Making a Revolving Stage

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their journey of building a revolving stage on a budget. After discovering the high cost of renting one, they decided to build their own, spending a similar amount but gaining a reusable asset for future projects. With help from a skilled woodworker and friends, they constructed the stage from nine parts, adding cast wheels, a DC motor, and DMX control. Despite challenges with parts fitting and minor issues during testing, the project was completed in time for the show, showcasing the creator's persistence, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Takeaways

• 😀 The team considered renting a revolving stage but found it too expensive, so they decided to build one themselves.
• 😀 Despite building it themselves, the project ended up costing almost as much as renting, but they now own the revolving stage for future use.
• 😀 The first step in the construction was finding building instructions, with most available plans involving large, heavy stages.
• 😀 The team was lucky to find a skilled woodworker who helped them build the revolving stage.
• 😀 The stage was built from nine parts, with a reinforced bottom and a middle bearing for stability and smooth rotation.
• 😀 The revolving stage was designed to be assembled quickly, with the entire setup taking about 30 minutes with two people.
• 😀 A key challenge was finding an appropriate motor that would fit beneath the stage, which was only 12.5 cm (5 inches) high.
• 😀 After searching for a suitable motor, they found an 800-watt DC motor that fit and could be controlled using DMX.
• 😀 The team used a car battery for initial testing of the motor and revolving stage, but ran into issues with poor manufacturing of some parts.
• 😀 To solve the problems, they used springs to apply force to the drive wheel, and extra caster wheels were added for better stability.
• 😀 The motor also functions as a dynamo, generating power for the stage’s system when it slows down, reducing feedback and overload risk.

Q & A

Why did the creator decide to build a revolving stage instead of renting one?

The creator found that renting a revolving stage was very expensive, taking up half of their budget. By building their own, they could own it and reuse it for future projects.

What challenge did the creator face when searching for building instructions?

Most of the building instructions available online were for large and heavy revolving stages, which did not fit the creator’s needs.

How did the creator manage to build the stage?

The creator found a woodworker willing to help, and together they built the revolving stage using nine parts for the deck and a reinforced structure.

What materials were used for the deck construction of the revolving stage?

The deck was constructed using nine parts, with the bottom reinforced by two layers of wood. The floor was made of another disc with cast wheels arranged in two circles.

What type of wheels were required for the stage construction?

The creator needed non-swiveling cast wheels for the stage, ensuring stability and controlled movement.

How long did it take to set up the revolving stage?

With just two people working on it, the revolving stage could be set up in about 30 minutes.

What issues did the creator face when testing the revolving stage's motor?

The creator had difficulty finding a motor that fit under the stage, which was only 12.5 cm high. They also had to ensure no moving parts were exposed due to safety concerns, especially when working with children.

What motor was eventually chosen for the revolving stage?

The creator used an 800-watt DC motor that was compact enough to fit under the stage and strong enough for the rotation. The motor was controlled using DMX.

How did the creator address the issue of uneven movement in the revolving stage?

They had to fix issues with uneven bumps by planing and sanding the surface, although some imperfections remained at 3-4 millimeters.

What steps did the creator take to stabilize the revolving stage?

The creator added four extra caster wheels on the outer ring of the stage, which made the disc much more stable during rotation.

What power supply was used to control the revolving stage?

A Mean Well 1000-watt power supply for LED lighting was used to control the motor. It was protected against overload and feedback, with the motor acting as a dynamo when slowing down.

How did the revolving stage look after the final setup?

Once completed, the revolving stage looked impressive and was ready for the show, despite the challenges faced in its construction.