Led Lights

The whole of LED lights is much larger now than when I first started using them.
We often use lights from  Super Bright LED's.  We primarily use LED tape, and the projects often have a short lifespan.  More expensive LED's are usually fabricated under stricter scenarios.  But you pay a much difference price for that.  In this range the place to visit is: Color Kinetics, environmental Lights or DSL Group.  Basically, with LED's the quality does typically correlate with the quality of the lights.

Other good sources:
Amazon
1000bulbs.com
theledlight.com
Rosebrand
ledropelightsandmore.com
californeon.com
tprlights.com
ledropelightsandmore.com
DSL Group

These sources will also provide enclosed LED strip light (similar to Neon Flex or the LED equivalent to neon).  LED only bends in certain directions, though depending on how you are using it you can often bend it naturally and bounce the light in the right direction.  If you buy it without the casing, you can only cut it within certain intervals.  This means that you need to occasionally bury the end of the tape, and that you have to plan ahead for where the lengths need to start and stop so that light is evenly distributed.

Often, once you get the LED's in place, if you are not using a packaged product (though this does occur in some packaged products as well) is that you can often see the LED's as single points of light which are not diffused.  To just dim the light we often use sheets of ND (neutral density) gel to block the light.  Milk white, sign white and Satin Ice acrylic are all good options as well.  If you are building something you will want to test - the specific type of acrylic you use, and the thickness of that piece will determine the spacing that it needs to be away from the LED to evenly distribute the light.

Lastly, if you are looking for specific colors, you may want to test the LED as samples before buying everything you need - for instance, we have had issues getting a good orange and red out of some products.  Its getting to be so common, that I think it is easy to slip into the idea that it doesn't need to be figured out - but that can bit you at the end when it doesnt work exactly how it was planned to.

Lastly, sometimes its helpful to buy something to hold the LED strips without manufacturing something new.  For this check out:
Klus Design
ENT TEC
Outwater Plastics
Glowbckled.com
Nova Display  We used the low arch product on a past project - you can see individual LED's but it looks sleek.  Nova Display also has many other products that are worth browsing.
And of course Amazon again.

Bending PVC

I came across pvcbendit while looking at PVC stuff for home projects.  We frequently either bend steel, or have it bent for us to make a design work.  Sometimes it structural.  Sometimes it must be welded, and PVC fittings might not work -but being easily able to consistently bend PVC, especially at a low economic cost, could be a useful theatrical tool for scenery fabrication.

Fosshape & Wonderflex

For a theatrical production that came through, we were tasked with doing a statue. Instead of carving the body and clothes we used Fosshape. It’s a material that can be sewn or glued, and can be shaped with steam or heat, and when the material is cool it maintains its shape. The material can shrink up t 30% though, so allow for that when using the product. Below are a couple of photos from the shop showing the piece we built.

The same company can has a product called Wonderflex, which would work better in situations where you would typically use Fiberglas, carved foam, or paper mache. It is similar to Celastic, but celastic requires immersion in solvents to become moldable, and Wonderflex uses heat instead. For more information on the history of Celastic & props check out Prop Agenda.

Faking Glass

On some of the TV work I have done, a designer we work with uses Screen Glass when there are windows on set for film. The material also acts as a diffuser. It is provided by Warp’s. Warps carries a variety of other “glass” products that are clear plastic.

Formglas

Recently we were referred to Formglas for a project we were working on. Formglas can make panels in a variety of textures (we needed large woodgrained forms). I am linking to their technical drawings. While this specific project didn't pan out, I think it would be a good resource for future projects.

WeldOn Adhesives

I am going through my office and trying to get rid of paper I have accumulated throughout the years. Since this blog is much easier to find a product in than my filing cabinet, I will probably be updating this with products that I have found and used for projects throughout the years.

Today I ran across a file for WeldOn Adhesives, which creates adhesive for vinyl, ABS, Polycarbonate, Styrene, PVC, and Acrylic.

Backer Rod

A friend was looking for 1" diameter ethafoam & was having a difficult time finding it, and it made me think that perhaps there are others that would not know to search for backer rod. Backer rod is essentially the same material, though it comes in closed cell and open celled versions. It is used to put into gaps prior to applying sealant or caulk, as a way to minimize the amount of caulk used, but it also allows expansion and contraction between building materials. Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon sells it, as well as a variety of locations. It also can come in a variety of sizes. Depending on diameter, pool noodles and pipe insulation can also come in handy, particularly pipe insulation as it can have adhesive installed.

The difference between the closed cell and open cell forms are as follows (exerpted from wideGEEK)

There are significant differences in the characteristics between open-cell and closed-cell foam backer rod. The closed-cell version repels moisture, provides a firm finish to the gap, and can be set into place with a spray adhesive. It is commonly used for smaller joints in the 1/4 to 3/8 inch (6.35 to 9.52 mm) range, and it possesses a higher insulative value than open-cell forms. Caulking or other chinking materials will not stick to it, which allows free and independent movement in the building materials and the chinking material.

