Portable Stages - Anyone Use 'Em?

[GigMan]

We have a "beach night" at the lake by my house - families bring food, we camp out overnight, there's a big bonfire & I usually set up and play keyboards, sometimes a guitarist joins me w/drum machine, it's a rockin ole' time...

 

It's a freebie but I don't mind doing it since my wife and kids can enjoy it, along w/neighbors and friends. Sometimes there's two in the summer, one in July + one in August.

 

A major bummer (other than the mosquitos and the lack of light, which makes me bring extra lights, which attracts mosquitos... ) is that there is no stage or pavilion so I have to set up on a blanket right on the sand. Well, there is a pavilion but they need it for putting out the food.

 

I was wondering about portable stages - does anyone use 'em? Are they modular, so I could buy a smaller one now (for a duo) and add sections to it (for a band) for future use? And how heavy are they? Where's a good source for them?

 

Also - would it be steady enough to put it right into the sand on the beach?

[milesdf]

they are never steady enough for solid ground, much less sand. whatever you get will more than likely require lots of 2x4s underneath it to level it and make it firm.

 

for a single freebee application, i would be tempted to buy 2-3 pieces of osb, some 2x4, and build a little riser. would be much less expensive.

[GigMan]

 

Originally posted by milesdf they are never steady enough for solid ground, much less sand. whatever you get will more than likely require lots of 2x4s underneath it to level it and make it firm. for a single freebee application, i would be tempted to buy 2-3 pieces of osb, some 2x4, and build a little riser. would be much less expensive.

 

 

Aye - true 'dat. Though I was thinking if I found a portable stage that was decent and not an arm + a leg, I could use it for other events as well.

 

But they're not cheap -

 

http://www.csnsupply.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=MW1268#ProdDesc

 

...that one is only 4 feet wide. That's only gonna hold me, w/my keyboard rig... I was hoping to hold at least a duo.

[gspointer]

buy rent or borrow a flat bed trailer and a floor jack

[Marko]

 

Originally posted by gspointer buy rent or borrow a flat bed trailer and a floor jack

 

 

Perfect idea. I read the OP before you posted this, and I can't believe I didn't think of it.

 

At least once per summer I use my 6x10 utility trailer for that. I set up my smallest PA, put a couple mic stands and karaoke for the kids (okay, and adults... and me), and whoever wants to plug in (so far only guitars), and we have a great time.

 

A decent size utility trailer can't be hard to find/borrow, or expensive to rent.

[ctardi]

Yup, trailers work great, but I wouldn't reccomend a floor jack on sand... how about a trailer jack?

[Marko]

Originally posted by ctardi Yup, trailers work great, but I wouldn't reccomend a floor jack on sand... how about a trailer jack?

 

Yeah... good point. Maybe boards underneath the jacks might do the trick. If it's flat enough for the wheels to be on the ground, the jacks would just be to keep it level.

[ctardi]

Originally posted by Mark G. Hinge Yeah... good point. Maybe boards underneath the jacks might do the trick. If it's flat enough for the wheels to be on the ground, the jacks would just be to keep it level.

 

 

Floor Jack...expensive, heavy, and don't like sand.

[where02190]

Drag a floor jack (AKA hydralic jack) across the sand once and I guarantee you won't do it again. Same with the utility trailer, you better have ome major league 4wd vehicle.

[ctardi]

An empty utility trailer is fine...2 axels is better than one, 3 better than 2, but have 4, and you need a class 1.

 

Although, i'm pretty sure any trailer with 4 axels could hold the whole party.

[Marko]

I think the OP was talking about a small gig, like a 6x10 or even smaller would probably handle.

 

I'd rather drag a single-axle trailer (especially with a jeep/pickup) than rent scaffolding IMHO

 

dragging a floor jack... argh... good point, although you could put it on the trailer and take it off on location.

[ctardi]

Then it's not an empty trailer now, is it?

[Marko]

Originally posted by ctardi Then it's not an empty trailer now, is it?

 

Ya lost me there... but you take the jack off when you get to the location... to use it... right?

 

Hey, this is fun. Sometimes the most unlikely posts make for the longest threads... lol.

 

[Marko]

Besides, how would ya get some platforms to the spot anyways, maybe use a trailer?

[GigMan]

I don't have a trailer & but even if I did the only way in is a narrow opening in a chain link fence - it would be impossible to drive a trailer to the spot where I set up to play.

 

I think I've changed direction and am just going to look for some free pallets - the kind that don't have huge gaps betw. the boards - set a few down in the sand and be done with it.

 

Really, the pallets are for me & my guitarist partner to stand on - everything else can actually go directly in the sand (speaker tripods) or on top of milkcrates or blankets & then on top of the sand.

 

My kybd. stand is an x-style, so the two legs of the x do keep it anchored pretty solidly.

[kayak]

Even if the pallets have gaps, just lay some cheap OSB on top of them. Your done! However, you may want to consider putting OSB under your speaker tripods also. One leg digs into the sand and your speaker is falling over!

