How To Install Pipe & Drape and Save Money

As with many types of event rental equipment, eliminating labor will save you money.

Pipe & Drape is often installed at event venues that host back-to-back events. This means installing pipe & drape the day before your event may not be allowed. To save the labor costs involved in after-hour installation and removal of pipe & drape - consider installing it yourself.

The rental company can deliver the Pipe & Drape to the storage area of the venue. You would then move the pipe and drape equipment into the room, set it up, and return it to the storage area after the event.

Depending on the amount of Pipe & Drape involved, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars in labor fees.

How Much Pipe & Drape Do I Need?

The hardest part of pipe & drape is figuring out how much you need. The event coordinator typically does this.

The event coordinator is the one who will make the entire pipe & drape project work.

They will go over to the site and measure the length of the floor where the pipe & drape will be installed. Doorways that have to remain accessible will be included in those measurements (making note of how the door swings to prevent accidents).

The ceiling height will also be measured to make sure it is higher than 8 feet everywhere the pipe & drape will be used.

A hand drawn sketch of the room should be completed before leaving the site to ensure all pipe & drape measurements are correct. By laying a measuring tape on the floor where drape will be installed, it is an easy matter to transfer those numbers to your sketch.

Removable tape can be used as a guide to show where drape walls stop and start while you are getting measurements. This way, if there are any questions about a particular measurement, it is an easy matter to go back and check.

When you are done, the sketch should show how many uprights you will need along with how many drape supports. This will be your ordering list. It will also be your layout guide for installation.

At some venues wind can be an issue. Loading doors, when opened could allow wind to blow down the drape causing property damage and personal injury. While visiting the site look at where the outside doors are and open them. Talk to the site manager to find out if wind is ever an issue. If it is you will need to have either larger bases or weights for the pipe & drape bases.


Installing Pipe & Drape:

Standard pipe and drape layouts use eight-foot high drape. The four components needed are:

1) Aluminum 8’ uprights
2) Steel 8’ bases
3) Adjustable aluminum horizontal drape supports (can be made 6’ to 10’ long)
4) Drape panels (three panels per support).

The installation process is fairly simple, it includes:

• Screwing the upright into the base
• Laying out the Pipe & Drape
• Threading the drape panels onto the drape support.
• Hanging the drape support (with 3 drape panels) between the uprights.
  
  
  The actual installation process goes much quicker if more than one person helps. On layouts of ten sections of pipe & drape or more, three or four helpers can make the job much easier.
  
  Screwing the upright into the base:
  
  One person can screw the uprights into the bases and place them roughly where they should go (a helper can assist placing them). Take care not to “cross thread” the upright by holding it perfectly straight up when screwing it into the base.
  
  After the upright engages the threaded base properly, rock it gently back and forth while screwing it in to make sure it is completely screwed in. This will keep the upright from wobbling in the base.
  
  There are normally two holes in the base to screw an upright into. If you always use the center hole you will never be wrong. The center hole gives the best support to the upright wherever it is standing.
  
  When handling these long uprights, care should be taken not to hit chandeliers, walls, ceilings, and decorations (or people hanging them).
  
  Laying out the pipe & drape line:
  
  The second person would space out the uprights every 10 feet the using one of the drape supports extended out to ten feet long (the second button position).
  
  While laying out your uprights, look at how far it is to the end of that drape line or the corner of the room. You probably will not be able to fit ten foot drape supports across the entire room. If the room’s wall is, say 16 feet, you could use a 6’ and a 10’ drape support to make this up. However, it would look more uniform if two 8’ drape supports were used instead.
  
  Keep an eye out for light fixtures along the wall – you will have to create your drape wall away from them – and you do not want to hit them with the pipes unless you have figured breakage into your budget.
  
  Also watch for low ceiling areas (typical to some hotels) – if you cannot stand the 8’ high upright with base under the low ceiling, then you will have to end that drape line and start another just after the low ceiling. This is an excellent reason to order several extra uprights and bases – even after a pre-event visit to the venue – it is possible to miss something. Each new drape line created needs another upright & base – an unexpected separate drape line will leave you short on uprights.
  
  The drape support you use to space out the uprights is six feet when fully closed. As you slide the support open there is a button that will click into the first hole at eight feet. To get it to ten feet you will have to press the button in while extending the support further. The button will then click into the second hole at the ten foot position.
  
  Threading the drape panels:
  
  The third person would be sliding three drape panels on each drape support (extended out to 10’) preparing them for hanging.
  
