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Stretching a new cyc


vinntec

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We have just installed a new cyc and it is slightly off the ground, weighted with conduit along the bottom pocket. However it is still showing creases... I don't mean the ones from being folded because they will come out but ones being caused simply by hanging. We have ensured the top is as stretched as we can make it, the same at the bottom. We have so little space either side that I am not sure that any extra stretch from the sides using giant clothes pegs will work, but is that our best option? Any other bright ideas?
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Side ways stretching always works for me. Usually only need a few inches of stretch to pull out the creases.

If there are still creases, and the cyc is made out of lightish weight fabric, then spraying the creases with water and "shrinking out" the creases works.

Cheers

Gerry

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We put up a temporary canvas cyc and it only had about 6-9 inches all aound it - we used the two part fabric clips (Holdons - Flints certainly stock them) and nylon rope zig-zagged to the scaff frame supporting it, and that gave use enough tension to get the creases out.
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Thanks guys. The Holdons clips look a good bet and cost practically nothing by today's standards. I will keep the water suggestion in reserve I think if stretching from the sides doesn't do the trick by itself.
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8 x Holdon Midi clips ordered which hopefully will come in time for this show. We are limited where we can stretch from, but I am sure we can find a way especially now that the sides are conveniently masked by blacks (and cyc is against back wall so no transport behind).
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Another vote for the halls Hold-n clips - they have SO many uses!

 

However, a question based on your OP...

 

If they're not fold/storage creases, are you talking about hanging 'droops'? ie where the cloth drags in a shallow curve? If so, side stretching isn't going to sort that, as it is likely to be the way it's either tied off or how the barrel is hung.

 

Is the barrel completely level? If there's any bend whatsoever the cloth simply won't hang right at all.

 

Is the cloth tied off on the barrel in the same way? Sometimes if you have several people tying off they may do it in different ways - cloth under the barrel, some with it in front of or behind it... Each of these will contribute to unplanned hanging creases.

 

You may well have looked at this already, but are simple things to check if not.

 

 

 

 

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Hi Ynot - it is sagging close to the ends either side. We have checked the bar is level (but it does bend slightly) and that the weighting lines up with the top. Two people tied it both with shoe laces bows as normal. So stretching may or may not cure it but it is worth trying anyway.
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I may be teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here, but check that one of the people tying it to the bar didn't tie to the top of the bar rather than to the bottom. Obviously if the knot is made at the top of the bar, then pulling the cyc will cause it to fall down to the bottom of the bar and that 48mm can make a big difference.
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I may be teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here, but check that one of the people tying it to the bar didn't tie to the top of the bar rather than to the bottom. Obviously if the knot is made at the top of the bar, then pulling the cyc will cause it to fall down to the bottom of the bar and that 48mm can make a big difference.

 

Er, isn't that sort of, well, exactly, what I said above, JSB...???

 

Just in a different way...

:D :D :D

 

 

 

 

Hi Ynot - it is sagging close to the ends either side. We have checked the bar is level (but it does bend slightly) and that the weighting lines up with the top. Two people tied it both with shoe laces bows as normal. So stretching may or may not cure it but it is worth trying anyway.

AHA!

 

That may be your problem then - any sag in the barrel or the way it's tied, will cause a sag in the cloth. Get the top level and the hang should sort itself out nicely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Ynot - it is sagging close to the ends either side. We have checked the bar is level (but it does bend slightly) and that the weighting lines up with the top. Two people tied it both with shoe laces bows as normal. So stretching may or may not cure it but it is worth trying anyway.

AHA!

That may be your problem then - any sag in the barrel or the way it's tied, will cause a sag in the cloth. Get the top level and the hang should sort itself out nicely.

Unfortunately our theatre is not a square box and some unreasonable architect in the 12th century didn't consider that the building might one day be used as a theatre! This particular bar is held at either end only so sags in the middle slightly (about 7m span). Having said that it might be possible to add a central support point if we can find someone stupid enough to go up to fix it to use as a "pull me up". Think old church, curved beams, high ceilings. We will try the clips first as the creasing is only slight and see if this does the trick. The two ends are covered by blacks (for this production at least) so we only need to get the visible part to look good now.

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7m is also longer than a standard steel or aluminium scaff bar. Steel is generally 21', aluminium 20'.

 

If it is 7m, I would suspect that it is not scaff, i.e., the wall thickness is thinner than 4mm.

 

The bar should have a centre pick-up, as smiling is not good (for a bar).

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