Open-cell backer rod products are very easy to install because they are softer and more pliable than closed-cell versions. Large diameter pieces can be compressed to fit into gaps that vary in thickness in some areas. This type is designed to be used only indoors, and does not possess insulative characteristics that are as good as its closed-cell counterpart.

generally the smaller diameters are sold by the roll, and thicker diameters are sold cut into standard lengths.

For gluing look to contact cement, 3M spray 74, or other foam adhesives.
For painting, it can help to coat first, rubber undercoating, plastic dip, and flex coat are options. I have also wrapped it in muslin, super 88, and other scenic coatings, so it isn't bad to work with as long as you keep in mind that the paint will flake off if applied directly.

If you want more information check out this PDF. It talks about teh history, open versus closed cell, and how to use it (as an expansion joint filler, not theatrically).

Vinyl Wall Coverings

We are just wrapping up the build of a desk where the front panel is a lightbox covered with a vinyl film from Astek.

Once applied to the acyrlic, and installed with lighting, I think it will look nice, though I imagine that diffusions will need to be added.

This company is a new resource to us, and one worth remembering for the future.

Plastic Cleaner Scratch Remover

Novus Polish is the plastic cleaner / scratch remover of choice around here. It won't remove deep scratches and it takes some elbow grease, but it can refursh acyrlic that has taken some general abuse from normal wear and tear. They have three levels, the first is mostly a cleaner, and the level 3 product is for surfaces that have more wear. We keep it around to clean up projects we are working on, and for acyrlic desk and lectern surfaces.

I have also heard that the product works good on scratched dvd's and cd's - though honestly, my trick there is to use toothpaste!

And for those you want to try out the product, you can try a set of the 3 levels out in a kit sold by Amazon for about $15.

Acyrlic Spheres

On a number of occasions I have needed to research plastic spheres / globes - either fully round or just half, and upon needed to find yet another, I have realized that I have never included any of that information here.

So...

If your looking for small balls 1/4" to 3" in diameter you can check out tap plastics.

Rosebrand has clear plastic ones, with a large seam, from 4" - 36". They are pretty reasonably priced, if you can deal with the seam.

For a variety of options you can try Plastic Balls. they have a wide range of materials, but tend to be small.

For some custom manufactured globes, try California Quality Plastics. While I am looking for a frosted globe, this is my current best option as I need a 18" globe.

Barnard Ltd. also has large spheres and their pricing is good. This place has a varity of theme decor that is not available at Rosebrand, so it's worth a peek. The artifical drinks and food could be especially useful for props.

Complast.com has a variety of sizes w/ seams and without.

JMK Displays offers small balls and cubes, but also offers acyrlic scrap priced by the pound. This would have been fun while in Grad school, to have ordered a couple pounds and experiment with engraving & lighting, frosting, sanding, gluing and so forth since there are tonsof techniques out there, and they give a variety of effects.

Delvies Plastics has small balls and cubes in qty that are polished.

Velstick

Velstick has a variety of products that could be very useful in theatrical applications. I am using Velstick, itself for a project, to hold some vinyl mattresses into place. It is appealing since it can be anchored with fasteners above just the sticky back adhesive and staples. However, the corner mold, studs, u-clips, and valance corner pieces all seem very interesting. The above link has large minimum's, but it is available at other sites with small minimum orders.

Alternative Materials

I was looking through an ad for books relating to design and architecture and thought that a couple were worth pointing out.

The first is Materiology by Daniel Kula. It discussed a wide variety of materials as well as how the materials are made. It seemed like a book that would have been perfect when I was taking "Advanced Materials" in grad school.

Another is Materials for Inspirational Design. It offers a view into a variety of materials, uses, and even rough pricing.

Browsing through Amazon offers a variety of books on the subject of materials. Happy browsing!

History of Plastics

The PPC website has some interesting information (quoted below) about the history of plastics. They have a variety of materials on their website along with qualities attributed to each type. The website seems a little out of date, but the information seems valid for an introduction to the many types of plastics.

Plastic materials trace their origin in this country back to 1868, when a young printer named John Wesley Hyatt came up with Celluloid, the first American plastic. He mixed pyroxylin, made from cotton (one of nature's polymerics), and nitric acid, with camphor to create an entirely different and new product. Celluloid quickly moved into many markets, including the first photographic film used by George Eastman to produce the first motion picture film in 1882. The material is still in use today under its chemical name, cellulose nitrate.

In 1909, Dr. Lee Hendrik Baekeland introduced phenoformaldehyde plastics (or "phenolics", as they are more popularly known), the first plastic to achieve worldwide acceptance. More importantly, Baekeland also evolved techniques for controlling and modifying the phenolformaldehyde reaction so that products could be formed under heat and pressure from the material. This characteristic of liquefying the material so that it can be formed into various shapes under heat and pressure is still common to most plastics.

The third major thrust in the development of plastics took place in the 1920s with the introduction of cellulose acetate (which is similar in structure to cellulose nitrate, but safer to process and use), ureaformaldehyde (which can be processed like the phenolics, but can also be molded into light colored articles that are more attractive than the blacks and browns in which phenolics are available), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC, or vinyl, as it is commonly called). Nylon was also developed in the late 1920s through the classic research of W.T. Carothers.

