Set Design and Construction: Fake Wrought Iron

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Fake Wrought Iron

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=2995
Printed Date: 11/24/24 at 6:08am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Fake Wrought Iron

Posted By: JRP8
Subject: Fake Wrought Iron
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 11:26am

We need believable fake wrought iron bars to cover a bay window. Ideas? Jeannette

Replies:

Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:13pm

Why go fake? Check your local home improvement store. They usually have a nice assortment of failing and bars for much less than most people think. If you insist though, wooden dowels painted black look stangely like iron bars from the audience.

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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:14pm

Thats railings and bars. Typing problems here.

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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:50pm

I agree with Patrick. I needed a wrought iron fence for a show last summer. It was cheaper and easier to use the real thing. The added plus is that they they came in great designs.

Linda

Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:56pm

Is the iron meant to be decorative only?

If that's so, then I've used with some success a product that is sometimes referred to as "backer rod" and sometimes as "foam rope caulk saver" depending on what part of the country you're in, or which hardware store you frequent.

It's a grey-colored foam rubber shaped like long tubing; it comes in a packaged roll about 25 feet long and is manufactured in different diameters from 3/8" thick to 3/4" thick.

You can use pdavis' suggestion of building a simple frame with wooden dowels and slats, then attaching lengths of foam rod in decorative swirls and designs. Simply cut duct tape into thinner widths (about 3/4") and wrap them (gently!) around the foam to secure to itself (if you're making scrollwork) or to the framework (if you're building arches or other shapes).

Wads of duct tape can be shaped and added as ball finials (if you're making a brass bed headboard for example) or "arrowheads" (if you're building a gate or fence).

Give the whole thing a solid coating of black spray paint (or other metallic paint - again, if you're making a brass bed or something).

I've created quite a few convincing "wrought iron" pieces using this method. It's amazing how elaborate you can get as the material is quite flexible. I even tried "twisting" the foam to create the spiral look of some fences, but once painted, such an effect is lost on the audience sitting several feet away and I sadly realized I had wasted a colossal amount of time. (It looked great, though!)

I even built a rustic chandelier using foam rope, and cardboard toilet paper tubes as the candles. Sturdy wire (coat hangers) was needed to help it maintain its shape, but the whole thing was feather-light and needed no special rigging to hang.

Unfortunately this method is not useable if your wrought iron needs to support ANY kind of weight (such as a burglar or somebody climbing through the window). It's purely decorative, and should anybody come into contact with it on stage, it wobbles like rubber (which it is!) and spoils the illusion.

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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 7:11pm

Adding to the previous posts, being a sparky' I use black electrical conduit cut to length. Then add plastic or Ali finials as needed, which come in a size to suit the conduit. Either mounted thru a holes in a wooden batten or 'terry' cliped on the US of a window flat.

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

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:38am

Just go to lowes/home depot etc... cheaper and easier.. Some times it really is just easier to use the real deal... Or if your project is too big, go with the dowels... you could mount plastic/cardboard tubes, but dowels will take the paint better...

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

Posted By: Kim L.
Date Posted: 2/29/08 at 11:06am

I need to build a wrought iron fence connected to two brick towers. I was planning to use cardboard for the towers and balsa wood for the wrought iron. I might try the flexible tube stuff that someone else suggested as it maybe cheaper than balsa.

Kim

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Kim