Red and White Stripe

[Mark Andrews]

Billy I work hand in front of face too.. if you need black out with a removeable roof, velcro black or very dark material on the inside of the booth, although personally I have never bothered, I can count on one hand the amount of times I take the roof off the booth in a year, so don't worry too much about it and don't make things too complicated for yourself, at the end of the day, will the audience notice or will it improve (or not as the case may be) thier enjoyment of the show?

Glad you like the jackets

[johnstoate]

Err, at the risk of stating the obvious Billy, -I work 'hands in front' as well, all you need to do is open the front bit, (Over the playboard), this will give you a fair throughput of fresh air, and still leave your blackout. Personally I'll rely on my little fans!

[Professor Eek]

I'm really pleased with the new cover - it's working very well at the moment and is a lot better than what I had (horrid plastic thingy - market stall material - which did make me 'dehydrate' to the point of needing a shower after each show - not easy in a field with no showers!)

As there have been so few 'hot and sunny' gigs since getting the new booth though I can't yet provide a 5 star approval of the new cover but....

# It's easy to clean (it's got very mucky in the rain and mud and a bit of soap and water on a cloth clears it up a treat)

# It's better than plastic market traders material I had before and looks like a Punch booth should*

# I love it

It looks and feels just like canvas and is water repellant - this means it did get wet over the Easter downpours but survives very well in light showers as the water just rolls off.

So should you go for this option? I'd say yes - probably but you're right to shop around and get what's right for you.


*In my humble opinion

[billywand]

Hi John,

You've just spotted what a lot of my other friends already know, I can be a bit dense at times !!!!!!

Anyway it's all getting a bit complicated, the fans are the best. I had a couple ages ago I gaffer taped in the booth, but they got lost along the way, and I never got round to replacing them. Stupid as they are so cheap!

I'm being a magician Saturday, Punch on Sunday. If it gets too hot I think I'll strip naked and stand in a bucket of iced water. Will let you know how that works.

Should be O.K. in the booth, but I'm not sure how it will work for the warm up !!!!!!

[Richard Coombs]

Billy you are in exctly the same situation as me roof-wise.
I also need a backout as I am hands in front with a guaze between.

My outdoor booths to date, have the thin ply roof from the scenery to the back , and the UPVC twin wall conservatory plastic 'skylight' over the front.

My easy fold up 'Indoor' booth needs no water protective roof , but still needs blackout at the rear , so has a velvet 'hood ' section at the back only , allowing light into to front half.

Our answer would appear to lie between the two :
Have blackout fabric across the roof from the scenery bar backwards and nothing in front to let light in above the puppets ....then add the clear plastic roof over all of it but only if the weather needs it : therefore only risking a slight sauna effect if the weather is rainy.. If not ..leave it off as Mark Andrews does.

Richard

[Professor Joe]

I know it hasnt been talked about but those little elcectric fans can work but when they break its a pain and if it gets so hot all its doing is faning hot air around i know working with mascot costumes.

[Professor Eek]

Are you a mascot too?

A small world indeed - I too don the sports gear for a local team ... who do you do?

[lesclarke]

I use a material supplied by an awning company on my booth and it is very much like canvas in appearance. When held up to the light tiny holes can be seen, as in canvas, so it's probably as 'breathable' as any canvas. When first bought it seems rather stiff, but after handling it soon softens.
It is not a problem even in severe heat, however my booth at approx 3'9" square is a bit larger than usual, so not as likely to get hot and stuffy.
There are separate covers for the lower 2/3 and the upper 1/3 sections, so air can circulate between the overlapping sections. It is excellent at resisting the rain, and is much lighter than traditional canvas, which is important with the larger lower piece being about 15' x 6', I wouldn't like to have to handle the same size in canvas.
It is good to work with, and edges can be sealed with a hot knife to stop them fraying.

[billywand]

Les,

You are a star. We must have the same stuff. The sample I have is a bit stiff, but have been flexing it and seems ok. Proff Eek is happy with it, and it looks great on his booth.

What I didn't know was your tip about sealing the edges. At this hour, nearly half past midnight I've run down to the kitchin, cooked up a knife, and it works a treat.

