cedd Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Hi all A request from a friend.... The application is a new build stage within a decent sized church. The band setup is pretty standard but the name of the game is tidyness. The current cabling is a mess and the layout of the band and where people roughly stand is unlikely to change. They want to set into the stage some troughs in which the cabling can run. These would have enough space for general mic cabling, but possibly also 4 way plug boards for guitar pedal power and other bits and pieces. Basically a trough that everything can go in and can then have a lid shut on top of. The lid would have a carpeted top (or would be able to be carpeted) and then periodically would have a method of the cables leaving the trough to get onto the surface - perhaps slots with brushes across them to stop dust ingress. The troughs would end up at the patch panel and 13A mains distribution, then a trough soming awaynd occasionally T'ing off across the stage to various positions. I'm sure I've seen these things before, mainly in IT suites. I'm pretty sure the applications in question weren't using "computer floor" construction, but rather it was a trough set into the ground.Clearly with a new build stage, the surrounding stage can be built to suit. Anybody know what I'm looking for and where to find it??? Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themadhippy Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Maybe not wot your after but how about floor trunking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedd Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 The theory is there with floor trunking, I think it's the stuff I remember having seen, but we really need trough. Starting to wonder if anybody makes it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peternewman Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I'd have thought the traps at the sides of a lot of theatre stages would work, if you tidied them up a bit and added carpet on top. In which case design the trough bit as you like, and just add some suitable rated top pieces that sit on lips either side of the trough, then you have have semicircles in each piece to allow cable routes/lid removal. That way the entire lot can be done by your carpenters/stage builders, they just need to take a bit of care making the lids so it all looks nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musht Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Think American is `floor pocket` UK is `Floor box` like http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Tru...oxes/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedd Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Hhhhmmm, the floor boxes are basically what I'm after, but without end walls, and all joined next to each other! I've probably been imagining it! Out of interest, what do venues use to cover their Front of House runs if you're a receiving house pulling in different multi's and cable runs every week? Are they custom made troughs with lids, or is there another product out there.Home build may be an option, but clearly a proper product would be nice. C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam2 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Floor boxes are widely used in modern offices, but are not a continous trough such as you require. I suspect that what you require will have to be built on site. Troughs are often used for heating pipes in old buildings, Churchs especialy, normally covered with a cast iron grateing so as to let the heat out.An experienced builder could no doubt construct something similar, with a carpeted wooden top. As power cables are to be used in this trough, it should be relatively spacious to avoid overheating.If a number of cables are grouped together in an enclosure, they have to be de-rated. This is normaly only a consideration for fixed installations, but might be a concern in your case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolley1466 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Do you mean these for the multis? Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamharman Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I think I've seen the sort of thing you're after, but can't remember where! Your best bet is probably to get the builder to build wooden troughs into the stage, or get a local steel fabricator to fold up something out of sheet steel. That way you can have any shape and size you want. Lids can be plywood with the carpet glued on. Metal round the edges would protect them from damage, although being a church I don't suppose they'll get bashed about too much anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Is this the sort of thing you're after, or have I misunderstood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Sounds to me like what you want is simply covered troughs simply built into your stage; there's probably nothing to google for, it's just something that can be built by the joiners who make the stage. Ply on the top and then the difficulty probably comes in the carpeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedd Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Looks like they're goiong to have to make their own! The lid construction of the floor boxes people have linked to has been exactly what they're looking for, but instead of having a hinged lid, they want it to lift off and instead of being an enclosed box, they want the lid to cover a trough that could be up to 5 or 6 metres long, with t junctions along it spreading across the whole stage. We're aware of the heat problems associated with mains in there. The plan is not to use amplifiers or anything else high current from the troughs (amps will have their own supply on the wall next door to them). These supplies would (if they decide to fit them) be just for the guitar pedal boards and perhaps some video monitors. Nothing very big. I guess if needed, the sockets feeding the trough network could be protected with lov value mcb's to ensure nothing too big is plugged in. Nevertheless, I know wall wart power supplies can get quite warm. Hopefully not too warm as to pose a problem - how many do you know of tucked away behind a settee at come or behind a set of drawers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony g Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Britmac make a comprehensive floor trunking system with carpetable lids, available through Walsall-BCE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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