gareth Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 The time has come to build ourselves some new production tables to replace the motley assortment of knackered old things that we use at the moment. Well, the time came a couple of years ago, to be honest, but we just haven't got around to it ... I've got a couple of ideas regarding how I'd like to do it - but I'd love to see some photos of what everyone else is using (or just tell me about it!). The criteria are that whatever we end up with is going to need to be a decent size - probably based around an 8' x 4' sheet - to have sufficient space for all the crap that's going to end up on it. It needs to be sturdy enough to not collapse under the weight of an Eos and a couple of touchscreens. It needs to sit across a row of seats in a raked auditorium. The legs need to be either removable or collapsable for storage. It needs to be put up and taken down without the use of any tools. Impress me with your production desk wonders! http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlinford Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Good solutions I've seen include a bit of deck with custom legs (or 18mm ply with appropriate kee clamps), or a custom trestle table with box section legs that had extensions welded on to give the required height over seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireL Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Obviously it depends on the height and type of seats in your auditorium, but if possible please make it the right height to sit at comfortably. I've sat at too many production desks that were either (a) just under my chin when sitting down, or (b) somewhere down by my knees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanhill Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 We built some new production desks recently. Desks are an 8' x 4' piece of 18mm marine ply, with some 3" x 1" framing to allow it to sit on a handrail. Legs are aluminium scaff into Kee-Klamp style sockets. The bit that I like the best is the number of unswitched Metalclad sockets mounted on it, powered from a powerCON face panel. The only comment from the students was that we should have used the double sockets that have built in USB charging sockets. We built two, one for lampies and one for the DSM and director that has a cutout to accommodate our GDS prompt desk umbilical. They are really solid, a world away from the wallpapering tables that were being used before. I will post some pictures when they next come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indyld Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 We had some new production desks designed and made by students recently as the old one was getting rickety. Based on a folding gate plus top design, they are anti raked for the seating and include the front side missing to houses knees. We split the 8ft into two so we have a couple of shorter desks that can be used side by side or as projector racking or split across two venues. For this flexibility,we decided against fitting gubbins such as sockets. Ours are just plain sturdy black platforms that sit over the seating well. Another student also made a bespoke desk for our sound desk that fits over and rests on the wide balcony rail. Not a common prod desk position, but a custom solution too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alistermorton Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 We also need to build a new one as ours is a) now too small, as the ion+fader wing+2 screens+keyboard+mouse needs somewhat bigger space than the GSX+screen it originally accommodated and the 300+laptop it was later used with and b) it's getting old and worn. However, the basic design is a table top with a u-shaped channel on the bottom lined with thick carpet which sits over the seat backs, and long folding legs at the back which reach down to the floor of the seats 2 rows in front. At one end is a 4-way multi block to power the desk and accessories - it could probably do with more sockets. It can be put up and taken down without tools easily by two people or at a push by one. The legs, when folded away, are held in place by velcro so that they don't flap when it's being carried or stored. EDIT - spelling, content. Hmm, the site just lost my edits and I had to do them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanhill Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I forgot to mention that the legs store underneath on tool clips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I'll add what I built for a small theatre many years ago, as it's different to the others. Basically 2 custom built sets of trestle legs (hinged so they go flat to store) that went through the gap between seat backs - legs of correct length for the rake. We could then use these for any one of several different length boards to sit on top of, depending upon what was wanted. The bracing of the boards located them on the trestles in such a way that they were very solid. Not tools required at all & even the longest (6 seat?) length top could be put up by one person. The legs also worked well for accommodating touring sound desks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicky Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The best type I've seen and used, the top was made of tri-wall polycarb sheet, which has the strength to take an EOS in a flightcase, but weighs very little which makes it very easy to put in/away.It was covered in black felt and had adjustable legs made of wood.Dicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jay Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I second the Tri-Wall Poly Sheet, we had them for Lion King UK Tour Production Period which held EOS and RPU plus 3 touch screen, we had large and small made which were felted and they were very sturdy!. They were made so the legs would fold on pin hinges with arm rests slotted onto the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I built 2 new desks (one for the Ion etc and one for the midas noise desk) last year - went for the 3 x 1" frame with (from memory) 6mm ply at 8 x 3 feet - 8 x 4 was considered but decided twas unnecessarily large - 8 x 3 is a LOT easier for 1 man to carry.I put a 3 x 1" upright around the back edge and both sides as a catch-all for anything that might roll off the desk, and cut 2 or 3 notches in the back one - that allows cables to neatly run up onto the desk in a controlled manner - the 13A 6-ways also then sit nicely against that 3 x 1 keeping them in place. I did consider fixing the multi-power blocks in place and having a powercon input onto them as well but didn't, though that may still be a retro-fit. My desk legs are also scaff (cut to the two lengths needed for the rake) into Kee Klamp sockets on the desk. Again I considered folding timber legs but discounted those as adding extra weight to the overall desk and potentially making it unwieldy if (or indeed when any retaining mechanism failed :) ) At present it's just plain wood - haven't covered it with anything, and to be honest don't see the need - and writing on a single A4 plot sheet with a biro on a felt surface would be tricky... Everyone who's used them in the last few months has been more than happy with the improvement over the old desk method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 This is all good stuff - thanks. Photos! Let's see some photos! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Ours are just 8'x3' bits of ply with 2 IKEA Gerton legs attached. The front edge sits on the seat back and the legs are adjustable so they work in the flat or the raked part of the auditorium. They don't fold, though, our storage area is big enough that they stack together just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 This is all good stuff - thanks. Photos! Let's see some photos! ;-)Meant to snap them yesterday in the stores whilst at the venue but forgot - sorry :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 This is all good stuff - thanks. Photos! Let's see some photos! ;-)Not really a very good pic, but was in the stores this evening and took a quick snap.This is both our desks stood on end, but you can see the underside of the one at the back and top of the front one. http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/Ynot_01/Proddy%20desk1_zpsabulffdu.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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