lost all the bits & piece I had acumilated. [bless his cotton thingame bobs]. I'm a complete nong with this stuff}

It is simple enough to mount a lamp, fan & a bit of tatt, bread board style, to get the effect.

The most effective fire is using fluro [neon] starters in series with the light bubble.

Get an electrical 'J' box [Junction] big enough to accomodate the circuit gubbins & mount the incandecent globe fixtures on top, with a flying lead male connector plug attached. Which can be powered via a dimmer circuit.

The fluro starter socet can be placed in series on the active feed to the bubbles &/or on the negative as well, which gives a more random flicker, although it can give a complete power cut, for a nanno second on both the active & negative conductors at the same time, but this adds to the fire flicker effect.

Place the 'J' box in the fire grate & dress with bits of gell under the coal embers.

Of course you could make up a fan blade, that will spin from the heat created by the light globes, under neath the simulated coal embers, cut from a top of a can of beans or coffee. either fitted under the simulated coal embers or to clipped on the light globe. Which will free spin caused by the heat of the light & give a good effect.

However with the electrical device it is always a good idea to get a qualified or competant sparkie to make or check it out for you first [As a disclammer] from a safety piont of view.

But the beauty of the incandescent bubbles is you can adjust the fire effect, either the fire burning well or dieing down at any piont.

Hope this helps?

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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pdavis69
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Joined: 3/26/06
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Posted: 1/22/08 at 8:39am

Most good sized malls will have a Spencers Gifts store somewhere in them. We have purchase several faux fire pots and used them at the center of a prelaid fire. I have used wood from a real fire so the charred look is good and stacked it up to cover the mechanical workings of the "fire". We did this in Scrooge and the fire looked great.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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Linda S
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Joined: 4/16/05
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Posted: 1/22/08 at 12:37pm

I have done the same as Patrick. With charred wood, stacked to cover all the mechanical parts it looks very realistic. I have tried making them from scratch before. For my money, it is worth the couple of bucks to buy the contraption all made.

Linda

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MartyW
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Joined: 2/02/04
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Posted: 1/22/08 at 12:57pm

Agree with Linda.. Buy it.. usually a fan powerfull enough is too noisy.. quite enough, not enough power...

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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neilfortin
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Joined: 11/20/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 210

Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:30pm

And prices on them now are fairly cheap! We just bought a few for the fireplace/rotissary we are making for Cyrano!

Community Theater makes us smile

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Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup

Author	Message
Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Topic: "fire" Posted: 1/21/08 at 9:49am
	I would love to simulate a fire in the fireplace in Little Women, and know it can be done w/ a little fan, light, and strips of fabric. Anyone have a diagram (or really simple instructions) I can give to someone creative to make one for me? Thanks!
	In a world of margarine, be butter!

	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:54pm
	I can't help you with a diagram. as I'm not that creative with 'puters {[Since my son up\graded my MacHines to XP & I lost all the bits & piece I had acumilated. [bless his cotton thingame bobs]. I'm a complete nong with this stuff} It is simple enough to mount a lamp, fan & a bit of tatt, bread board style, to get the effect. The most effective fire is using fluro [neon] starters in series with the light bubble. Get an electrical 'J' box [Junction] big enough to accomodate the circuit gubbins & mount the incandecent globe fixtures on top, with a flying lead male connector plug attached. Which can be powered via a dimmer circuit. The fluro starter socet can be placed in series on the active feed to the bubbles &/or on the negative as well, which gives a more random flicker, although it can give a complete power cut, for a nanno second on both the active & negative conductors at the same time, but this adds to the fire flicker effect. Place the 'J' box in the fire grate & dress with bits of gell under the coal embers. Of course you could make up a fan blade, that will spin from the heat created by the light globes, under neath the simulated coal embers, cut from a top of a can of beans or coffee. either fitted under the simulated coal embers or to clipped on the light globe. Which will free spin caused by the heat of the light & give a good effect. However with the electrical device it is always a good idea to get a qualified or competant sparkie to make or check it out for you first [As a disclammer] from a safety piont of view. But the beauty of the incandescent bubbles is you can adjust the fire effect, either the fire burning well or dieing down at any piont. Hope this helps?
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
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pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 1/22/08 at 8:39am
	Most good sized malls will have a Spencers Gifts store somewhere in them. We have purchase several faux fire pots and used them at the center of a prelaid fire. I have used wood from a real fire so the charred look is good and stacked it up to cover the mechanical workings of the "fire". We did this in Scrooge and the fire looked great.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
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Linda S Celebrity Joined: 4/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 312	Posted: 1/22/08 at 12:37pm
	I have done the same as Patrick. With charred wood, stacked to cover all the mechanical parts it looks very realistic. I have tried making them from scratch before. For my money, it is worth the couple of bucks to buy the contraption all made. Linda
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MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 1/22/08 at 12:57pm
	Agree with Linda.. Buy it.. usually a fan powerfull enough is too noisy.. quite enough, not enough power...
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
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neilfortin Celebrity Joined: 11/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 210	Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:30pm
	And prices on them now are fairly cheap! We just bought a few for the fireplace/rotissary we are making for Cyrano!
	Community Theater makes us smile
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Topic: "fire"( Topic Closed)