ben604 Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 Hello! I'm sure a lot of you, like me, do quite a few roles in your schools. As well as an IT tech, I do the work of an audio tech, musician, tea maker, buyer, project manager and construction consultant, oh, and accountant. I've been tasked with buying a stage for our main hall, as our current one is old, loud and grubby. Anyone spec'd one? Can anyone recommend a supplier? Totally lost. Ta, Ben
jamesreedersmith Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 How big, height, how easy/hard to erect/strike and store? Variable heights? variable layout? Surface solid/Sprung? Maximum point loading on the hall floor? 1
Oaktech Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 If you are getting a removable stage, then without a doubt Sico Deck.Mobile Folding Stages • SICO EUROPE ® LTD. 1
Jamman960 Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 we currently use this stuff: Q-build, de-mountable staging | Stage Systems - probably not quite what you're after but worth a look. 1
Andrew_C Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 Steeldeck? Heavy, but industry standard. Thus you could buy a small area, and if you need larger, then you can hire. All sorts of similar systems out there. 1
dhicks Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 Anyone spec'd one? Can anyone recommend a supplier? We use Intellistage kit: IntelliStage Portable Stages by Road Ready This is portable staging that we can put up and down - I seem to remember it being advertised as able to be put up by older children, too. The legs are separate and fold up concentina-style, they are very light but can still be stacked two high (you need to get some joiny bits to do that, thought). The stage itself is quite heavy, being partial metal construction and lined with hard-wearing carpet. You can also get assorted trollies to fit the kit into and corner peices, steps, spares, etc. A full stage like that is going to cost somewhere over about £5,000. 1
Chris_ Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 Steeldeck? Heavy, but industry standard. Thus you could buy a small area, and if you need larger, then you can hire. All sorts of similar systems out there. We use LiteDeck, also industry standard but much lighter! 1
rich_tech Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 from a point of view, I would say be very careful with staging units when your putting them up, my dad lost the top of his thumb when one of the "clamshell" type ones that various people have linked fell over and crushed the tip of his thumb in between the two sides of it, some of these units can be very heavy, awkward and unforgiving when your moving them about and putting them up. 1
Disaster Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 Be prepared to fork out a fair wedge. I priced one up for our hall and it was £20k for a fold-away stage (our spec was quite big though). That plan - like many others as soon as a quote is acquired - went on the back burner...
ben604 Posted January 9, 2013 Author Posted January 9, 2013 Thanks guys, I'll take a look through your suggestions! I think the main requirements are: Quiet (as possible) when walked/danced on Small when packed away (we don't have a lot of storage for it) Smart/Classy looking Modular/expandable The weight of it shouldn't be a problem, it'll always be the Caretakers putting it together and taking it apart and, it'll be 80% permanent, only the "outriggers" (so they've been called) will be put up/down with any regularity.
Marci Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 (edited) Another vote for Litedeck - I've been working with it thru-out the staging & lighting business for best part of 15 years. Aluminium (thus light weight - one man can safely hoik a single deck on his back if he knows the insider method), modular, 8'x4' main decks, with 4'x4' half decks. You'll recognise it as soon as you see it - s'used for most festival staging, as well as on stage sets & drum risers thru-out the Europe. Comprises to all the usual industry regs & safety standards, and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Full modular handrails and steps are available, as well as scissor lifts, travelators, traps etc which can be rented in on a per-day basis and added in as and when required. S'also compatible by design with the full astralite & litetrak ranges of truss if you want to give your drama dept the option of renting this in for more flexible lighting setups. Leg heights for the decks variable either by length of leg poles / frames used or with screwjacks (if being erected on even surfaces). The volume of it when walked on etc is all down to how you assemble whatever you get. We had premises assembling ours a while back and no matter how much training they were given they never gave it the attention it was due and thus it made a load of row. Whenever I assembled it properly, it was silent. Litedeck is a case of flip the panel over, pop in your leg frames or poles, flip it back to it's proper way up, align with adjacent panels and then it uses a coffin lock system (big hex key) thru the top deck to lock to nearest neighbours rather than cheap u-clips or nut n' bolts. AND there are also proper accredited training courses you can send folk on specifically for its proper usage and assembly (via http://www.backstage-academy.co.uk, located in South Elmsall, next door to LiteStructures' UK HQ) Litestructures LiteDeck | SteelDeck | Prolyte StageDex | ProStage | Deck Depot (altho may be able to buy cheaper going direct to Litestructures.com) Edited January 9, 2013 by Marci 1
john Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 we currently use this stuff: Q-build, de-mountable staging | Stage Systems - probably not quite what you're after but worth a look. I have used that system and love it as its so flexible if you get a range of heights and bits, best advice order 3x as many bungs as you think you need as every time you use it you will loose a few
mikeatactive Posted May 3, 2013 Posted May 3, 2013 Hi Ben Did you get sorted? What did you buy? Mike Hello! I'm sure a lot of you, like me, do quite a few roles in your schools. As well as an IT tech, I do the work of an audio tech, musician, tea maker, buyer, project manager and construction consultant, oh, and accountant. I've been tasked with buying a stage for our main hall, as our current one is old, loud and grubby. Anyone spec'd one? Can anyone recommend a supplier? Totally lost. Ta, Ben
ben604 Posted May 3, 2013 Author Posted May 3, 2013 Hi Mike, It (thankfully) got taken out of my hands, but I believe they've made a purchase. I'll report back once it's in. Ben
mikeatactive Posted May 3, 2013 Posted May 3, 2013 Hi Ben Many thanks. As you'll probably have gathered, I have a vested interest as we're a supplier! Unfortunately I missed your original post, but I'd still be interested to know what you bought and how it's shaping up. Cheers Mike
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