# What Would You Do?- Rigging a Shoe to drop



## jlusardi (Nov 9, 2011)

Hi All,
At my high school we are currently working on the show _*Almost, Maine*_. Our show is November 18th and 19th. The director would like to rig a shoe to drop, it has to do with an allusion of "waiting for the other shoe to drop." I have read Rigging a bird to drop and read all the different ideas in that thread. A couple of us have discussed a few different methods for dropping the shoe. I would just like to get some other opinions about what method would work best considering the object is a shoe. We have a counterweight fly system, so resetting for each performance isn't an issue. 

I hope I have provided enough information and thanks in advance for your help.
~Jaclyn


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## cpf (Nov 9, 2011)

Where is the shoe dropping from? How far down? Does it need to land in a specific location, or just "not on an actor's head?"


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## jlusardi (Nov 9, 2011)

cpf said:


> Where is the shoe dropping from? How far down? Does it need to land in a specific location, or just "not on an actor's head?"


 
The shoe would be dropping from a batten; I am not exactly sure of the distance from where the batten is to the stage floor. And the director didn't mention it needing to fall in a specific location, so I would say just "not on an actor's head."


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## josh88 (Nov 9, 2011)

when we did the show we had a box that hung under the batten with the shoe inside. the bottom of the box was held in place with a small pin. To the pin we had a trip line attached and ran off stage. pull the string, it releases the latch and the bottom of the box hinges open, dropping the shoe. so that's how we managed.


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## 65535 (Nov 9, 2011)

Drop box with a shoe in it. 

The shoe always drops from the same spot and always lands in a very small radius, just don't hit anyone.


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## jlusardi (Nov 9, 2011)

65535 said:


> Drop box with a shoe in it.
> 
> The shoe always drops from the same spot and always lands in a very small radius, just don't hit anyone.


 
We discussed using a loose pin hinge, however when we went to look for one where we keep hardware pieces, we couldn't find any loose pin hinges.


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## josh88 (Nov 9, 2011)

so hinge one side of it and use something like a barrel slide bolt 

attach the string to the part that hangs down. or if you really want to stay simple and if its light enough you could almost drill a hole through the side, stick a long nail through it and under the bottom so that it open (think of that barrel slide closed with the door open, it would hit and not allow it to close). Though with something being above a persons head like that I would want something more secure than a nail. there are all sorts of things that could be used as a quick release that should be at any hardware store.


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## jlusardi (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks for the advice Josh88 

will be sure to discuss this tomorrow and relay your very helpful suggestions


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## Robert (Nov 9, 2011)

My solution was a spring loaded door hinge. I used one with an adjustable tension so I set it to handle the weight. Attached a board to the batten with u-bolts and attached the hinge to it and another board large enough to handle the shoe. A piece of trick line attached to a screw eye and passed through two small pulleys to reach offstage. Has actually been in three shows that had drops in them. Another show coming up in three weeks, doing feathers this time. Do I need to mention I hate feathers and glitter?


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## z2oo (Nov 9, 2011)

This thread made me laugh a little... I just finished this show last month, and we just had a stagehand on the catwalk that just threw a shoe. Admittedly, it did vary in position every night, and actually almost hit an actor after a couple of bounces - the catwalks are maybe 35 feet or so above the stage. While not offering a solution, I can certainly offer how not to do this gag.


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## avkid (Nov 9, 2011)

azylka said:


> This thread made me laugh a little... I just did finished this show last month, and we just had a stagehand on the catwalk that just threw a shoe. Admittedly, it did vary in position every night, and actually almost hit an actor after a couple of bounces - the catwalks are maybe 35 feet or so above the stage. While not offering a solution, I can certainly offer how not to do this gag.


 Should have had a rigger do it, then it would have been hit perfectly.


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## derekleffew (Nov 10, 2011)

jlusardi said:


> We discussed using a loose pin hinge, however when we went to look for one where we keep hardware pieces, we couldn't find any loose pin hinges.


A standard door hinge (butt hinge, no need for a backflap/LPBF), with a 16d nail as the pin, can be a perfectly adequate substitute.


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## jlusardi (Nov 10, 2011)

Thanks for all the advice, we are going to use a drop box and attach it to a batten using a clamp. We will be constructing it on Monday. I made a mock-up today using paper for the box and a paperclip as the loose pin. Currently deciding on the dimensions for the box and working on a list of the parts needed to construct it.


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## MPowers (Nov 10, 2011)

Maybe you could hire ZFX or FOY and fly a stage hand with a shoe. He just has to learn how to drop it straight. Maybe attach some angel wings and tie it in with the holiday season!


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## Lotos (Nov 11, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> A standard door hinge (butt hinge, no need for a backflap/LPBF), with a 16d nail as the pin, can be a perfectly adequate substitute.


 
I prefer using steel or brass rod stock to make my own pins for drop boxes... That way I can create a solid "eye" for attachment to the pull line.

Like this:


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## jlusardi (Nov 14, 2011)

Thanks for all the advice everyone, we ended up making something (I'm not sure what to call it) similar to a drop box, but is not actually a box. In fact we only used two pieces of wood. Basically we started out with the basic idea of a drop box and then modified the plan as we went along based on what hardware was available to us at the time. 

