# Styrofoam or wood Props



## alekei (May 21, 2007)

Hello!

I would like to know where Can i buy Styrofoam, plastic, or wood props online?

I would like to buy a gramophone, a chandeller and some other antique props. but lightweight

do you any resource?

Regards,

Alejandro.


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## avkid (May 21, 2007)

alekei said:


> Hello!
> I would like to know where Can i buy Styrofoam, plastic, or wood props online?
> I would like to buy a gramophone, a chandeller and some other antique props. but lightweight


I wouldn't even attempt to venture a guess on the gramophone, the chandelier on the other hand is easy to get. 
Just go to the local home center, get the cheapest brass chandelier they have and rip out the wiring.


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## len (May 21, 2007)

Lisbon is a large enough city that there should be prop rental houses. Try google. As for fake scenery, try rose brand.


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## gafftaper (May 22, 2007)

There are not a lot of styrofoam props available for sale out there. Most people make their own. You live in a large city, Have you tried contacting any local theaters to see what they have to loan or rent to you? In my city there is a whole network of interesting props available for a slight fee from a variety of educational, community, and professional theaters. There are also several business that specialize in just props and scenery. Make some phone calls to local technical directors and prop shops you may be amazed what you find available for very little or even no money.


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## Van (May 22, 2007)

alekei said:


> Hello!
> 
> I would like to know where Can i buy Styrofoam, plastic, or wood props online?
> 
> ...


 

Boy... The issue with Styro props is that they always look like ..... Styro. until you dope them up then .. their heavy again. Best bet for real light weight props is someplace like Party City. Almost any event rental company will have resources that you could buy from. I don't know Back east, < thank God > But out here there are tons of party supply houses.


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## gafftaper (May 22, 2007)

Van said:


> Boy... The issue with Styro props is that they always look like ..... Styro. until you dope them up then .. their heavy again. Best bet for real light weight props is someplace like Party City. Almost any event rental company will have resources that you could buy from. I don't know Back east, < thank God > But out here there are tons of party supply houses.



Hey Van check the location of the poster again... that's Portugal my friend. That's really what I would call "back east".


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## Van (May 23, 2007)

gafftaper said:


> Hey Van check the location of the poster again... that's Portugal my friend. That's really what I would call "back east".


 
OOps my bad. I was looking at Avkids location....


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## avkid (May 23, 2007)

Van said:


> I don't know Back east, < thank God >


What's that supposed to mean?


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## magnumBD (May 23, 2007)

Van said:


> Boy... The issue with Styro props is that they always look like ..... Styro. until you dope them up then .. their heavy again. Best bet for real light weight props is someplace like Party City. . . . . .



I have to disagree in principal with the "look" observation. We used a Franklin Stove prop borrowed from another group. It was constructed from styrofoam but right up to touching it you could hardly tell.

Fooled me thoroughly! I bent to grasp it and give it a good tug and I nearly went "***** over teakettle", as my father used to say! The thing LOOKED like three hundred pounds of cast iron but the reality was more like 30-35 lbs of styro.

Well, I couldn't let that go without getting a good laugh. Through tech week I'd ask "fresh meat" to move the stove. "Hey George, can I get you to move the stove from there (point) to there (point again)? It's heavy - you'll need to team up with someone, like Fred here - he's new by the way."

You can picture the rest.

Van, I'd agree that perhaps this example may be the exception rather than the rule, but craftsmanship is an amazing thing and pops up in the weirdest places. 

As an aside I just acquired a Thompson submachine gun prop constructed completely, and I mean completely, from wood. It's a beautiful thing. From the photos on eBay I could have sworn it was the full metal Model Gun Corporation M1A1 tommy gun.

Well, I think you guys have answered Mr. Lisbon, so I'll stop here.


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## Van (May 23, 2007)

avkid said:


> What's that supposed to mean?


 
Man!, I was wondering how long it would take for someone to pick up on that ! Just a little "Left Coaster" jab. Just being silly, but at the same time I thinks it's funny that I could find you stuff all over the place, as long as it was west of the Mississippi. I have zero knowledge of resources in the East. 



Magnum, I agree there are a few peices I've seen that are real nice. However, most mass produced styro-props are icky. < that's a technical term> :> 

<Anybody else get the feeling Van is about to open the last show of the season and is seeing a bit of light at the end of the tunnel ? >


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