What I learned in school

So, I am part of a Technical Theatre mailing list and some young TD wrote in asking about Luan vs. Masonite for siding Hollywood flats. I got to feel all smart with my response because two TDs had answered his question before hand and not mentioned or had only lightly touched on some points I consider very important. The two TDs spoke mainly of tensile strength without considering finishing effects. It is all good to save $.50 a sheet with Masonite but if you triple your paint costs you have gained nothing. At the same time if you get Luan and your prop person goes to innocently hang a picture on the flat and rips a hole in the Luan you are equally screwed. I said “A lot also depends on what kind of finishing techniques your scenic artist and scenic designer are planning ... masonite will soak up paint and increase your paint costs while (as someone previously said) luan takes paint well ... also if they are looking for a stained wood effect ... luan can be stained (and depending on how large your space is) look great from the house ... if you want the same kind of stained wood effect from masonite a good deal of time will have to be devoted to painted wood grain effects. Also if you are going to be papering over the flats (for say, a house interior) masonite will soak up wallpaper glue the same way it soaks up paint. On the other hand if the look of masonite is something your S.A./S.D. finds interesting ... trying to make luan have that look is tough. Ask yourself what kind of tensile strength you are looking for ... what (if any) kind of impacts should these flats be expected to take? Are you going to have to move them a lot? (either for scenechanges or for rep.) If it IS for an interior ... are pictures going to be hung on the walls? (in that case the rigidity of the masonite would be an advantage) When there isn't a big cost savings to go one route over another (and just in general) talk to the rest of your team to find out what THEY want or expect from the materials.” It is nice to have such moments to remind me I really did learn something in school.

On a different note … today I am attempting to apply for unemployment … rather unsuccessfully since I keep getting a busy signal at the WDWD.

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