How to build a turntable or revolve
Sponsored by the Amateur Theater Division
Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader from adobe.com. The company makes a nice profit by giving it away, because everybody who reads PDF files wants to make PDF files, and to get the file-making software you must pay and pay.
. . . Now that you have Adobe installed, you can open my illustrated guide to building revolves. The focus is specifically on an amateur theater setting, so the booklet should be useful to carpenters at a range of skill levels working on shoestring budgets.
A brief summary of the contents: principles of the revolve; safety; design, construction, striking and storage of temporary and permanent revolves; using the revolve; variations and tips. The booklet (a PDF of about half a megabyte) contains lots of photographs and drawings. My thanks to B. Don Massey, of the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Georgia, for most of the knowledge that went into the text.
Other papers in this series:
- How to build a flat
- How to build a platform
- How to build stairs for theater service
- Theater safety bulletin (suitable for posting backstage or in your shop)
Please note: I created this guide as a way of sharing experience. You must not take my statements as an official specification or standard. What I say about strength and safety is based on observations, not on codes, regulations or standards. Designs and construction techniques described here, if suitable for use in theater sets, will not necessarily comply with building codes. If you have not made observations of your own that enable you to evaluate the statements in this guide, you should consult other sources of information before going any further. You will understand that I cannot guarantee your results and that I cannot accept liability for any damage that results from your work, whether you follow my suggestions to the letter or not. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when using any power tool, and observe all safety precautions found in those instructions.
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How to build a revolve