Draping a sports hall

[cfmonk]

Righto, I haven't been on here for ages but I was puzzling over this problem and you guys seemed like the right sort to help.

 

I have been asked to quote for the production of a fashion show inside a large sports hall at a secondary school. They want the whole thing draped in black.

 

The way I'm thinking of doing this is with climbing rope or steel cables around the large girders at either end looping around another in the middle of the hall.

 

Length of the hall is around 18m and it's 9m high.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to do this safely without too much expense? Also, anyone know somone who can dry hire me a load of drapes in Cambridgeshire / Northamptonshire?

 

Thanks!

 

Chris

[mumbles]

I have been asked to quote for the production of a fashion show inside a large sports hall at a secondary school. They want the whole thing draped in black.

 

The way I'm thinking of doing this is with climbing rope or steel cables around the large girders at either end looping around another in the middle of the hall.

 

Length of the hall is around 18m and it's 9m high.

I'm involved in 2 events each year where this is done, (Fresher's Week and a Summer Ball), in my university's 1960's sports hall, about 36msquare, by 8/9 metres tall, so would seem to be similar to your situation. However, while I can vaguely put across the idea of what we do, steel wire round the sides, through I bolts every so often, and then the drapes attached to a centrepoint on the ceiling.

 

I would suggest your best bet would be to PM TomM who deals with it properly for these events. I will speak to him when I next see him, and ask him to post or PM you, but if you want to PM him as well, go for it. Also, if you PM me, I can give you the emali address of one of our older members who has been drapes mistress for some years, so would also be able to clarify exactly how we do this.

[AndyJones]

PM me if you want some detailed info...

[wycome5]

Try Fabtronic at www.fabtronic.co.uk or 01604 638100

[Jivemaster]

Saw a hall draped in starcloth and they had wind-up stands every few metres with scaf tube on top.

[AndyJones]

9m wind up stands would have quite a huge footprint.

[Ynot]

I have been asked to quote for the production of a fashion show inside a large sports hall at a secondary school. They want the whole thing draped in black.

Unless you have a way to support the cales at regular intervals, I wouldn't contemplate using lines to support drapes with - they WILL sag, no matter how tight you get the cable.

 

One option may be the way we put up star cloths in hotel function rooms.

When I do the odd job for Showtech (based here in Nuneaton so not too far from Northants) we use custom cast iron bases, with a bolt-on spigot the right size to slip into an ally scaff pole, then use pipe clamps and T-pieces to suspend horizontals betwixt them. Works a treat - we then just use big spring-clips to secure the cloth to them, and voila.

 

Give Gary a call at Showtech - I'm sure he'll quote you for hire of the kit (bases, poles & clamps) and also for getting a couple of the guys to come rig it for you if needed. Don't think he has basic black drapes, but he'll certainly quote for star cloth as an option!

 

Tony

[Snailtrail]

Try Stage Right Productions in Northampton. They have stocks of black drape.

 

Sam

[Rob]

I know it's not particularly near to you, but I would recommend Elstree Drape Hire in the film studios for drape hire. Their prices might well make the van drive worth it. They're on 02083242666.

[purplerock]

Try Hawthorn Theatrical. They have on of the UKs largest stocks of drapes and starcloth and also have a lot of experience in hanging it in strange places.

[slim_mcslim]

if it is something that you are going to do on more than one occasion, then fitting eyelets in the top line of bricks every 2m all the way round the top of the sports hall. Then steel wire and tensioners between the ends of the walls, the eyelets take the extra strain and make it sag evenly. As far as I am aware this is how marquee companies prefer to line interors of buildings. It takes ages to fit up the first time round, however subsequent times are really quite quick, especially if you use drapes that have eyelets rather than ties.

 

I would recommend Showtech for their fantastic LED starcloth, that has eyelets not ties!!!

[Ynot]

I would recommend Showtech for their fantastic LED starcloth, that has eyelets not ties!!!

Glad the link was useful. ;)

[David A]

I have several schools where I do this every year, I have installed 10mm eyebolts at 6M high[as this is the drop of my curtains] with a 3M spacing.I then whip round on my JLG and put a 12M rope through each eyelet.I then tie a 6M ali bar between 2 ropes, and tie on the drapes.2 people then pull up the ropes and tie off to 15kg sandbags.The beauty of this method is that you can derig it quickly from the ground.