"replacing all the line sets" can mean a lot of different things. Are you talking about replacing the hand lines (hauling lines)? Or the entire counterweight arbor, rope lock, and loft block system?
A simple re-rope of the system presents some questions about the type of rope you have verses the type of rope you might want to have. There are several choices, and since it may be another 10-20 years before it's done again, you should make sure you get the good stuff. Common ropes are spiral or braided polyethylene (black, brown, blue, or yellow - All Bad!), hemp / manila (natural fiber or synthetic - both can wear quickly and leave splinters in your hands), low stretch double-braided (like StageSetX), or spiral 3-strand composite (Multiline II, or Sure Grip). Get some samples of each and decide what you prefer.
Installation of the ropes can be done cheap or correct - this involves the types of terminating knots, what kind of rope thimbles are used (none, plastic, or steel), and whether the rope ends are melted, taped, thread seized, crimped, or potted.
If the intention is to replace the entire rigging system, then it would be best to have an independent theatre consultant involved in writing the specification so the school district can take the job out for public bid. Having specifications written by manufacturers and vendors is typically NOT in the school's best interest, and in most cases is actually illegal (after all, do you really want the fox watching the hen house?).
An independent consultant should also be there to prepare bid documents, review Shop Drawings, answer Requests For Information (RFI's), make sure the contractor installs the correct parts with quality workmanship, and to see that you receive a correct set of "As-Installed" documents and training.
Oh yeah. TRAINING. 99% of what goes wrong with stage rigging systems is due to personnel operating the equipment outside of their skill set. You wouldn't buy a new car and not get some driver's education would you? So why would you expect to just jump-right in and use an expensive and complicated (If you think it's not complicated then you really do need some training) stage rigging system with out some really good training? Remember: This system is suspending thousands of pounds of equipment over peoples' heads! You MUST know how to use it safely. 'Almost', 'close enough', and "I've see others do it" are not acceptable here.
If you are replacing the entire fly system, then there are many other questions to be raised. Many older systems are missing critical components like Loading Galleries (or if they are there they may be at the wrong elevation to be useful), hand railings, guard railings, ladders, Fire Curtains that meet current Fire Codes (a lot has changed in this area in the past 10 years), Smoke Vent rigging, and the general layout of the system (masking plan, electric batten positions, etc.). Also to be considered is whether the heavy dedicated purpose line sets like the Fire Curtain, Grand Drape, Stage Electrics, and Orchestra Shell Canopies should be converted from counterweighted to motorized hoist operation for safety. Other elements to consider are the types of counterweight carriages (conventional two-rod arbor or the safer Thern Brickhouse?), the types of rope locks (conventional rope crusher or the safer Thern serpentine spool Brickhouse?), and whether-or-not you need to replace the guide rail (T-Bar) system (or maybe clean it if someone thought they were 'fixing' something by spaying lubricant all over it and it all turned to 'glue'). Older stages with wire-guided counterweights can also be upgraded to a T-Bar type guide system, too.
Along with a redo of the rigging also comes decisions about the drapes (how old are those rags? Are they the correct size to provide offstage masking?), drapery tracks (noisy, misaligned, dragging), and the battens (proper lift line terminations, splices, and pipe configurations).
Make sure that your are spending your school's money on improvements, not just replacing an old bad design with a new bad design.
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Erich Friend
Theatre Consultant
Teqniqal Systems
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