  The drape panels have a pocket sewn at the top of the drape – the drape support slides inside it. Try to face the hems of the sewn pockets to the same side so they can be installed away from the view of guests attending the event.
  
  Space the drape panels evenly across the drape support so the drape folds will look uniform. This will avoid the drape looking smooth is some areas and “bunched up” in others.
  
  It is a good idea to create a “drape threading” station (or stations) with two eight foot tables spaced about eight feet apart. This will keep the drape from getting soiled on the floor and will allow the drape hanger handy access to them.
  
  Hanging the drape:
  
  The fourth person should be a basketball player – this way they can hang the drape at the eight-foot height without a problem. If you are not lucky enough to have this taller person handy, you will need a stepladder (or chair) to hang the drape with.
  
  Each of the uprights has four slots at the top (at positions 12, 3, 6, and nine on a clock). These slots allow you to run the pipe & drape either in a straight line or at a ninety-degree angle to accommodate the corners of a room. The drape support has a hook that hooks into this slot and prevents it from sliding out of the upright. Make sure the hook is pointing down when you hang the drape support or it will fall out.
  
  Adjust the length of the drape support to match the uprights previously spaced out before attempting installation. Just hold the drape support next to the uprights you will be installing it in and depress the button on the support while sliding it smaller. When you reach the correct width – hang it up.
  
  
  
  Mark Saponaro Email me
  camelotspecialevents.com

Host a wine tasting

The next time you are planning a get together with friends, consider a wine tasting. It will add some variety to your social gatherings and can be coupled up with a dinner party.

Start by selecting a date to invite your guests over. Use email to simplify the process of figuring out when everyone’s schedules are clear. In your email you might ask for suggestions on what types of wine your guests like or might want to try.

There are two great ways to set up the wine selections:

The first is called a vertical wine tasting. Select different years of the same type of wine by the same maker. For example If “Barefoot” Merlot is the wine you select, then 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 might be the years. This is a very good method to find out which year’s wines you like from a particular maker. Afterwards, you can stick with buying that year for your regular “wine with dinner” or make it a point to bring a bottle of it to the next dinner party.

The second way to arrange the wine selection is called horizontal. You would use the same year and type of wine with different makers. Maybe a 2006 Merlot from: Yellowtail, Sutter Home, Kendall-Jackson, Robert Mondavi, Barefoot, “2 Buck Chuck”, and Woodbridge could be the makers chosen. This type of tasting is bound to give you an abundance of different tastes, since the grapes are grown in different regions.

A twist on the methods above is to have a mystery tasting where all the wine bottles are covered and your guests try to guess the wine maker (label), the year, and how much the bottle costs – “Charles Shaw, 2006, for $2.00”.

Aficionados can be more daring and host a wine tasting which spans from white to red, but when hosting a tasting of this sort, you must follow a particular order:

Taste the white first: with different whites, taste the dry first and then progressively sweeter wines.

When tasting both red and white, the red should be tasted after the white is done. Then taste the light reds first, moving on to progressively more full-bodied reds.


How many bottles of wine do you need?

That depends on how many guests you are entertaining. There are 12 two-ounce “tastes” per bottle, so 12 guests can taste from one bottle – if you have 24 guests, you will need two bottles of each type of wine to allow everyone a taste. To go one step further, if you taste eight different wines with 24 people, you will need sixteen bottles of wine (two of each kind).

Practice with a measuring cup pouring 2-ounce portions of water in a wine glass to find out how high to fill for the tasting. Wine glasses should be identical to make pouring the correct amount easier.

Your guests can bring wine to the tasting to help spread the cost. Put the names of the wines you have selected in a hat and draw them to decide who will bring each wine. You may want to put a dollar limit on the wine selection to make it as fair as possible (under $20, for example).

What you will need:

1. Enough bottles of wine for everyone to taste (see above).


2. Wine bottle covers. Each bottle’s label should be covered so nobody will be influenced by the name. Heavy construction paper taped around the bottle (top and bottom to avoid slipping and a mess) with a number printed (or written) on it will allow everyone to properly identify “wine bottle #6” when rating the wines.


3. One 8 ½oz wine glass per guest - or one per guest per type of wine to avoid having to rinse and wipe glasses between different wines (6 tasters and 6 wines would mean 36 glasses).


