Prop Construction

[DrawandDuck]

Just built more of this design Sunday. I have been using these for a year now and they have held up very well. They are extremely light so they do not wear you down setting up or tearing down the match. I use 2 - 2' sections of 2" DW PVC joined with a 90 degree elbow for legs. You can drill holes the PVC legs if you want to spike them to the ground OR you can use sandbags. Here are some pics and a diagram.

Randal

[John2A]

One thing that we have found that works really well is to use 1 - 1/2" PVC pipe.

I will buy four sticks and make a 6'x8' wall.

I cut the sticks into 6' and 4' lengths and glue a tee on one of the 6' pieces.

The 4' pieces get a 45 degree piece glued to one end.

For the pieces that end up on the bottom I drill a 1/2" - 3/4" inch hole to receive rebar that is driven into the ground.

Wrap the whole thing in a 6' x 8' tarp and tada instant wall.

I can post some picuters if any one is interested.

[mwx40x40]

I just picked up the lightest cheapest wall prop material ever. Our local Politicians are using the 4 x 8 sheets of corrugated plastic for signs . Once the elections were over I checked with a few and they were glad to donate them as they were headed to the landfill.

I use them as extensions off existing plywood barrades/walls or can just use target stands to with 6' target sticks in place. Simple to attach with 1/2" staples.

They are lightweight, weatherproof, and easy to store.

[stormbringer]

We use 2x2 spruce 6 foot 6 " tall by 4 foot wide frames with gussets at the corners.

At first we used luan as posted above.....but it rotted

Then we went to correplas coregated plastic sheets.......... we found that they turned into SAILS when the winds come.

Finally I found Industrial screening. It is 5/16th mesh. Very strong. It does not rip and you can easily detect any bullet holes (ADs) in it where snow fence does not.

It is very cheap.......well as cheap as any other method. We build each wall for about $12 for everything.

They are so light that a man can carry two at a time and two men can carry 6 .

The wind goes right through. At this years Provincials we made one wall that was 12 feet tall............the next night winds of 70kph came through. In the morning NOTHING had moved.....

They are great for R/Oing as you can easily see the competitor as can spectators.

To date we have made 86 such wall sections at my club. The only thing lacking is a quick method to connect them. Right now we use wood screws. I am thinking that we could use hinges and tee pins but it would be pricy I think.

Here is a video of a statge that used these walls.

http://gs81.photobucket.com/groups/j210/8D...chToMordor2.flv

Here is a picture of the product from the company I buy it from in Canada.

We use the one shown in the middle of the bottom three.

[shred]

Screening is the way to go IMO. Throw in a few solid walls every so often to keep people honest and you're golden.

[stormbringer]

We tend to use solid walls when we have activated doors and ports. Static ports we use the mesh walls.

[kimel]

Got links to sources for that screen?

[stormbringer]

I get it from Masternet in Mississauga Canada..

http://www.masternetltd.com/

It is listed under their "Vexar" products and it flat sheet mesh.

the last time I bought some (July) it cost me $136 Canadian for a roll of 100 feet but it looks like it has gone up since then.

The product code is L-30

That allowed me to build 16 walls from a roll (there must be a tad more than 100 feet).

After a google search I found these guys who carry it on both USA coasts.

http://www.complast.com/index.htm

It looks like this Vexar is a dupont product so there should be places all over North America where you can buy it and save or eliminate shipping.

I should note that before I bought my first roll I had them send out a sample first. That way I could see what it was like. I would suggest you do the same.

We make the walls by sandwiching the screen between the 2x2 and a stip of plywood. That is the only thing I am looking of changing. We have used Luan and chipboard and I am not entirely happy with either. The strip is just too weak. However it does make assembly really easy as it is just stapled on with a airpowered staple gun (1.25 inch staples).

We had quite the assembly line going at my club prior to this years Level III match.

Edited November 16, 2008 by stormbringer

[Flexmoney]

The only thing lacking is a quick method to connect them. Right now we use wood screws. I am thinking that we could use hinges and tee pins but it would be pricy I think.

I've thought of the hinges idea, but never had a chance to try it. It would also allow for setting up two walls with (any) degree of angle between them...allowing them to be stand-alone, no need for wall braces. They'd make a "V" and then could be spiked through the base board.

[stormbringer]

exactly....

We currently use the V format for many of our walls with no braces at all. the only reaon to pin them is in cases where competitors might bump into them.

The hinge idea would work I think. If you consider each hinge to have a A and a B side if you put two A sides on one side of the wall and two B sides on the other then you need only mate up an A and a B drop in a modified pin (with a tee top) and bingo your walls are linked together.

You could then string a series of walls indefinitely bracing as you wish along the back if required.

My main problem with using wood screws is finding where the heck the screws are in the dark during teardown!! Not to mention screws left half way out make for nasty wounds!!

Oh and the added bonus that we always seem to forget to recharge our batteries for our screw guns after setup and they are dead for takedown. With hinges you would not need any power what so ever. Pop the hinge pin out and presto.

[wooddog]

We used PVC to make frames but they almost all ended up broken by being shot, falling, etc. We will be replacing the frames with wood his winter. Avoid PVC!

[Jim Norman]

We use cheap ($25 a section) stockade fence. The stuff we are now getting is the cheapest Lowes sells. Sections last several years and allow us to put ports anywhere we want, just get out yer saw. Benefit? Shooters cannot see targets until they should. Downside? You can't see the shooters behind walls.

Screen could make us more 'spectator friendly' but I am not sure it makes our sport better.

As for connecting frames, we are thinking about a system using screw eyes or ring bolts. put three on each side, but unaligned and well spaced. line up and drop a long landscaping nail through to hold. For angle braces, we make them froma 10 foot 2 x 4. Get some framming straps to tie the pieces toghter and use course screws. A 4 and 2 3foot pieces, make the cuts at 45 degrees and you have an automatic 90 brace. just assemble. one long leg on the ground for stability, OR turn the 4 foot leg up and raise your fences 12 inches so you can see feet down range. Also keeps tall shoters from shooting over the fences.

Jim

[John2A]

For 150.00 I built the following it is 8 foot wide and built in three panels. the sides are 24" x 84" panels and the Door is 33" X 84". I have attached a couple of picture if any one would like additional information send me a PM.

Thanks,

John