Below are two photos of what we ended up making. They are not great photos. I will try to take a better photo or two sometime this week when the batten is down. Anyway the way it works is, there is a string that will get pulled allowing the shoe to just fall.


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## icewolf08 (Nov 15, 2011)

jlusardi said:


> Thanks for all the advice everyone, we ended up making something (I'm not sure what to call it) similar to a drop box, but is not actually a box. In fact we only used two pieces of wood. Basically we started out with the basic idea of a drop box and then modified the plan as we went along based on what hardware was available to us at the time.
> 
> Below are two photos of what we ended up making. They are not great photos. I will try to take a better photo or two sometime this week when the batten is down. Anyway the way it works is, there is a string that will get pulled allowing the shoe to just fall.
> View attachment 5787View attachment 5788


 
The only problem with an "open" rig like that is that if for any reason the rig gets hit by something or the batterns swing you could drop the shoe unintentionally. It would probably be advisable to add some sides.


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## bishopthomas (Nov 15, 2011)

How about a Kabuki?


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## jlusardi (Nov 15, 2011)

bishopthomas said:


> How about a Kabuki?


 

I am unfamiliar with that term, what is a Kabuki drop?


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## Reynolds (Nov 15, 2011)

jlusardi said:


> I am unfamiliar with that term, what is a Kabuki drop?



We did something similar during Into the Woods (dropping leaves).

We used a solenoid on a Non-dimmer circuit (in our case it replaced one of the worklights on an electric). When the switch was off, the latch was extended, holding our box in place. When power was added, the latch retracted and the box fell sideways, spilling leaves.

I think this could be adapted to your situation if you had the latch go through a secure knot in the shoelaces.


If this isn't practical, you might want to look at a way to add some sides and work out a way for the box to rotate or have the box open on the bottom to drop the shoe.

Good luck!


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## josh88 (Nov 15, 2011)

jlusardi said:


> I am unfamiliar with that term, what is a Kabuki drop?


 
at this point. Just click the link to the wiki that Derrek added and you'll get picture and video.


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## jlusardi (Nov 16, 2011)

I clicked on the link, however the shoe we are dropping is a boot and show is this Friday. There might be time to add sides, but I don't know. It's hell week/tech week and there are a lot of things that have to get finished.


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## shiben (Nov 18, 2011)

MPowers said:


> Maybe you could hire ZFX or FOY and fly a stage hand with a shoe. He just has to learn how to drop it straight. Maybe attach some angel wings and tie it in with the holiday season!


 
What kind of angel wings? I can think of several, and they differ in their awesomeness by a considerable degree.


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## jlusardi (Nov 20, 2011)

Not sure if this picture is any better or not. Anyway thanks for all the advice, we just finished our last performance a few hours ago. Everything went great and the audience loved it.

EDIT: if you any questions about how this works, just message me


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## esmphoto (Nov 22, 2011)

I agree that a solenoid hooked up to a control circuit or the lightboard would be the very best way to do this.
I built several "Kabuki Drops" last year, though I've never heard that term used before, always just called them clamps with solenoids, haha.
We used them to deploy choir mics for the last scene of the musical and they've been handy to have around since.

EDIT:
forgot to mention my entire purpose for posting, I think the two piece drop you built is very effective and simple. While a box with side would be very favorable, but the two piece looks like it will work nice, and theres no way for the boot to catch or jam on the sides of the box.


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## MircleWorker (Mar 23, 2012)

I know this already happened.

here is what I use. Tie a line to I-bolt and run it through a bock (pulley) onthe end of the batten down. just pull to release. if you use heavy rope the weight of rope might pull the pin.


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## gafftaper (Nov 18, 2021)

Here's my no budget super simple shoe drop device from our current production.

Four screw eyes, a 3" linch pin, and tie line to pull the mechanism. There are several small pullies to feed the line offstage. I added a small corner brace and a zip tie to hold the pin in place after being triggered. You could probably do it with three screw eyes, but the extra screw keeps the pin stable and allows it to pull though nice and stable and smooth.

Be careful how you run the tie line off stage. Don't get it close to lights! 

(Our costumer is trying to figure out who my pseudonym is here. Did this help?)


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## Crisp image (Nov 19, 2021)

I used a central locking unit form a car wired to 12v to release something like this. worked a treat. as the button was pushed the solenoid moved pulling the pin and dropped a flag on a flag pole for pirates of penzance.


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## almorton (Nov 19, 2021)

Central locking solenoids are great for these home made (what amount to) kabuki drop units.


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## Van (Nov 19, 2021)

Had to drop an Apple for "Drawer Boy" Used a 12 volt solenoid hooked to my FX trigger box. I should draw it out and post it. Cool design for a very visible trick. Yeah that was a fun one.


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## Jay Ashworth (Nov 21, 2021)

We did a manual kabuki upstage drop a couple seasons ago, full width of stage. Never screwed us during a show, though it did fail on one rehearsal.


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