4. A dump bucket (or bowl) for leftover wine.


5. Water glasses and a pitcher of filtered water or bottled water (to avoid tap water chlorine taste tainting the wine flavor).


6. Plain bread and/or crackers to cleanse the palate between different wines.


7. Light food and appetizers for before and after the tasting.


8. A stack of wine tasting scoring cards for each wine (enough for every guest).
   
   The wines should be arranged in the order you will taste them especially if you are hosting a more daring red/white style tasting (tasting a sweet wine and then a dry will not be the most pleasant of experiences).

The Process:

If you have a small group of guests there should be plenty of time to taste each wine and then discuss it. With larger groups, you will have to forego discussion in order to finish the tasting.

For discussions, everyone should be aware of some terms used to characterize wines. Use the five S’s in the order they are listed -- See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Savor:


- See: “Clarity” is how clear the wine looks (not cloudy). The tasting table should be covered in bright white linen so the glass of wine can be viewed against the white background.


- Swirl: An 8 ½oz wine glass allows enough room for swirling without spilling. “Legs” are the strands of wine that cling to the sides of the glass while slowly dripping down after the swirl. More legs mean sweeter wine (the sugar makes it thicker).


- Sniff: The “Nose” is what the wine smells like (its bouquet). Swirl the wine in the glass before smelling it to release the aroma.


- Sip: Tasting the wine will let you know if it is “dry” or “sweet”, and if you have a wine taster’s palate will yield essences of maybe cherry, or chocolate, or a variety of different tastes. Most people can detect maybe 3 or 4. To try for more, suck air through the wine, then spit it out (or not) and allow the vapors to travel up your nasal passage where more tastes may be found.


- Savor: The “Finish” is how long the flavor of the wine lasts after you swallow it.

Every taster should have a pencil (with eraser) and a preprinted sheet listing different wine qualities they can check off with an area for comments.


The Winner:

The best wine will be the one that scored the highest when averaged across all tasters.

If your guests all bring a bottle of wine to the tasting, and their bottle wins, they can get a prize such as a set of Wine Charms, for example.

After having your wine tasting, you may want to make it an annual event - "The Second Annual Fall Wine Tasting" - it can be a simple event or as complex as you like. Use the information above as a guide and tailor your winetasting event to your "tastes".









Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Fundraising With Raffles!

Raffles are a great way to raise money. They are inexpensive and easy to organize and can generate enough money to put you well on your way to achieving your fundraising goals.

The costs involved in a raffle (other than your time) are the tickets and the prizes. If you choose to run a cash prize raffle, you do not have to worry about getting prizes for the winners. You can also minimize your costs by getting the prizes donated or getting some businesses to sponsor your fundraising event. You will have to get their names printed on the tickets and flyers and maybe put up a sign or banner to give them some marketing exposure for their generosity.

Your fundraiser raffle can be quick (within an hour) or over a period of time (tickets can be on sale for a month or more). It all depends on how much money you are trying to raise and what type of raffle you are having.

How Do You Ensure A Profitable Raffle?

As with any fundraising event, you have to get the word out.
Publicity is the most important element of a fundraiser raffle. The more expensive the grand prize, the more investment you have to overcome before making a profit. Don’t attempt a raffle half-heartedly.

Issue a press release and make sure it reaches the appropriate people at local media outlets such as newspapers, radio stations and local television.

Also get the word out through your newsletter and website as far in advance as possible. Try to build excitement and anticipation with your group’s members for the prizes to be offered. They in turn can use word of mouth at their work, the store, or wherever they happen to be to drum up interest and ticket purchases.

Assign ticket sales, poster hanging, newsletter writing, web site notices, and all other tasks you deem necessary to as many people as possible. Keep the most critical, widest reaching promotional tasks for yourself (eg: Cable TV announcement). One or two people cannot handle everything. You will reach a much larger number of raffle ticket buyers by including as many people as possible. Ticket sales are everyone’s responsibility!

Do the math: Have one of your volunteers work up some projected earnings based on different levels of ticket purchases. Use these to figure out what your organization can afford in a worst-case scenario (especially if you have never run a raffle). If you have a feel for how many tickets you will sell, you can go for a better-case scenario where you will make a higher profit. Try to keep the prize costs to one-third of your projected revenue.

What Type Of Raffles Are There?

Door Prizes: Door prizes can be included as part of the admission price of the fundraising event. They are used as an additional promotion to get people to want to attend your fundraiser. The Door Prize should be a desirable prize and printed (with photo) on all your promotional material. If you are having a charity dinner, a dinner certificate to a local high-end restaurant is a great raffle prize.