Each decade saw the introduction of new and more versatile plastics. In the 1930's, there were acrylic resins for signs and glazing and the commercialization of polystyrene, which became the third largest-selling plastic, literally revolutionizing segments of the house wares, toys, and packaging industries. Melamine resins were also introduced; these later became a critical element (in the form of a binder) in the development of decorative laminate tops, vertical surfacing, and the like.

Polyethylene -- today's most widely used plastic -- evolved out of the need for a superior insulating material that could be used for such applications as radar cable during World War II. The thermoset polyester resins that only a decade or so later were to radically change the boat-building business in the United States were also a wartime development introduced for military use. And acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastics, or ABS, (the plastic most often used today in appliance housings, refrigerator linens, safety helmets, pipe, telephone headsets, and luggage) owes its origins to research work emanating from the crash wartime program aimed at producing large quantities of synthetic rubber.

The decade of the 1950s saw the introduction of polypropylene and the development of acetal and polycarbonate, two plastics that, along with nylon, came to form the nucleus of a sub-group in the plastics family known as the "engineering thermoplastics." Their outstanding impact strength and thermal and dimensional stability enabled them to compete directly and favorably with metal in many applications.

The 1960s and 1970s also saw their share of new plastic introductions, most notably thermoplastic polyesters with the kind of outstanding resistance to gas permeation that made them applicable for use in packaging. During this period, another sub-group of the plastics family also started to emerge, the so-called "high temperature plastics," which includes the polyimides, polyamide-imides, aromatic polyesters, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether sulfone, and the like. These materials were designed to meet the demanding thermal needs of aerospace and aircraft applications. Today, however, they have moved into the commercial areas that require their ability to operate at continuous temperatures of 400 degrees F, or more.

Molding Resources

Moldings and decorative elements can be hard to find and specific to the manufacturer. Below are a variety of resources to help locate decorative elements, or can assist with ideas when designing.


Frank Morrow Company has a variety of metal stampings and architectural details.

Decorators Supply has a large variety of wooden and plaster decorative details. While you can order their catalogs (which are great as a resource), you can also browse online and get a variety of CAD downloads.

Architectural Depot

Cast Design Supply

Van Dykes Restorers

Historical Arts and Castings

Welding Plastic

Delvies Plastics has a PDF about welding thermoplastic materials. They also have a variety of plastics and tools such as engraving equipment and vacuum forming machines. The welder sells for $240, and supplies are relatively inexpensive making the start up cost for experimenting possible.

Resources

Freeman Manufacturing Supply has a video library that is a free how-to regarding mold making, casting and laminating. They also sell a variety of sample kits and other supplies. Their video collect has over 2 hours of content, plus their technical library has some useful resources as well. These resources include a glossary of plastic tooling terms, shore hardness guidelines, viscosity guidelines, and conversion tables. Another section of their site has a variety of users guides, such as one on selecting the right adhesive.

One line of their products is called Renshape and is polyurethane foamboard for machining. This line seems intriguing for machining via the CNC machine.

Last but not least they have some alternative lumber products like a pre-primed white Masonite sheet and "armorboard" an exterior grade plywood with hardboard faces.

Thermo-Chromatic Material

RTP Company has a new product line. Called ChroMyx, its is a “flexible, scruff and scratch-resistant, waterproof, temperature-sensitive, color-changing films that can be made into virtually any product.” I have bid on several exhibits that include thermochromatic panels, and thought that this would be a useful product to remember for that. Also, In the back of my mind I remember a costume designer using a similar material for a psychedelic costume.

You can check out the article here

Molding Cloth

I believe I have mentioned Rose Brand’s molding cloth before (if not check it out here: http://www.rosebrand.com/subcategory22/molding-cloth.aspx). I just came across 2 more products that are very similar:
Foss Shape (http://www.dazian.com/html/fosshape.html)
Wonderflex (http://www.dazian.com/html/wonderflex.html)

Both of these materials require heat to activate, with the Foss Shape material requiring a higher temperature. These materials are recommended for “headpieces, sub-structures, ornamental effects, masks, props and scenic materials.” The materials cut easily, and will bond to itself as well as other materials, and can be sewn.

Vacuum Forming & Costumes

While searching for vacuum-formed jewels that we could put LED lights into I ran across this resource today:
http://www.whatishcc.com/tutorials/
Its a site mostly geared towards costumes and some prop building, but they did have some resources for do-it-yourself vacuum forming, including a set-up that allows you to use your own oven! While I'm a bit hesitant to say this is entirely safe, It could be a nice trick for a one-off part for a show.

They also refer the used to a book put out by Tap plastics called Do-It-Yourself Vacuum Forming which you can order here:
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=20&PHPSESSID=20060531234852695724924

Plastics Information

I cam across this today as I was surfing looking for something new to learn:
http://blog.orselli.net/search/label/fabrication
http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video.php
Tap plastics has quite a few how-to videos on it's site - some of which are fairly useful!