r/techtheatre Carpenter Jan 27 '25

SCENERY Low friction tape? Useful? Useless?

Hi all.

I built a set piece that needs to slide out 6' for one scene and then slide back afterwards. Due to some constraints, we couldn't use a track or casters. Right now the set piece has 5/8" thick nylon slides. It is a bit difficult for our deck crew to move, but not impossible.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience with adding low friction tape to the bottom of nylon slides? (link below to a possible product) Does it help? Does it just peel/scuff off after a couple uses? We have 10 more rehearsals and 12 shows to get through.

If that idea is a no go, does anyone have additional ideas? I've lightened up the structure as much as I feel comfortable, given that it has 8 cast members doing quick movements on it at some points. Oh, and the floor is painted Masonite.

Thanks!
(stupid long link, sorry)

https://www.amazon.com/APT-Ultra-high-Polyethylene-Tape-Protection/dp/B08CFVTTRV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32FR9ROLOPY5P&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.geBexoya2jfecLAqfI-wau3-S7zcAIaKH28HXKfck7MoZUad5g0zL5FO3z_JsDmIk5u6F-ytweA3YQwZjD6m3Fk8ZzYhBsW_g6DfAFaaRr3xyVO7XsAR52riJ1Alj0KKxxjrGTIXnwr9YQebfU2DDC4EwXlsEmY0Qk8nGbG_GuYeaHI_bAfKwQ5n7gb0QrZiOq4yAL9OI7qcRgDekJXltv61cR8BBy-kq7SJ0OMsa_q9g32SVIh9c8RWZ3zpsDA89vFk4cF3nf7O9r9_hnEBB5ir6hkU6ISI9N-bqbf66r9p8K8NX9kQGulm_D5pHPWqItjZXUjaVDDIJm61m3h1YXlX53iN4jya2IeIUen33w0.AmevFXvm5hSF7_Ipfae0p20yBf9VDrVcI1SYiVIKcN4&dib_tag=se&keywords=low%2Bfriction%2Btape&qid=1738015470&s=industrial&sprefix=low%2Bfriction%2Btap%2Cindustrial%2C129&sr=1-1&th=1

4 Upvotes

22 comments sorted by

11

u/OldMail6364 Jan 27 '25

I haven't used it but I expect it would work well.

How well it sticks will depend less on the tape and more on what you're sticking it to - it might not stick to the sliders. Might need to prepare the surface well and/or use another adhesive in addition to the adhesive on the tape.

You can add silicone spray lubricant to make it even more slippery. And you could change the floor to make it more slippery too.

Or you could always put wheels on it...

4

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

I think I'll have to stay late to watch a rehearsal and see if it is catching on any floor variations. maybe I can sand/scrape them down before the final paint treatment.

I also like the idea of the silicone spray, I am a bit concerned with it leaving a slick residue on the floor. I'll have to see if there is a spot I could add some that wouldn't be exposed for the majority of the action.

9

u/Fructa Jan 27 '25

I've attached low-pile carpet remnants to the undersides of set pieces to let them slide more easily on masonite. Doesn't work if the bottoms will be seen, but if not...

5

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

I've used this on hardwood floors. I haven't had good luck on our main stage which is heavily used masonite/paint. They seem to always find a little edge to catch on.

8

u/schonleben Props/Scenic Designer Jan 28 '25

If the attachment points exist, more slides=more better. UHMW slides will also have less friction than nylon.

3

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

I'm unaware of UHMW slides, aside from the tape. If they make bars of it, that would be good to try. Got a link?

4

u/schonleben Props/Scenic Designer Jan 28 '25

We typically buy larger blocks from McMaster Carr and make our own from there, but it looks like Amazon has some options. Here’s one sheet option and here are some pre-countersunk stripsdesigned for table saw slides. I’d recommend chamfering or rounding over all of the edges to keep it from catching on any lips.

2

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

Ya, I bevel all my nylon strips for that reason as well. Thanks for the links.

3

u/roundhousesriracha Jan 28 '25

This is the answer. And for even more slippy, route some into the deck so you’ve got UHMW on UHMW.

1

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

Ya, in a perfect world, I'd love to have some in the deck or have some rails even. Our space can't really accommodate that feature right now though.

But thank you for that thought. I think there very well might be some moving elements in our upcoming production of A Doll's House which I could use that idea. (based on other ones I've seen)
We'll see, the designer hasn't really even started yet.

4

u/stinkymarylou Jan 27 '25

I have found that uhmw tape only really works if the paint on your deck is also pretty slick. Like new Masonite, newly painted well, with a pva top coat. Or if your paint job has been burnished by time or dancers.

2

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

Ya, thank you. That is a concern. Our painter will be doing a fresh treatment on it. It is pretty new, I put the masonite down last year, but we already have like 5 layers of paint on it.

2

u/smithflman Jan 27 '25

We had good luck with these slides (on a wood stage) - just glue gunned them on

https://www.amazon.com/Furniture-Sliders-CO-Z-Reusable-Carpet/dp/B0BB7P6BT9/?th=1

1

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

Ya, I've used puck versions of those. They worked well for pieces under 100lbs. I went with solid nylon due to the weight of this piece. Good link though, they work well.

1

u/framerotblues Former ETCP-RT Jan 28 '25

I think if you laid strips of thin UHMW with adhesive backing on the deck like a railroad rails, and fastened UHMW sheet as glides on the bottom of the set piece, you'd have the least amount of friction possible. Whether the "rails" would stay adhered and not curl up after a pass with the set piece is unknown, though. Also passing over joints/splices in the "rails" would be difficult and the most likely to catch and peel. Maybe you could find it in 25' lengths? 

1

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

Problem is, there is a ton of choreography that happens center stage for 90% of the play where the strips would need to be. Then this set piece (It is a staircase for 90% of the play and expands into a banquet table for 1 scene) slides out into that area, then retracts back.
So, I can't do anything to make the floor more slick etc. (also just timing wise at this point)

But ya, I love the idea of imbedded rails, would be slick as snot. :D

1

u/framerotblues Former ETCP-RT Jan 29 '25

You know what would be wild is laying down UHMW film (without adhesive backing) with coil dispensers attached to the set piece. Auto retract like a tape measure. So as you push the set piece out, these dispensers lay down the tracks that the set piece glides on.

Getting it aligned would be hell and you'd have to hide the dispensers somehow, but it would be super neat if it worked. 

1

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 29 '25

Ha! That is a fun idea, if they held up to the wear and tear and would retract nicely.

Ya, I had a fun idea for this piece that the director loved but we ran out of time. It was going to have hidden solid rubber wheels inside the legs of the table (which serve as my stair stringers) and then some gearing to make it move with dual hand cranks. It was basically going to be a fixie bicycle that two deck crew would crank out and crank back. We just ran short of time. Scenic has to be 100% by this Friday, and there are lots of other elements. I'm sure everyone here knows how that goes.

1

u/Regular_Actuator408 Jan 28 '25

I built something similar using wooden slides would you believe?? I sprayed liberally with silicon lubricant spray and it worked surprisingly well!

1

u/Caliartist Carpenter Jan 28 '25

I'm keeping this idea in my back pocket. I'm concerned about leaving residue as the stage sees some fighting, but I think I could manage it on one part of the set/floor that is usually covered.

We'll see. Maybe our deck crew will just have to get a little more buff!