If you are selling raffle tickets, make them available at the door as guests arrive and you will get impulse buys.

Multiple Prizes: Offering multiple raffle prizes will increase your participant’s chance of winning - it will also increase the chance that they will buy a ticket (or multiple tickets).
Your fundraiser event guests believe their odds of winning are better when there are multiple raffle prizes.

Sit down with your volunteers and brainstorm about the most appealing raffle prizes you can offer. This way, more of the fundraiser attendees are likely to identify with and want them. What better way to increase raffle ticket sales?

Some of the most popular prizes are big screen Sony High Def TVs, Wii video game players, iPods (iPod Touch), gift certificates, spa visits, and weekend getaways.

Another idea is to make up baskets to raffle off. They can be made up with an theme in mind to appeal to different tastes. Some raffle baskets themese are: Golf - Tees, golf balls, free round of play and other accessories; Spa - Bath salts, oils, hand creams, free spa treatment certificate; Weekend Downtime basket - Bottle of wine with glasses, chocolate, DVD movie, games, etc; Lady Luck basket - Assorted scratch tickets, lucky scratch coin, deck of cards, "how to play poker" book, playing chips, mini roulette table layout; Spring has sprung basket - Gardening shovel, flower seeds, foam kneeling pad, miracle grow fertilizer. The themes are endless and can be customized to the organization's main interest, for example, a car club can have a basket of car care products.

50/50 Raffle: These raffle drawings are extremely easy and have a low overhead. You have to buy the tickets but there is no cost for the prize because the prize is half the ticket sales. It really simplifies the process and most people like winning cash.

A 50/50 raffle works great at many kinds of events such as football/basketball games, Las Vegas Nights, and Texas Hold-em Poker Nights, but it can also be used at any event even if it is not primarily a fundraising event.

The 50/50 raffle can be run periodically throughout the evening of your event to generate even more fundraising profit. Just be sure not to overdo it, or ticket sales will drop off considerably.

Automobile or Motorcycle Drawing:
A car or motorcycle raffle is a huge draw, it appeals to almost every adult.

These are expensive prizes, so you will need to decide how much to charge for tickets and what you want your total profit to be.

Car and motorcycle raffles are usually priced at $100 or $150 per ticket. The cheaper your ticket prices are the more of them you will have to sell to reach your profit goal. If you want your raffle ticket cost to be $50 (instead of $100), you will have to sell twice as many tickets.

Lower your prize cost by convincing the car (or motorcycle) dealer to give your organization a deep discount in return for publicity at your fundraising event. Many companies have community relation goals and are willing to get involved with either the prizes or a direct donation.

How Can I Sell More Raffle Tickets?

Tickets do not normally sell themselves. Your ticket sales people have to take a proactive approach. Use your most energetic, outgoing volunteers to sell the most raffle tickets possible.

Selling to Family, Friends, and Coworkers:

The easiest place for you to start is with family, friends, and coworkers. With acquaintances, you should ask for their help and hand them a flyer about the fundraising effort. The raffle flyer should clearly state (in a very readable format) what the cause is, what the prizes are, and what the raffle ticket price is. It is also helpful if the date and place of the raffle drawing are mentioned.
The raffle tickets being sold should be in your one hand while you give the flyer out with the other. Just after asking for their help, assume they want to buy some tickets and say how many would you like?

A good selling tactic to boost sales is offer more tickets at a discount. If you are selling one raffle ticket for $1, you can sell four for $3 (the discount), for example. This will triple the profit on that sale.

Do not try to explain everything in detail – that is what the flyer is for. Your objective is to sell quickly and get to the next potential ticket buyer. You only have so much time to sell the raffle tickets, so maximize the use of your time by not devoting too much time to each buyer.

Before allowing your volunteers to start selling raffle tickets, get together with them to brainstorm about possible objections to buying a ticket and what their response should be. By arming your team with the appropriate responses, you will sell more tickets. Remember, many people are programmed with ready-made objections to buying a ticket. By countering their objection you will convert a certain amount of them to a sale.

Selling To The General Public:

The largest group of people available to sell raffle tickets to is the general public.

High traffic areas are the best places to sell a lot of raffle tickets. Home improvement stores like: Home Depot & Lowes, membership stores like: BJ’s & Costco, Grocery Stores like: Stop & Shop & Hannaford’s, other large stores like: Walmart & Best Buy, Malls, Shopping Centers, and more are great choices.

