# Moving a Manual Revolve Question



## Zurls (Jan 12, 2009)

Currently we are rehearsing a show for which I am putting in a 10' revolve. This process would not have been possible without consulting the numerous posts here re: turntables/revolves. So I have two questions. The revolve will be operated manually and I wanted to get some recomendations of the best way to do that, as well as for locking it in place. The second question is related to the first: in the 80's I worked at a community theater where at some point I had experience with nearly everything in small theater (a really fabulous education). Anyway, when we needed to rotate large set pieces or trucks, we made these wooden T's (out of 2x2 I think) with a sort of coathook at the end. You would use it to grab an eyehook or something at the base of the set piece and pull the piece around. When the marks lined up we'd then kick a wedge of wood under each side of the unit (and frankly those wedges never really held the thing very well). I was thinking of using the same T tool to pull the revolve (thought not the wedges). Let me just add that, to justify the expense of putting this in we've determined that we are utilizing this for the rest of the season, so I want to make some standardized choices that can be handed from production team to production team.

Any thoughts?


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## Van (Jan 12, 2009)

What you're descibing sorta sounds like using stage braces for pushing / pulling the revolve, I've used that technicque in the past, and it works well. As for stops, take a look at Destaco. a well placed destaco brake and a receiver for the plunger can make even the most unweildly platform behave.


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## derekleffew (Jan 12, 2009)

Van, I'm guessing you're referring to something like DE-STA-CO - Clamps - Products



Which doesn't appear significantly different than Rose Brand's Heavy Duty Wagon Brake #4550 from Rose Brand


Which Destaco product would you recommend in this application?


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## Van (Jan 12, 2009)

Thanks , Derek, I Guess I should have done that, huh? 
My thought would be the second picture. Now Rose Brand may sell 'em but they are DeStaCo 's at heart. On Wagons you mount them < them being the ones in the second picture> on the side, preferably into the framing. Notice the end of the plunger is threaded ? Well Destaco's come with a threaded rod that has a rubber cap on the end. This rod can be screwed in and out of the end of the plunger to set the depth of throw. 
There are a couple of schools of thought on the use of this type of brake one says drill a hole in the stage, move the platform out to spike throw the lock so the plaunger goes into the hole. 
The other say mount the brake on the wagon, roll it into place, step on the handle and actually raise the platform off the ground. I prefer the second version. 

when using this kind of brake on a revolve you can mount the brake horizontally so that when it is thrown it goes into an indexing hole < best if it's re-enforced with steel.> on the side of the revolve deck.


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## derekleffew (Jan 12, 2009)

Van said:


> ...There are a couple of schools of thought on the use of this type of brake: one says drill a hole in the stage, move the platform out to spike throw the lock so the plunger goes into the hole. ...


Indeed, how would that be different than a cane bolt, 

https://www.hardwareworld.com/Zinc-Cane-Bolt-Visual-Pack-836-12-x-12-inches-p7OAL49.aspx

or barrel bolt?

Approved Vendor Industrial Grade 3478-HNDLS-HDW-S-15 Barrel Bolt

For their brakes, Rose Brand sells the "foot" separately. Not sure why. 

Extension Spindles for Wagon Brakes from Rose Brand


Back to how to move the unit: What about an eye bolt through the framing and a rope so the stagehands could "tow" the revolve? An appropriate clip at the end of the rope would make it detachable.


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## arik52 (Jan 12, 2009)

Is this a standard revolve just to have? Is it for a specific purpose? If so, what's included? What's going on top of the revolve? Two years ago we had a fairly small revolve (4' circle I believe) made out of a platform is a circle cut out inside and a ply circle attached to 2"x6" on wheels to rotate within the platform. We were able to put walls on this as well as furniture, although it was small. We locked it by drilling holes on and off the revolving circle and putting bolts through a block of 1"x3" that could be put in from back stage to lock the revolve. The production lasted 2-3 months and there were never any issues with it. I imagine this is the super low budget way to go, but I thought I'd provide you with what I could.


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## Zurls (Jan 21, 2009)

We ended up using something very similar to the first DE-STA-CA clamp image. We have one on either side a bit towards the back. I was leery when we clamped the first down, but once the second was in place it was fairly stable. Not entirely rock-solid, but stable enough for simple walking/sitting/standing/etc. bithout having to bore through the revolve. I also made the moving T-bars I was mentioning (I'll post pictures of all fairly soon).

My last question is this: Just off center of the revolve we've mounted two 4'x8' light-weight wood flats, making a solid flat 8'x8' wall, which is double sided. It needs to be completely flat and there is no way to add "scenic" flying buttresses like fences or furniture. The flats are screwed to the revolve through their bases within an inch of thier life, plus I have added fairly huge metal L-braces to the sides. Since I can't brace the top to anything, what are my options bracing-wise? The design esthetic really requires as little visible as possible. More L-braces on the front?

Any ideas? Beuller? Beuller?


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## deadlygopher (Jan 21, 2009)

derekleffew said:


> For their brakes, Rose Brand sells the "foot" separately. Not sure why.
> 
> Extension Spindles for Wagon Brakes from Rose Brand



We've always chopped the end off a bolt and threaded it in to the bottom of the brake. It's cheaper than buying the foot, though it can scratch up the stage a bit if too much force is used.


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## Van (Jan 21, 2009)

I would bend some 1/4 flat bar, at least 2 -3" wide and a couple of feet long into a L iron. Route channels into the face of the flat and the top of the revolve then screw it in good. you can then Bondo or drywall over this, a couple or three of these on each side should provide some decent support.


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## scenerymaker (Jan 21, 2009)

If your wall is thick enough, such as 3-1/2", you could put a 3" square steel tube inside it at your support. Weld a 1/4" thick 6" x 6" flange on it and bolt the flange to the revolve floor with several 3/8" bolts. Then it will have to rip the floor out before it falls over . You can reuse the steel stem over on the next set.


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## themuzicman (Jan 21, 2009)

To move a revolve, I would suggest a lot of people. Or a few people, depending on how you want it to move =/

Bobgaggle (and I) built a 20' revolve for a show last year, and it held up decently for the run of our show, just do your math and all that before building it. To move it, we put pegs under the revolve that would run the length of it that the stage crew would pull. We had 4 stage crew moving it, and when they wore black, no one ever even saw them!

Seriously, do your math on the thing, calculate your loads, and find out how much you really want to use it! From there, figure everything out, and *know* how much it will be able to take!


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