# Flying Drops with limited fly space



## Christopher71188 (Dec 15, 2014)

Hello Everyone,

I am the new TD at a Rochester Local School. The venue has a full fly system installed, however sadly almost no fly loft, so the max. I can fly a full stage drop out right now is about 6'-8'. I am wondering if anyone has experience or tips on how to help with this issue. We have two travel Tracks but they are already being used.

What I have imagined in my head is this: I have the drop tied off to the main pipe like one would typically do, however I would then have a 2nd pipe upstage that is further in. This 2nd pipe would then attach to the bottom of the drop so why flying out it will pull the bottom of the drop up.

Has anyone ever done anything like this before?


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## robartsd (Dec 15, 2014)

Elsewhere on CB, I've seen mention of attaching the second batten about 1/3 up from the bottom, so when flown out the drop would be folded in thirds. Takes more cordination to operate the fly, and there'd be no way to keep the sets fully in balence for both in and out possitions. I don't remember what this method was called.


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## TDN (Dec 15, 2014)

That's a well known method. It's referred to as tripping a drop. Depending on how much space you need, you can also have a third lineset and pick up points in the middle of the drop.

Another option is a roll drop. Takes more time to set up, but it only ties up one lineset. You might be well served by getting a copy of Raoul's Stock Scenery Construction Handbook, he has explanations and illustrations of tripping and roll drops.


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## chausman (Dec 15, 2014)

robartsd said:


> Elsewhere on CB, I've seen mention of attaching the second batten about 1/3 up from the bottom, so when flown out the drop would be folded in thirds. Takes more cordination to operate the fly, and there'd be no way to keep the sets fully in balence for both in and out possitions. I don't remember what this method was called.



Tripping.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Dec 15, 2014)

Or add tracks. One way tracks or just walk along - you can put two fell stage drops on one track. Plus operation is a little more inexperience friendly than counterweight.


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## KT the TD (Dec 15, 2014)

In my venue we have a full system with a half fly (same issue) and when we have our Nutcrackers come in what they do is have all their sceneic drops set up and when it's time to put them away they go to black out (or set a scene up in front of the mid so the mid can close) and bring the drop in and roll it up and tie it at a few points across the bar and bring it out again. With practiced hands it takes only a minute or so to do this and a few people. Hope this helps.


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## venuetech (Dec 15, 2014)

Take a look at this Roman Shade.
http://www.controlbooth.com/threads/what-type-of-drop-curtain-is-this.36300/


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## JChenault (Dec 15, 2014)

TDN said:


> That's a well known method. It's referred to as tripping a drop. Depending on how much space you need, you can also have a third lineset and pick up points in the middle of the drop.



Grab any good scenery textbook and this should be discussed.

My have never seen more than two line sets used. One attached to the top of the drop, the other attached either to the bottom, or 1/3 from the bottom. 

Since we are talking about painted drops ( or at least fabric) things are light enough that the out of weight issue is not a big deal.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Dec 15, 2014)

KT the TD said:


> In my venue we have a full system with a half fly (same issue) and when we have our Nutcrackers come in what they do is have all their sceneic drops set up and when it's time to put them away they go to black out (or set a scene up in front of the mid so the mid can close) and bring the drop in and roll it up and tie it at a few points across the bar and bring it out again. With practiced hands it takes only a minute or so to do this and a few people. Hope this helps.


I like that too. Lightweight tubes at bottom of each and preset tie lines or webbing with Velcro or snap hooks, it could be pretty quick.

And there us always the pull the cord and drop it to the floor and pull off stage.


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## porkchop (Dec 16, 2014)

Depending on the kinds of rigging hardware you have available and how the drops would deal with being stored folded over several times you could also look into an Austrain effect. On tour we used a chain motor off stage pulling the Austrian lines to do this allowing us to store a 25' drop in about 2' of space. You would need to put some thought into how to execute the effect safely and consistently, but it could certainly be done with some mechanical advantage via a block and fall or similar.


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## de27192 (Dec 26, 2014)

The main issue I find with tripping or with lifting from the bottom of the tab, is just how you secure it. It's fine with house stuff - you can add ties or eyelets to the bottom and build it into the design; or stitch pickups to the back of the cloth. But with touring cloths, if they only have attachment from the top, it can be difficult to attach them at the bottom or in the middle.

The kind of pipe you use for weighting a cloth at the bottom is seldom rigid enough to be used to lift from both ends. One thing that can work - when picking up from the bottom - is to get yourself some of those spring clamps like carpenters use - you know the jaws - and drill a hole in one end that lets you add a shackle / carabiner etc. Then you can clip around your weight pipe and lift off that. It doesn't work so well with chain weight.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Dec 26, 2014)

I'm not comfortable relying on a spring clamp to hold a batten - even if 1/2" pipe or something nearly as light - overhead. I don't know if there are rated pipe clamps that don't require a through bolt at each end or not, but I'm sure one strong enough could be made.


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## de27192 (Dec 26, 2014)

Utlimately it depends how many you use. "A" spring clamp? Hell no. One every half a metre? Quite possibly. Quantity obviously changes for the size and weight of the cloth.

Believe me the spring clamps our set department have, need significantly more effort to open them from the jaw end, than you would need to tear most tabs.


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## theatricalmatt (Dec 27, 2014)

When you mentioned a "clamp like carpenters use," my first thought wasn't a spring clamp, but rather a wood clamp: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Adjustable-Clamp-10-in-Wood-Hand-Screw-1-3PK/203598181.

Typically for stretching a drop side-to-side, we would use a two blocks of plywood or one-by screwed together as a makeshift clamp around the drop; something similar might work for tripping a drop from the middle, taking care to round over the edges to prevent the goods from tearing.


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## de27192 (Dec 27, 2014)

Thats what I meant.


I know exactly what you're referring to RE stretching cloths, we use the same.

My concern if used for tripping a cloth would be not just damage but also creasing.


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## artable (Mar 4, 2015)

We've actually just brought the grand valence in far enough that full backdrops can be hung. It looks bad, but not *too* bad. The hope is that nit-picky people will complain about it, and the school admins will get Oasis (they built it. The actual loft hight is about 3/4 to 2/3 as high as it was supposed to be in the blueprints.) to come back and fix it.


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