Make sure to get permission from the store manager ahead of time. Tell her you want to set up a Raffle Ticket table outside of the entrance.

Set up the table in a place where it will not obstruct store traffic but can easily be seen as people approach the store. Hang signs at the front edge of the table and high up behind you so the people buying tickets won’t obstruct it. The signs should say what the money is being raised for, what the prize is, and how much a ticket costs. Some people will immediately identify with your cause and be ready to buy before they reach your table.

As people walk by, watch if they avoid eye contact and hurry their pace. If they do - let them go by. Focus on the people that are more receptive - watch as these people read the sign - get out from behind the table and hand them a flyer as you ask for their help.

Make your point with as few words as possible, for example: “We are raising money to buy new computers for the Library. Can you help by buying a raffle ticket to win a month’s worth of groceries”?

Sell raffle tickets at times of the day when there are a lot of shoppers. You may have to “stake out” the stores to find what the best times are.


Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Canopy Rental Installation Tips:

Rental Canopies (Tents) are not hard to install, and they can save you a lot of money.

Most people can set them up in about an hour. You need at least two people and preferably four (one for each corner).

During installation, questions may come up about how to complete a part of the install in the best and easiest way, or what a particular part is for.

For instance, you may notice there are thin ropes hanging next to each side pole and center pole. They are called “Jump Ropes” and are tied to each of the side poles and center poles to keep the tent top from jumping off the pin at the top of the pole. Once the top lifts off the pin, the pole could either fall over or punch a hole in the tent top.

Many people don’t know what jump ropes are for and don’t use them. It is smart to use them to prevent injury to your guests. It can also save you money in repair costs. Not to mention the holes, that once made by the pole will leak profusely during a rain all over your event.


Tip #1:
How do you tie a Jump Rope?

The Jump Rope should be pulled tight toward the ground and tied to the pole. This will keep the tent top tightly pulled against the top of the pole. Wind lift will then not be able to float the tent top off the pole’s pin.




Working backwards in the process, we come to side pole installation. Side poles hold up the perimeter of the tent. They also take a lot of weight off the tent top, which makes it easier to install the center poles.



Tip #2:
What’s the best way to install side poles (and center poles)?

Starting at the four corners: put the pin on top of the side pole through the grommet (and steel plate if there is one) in the tent top. Stand the pole up and swing the bottom of the pole towards the inside of the tent so it is slanted. You may need to loosen the stake rope a little to allow the pole to be lifted.

The bottom of the pole is now tilted diagonally into the center of the tent (about 2 to 3 feet in from the edge of the tent). Tie the “Jump Rope” onto the side pole (see above). Also tighten the stake rope just tight enough to hold the pole from falling over (but not as tight as you can make it. Do the same with the other three corners.

The four corner poles with their bottoms tipped towards the center of the tent will balance the tent top. Four people doing a corner at the same time makes this part of the tent install much easier.

The remaining side poles along the middle edges of the tent can now be installed in the same way. Make sure the stake ropes are not as tight as they can be or it will be very difficult or impossible to lift the center poles.

Now is the time to install the center pole(s). One person holds the center pole at the top (near the pin) and another can follow with the other end of the pole. The person near the pin goes under the tent first and finds the center pole hole. Once the sky can be seen through the hole it is time to put the center pole pin through it.

If the stake ropes are not too tight, one person can put the center pole in, but it is easier with two. Stand the center pole vertical and tie the “Jump Rope” to it. Do the same with the remaining center poles.

Go back to the corner side poles at this point. Adjust the tension on the stake rope so it is not too tight. Stand the previously tipped corner side pole straight up and check the stake rope tension. It should be very tight. If not, tip the pole inward again and tighten the stake rope slightly then stand it up again. This method will tighten the stake ropes tighter than any knot. Do this with the other three corners next and then all the remaining side poles.

Your tent top will be tight as a drum when the stake layout and stake rope tightening methods above are used. The fabric will not flap in a slight breeze and there will be no drooping between side poles.


Tip #3:
How do you get a “floating” side pole to stay down?

In some cases, the ground at the canopy site is not too level. It can rise or fall significantly between adjacent side poles. This can cause a mid side pole to “float” between the higher side poles to the left and right of it. There are two ways to help this situation. The first is to put wood shims under the pole to effectively raise the ground. The second is to hammer a wooden stake or rebar next to the offending side pole and lash the pole to it with rope.



