49er Fan Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Our school has just taken delivery of a 200" quick fold screen to be used in the main assembly hall. Now I have used these screens before but I have always found putting them up, espically getting the fabric onto the frame to be a real pain, just because is so tight. Does anyone have any good tips for getting these things up easily in as short a time as possible?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomM Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Our school has just taken delivery of a 200" quick fold screen to be used in the main assembly hall. Now I have used these screens before but I have always found putting them up, espically getting the fabric onto the frame to be a real pain, just because is so tight. Does anyone have any good tips for getting these things up easily in as short a time as possible?? Keep the screen in a relatively warm place. Put the corners on first when assembling. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 What Tom says, plus keep the first aid kit handy, those hinges bite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 What Tom says, plus keep the first aid kit handy, those hinges bite! ** laughs out loud **, we have about a dozen of theses in hire, they quite often comes back with blood stains on them... As for constructing them, I find starting in one corner and working my way around. Getting all 4 corners on without any in the middle I find to be very difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Don't pop the corner braces until after you've got the corners on. I'd say it's virtually impossible to put the corners on first, Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modge Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Don't pop the corner braces until after you've got the corners on. I'd say it's virtually impossible to put the corners on first, Tom.Second both of those, though I have heard others suggest corners first, so I presume there's a reason for it. Having tried it I have to say I'm not keen: it can be done but it's an awful lot of effort and that's if the screen is warm. Top tip: DON'T for #deity's sake use pliers to grip a corner and pull. I know some one who tried it and (predictably) ripped the screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I think corners first is easier (but the muppet I usually put the damned things up with makes it hard whatever we do) due to being able to get a little stretch over the whole length of the side, rather than in the last few inches. The bottom two corners are easier when the screen is up, as you can get a bit of weight on your side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunk_1984 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Used the not putting all the corners out one before, works rather well. Usually though just start at a shorter edge, then work down each long side and then usually the corners are doable and then just the last short side. Warmth definitely helps though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Corners first is a ######. If you do that, you're trying to stretch the whole length of one side of the screen in one hit. If you do it one press-stud at a time, you only have to stretch a length equivalent to the distance between studs, which is much easier to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lee Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I usually try to get some studs on either side of the corner first. They get better as they get older. Definitely agree with keeping them in a warm place. Try doing them after they just came out of a cold truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter F Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I am glad this has come up as only last week I had to do battle with one of these fine constructions. Helpfully the screen had been stored overnight, in a truck, at -6. In the interest of the common good and to hopefully reduce the incidents of - sore fingertips - trapped fingers - unexpected bleeding from fingers - ridicule from fellow workers as you entangle yourself within the frame structure during erection - Next Generation members only detention resulting from obscene language erecting these screens always makes you resort to. I have found the manual. Never again need you be defeated by this demonic invention that until now was able to reduce even the most seasoned AV professional to performances more akin to a circus clown. Our problems are over. No longer will we be forced to use the methods passed down to us in folklore through generations of corporate projection personnel. Let me repeat it out loud. I have found the manual. Instruction Book for Fast Fold Screen Heartbreakingly, there is a problem. Actually there are two problems. Problem One. Pages one and two of "The Book". Procedure. Your guide to erecting the framework.In a masterpiece of creative writing the manual makes this appear to be far more straightforward than those with in the field experience know it really is. I am willing to let this pass. I am even willing to concede that, with the instructions to hand (perhaps clearly projected to life size on an earlier triumph) it is possible that putting the frame up might, maybe, be undertaken without incident. Problem Two.The holy grail of fast fold screen erection seems to be missing a page. The very first mention of a screen is in the section titled "Folding The Picture Surface For Packing". Hold on a minute. Rewind (as the reggae based corporate operative would say). Where is the bit entitled "Attaching the Picture Surface to the Frame Without it Requiring Arms the Strength of a Very Strong Person and Preventing It Popping Off On the Corners Just When You Think You Have Got It"? I was devastated. Having found the manual, I'm no closer to knowing how to put the silly things up. The website even has tutorials on it. If there is any aspect of fast fold screens that needs a tutorial surely it has to be the attaching the screen to frame ordeal. I can't find the link to that tutorial. I will not be defeated. They have a live chat helpdesk. Monday 9am Eastern or possibly Central Time (Indiana time confusion) I will be there. Comrades, I will return with the answers we seek. Until that time, lay the screen out on the stage, get the lampies to turn a load of par cans on, go for a cup of tea. If they've only brought pretend lights with LEDs in them you're f****d. Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lee Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I have to admit, these days I just point to the screen, then ask the nearest Gallowglass guy nicely, "could you put that up for me mate" then dive into the nearest cable trunk and look busy elsewhere. Oh how I love using proper set where the chippies just staple some screen material to the aperture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrea Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Obviously you lot don't have the required Screen-Foo I possess! Start on the bottom edge where the poppers are double sided. Work along one long side the up the short side. Return to the other short side, then the remaining long side. this means that your only stretching a 6 inch bit at a time. The pop the corner braces out. Easy! Not meaning to boast but I can manage a 12'x9' on my own in about 10 minutes. Onto it's legs no less :( :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviljohn2 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 As Pete says, I get the corners on that have the double-sided poppers on (without putting the corner braces on). The ones in-between should then line themselves up; next borrow a friend quickly and fold the top half of the frame up at it's relevant join on the shortest side - this significantly reduces the distance you need to stretch the screen so you can get the other corners on so when you carefully put the frame back down all of the poppers should be neatly lined up and fix on with minimal effort. Just tighten the corner braces and you're done with the surface. Getting the legs on is another kettle of fish but also possible with the right technique. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 and fold the top half of the frame up at it's relevant join on the shortest side -Now that IS cunning. I'll give that a try next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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