Projection material for outdoor use

[ImagineerTom]

Could it theoretically have some benefit - possibly; but the "blow structures up with a fan and don't let them fall over" sector has got a good 50 years experience at using simple passive blowers to inflate and maintain the structure and this seems to be for 99% of applications they just use a passive blower.

 

I can also share that I've worked with a very famous fully inflatable performance venue that toured the UK for several years and which had "smart" blowers that constantly assessed the air pressure and switched fans on and off to minimise noise and respond to the different needs of getting the structure up against keeping it topped up. By my third site visit (to help them "rescue" the problem venue) we had chopped out all the sensing and variation gadgets (because they were complex and constantly failing in this real world environment) and replaced it all with a single on/off switch - because the fans don't have one way valves in them it's impossible to over-inflate the structure and now instead of going floppy a couple of times per week because the sensors malfunctioned it just stayed up.

 

Honestly - the inflatable screens I've seen are all very simple structures, very low volume, my instinct is that the small fan will be plenty to get it up and keep it up. If there really are winds strong enough that it could knock the screen over into the mud then the project as a whole has much bigger problems to worry about than the hassle of getting a damp cloth to wipe the screen clean.

[Dave m]

If you're concerned about the screen falling face down while inflating, just buy a cheap blue tarp to lay on the ground before inflation.

Then use people to pull the deflated screen into position before the pumps go on.

Deflating - use a couple of guy ropes to help steer the wilting screen from the top to where you want it to go.

A bit like lowering blacks onto a dusty floor and keeping the face clean

[Stuart91]

That all makes sense, Tom.

 

I've probably been soured on inflatables by my experiences of some badly-operated ones. I don't imagine it'll help that anyone can drop a few grand on a credit card and acquire a basic collection of inflatables. We've seen an exploding generator, various failures and collapses, and a couple of blowaways. But all "one man" operations at local events, nowhere near the scale that Tom describes.

 

One particular highlight was having an inflatable stage cover collapse onto a band. I was mixing out front and just saw it begin to crumple. Turned out a stray plastic bag had been sucked over the blower inlet.

 

For a screen, yeah it's definitely a much simpler structure. I was more thinking about it ending up lying face-down before it's inflated but they could probably find a way around it. (Edit - just seen Dave's tarp suggestion. That makes sense)

Edited February 4, 2021 by Stuart91

[themadhippy]

One particular highlight was having an inflatable stage cover collapse onto a band.

I thought that was a feature of inflatable stages,the best one was it collapsing onto the truss full of par cans,mmm the smell of melting inflatable

[dje]

The plan is that they'll likely leave the frame permanently in place, but only attach the fabric when they have a showing. (Which would likely be a couple of times a week, so no point in having the fabric out and vulnerable in between)

 

The stage roof fabric makes sense. What sort of size were you using? I'd anticipated eyelets and bungees rather than putting tube through a pocket but that sounds like a good arrangement. Sounds like it might be a bit more time consuming to put up and down repeatedly though.

 

 

 

Well yes - but to be fair ours looked great once tensioned, we could have strong winds and no movement at all. You will not get that with just bungees around the edge.

 

In terms of weather protection... rather than re-hanging the screen (and having to do all the tensioning all over again) you could cover it instead.

 

To be honest ours was left out permanently on the seafront and never got bad enough that a fortnightly window clean wasn't enough. Sure if you got up close you could see the ming that had gathered (birds seemed to take aim at it anyway) but that's why I said in my previous post to use good projectors to overcome the imperfections in the screen.

[sunray]

The inflatable screen I've seen came in a holdall, placed in the middle of the space and unzipped, the tarp was the first part to come out and a person was stood on each corner.

Next a hose was attached which filled the base "I" section as it was being pulled out to full length [width]. Once the base was full and settled the goal posts were inflated with the screen already in place.

the 'tarp' was then folded in to the base and zipped.

 

Packing away as a reverse except each end of the base had long 5m? tubes which were unrolled for the water to drain and when empty one was attached to the blower to blow the last of the water out.

I wouldn't like to say how big but ample for a crowd of about 300 spaced out on white plastic chairs.

 

[Dave m]

Ideally with a reversible fan to suck the air out for packing

[sunray]

Ideally with a reversible fan to suck the air out for packing

The whole thing was such a professional looking system that it wouldn't surprise me if that was the situation, however by then the drinks had finished and we carried sleeping grandchildren back to our rooms.

[Dave m]

Hopefully your own??

Anybody who's had to try to get an inflatable anything back in it's box will be familiar with the frustration of having to unroll it because the bloody thing has air trapped somewhere

[sunray]

Hopefully your own??

Well now you mention it, there is a story there...

 

 

Anybody who's had to try to get an inflatable anything back in it's box will be familiar with the frustration of having to unroll it because the bloody thing has air trapped somewhere

Very much agreed, I've had a little experience with bouncies and shelters.