After you finish the installation, by tying all other (thicker) ropes to their respective stakes - Step back and look at the Canopy – Does it droop between side poles? Does the wind flap the tent top around (even in a slight breeze)?

Chances are, the stake lines are either misaligned or too loose.


Tip #4:
How do you make the tent top tighter?

Aligning the stakes properly is the first step to a tighter tent top. At this stage of the tent install, the tarp is on the ground and the tent top is on top of it. The tent top is pulled out so that it is in the shape of a square or rectangle (the tent size determines this). The ropes attached to the tent top show you where the stakes should be hammered into the ground.

At each corner, two stakes needed. Each one should be in line with the edge of the tent top. Lets say you put a long ruler (or string) along the edge of the tent top and drew a line out into the grass (to line up the stake). Drive the stake into the ground about 4 to 5 feet away from the tent on that line. Do the same with the other edge of the tent to locate the second corner stake. If the stakes have a hook on them, aim it away from the tent (it helps hold the stake rope). If you have a good “eye”, a ruler will not be needed.
The stake rope should be tied (or looped if it has a “slider”) loosely over the stake with enough slack to allow the side pole to be installed.

The ropes along the middle of the tent show where the remaining stakes should be hammered in (4 to 5 feet away from the tent). Make your best effort to line the stake up with the stake rope (and side pole grommet) on both sides of the tent to get it straight.

All the stakes are now hammered into the ground and all stake ropes are tied to the stakes.



When your event is over and it is time to take down the Canopy, all the stake ropes are loosened, the bottom of the side poles are tipped inward, and the center poles are removed. The side poles are removed last. Then the stakes are pulled out of the ground.


Tip #5:
How do you get a stuck stake out?

Extreme stuck stakes can be avoided by paying attention to how hard it is to bang them into the ground.

If a stake went in the ground hard, it will be just as hard (if not harder) to get out. Once the stake is secure, it is a good idea to stop banging it further into the ground. The time it takes to remove a stuck stake can take exceed the time it took to take the entire tent down.

If you are near a large tree, be mindful of the roots. A stake pounded into a root is the absolute hardest to remove. While hitting the stake, try to get a feel for a normal “hit”. You can feel the difference when hitting into a tree root. The ground will also vibrate more as the energy travels along the root.

If you think you are hitting a root (or another unmovable object like a rock), remove the stake and reposition it further away from the tent and the root. Many times you can get an idea of where major roots are by looking at the tree base. The shape of the roots will come off the tree in a “Y”. You should position the stake in the middle of the “Y” if it has to be near the tree. It is better if the tent (or stake line) is located away from large trees.

One way of getting a stuck stake out is to hit the side of it with your hammer close to the ground. If it is really stubborn, hit it on all four sides of the. This will make the stake hole larger and enable you to remove it.

Another thing you can try is to spin the stake. This breaks it free from the ground and enables it to be pulled free. Sometimes a bent stake is harder to pull until it is spun to where you can feel less friction. First try spinning it by hand (or both hands). If this does not work, use channel lock pliers, or a pipe wrench to get it spinning. Many times, just spinning it back and forth will free it.


Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Give Your Guests The Red Carpet Treatment !

Chrome Stanchions and Red Velour Rope are a great way to draw attention to a grand opening, movie premier, or theatre production. Two rows of Chrome Stanchions and Red Velour Rope run along the edges of a Red Carpet really make a statement at your entrance!

Other Uses for Stanchion and Rope:

Stanchions and rope can also be used for lining people up at graduations, ticket booths, expo registrations, and other events.

Car shows can use stanchion and rope to create a safe “no touch zone” around their prized possession. Other artistic or historical displays can use a semi circle of stanchion and rope to keep viewers' fingers off.

Define a space with stanchion and rope to create a temporary food court, café or waiting area. By creating an entrance in the proper place, pedestrian traffic is greatly improved by eliminating bottlenecks.

Trim your Budget and have crowd control:

Save money by renting chrome stanchions and buying small diameter white rope to pass between the stanchions. You will save the cost of the velour ropes (which can be as much as $1.25 per foot or more) and you can reduce the number of stanchions needed by lengthening the rope between stanchions. For example: A seventy foot long line of stanchion and velour rope can cost about $190 to rent. This is not a lot of money for a high profile event, but if your event has a tight budget and you need some crowd control, just space the stanchions ten feet apart and use white rope between the stanchions to stretch your budget dollars. The cost of the seventy foot run in this case would be about $80, which saves you $110 !! (This cost includes buying one hundred feet of white poly rope).

