# Correct Height for Dead-Hung Cyc & Scrim



## Txreilly (May 20, 2014)

Hello all,

I'm about to purchase a new Cyc and a new Sharkstooth Scrim. I have a 16' grid. I'm concerned about the drops stretching over time. Secoa says that most people purchase drops that are 1" to 2" shorter than actual height (distance) to the grid. The bottom of the grid is 15' 10". I was going to have both drops sized at 15' 8" and am considering 15' 7" (leaving 3" for stretching). 

Any thoughts? 

Thanks much,

Anthony


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## Footer (May 20, 2014)

The scrim will stretch more then the cyc will. It also depends on what you are using to bottom pipe it. How are you going to attach it to the grid? Is the pipe hung or is it bolted to the grid? If you are installing a pipe, get some turnbuckles put in that you can adjust as it changes over time. Soft goods do change as their size as humidity changes. 

One other way to combat this is to have an extra long skirt put on your drop. Most drops have a 2" or so skirt put on. I would probably get bit larger one. This will allow you bottom pipe to strech the soft good but you will still get floor coverage.


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## Txreilly (May 20, 2014)

The hanging pipe is part of the existing light grid. It's dead hung 1 1/2" black pipe. The quote I have is for Top: webbing grommets and ties 12" on center, and Bottom: pipe pocket with skirt 5". When I worked in a fly house we put 1/2" galvenized pipe in the pockets and put sand bags on each end of the pipe. Then we floated the rail a bit to stretch the cyc. Over time the ends stretched quite a bit. That's my concern. I wont have that flexibility. It might be a little awkward to hang the drops with tie-line and a 3" gap, but ROSE BRAND [I wrote SECOA] didn't have a formula for determining stretch over time. They mentioned a 1" to 2" play. I was thinking that having the drop(s) 3" shorter would give me a little more flexibility. Just checking to see if anyone has learned through time what I may expect. I'm a bit nervous. I thought it would be best to deal with hanging a short drop, rather than having a drop that ended up billowing with the only remedy being a hem. Thanks for the observation about the scrim stretching more.


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## BillConnerFASTC (May 20, 2014)

You might tie line a short piece of chain to the batten or even go around and crimp an s-hook and then s-hook through the grommet. Some adjust-ability without precise knot tying.

I'll wager you'll get some other suggestions on this one.


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## Footer (May 21, 2014)

Truly, I would order it a foot short and hang a pipe. Less stress... and you will get it right. Pipe is cheap. The real factor on the skirt is how much fabric goes past the pipe pocket. In my smaller room we are dead hung and all of our soft goods have freakishly long ties on them because it time we get them fire treated they come back a few inches shorter.


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## BillConnerFASTC (May 21, 2014)

If you are going footers route, put a pipe pocket top and bottom and do cutouts in top hem every so often to get a line around top batten to hang it. I don't like look of grommets and ties and appreciate you trying to get itvtight to pipe.


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## Footer (May 21, 2014)

BillConnerASTC said:


> If you are going footers route, put a pipe pocket top and bottom and do cutouts in top hem every so often to get a line around top batten to hang it. I don't like look of grommets and ties and appreciate you trying to get itvtight to pipe.


Only issue with that is how do you hang it safely with a single genie? 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## TheaterEd (May 21, 2014)

Footer said:


> Only issue with that is how do you hang it safely with a single genie?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


One Genie is all you need as long as you're willing to waste a wish on it! Ba Dum Tss

Thank you folks I'm here all week, don't forget to tip your waitress.



Ok back on topic. I sometimes wish ours was dead hung, instead we have it on a track. Not a big fan of the end result.


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## Txreilly (Apr 28, 2016)

TheaterEd said:


> One Genie is all you need as long as you're willing to waste a wish on it! Ba Dum Tss
> 
> Thank you folks I'm here all week, don't forget to tip your waitress.
> 
> ...


MAY 2014. That's when I was researching. I made a decision to order the drops short. 15' 7" for a 16' grid. I have to eye it when I hang it by having someone on the deck while I tie it to the batten. We have a rolling scaffold so it's not too arduous a task. All has worked out well. The 1/2" plumbing pipe in the pocket stretches out any minor variances in the hang. I purchased a scrim and cyc. Both have worked out equally as well. Thank you ALL for the advice. I love this site. One thing though. I was told by Rose Brand that the pipe pocket would be sewn a bit higher than the bottom hem. I can't remember the details. I think an inch or two higher. I thought that would be great because our floor is as much as 1 1/2" off level near the wings. The pocked was actually sewn with the bottom of the pocket at the bottom of the drops hem [exact same position]. With sandbags on either end of the floor pipes it doesn't read though. Thanks again!


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## Txreilly (Apr 28, 2016)

Txreilly said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I'm about to purchase a new Cyc and a new Sharkstooth Scrim. I have a 16' grid. I'm concerned about the drops stretching over time. Secoa says that most people purchase drops that are 1" to 2" shorter than actual height (distance) to the grid. The bottom of the grid is 15' 10". I was going to have both drops sized at 15' 8" and am considering 15' 7" (leaving 3" for stretching).
> 
> ...


Not sure how these threads work so this is my second reply with the same answer. After all this, I did go with the 15' 7" drops. We have Used both drops several times. Hanging and leveling has been no problem. We have a rolling scaffold which makes a big difference. Thank you ALL for your advice. I LOVE this site!


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## BillConnerFASTC (Apr 28, 2016)

Thanks for reporting back to let us know it worked.


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