Tracing a stage radius: Alternate methods? (1 Viewer)

[Jay Mitchosky]

I've been trying to map out the radius of my stage using Ted White's string technique and it's proving to be quite a challenge. Any tips on this or other methods?

 

[AaronCushing]

A narrow -- say quarter-inch -- strip of wood, bowed from two end-points makes a nice & easy traceable line (as long as you have 4 hands and long arms).

 

[BrianKR]

I bought a piece of 1/4" hardboard at Lowes and I had them cut me several strips the length of the board 6" wide.
Then I determined where I wanted the curve to start on each side of the stage.
I tacked in 2 heavy nails (bending the nails slightly inward) on each side of the stage/starting point of the curve.
Then I placed one end of the hardboard up against the first set of nails, grabbed the hardboard in the middle and bent the board and tucked it inside the other set of nails. I played around with the curve until I liked what I saw.

Another way of using a strip of hardboard:
Determine how far you want your curve to extend over the front of your stage. Cut a piece of wood (2x4 or 2x6 etc - depending on what you built your stage with) and tack it dead center on the front of your stage. Tack the center of the hardboard (if you are using a 8'L piece tack it @4' on center) on the piece of 2x6 and bend each side until you find a curve you like.rough example

 

[TonyGricar]

for a large radius, i used a piece of wood lattice (8 ft for the size i needed, equaling a 16' diameter cirle), drilled variously spaced holes through it for a pencil point, and then used a nail on the other end for a pivot point.

tony