Identify Curtain Track

[Ian_P]

Hi all, This is the stage curtain track we have at our local am-dram hall. Very old, probably 40s-50s era. At present it runs on wooden bobbins which the hauling rope runs through. I would like to see if I can upgrade the lead bobbins and bobbins to wheeled ones.

 

Does anyone recognize the type of track and are there wheeled bobbins available for this type of track?

 

I can't seem to post images here....

 

 

 

Ah - got it - thanks David

Edited May 31, 2020 by Ian_P

[david.elsbury]

Post your images to a site like www.imgur.com and copy and paste the [ IMG ] code here. You can’t post images directly here because server space is expensive and it keeps the forum costs down ☺️

[Ian_P]

David - thanks - but that's exactly what I'm doing with iCloud, imgur, imgbb etc - I keep getting "You are not allowed to use that image extension on this board"....

 

it has to be the IMG code as David has pointed out - thanks!

Edited May 31, 2020 by Ian_P

[david.elsbury]

What are you uploading from? What file format are the pics?

[sandall]

Most likely Hall Stage <hallstage.com> (& probably not quite as old as you think). The runners are IIRC made of paxolin (an early plastic) rather than wood. Hall Stage has now been taken over by Steeldeck (good people to deal with), who have rationalised Hall Stage's huge inventory of parts. You might find a good clean of track & bobbins would make running the tabs a bit easier.

[DrV]

Most likely Hall Stage <hallstage.com> (& probably not quite as old as you think). The runners are IIRC made of paxolin (an early plastic) rather than wood. Hall Stage has now been taken over by Steeldeck (good people to deal with), who have rationalised Hall Stage's huge inventory of parts. You might find a good clean of track & bobbins would make running the tabs a bit easier.

I re-bobbined our similar track with plastic runners some years ago and did indeed get them from Hall Stage but that was before they were taken over. Worth a phone call to see if they still supply them. And the old bobbins were wood, not paxolin. Looked just like cotton reels!

[sandall]

I re-bobbined our similar track with plastic runners some years ago and did indeed get them from Hall Stage but that was before they were taken over. Worth a phone call to see if they still supply them. And the old bobbins were wood, not paxolin. Looked just like cotton reels!

I stand corrected !! Steeldeck are continuing to make the track (or were last PLASA time), though rather more elegantly engineered, so supplying bobbins shouldn't be a problem.

Edited May 31, 2020 by sandall

[jonathanhill]

It looks like Halls T70 track:

 

https://www.hallstage.com/track-systems?page=shop.browse&category_id=45

[sunray]

I picked up a couple of those tracks at a school rip-out, the bobbins certainly are wooden and the only trouble I had getting them running smoothly was removing the many years worth of grease and associated build up of crud.

[DrV]

If it is T70 track then it looks as though they no longer supply the cheap plastic sliders. There are only the wheeled variety which are no doubt superior but also more expensive. I'll see if I can find the paperwork from when I did ours but it's a long time ago (10 years?)

[Jivemaster]

Before spending real money, clean the old bobbins and track. Dry bobbins work OK, freshly and lightly lubed bobbins work better, BUT the dust of years worked into the grease turns it effectively into friction material making curtain operation hard work.

[bigclive]

I used to get service calls to fix the aftermath of fights between strong winches and thick coagulated dirt and grease that was the result of well-meaning, but wrong track maintenance. Grease is not your friend on the old track and bobbin system

[sunray]

I've spent far too much time degreasing tracks. It broke my heart when I spent a whole day stripping and cleaning 3 [6] 17ft tracks in preparation for a weeks run of events, only to find the following day another had the same idea and used 1/2 tin of Castrol LM, especially as they are operated by cords and I'd just replaced them.

I used to get service calls to fix the aftermath of fights between strong winches and thick coagulated dirt and grease that was the result of well-meaning, but wrong track maintenance. Grease is not your friend on the old track and bobbin system

[Ian_P]

Many thanks to all who have posted - perhaps 'de-bobbining' and wheeling this track is not the answer.

 

I know the track was cleaned about 15 years ago - and I'm pretty sure hasn't been touched since then - so as is suggested a damn good clean is a good interim answer.

 

So if not grease - what should be used? Just dry?

 

I will be calling Hallstage as well to see if there are wheeled bobbins available. Looking at technical diagrams from their website it appears that the hauling rope would need to move up from running through the bobbins to above the wheeled runners. At this stage I'm not sure if the end plates for the lead and return pulleys support this change, swapping all of these as well may make it too expensive to consider.

[Brian]

The existing runners look a bit worn in places so maybe make some new runners from PTFE rod? It's a bit of a bugger to work so you could look at something like Delrin instead.