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  • 1.  Molding Cloth?

    Posted 12-15-2021 08:15
    Have any of you used molding cloth from Rose Brand? I'm wondering about using it to build the cave for the giant in Big Fish . . .but its pretty pricey  - so before I order I was hoping for some pros/cons or maybe alternate ideas? 

    Thanks!

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    Toni Thomas
    English Teacher, Theatre Director
    Ogemaw Heights High School
    MI
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  • 2.  RE: Molding Cloth?

    Posted 12-15-2021 16:50
    Don't know if this will help, but "back in the day" we made a lot of free-form surfaces (like your cave) with chicken wire, covered with muslin and glue or paint as a stiffener. Plus, of course, a fire retardant applied to it.

    For smaller pieces, papier-mache over the wire works well. One year in Summer stock, we made the lid for an Egyptian sarcophagus for "The Man Who Came to Dinner" using these materials. We got a volunteer to lie down on a shop table and molded the chicken wire around her, then papier-mached the resulting form.

    It's easy to work with, holds its shape, and is reasonably inexpensive.



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    George F. Ledo
    Set designer
    www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
    www.georgefledo.net
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  • 3.  RE: Molding Cloth?

    Posted 12-16-2021 04:42
    We have used (free) random scrap carpet pieces screwed with washers or air stapled to a wood subframe and painted to make rock-like pieces.  
        Low-level, thin carpet without a sculpted pattern or high contrast color pattern I think works best. The kind of stuff used in commercial places.  
        Check with carpet stores for installation tear out rolls.  

    Bob Sedoff


    612-860-0538
    5508 Highland Road
    Edina, MN 
    55436 

    Sent from my phone





  • 4.  RE: Molding Cloth?

    Posted 12-20-2021 10:03
    Hi, The RB Molding cloth isn't very sturdy (it's like tin foil between two layers of lightweight Muslin) and would need something to support it. That being said, If you are going to use chicken wire or Hardware cloth as a support anyway, you might as well use smallish pieces of muslin instead, (cut up an old drop) and dip in thinned Elmers glue, then overlap a bunch. That'll be nice and sturdy. We don't recommend Cardboard, as it is near impossible to Flame Retard. 
    Have a great show!
    Rachel of Cobalt Studios

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    [Rachel] [Keebler]
    [Director, Owner]
    [Cobalt Studios]
    [White Lake] [NY]
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  • 5.  RE: Molding Cloth?

    Posted 12-21-2021 10:35

    I have glued window screen to an old backdrop and then molded it after it dried.  The downside is you'll need to use Flex-glue (not the stuff the guy sell in the infomercial or some sort of flexible white glue (Rose Brand sells it for $60/gal, there are other companies out there that sell it as well – I used to get it from swift adhesives in a 5-gallon pail for around $20/gal).  It's a very successful method if you need to mold large scenic pieces with minimal framing (make sure you get a huge plastic drop cloth under it before gluing the screen to the drop).  In fact, I used that method to create an Ice wall for Terra Nova, which included a cave. 

     Whatever you decide, experiment with a few methods first before you put in the expense

     Good Luck with your project…



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    Don Keith
    Set Designer | Partner
    The KEILIN Group | KL two
    PO Box 1019
    Exton, PA 19341
    o: 610.873.2506
    www.keilingroup.com
    www.kltwo.com
    don@keilingroup.com
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