“4 Ways to Create Your Own Stage for a Local Music Festival This Summer” plus 1 more

With the summer returning to normal there are more local music festivals popping up. Though they tend to have their own main stage, they don’t normally provide this type of platform for other groups. Thus, bands, dance troupes, and other performers may need to provide their own stages.

Luckily, building one isn’t hard to do. Here are 4 ways to create your own stage for a local music festival this summer.

1. Select the Right Material

Wood is the most common material used in stages. However, there are disadvantages to it. Weight is one of these — a wooden stage can be heavy. Then there are the factors of wear and rot. Instead, consider a mix of materials when you create your stage. Wood and molded plastic from a place like Sandhill Plastics can lighten the stage and protect it from the elements. Furthermore, plastic can be shaped in different ways for a wider or longer platform. It can even be molded to resemble an oval or circle.

2. Gather the Necessary Tools
Regardless of the materials, you’ll need several tools to create your own stage. Among them are:

• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Circular Saw
• Screwdriver
• Nails and hammer
• Drill

The most important tools are the measuring tape and pencil. Always take measurements twice before you start cutting. This ensures you get the size of the stage that matches your designs.

3. Cut The Material
You want to cut the material at once. You need pieces for the stage’s frame, the floor, and legs. You might also cut materials if you desire posts on top of the stage. These can be used to support equipment or set pieces.

4. Put the Stage Together
Lay the frame for your stage and secure the pieces together with wood screws. Next, add the legs in each corner of the frame. Secure them with clamps to drill a borehole in each. This is where more wood screws will be attached. After you test the frame’s sturdiness you can attach the platform. This might be a cut piece of plywood or plastic. Secure it to the stage with the necessary screws.

Are you ready to create your own stage for a local music festival this summer? If yes, then follow the four steps above to get started. Make sure you speak to a professional if you have any questions related to its construction. Additionally, contact the music festival organizers to determine if they have certain construction guidelines you must follow.

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A while back I posted an article on my website explaining the cost of refinishing a guitar. This text is taken from the original article which can be found here.

Your guitar’s finish is not just there to make it look pretty. It actually does one of the most crucial jobs - Protecting the wood of your guitar!

Moisture is the main culprit behind wood damage, and the the best way to protect your wood from moisture is to coat a thin layer of finish over your instrument.

For this reason, and also to minimize any accidental damage to the wood surface, having a proper finish is vital for the long-life of your guitar.

But what finish is right for you?

I’ll answer that in the next 300 words.

Here are all the popular finishes used on guitars and other instruments, along with their advantages and disadvantages, so you’ll know exactly which one is right for YOUR guitar!

Oils and Waxes

Oils and Waxes are the old-school methods of protecting instruments, and have lost most of their applications to the newer methods.

But that doesn’t mean they’re bad!

Oil and Wax is very lightweight and is excellent at retaining the natural tone of the instrument, hence they’re quite popular to use on acoustic instruments.

These finishes are simple to DIY, don’t require special equipment like varnish or lacquer, and are simple to replace (simply sand it off).

Shellac

Shellac is a natural substance secreted by the worm lacquer. It’s fairly easy to apply and has been in use for centuries in the furniture industry.

A very similar finish to Oil and Wax, Shellac is known for enhancing the natural wood grain of instruments. Thanks to its beautification properties, it’s widely used among classical instrument luthiers.

It’s slightly glossier than oil, and is also harder. It’s application prodecure consists of applying multiple layers of the finish by brush or polishing pad, and then letting it dry up and settle for a few days.

Nitrocellulose Lacquer (Nitro)

Nitrocellulose, as the name suggests, is a mixture of a nitro-solvent and a cellulose-material. When it’s sprayed on the wood surface, the nitro-based solvent evaporates leaving the cellulose behind.

Gibson and Fender used nitro extensively during the ’50s and ’60s. It’s still the preferred finish for vintage or high-end guitars, simply because of its beauty and the patina associated with an old guitar.

Keep in mind that the lacquer vapors are poisonous, and should be applied with a gun/spray in a ventilated environment.

Nitro is prone to discoloration and can acquire a warmer tone with time. Luckily, it can be patched up in the areas showing signs of wear.

Polyurethane and Polyester (Poly)

Poly is the current standard used by most luthiers, simply because it’s much more safe and durable than nitro. It’s also cheaper and requires less number of coatings.

These finishes are less prone to wear and aging, and will retain a shinier aesthetic over time. In fact, polyester finish is so good that it’s used in the furniture industry and even floors of wooden gymnasiums.

Initially, Poly used to be much thicker than what it is now, which led people to argue that it affects the tone of the guitar. Fortunately, they are much thinner now and are significantly tougher.

Summary

I hope this short guide has educated you on the different types of finishes and their use cases.

The choice of finish will depend upon factors like how cost-effective do you want to be, how lightweight the finish should be, whether you want a vintage look on your guitar, etc.

If you have any queries or suggestions, drop them in the comments and I’d be happy to answer them!

Pranshu Nigam

https://harmonyvine.com/

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