Stage Blocks!

[maskedwarrior]

Hi there. This my first post in your helpful forum. Greetings. I hope you can help me.

I've undertaken to make the set for a small theatre production going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year....

Basically they need two 'L'-Shaped Stage-blocks. By 'stage-blocks' I essentially mean a sealed plywood box, over a timber frame, painted black for the actors to stand on in various positions throughout the play. So they need to be strong, but light enough to be maneuvered by the actors.

I'm puzzling what materials I should use.... Namely which kind of plywood.

As with most projects this does have a budget... namely as little as possible lol

To describe the blocks in more detail: The dimensions will be 'L'-Shaped. So, if you wouldn't mind picturing a giant capital letter 'L' standing in front of you, it'll be 135cm tall and 32 cm wide at the top, dropping down to the base of the 'L' which will be 70cm wide and 35 cm tall.

I've had a look at some 18mm shuttering ply.

But I'd quite like to use a hardwood - or 'harder'wood than this - possibly to achieve a thinner shell with as much or more strength.

However, my thoughts aside, what material would you use for the job?

My thanks in advance for your time!
Tony

 

[foxhole]

Hardwood will be no stronger as ply gets it's strength from the construction method, you could get away with 12mm ply but would need more framework to prevent it bouncing.
A 3x2 frame with 18mm ply would be very strong and easily moved at those dimensions, internal diagonal supports would also reduce the amount of frame timber required.

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

I once made some drum risers from 18mm mdf with webbing made from the offcuts dont forget the smiley lifting holes

 

[maltaron]

You may be better to do a search for portable staging. There are many available for purchase and hire. I used to make mine out of 18mm ply, the sides cut in two and hinged so with the top lifted the whole thing folded flat. 4 bearers under the top section locks the whole thing square when assembled.

 

[maskedwarrior]

I once made some drum risers from 18mm mdf with webbing made from the offcuts dont forget the smiley lifting holes

LOL! Oh yeah!

I'll have to make solid blocks, not folding. Folding Ls are too complicated for me!

I had also considered cross webbing to strengthen. Thanks
T