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  • 1.  Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-15-2018 05:24
    We are getting a plan and proposal together to build a new scene shop. What are your must-haves as far as 1) the layout of the shop 2) equipment?

    Does anyone have designs or dimensions of your shop to share? We have a plan for the proposal, but we would just like to compare it to existing scene shops.

    Thank you!
    Blessings,
    Jennifer Pedraza
    Calvary Christian Academy
    Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Sent from my iPhone


  • 2.  RE: Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-15-2018 09:14
    Here's my suggestions based on what we have used the most.


    Lots and lots of cordless drills. Don't get the tiny screwdriver types. We have mainly inexpensive ryobi and they have worked just fine.

    A good miter saw. Maybe even two.

    A table saw. I bought a portable contractors saw so we could use it on the loading dock, though the other type might be easier to use.

    A jig saw – for cutting curves.

    A circular saw – for jobs that can't be done on a table saw.

    Belt sander – in case a board is just a hair too long

    Hot glue guns – not the little craft ones

    Lots of googles and ear protection

    Shop vac (maybe two –hook them up to the miter and table saws to decrease the mess)

     

    Nice to have but not necessary:

    Reciprocating saw

    Blade Runner (this is good for props)

    Router and router table

    Orbital sander

    Heat gun

     

    Things I might get in the future but haven't needed yet:

    Drill press

    Band Saw


    Here's a picture from when it was clean. We have a lot more open work space than is shown. However, you can never have enough space.



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    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-15-2018 09:38
    A buy my cordless drills at Harbour Freight. They are low-cost and have held up so far. 
    I would recommend spending the money on a SawStop table saw. I'd get the Contractor model so that you can move it to the loading dock. The SawStop helps prevent students getting a finger cut off. Yes, it costs app. $60 if the mechnism is tripped but it's worth it to save a student's fingers. Also, in the 12 years I've taught with a table saw in my shop, we've never had problems. The SawStop is expensive but I've looked at them and they are high-quality saws even w/o the safety feature.

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-15-2018 13:26

    We got rid of our table saw in favor of a panel saw.  The panel saw is GIANT and takes up a ton of room, but it feels safer and the kids prefer using it to the table saw.  If we had a SawStop saw, I'd get rid of the panel saw and use that instead, but for now this is what it is.

    Make sure your slop sink is large enough and has the proper drainage.  We have SO many issues with our sink backing up.  Also, maybe two sinks instead of one??

    This isn't necessarily a shop thing, but I wish someone had thought to set us up for a washer and dryer when they build our space.  If you can put that in your shop, do it!



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    Laura Steenson
    Theatre Director
    Reynolds High School
    Troutdale OR
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-15-2018 13:43
    I second the sink suggestion. Make sure it's large, has proper drainage so it won't get stopped up, is high enough so you don't have to stoop.

    I wish our w/d was near the costume storage area but we could only put it in the shop due to regulations. Make sure there is room, it's near the door so clean clothes aren't dragged thru the shop area, and it's out of the way.

    And make sure you can lock the tool storage areas. My students are trustworthy but other people with access to the area are not. 

    Large doors to  move scenery in and out, too.

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-15-2018 13:52
    You're going to get lots of tool lists, so here are some items I've found very useful in a number of scene shops:

    • Work tables. Rather than having one huge one "designed" to lay out flats, two or three smaller ones, which can be connected when necessary, are more useful. These want to be on wheels so they can be moved around as needed. If you make them the same height as your table saw, they can be used as "runoff" tables to catch long material after it goes thru the saw. These tables can have storage underneath.
    • Actually, mot of your stationary tools can be on lockable casters. That way you can move them out of the way if you need more floor space.
    • Sawhorses. These can be the folding type and should be the same height as the work tables. Generally they store on a rolling cart which is the same height as the sawhorses.
    • A secure tool crib with dedicated space for tools and supplies. It should be easy to find what you need and then to put it back in its correct place afterwards.
    • Several small utility carts to tote tools, paints, brushes, and stuff from here to there. These can rally help keep a work area clean and organized.
    • Brooms, shop brushes, and dustpans in a dedicated area so they're easy to find and replace. Also several large trash cans (55-gallon drums on wheels are good).
    • A dedicated place for safety gear: goggles, hearing protectors, gloves, and so on. Also a very visible place for one or two first-aid kits and an eye-wash station.
    • A tech table to hold plans, color elevations, and similar items, where everyone has access to them. This table should also have a few drafting tools in a secure place, and is a good place for a small reference library. This is basically the "shop desk" and should never be used for any other purpose.
    • A few stools. Sometimes you need to work on a small item at a work table, and the stool can help reduce back pain.
    • Lots of electrical outlets, and ideally a few ceiling drops. These will reduce the amount of electrical cables on the floor.
    • One item NOT to have is a large bin to collect "scraps." This will become useless in the long run. However, a dedicated trash can to hold recyclable wood is handy.
    • A bulletin board to post work assignments, schedules, notices, and other stuff. It should include a list of shop regulations (clothing, hair, shoes, jewelry, hours, cleaning the shop after each work session, and so forth).

    I could think of a bunch more, but you're getting the idea.  :-)

    ------------------------------
    George F. Ledo
    Set designer
    www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
    www.georgefledo.net
    http://astore.amazon.com/sdtbookstore-20
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-15-2018 13:57
    +1 on the panel saw if you can afford it and have room for it!

    ------------------------------
    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Scene shop must haves

    Posted 05-16-2018 14:09

    Lots of great input so far.  Since you're starting from scratch with a new facility, you should make sure the infrastructure is there, so you have good shop flow.  The flow of the shop from loading door to finished set should  be set up ergonomically.  Generally, the shop flow should go from Receiving, to Storage, to Measuring and Marking, to Cutting and Shaping, to Joining, Painting, and then the Stage.   

      1. Raw materials are loaded in and stored close to the load-in area.  
      2. Work benches and template tables should be next, along with Cutting Tools and other tool storage.
      3. If there's space, a trial set-up area should come next in the path to the stage.  This can also be part of the paint area.
      4. Getting closer to the stage is the Paint area.  Your slop sink(s) should be located in this area.  If you're in an area that gets freezing temperatures, make sure the paint storage and slop sink(s) are not on an exterior wall.  Since this will be a new facility, I'd ask for 2 slop sinks.  This will speed up cleaning brushes, and you'll have a back-up if and when 1 of them gets clogged.  I'd also ask for a small bathroom.  
      5. After paint, the set moves on stage from the paint area.
      6. Store pipe and drape, and Genie close to the stage, so you don't have to traverse the entire shop to get those items where they're most frequently used.
      7. Color code tool boxes to help with tool management in Tech Theatre classes.  We spray painted the handles of tools to go into the same color tool boxes, and taped a list of what's in each box to the inside of the lid. I checked the contents of each tool box at the start and end of each class.  It was easy to pick out the yellow crescent wrench in the blue tool box.  Also, it's really easy to check to see everything is in each tool box.  Each group was responsible for returning a full box of tools at the end of class.  Most of the time, a student had a tape measure on their belt, or a crescent wrench in their pocket  that they forgot about, and this was a good way to make sure the next hour had a full set of tools.

  • If you'd like a hand-out about shop flow I use in workshops, please contact me at: Bob@InteractiveEducationalVideo.com, and i can send it to you as an attachment.



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