Fall Marching/Winterguard Rolling Prop Frame

Each year I witness marching bands struggle to put a rolling prop frame on the field with various degrees of success. I understand this looks simple, but it is hard to execute! Our VEGAS year these rolling frames took literally hours to assemble! 3 and 1/2 hours was our average! I've seen them built from plywood and PVC. The lumber and plywood frames are heavy and bulky and the PVC frames were floppy and the designed display panel did not fit around the frame neatly and just looked untidy. Having a metal fab shop custom build frames is really expensive!

So a couple of years ago I started a design (in my head, LOL!) for a rolling frame that would neat, easy to assemble and dis-assemble and give the director flexibility in size and design. It took a couple of seasons before I had a design I was happy with but to build this frame design required much more $ in tooling and fixtures than most marching bands would want to invest. So I decided to build a kit that you will soon be able to buy and your prop crew can assemble to your specification! Yes I am turning my passion into a business!
Each display frame can be sized up to 12' tall by 12' wide. The kit comes with the 4 corners for the display panel and 4 corners for the base diagonal brace rod ends and the hardware needed to assemble the standard configuration. They are all steel construction and welded together. There are no hard edges. All edges are rounded. The coupling ends are expanded to accept the connecting pipe and make a strong joint. I developed a custom solution rod end for the diagonal braces that will accommodate pretty much any angle of the brace you can throw at it. All you will have to buy is the EMT conduit to create the size you need! The EMT Conduit is inexpensive and easy to find.

Here is the front view of a square base prop. I added a model of a girl that is 5' 8" tall to give you a sense of scale.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Here is the rear view of this prop.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Here is what you have to supply to complete the prop.

 Looking at the pictures here, anything that is colored WHITE is 1" EMT you will have to supply to finish the prop. The diagonal bracing is a piece of 3/4" EMT. You can buy EMT at your local Big Box Home Improvement Store. And of course you supply the display panel. I am working with a vendor to supply a top quality display panel so please ask if you want a quote.

So basically I supply the base corners with swivel casters, the corners for the display frame, the 4 diagonal brace rod ends that attaches the base to the display frame and all of the hardware to assemble the basic configuration.

FEATURES 
The features to the design are durability, reliability and ease of transport. The frame presents a very low profile to the audience and practically disappears. You will notice there are NO center supports! The steel corners provide all of the support for the frame structure. The flat steel diagonals in the corners are located to the rear of the frame so the face of the frame the panel attaches to is clean. Your panel will look good because the frame is smooth all the way around with no center supports creating ugly seams in your display panel.

The standard configuration has the Display Frame located slightly between the wheels. This is for stability of the prop and is the standard design. You can certainly change the configuration any way you need to fit your design idea. If the change you make requires adding weight to the frame, that's easy! You can add weight to the base by filling the tubes with sand and the weight will be completely hidden! That is right! You will not have to lug weights and sandbags around! Sand is heavy. About 100 lbs per cubic foot! Each 1 1/4"10 ft base pipe can hold almost a cubic foot so there is more than enough pipe to add the right amount of weight you need. Don't worry, each wheel is good for more than 200 lbs. And when you buy the kit I will show you how to insert the sand and seal it in the pipe! Most will not need to do this. But if you feel you do, it is an option you have at your disposal.

You will need to buy the EMT to complete the build to your size specification but lets say you want the maximum size display panel of 12'X12' with a 10'X12' base for maximum stability. You will need to buy: 
(Prices currently at my local big box home improvement store)

8ea 1"x10' EMT@$7.12 = $28.48
2ea 3/4" X10'EMT@$3.70=$7.40

Total=$64.36

If you are going the digitally printed panel route I know a guy! LOL! Contact me for more information.

Here is a goofy video of me introducing the Stage 3 Winterguard/Drumline Backdrop Frame Kit.
https://youtu.be/sgrcbXGatPQ
I assemble the frame kit to show you how easy it is.
Be gentle with me on this. I'm a builder, not a salesman! LOL!

Here is a pic of the finished frame. Remember it can be any size from a square 8 X 8' to a low and wide 1' X 8 ' for a stage front wall. It can be one size this season and another size the next!

Stage 3 Frame Kit

2" casters are available if you need this frame to roll!

Do you need to create a cube or monolith shape???
Check out the Cube Frame Kit!

UPDATE 1/31/19

Stage Optics has partnered with Media Stage Productions to provide the designs for Media Stage to manufacture and market. Stage Optics will revert to a design firm so together we can design and layout pretty much any project you can throw at us!
Contact Tim or Shelley at info@mediastageproductions.com for a quote or to inquire about a design idea. I will be still there working from behind the stage. Email me at john@stageoptics.com for any design inquiries.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

www.stageoptics.com