Wobbly Table

April Tvarok

unread,

Nov 5, 2011, 1:54:47 PM11/5/11

to High School Technical Theater

Hi everyone!
We are doing OUR TOWN, and instead of using ladders the director has
the
kids sitting on a chair on top of a table. I have built beefy tables,
BUT
the legs are very wobbly. They are secure and safe, but with the
weight of
a human, or two on top, the legs move. It looks scary to the
audience.
Any suggestions as to how to make them not move? We open Thursday,
so any
thing you can send me is helpful!

April

Scott Parker

unread,

Nov 6, 2011, 12:31:14 PM11/6/11

to hst...@googlegroups.com

Hello April,
What do you mean by "wobbly?" Using the terms "beefy," "secure",
"safe" and then "wobbly" is confusing to me.
Do you have diagonal bracing of any sort on the legs? That is, a
diagonal support going from the underside of the table top to
someplace on the vertical legs?
When you say you want the tables not to "move," are they slipping
across the floor? Or is the table swaying side-to-side?
Any chance you could post photos of these tables?
Scott

> --
> Tell your friends about this list. And about the www.hstech.org site.
>
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "High School Technical Theater" group.
> To post to this group, send email to hst...@googlegroups.com
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to hstech-un...@googlegroups.com
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hstech

--
Scott C. Parker
Lighting Designer/Technical Director
http://scottcparker.com/
Georgia & New York City
706-225-9225 -- 212-533-3430

April Tvarok

unread,

Nov 7, 2011, 8:39:39 AM11/7/11

to High School Technical Theater

Hi Scott!

The legs themselves are as secure as can be when there is no weight on
top
of the table. The legs begin to wobble as the students begin to climb
on
top of the table. I do not have any diagonal bracing because there is
no
way to hide it. There is no table cloth on these tables.

When I say not to move, I mean the legs. There is not
slipping....maybe a
little bit of swaying, but i think it is because I am adding a lot of
weight. It is basically small legs holding up a large surface with a
lot
of weight. Think of a very large person with tiny tiny legs.

I don't know if there is a solution, but I told the director that I
would
check my resources.

Thanks Scott!
April

> > For more options, visit this group athttp://groups.google.com/group/hstech
>
> --
> Scott C. Parker
> Lighting Designer/Technical Directorhttp://scottcparker.com/

Parke...@gmail.com

unread,

Nov 7, 2011, 8:48:38 AM11/7/11

to hst...@googlegroups.com, atv...@gmail.com

My experience with these things is that you have to build the table yourself if you want to ensure that it will be secure. You have to remember that commercial tables are built to hold food, dishes, etc. You might try hiding some steel angle brackets underneath the table and painting them into the leg, sometimes this works. Make sure you're pre-drilling anything you do so you don't split the wood, making things worse.

In the end, platforms that look like tables are always better than tables that look like platforms.

Good luck!
-Dan Parker

Leffel, Lindsey

unread,

Nov 7, 2011, 11:00:46 AM11/7/11

to hst...@googlegroups.com

The only thing I can think of if the tables need to support a great deal of weight is the build a table that is build with hogs trough legs made of 2x4 and topped with plywood - think an elevated platform. I had to build two for Beauty & the Beast, and they weren't beautiful but they were safe and functional.

Lindsey Leffel
WHS Theatre
www.wakelandtheatre.com

Hi Scott!

Thanks Scott!
April

This message contains information which may be confidential and
privileged. Unless you are the addressee (or authorized to receive for
the addressee) you may not use, copy or disclose to anyone the
message or any information contained in the message. If you have
received this message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-
mail and delete the message. This email may contain the thoughts and
opinions of the employee sending the message and may not represent
the official policy of Frisco Independent Schools.