[BlackBelt]

I think your pallet idea is probably the best way to go for your show.

I used to be with a group that had portable staging, and it was a serious pain in the rear to set it up, then tear it down. And it was REALLY expensive.

The pallet thing is a cheap alternative.

I did one show on sand back in '87, and won't be doing that again.

[laidback]

We use a 6x10 steel deck, double axle trailer to set up FOH at a local festival. It gets parked in deep sand every year. Although I did manage to bog the truck down once, we haven't had any problems with the trailer.

The trailer has a tongue jack on it. We pull it into place, unhook it from the tow vehicle, then retract the tongue jack as much as possible so the rear end of the trailer is higher than the front. We then put jack stands under the rear of the trailer and raise the tongue jack. This gets the weight off the wheels and springs and onto the jack stands. We try to leave the wheels touching the ground, but you don't want the springs to be working--it's too bouncy on a small trailer with light springs.

Get a supply of 2x8 or 2x10 blocks to put under the jack stands and tongue jack or they'll sink. We also fly a canopy over the trailer and tie it down to the trailer-works really well for unexpected weather. Since the canopy uses pipe for legs, you can make longer legs to make up for the height of the trailer. The tent frame also makes a good place to hang a couple of lights.

[Craig Vecchione]

If you've already got the trailer, that's a good idea, but you'd better make damned sure the beach (I see you're in NJ) authority will allow you to drive on the beach. In most NJ beaches only the cops and beach patrol are permitted to do this.

 

 

I can't help thinking that this issue is easily solved with some plastic sheet, a rake, and some OSB. Rake the sand relatively flat, lay down the plastic, and put the OSB on top.

[GigMan]

 

Originally posted by Craigv If you've already got the trailer, that's a good idea, but you'd better make damned sure the beach (I see you're in NJ) authority will allow you to drive on the beach. In most NJ beaches only the cops and beach patrol are permitted to do this. I can't help thinking that this issue is easily solved with some plastic sheet, a rake, and some OSB. Rake the sand relatively flat, lay down the plastic, and put the OSB on top.

 

 

 

Good idea Craig - but pallets are easily obtainable from local business to me, I've found out. Not even sure what "OSB" is - particle board, maybe?

 

BTW -

It's not on the beach at the Jersey Shore - it's just a little man-made lake which used to be a quarry or something. I can't drive a car/trailer on anyway, 'cause the entranceway to the beach is only a little opening in the fence big enough for walking thru.

[wheresgrant3]

We frequently bring a homemade drum riser and some mini stageing to club gigs. Cost... $90. Materials Milk Crates, Zip Ties, Plywood. Drilled holes into the plywood and conected zip ties to the milk crates. Although you'd never know what they were made of. Our drummers wife, pianted the surfaces black and sewed together some velcro skirt out of black material. Staring at them you'd swear we spent $100's of dollars on them.

[GigMan]

Originally posted by wheresgrant3 We frequently bring a homemade drum riser and some mini stageing to club gigs. Cost... $90. Materials Milk Crates, Zip Ties, Plywood. Drilled holes into the plywood and conected zip ties to the milk crates. Although you'd never know what they were made of. Our drummers wife, pianted the surfaces black and sewed together some velcro skirt out of black material. Staring at them you'd swear we spent $100's of dollars on them.

 

That's aweseome, Grant! Pls. post a pic. when you get a chance to find one (or take one)!

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by GigMan Good idea Craig - but pallets are easily obtainable from local business to me, I've found out. Not even sure what "OSB" is - particle board, maybe? BTW - It's not on the beach at the Jersey Shore - it's just a little man-made lake which used to be a quarry or something. I can't drive a car/trailer on anyway, 'cause the entranceway to the beach is only a little opening in the fence big enough for walking thru.

 

 

If you can actually get the pallets with no gaps, that'll work, but they're heavy {censored}ers.

 

OSB is oriented strand board....flakeboard is what some used to call it. Cheaper than plywood but just as good for construction purposes. Less likely to warp when a bit damp like for your use.

[GigMan]

Yah, I guess they are pretty heavy - but I have a van, so all I have to do is get 'em into it and out of it...

 

I will be set up far enough away from the lake - again it's a lake beach, not the ocean - that it won't get wet, so that's not a concern.

 

The thing I like about pallets vs. just putting OSB boards down on plastic over the sand - the pallets are incredibly strong and sturdy, plus they have a little bit of a rise above the sand, giving the impression or feel of a tiny little stage.

[ctardi]

...First you get some pallets...then a forklift...then a trailer to move the forklift around.

 

Just get the trailer now.

 

And a pair of these:

 

Another one of those funny stories of mine...forklifts don't like sand...then you need to get a bigger forklift to get it out. And the SUV out...a 2500 lbs suv won't move a 7000lbs forklift that's in 8 inches of sand...

 

Edited to add: I didn't know how much a forklift weighed before trying to move it with the suv.

 

But, we got to play with one of the 'boom' fork lifts, those are cool!