# Bye-bye, hemp and sand: National Theatre in D.C.



## ptero (Jun 24, 2017)

"That’s right, come fall, the hemp system at The National — one of only a handful of such systems left in the U.S. — will be no more. The $1.5 million project is, truly, the end of an era."

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingt...-hemp-and-sand-national-theatre-prepares.html

Just a heads up - the link has plenty of ads. 
btw, my theatre is still sandbags though the hemp is no longer hemp.


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## JohnD (Jun 24, 2017)

ptero said:


> btw, my theatre is still sandbags though the hemp is no longer hemp.


I shall take this opportunity to make the obligatory 'Smokin" wisecrack.


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## SteveB (Jun 24, 2017)

Sounds like a counterweight system is going in.

Wonder why they didn't just bite the bullet and go with all motors.


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## Footer (Jun 24, 2017)

Its only 1.5 million? Seems pretty cheap to go in from the ground up. We spent nearly that on just a re-rig.


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## Amiers (Jun 24, 2017)

I think the hemp system was only 1.5m atleast that's how I read it.


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## gafftapegreenia (Jun 24, 2017)

I too thought the number was really low-ball for the installation of a complete counterweight system. I would think a fair bit of engineering, perhaps even major structural alteration, might be necessary for the building to safely handle a counterweight system. 

I don't know what the grid is like in there, and I wonder how much work they are currently doing with chain hoists.


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## venuetech (Jun 24, 2017)

Footer said:


> Its only 1.5 million? Seems pretty cheap to go in from the ground up. We spent nearly that on just a re-rig.


so what do you get out of a million dollar re-rig? how many linesets?


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## BillConnerFASTC (Jun 24, 2017)

WeLloyd, on a recent project, 39 motorized sets - mostly 200 pound 40 fpm - was just under $2m. That's around $50k per set. Counterweight runs $7k to 10k per set. Structural framing us always surprisingly inexpensive.


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## Footer (Jun 24, 2017)

venuetech said:


> so what do you get out of a million dollar re-rig? how many linesets?



53 linesets installed, new motor/control/rigging for firewall, new detection onstage, all new soft goods, and added more steel on our grid doubling the loading capacity.


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## venuetech (Jun 25, 2017)

Footer said:


> added more steel on our grid doubling the loading capacity.


am guessing that was a big bite of the budget. but it will prove its worth long into the future.


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## Footer (Jun 25, 2017)

venuetech said:


> am guessing that was a big bite of the budget. but it will prove its worth long into the future.



It was about a 100k from what I remember. The firewall and part of the project ate up more money then the grid steel. Only hard part about the grid steel was they had to hang a grid... below our grid. After that it was just two guys and a drill rig for about 2 weeks solid. All they did was run more I-beams SL/SR to pick up the channel iron more often. I now have a stupidly large point load capacity on the channel iron without cribbing.... 1/2 ton ANYWHERE. I have 4' pieces of 2" sch 80 that I run around... I can hang just about anything I want off of those anywhere. It is nice not to have to bridle to only the wells like we used to.... and I never have to bridal.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Jun 25, 2017)

The custom high load capacity motorized stuff can get really pricey, like for a framed fire safety curtain.


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## RonHebbard (Jun 25, 2017)

BillConnerFASTC said:


> The custom high load capacity motorized stuff can get really pricey, like for a framed fire safety curtain.


What about for a non-framed fire curtain, one descending on taught side cables in metal wells for instance?
Welcome back @BillConnerFASTC 
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Jun 25, 2017)

I'd ballpark a motorized unframed fire safety curtain - whole NFPA 80 system in new build - around $50k. Framed more like $150k.


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## tdtastic (Jun 26, 2017)

ptero said:


> "That’s right, come fall, the hemp system at The National — one of only a handful of such systems left in the U.S. — will be no more. The $1.5 million project is, truly, the end of an era."
> 
> http://www.bizjournals.com/washingt...-hemp-and-sand-national-theatre-prepares.html
> 
> ...




That's very cool


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