Thanks for a great tip which I will use in making up my cover.

[Richard Coombs]

My Acrylic canvas although bought from Cossalts had in fact come from Prima Awnings. I didnt know this until I checked the courier label again.

I dont know how much it would have been per meter form Prima directly? No doubt less than I paid to buy it through Cossalts. The only comfort I take is that Cossalts is still far cheaper than Russel and Chappel , and many other suppliers.

Perhaps it would be worth putting Prima Awnings into the FAQ section Chris , to save anyone else paying over the odds in the future..Cheers.

[Professor Eek]

I went down to them (Prima) in Eastbourne - met the nice man, left him my booth frame, had several cups of coffee and lot's of chat about Punch etc.

Lovely people (and cheap!)

No - I'm not on commission - they were just nice people to deal with

[Richard Coombs]

As to Shrinkage.
I boil washed the first bit yesterday evening and tumble dried it.

Before it was 47 wide and 82 inches long.
After it was 46 3/4 wide and 80 1/4 long


So yes , negligable shrinkage across the width , and probably not enough in the length to worry you if you have enough to work generously with in the first place . ( Last time I barely had enough , so the shrinkage meant I had to put other facbric the round the bottom and 'hide' it with a fringe)

The fact that I was inconvienienced by this probably meant that in my mind I have remebered it shrinking more than it has.
The internal ('weft' ? ) is of a different more 'plastic like' thread than the red and white ( 'weave'?) which would seem to account for what shrinkage there is being worse along the lenght of the canvas ...the width remained virtually unchanged.

*************************************

So yes , we are all talking about the same fabric , wherever we source it from. As Les says It does not make the booth too hot to work in ...the proper canvas that he mentions ( presumably the thicker , more dense stuff that deck chairs are made from ) ..would be hoter in use ( as well as very heavy as Les says ).

I guess if you only sponge down your cover ..or wash it in very tepid water , then you wouldnt get any shrink at all.


But what my boil washing has done, is transform a material with the texture and handling of thin artistes cardboard , into a managable soft fabric that folds easily and is easy to work and sew.


Before it didnt so much 'fold' as 'bend'.


I guess if you are having your cover made for you , then that is not an issue , as presumably the awning companies have big machine tables for laying out work while they sw it.

I know I could never sew a booth cover with the acrylic canvas as it arrived ...I would need a huge amount of room and a couple of helpers to 'support' the bulk of it while I tried to get it through the machine.

Boil-washing it means that it is no more awkward to handle now , than say sewing a set of living room curtains .


***************************

So have a cover made , or sew it youself? ..I guess you pays your money and makes your choice !

Best Wishes Richard

[billywand]

Hi Richard.

My earlier post gives all the prices & relevant info about the canvas. fof convenience I'll repeat.

Acrylic canvas 1.2m wide showerproof, not flame retardent £4.58 + V.A.T
Plactaflex 1.8m wide waterproof , and flame retardent £6.75 +V.A.T

All post free. www.prima-awnengs.com 01323 734606


WARNING DONT MACHINE WASH IT AS THAT DESTROYS THE TEFLON TREATMENT THAT MAKES IT SHOWERPROOF

The cover for my present booth I made laid out on my patio, I wish I had thought of getting some one in to help.

All the contact and info is thanks to Proff Eek, who found out about the company in the first place. Thanks Eek, have a good week-end

[Mark Andrews]

Whilst we re talking about the cost of canvas and Prima Awnings, Cosalts etc, it's worth saying that if you have an Awning or for that matter a supplier of Blinds locally to you, go and visit them and get a price for the the canvas of your choice.

They all supply the same or can obtain the same and it's worth shopping around. You could well save on P&P by collecting it yourself, as I've done in the past.

This is not meant to knock Prima Awnings or any other supplier, but as with all things shop around locally and see if you can get a better price, it does no harm at all.

I hae used a Company in Birmingham in the past when I found Cosalts to be expensive and as I said to Billy Wand in a previous posting on here, Prima Awnings supplies the same product as Cosalts which has just been backed up by Richard Coombs!