If you don’t think the narrow white poly rope will look right for your type of event, you can select a different color (check what is available from your supplier). You may even be able to rent the rope from your event rental company – just call and ask.

Rope weight can be an issue: If heavier velour ropes were clipped together, they could pull the stanchions down. By choosing a 3/8” poly rope or a ¼” cotton (clothesline type) rope, there would be no weight issue. However, if you got your hands on some free dock lines used to tie off boats – the stanchion line is sure to fall over.

Installing Stanchions and Rope:

When setting up your chrome stanchion line, you can “eyeball” the line straight, or use a long string taped to the floor to get the line perfect. Just figure out where your stanchion line should be and run a long string between two points. The string should be pulled fairly tight, but not so tight as to pull the tape up which is securing it. Warn people not to walk over your string or they may kick it loose before you are finished setting up.

You could also mark off the floor with tape every ten feet to get your stanchions evenly spaced. The edge of the stanchion base will be placed just beside the string (not on top of it – this will make the string removal easier) during the stanchion set-up.

When you are ready to run the long rope you bought, the easiest way to install it on the stanchions is to form it into a “U” shape and pass it up through the bottom of the rope ring near the top of the stanchion. Then put the loop over the crown of the stanchion to secure it.

This method will allow you to adjust the length of the ropes between the stanchions very easily. It will also eliminate tying knots at every stanchion (a time consuming task) and make for extremely easy rope removal - just push the loops up off each stanchion, drop them on the floor, untie both end stanchions, and coil the rope.

The above method can be used for stanchion and velour rope installation as well.


Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Chair & Table Movement

Moving Rental Tables & Chairs:

It is always best to move chairs and tables with a dolly if you are on a smooth and level surface (like cement). Then, when you are setting up or taking down the equipment, you can move throughout the event area without having to walk back and forth. This will save you energy and time – both of which are usually in short supply before an event.

If there are any bumps or larger imperfections on the floor (or ground) you will need to strap the load to the dolly. Not doing so may result in the load shifting as it is being pushed when it hits a large enough bump (the dolly will stop and the load will slide off the top of the dolly). If you are lucky, the load will just fall on the floor/ground – if you are less lucky it may fall on you or others. Not to mention the damage to the nice wood floor… It is always good to have a second person to help you maneuver the loaded dolly over any area that is less than perfect.

Before moving any load, look at the entire path you will be pushing along. If you have any doubts about the smoothness or incline, you will need to carry the items.

One of the secrets to carrying anything is to always use the biggest and strongest muscles you have – your legs. You walk every day, and exercise them –whether you want to or not – so they are in the best shape. Never bend and use your back.

The other secret is to use balance (as Miyagi would have said). When you pick up a table, if you don’t have it at the exact center, it will be much harder to carry. You won’t be just using your legs to carry it, you will be using other muscles to try and keep it from tipping. At best, this will tire you out fast - at worst, you may injure yourself.


If you are not in decent shape, enlist the help of others to help you carry tables and chairs.


Standard Rental Tables:
-6’ long plywood tables weigh between 45 to 50 pounds.
-8’ long plywood tables weigh between 55 to 65 pounds.

Non-standard tables can be much heavier:
-A 6’ long table made from particleboard weighs 72 pounds.
-This is the type of table that would have a Formica top.

Carrying Techniques – Folding Tables:

Two-Person Single Table Horizontal Carry: A rectangular table laid on its long side with the top facing you will have a “runner” on the opposite side. Both people use this “runner” as a handle to carry the table.

Two-Person Two Table Horizontal Carry: Two rectangular tables laid on their long sides with both tops facing you (as above) will have a “runner” on both sides. Both people hold a “runner” in their left hand and their right hand to carry two tables at a time (a “people” sandwich).

One-Person Single Table Horizontal Carry: A rectangular table laid on its long side with the top facing you will have a “runner” on the opposite side. Grab the “runner” in the middle of the table to carry it. Test it first by lifting it to find the balance point.

One-Person Single Table "Suitcase" Carry: A rectangular table laid on its short side (standing tall) with the top facing away from you with the folding legs showing. Grab the lower leg at the horizontal brace as if it were a suitcase handle and use the other hand to balance the table by its edge to carry it. Make sure to look overhead first to determine if there is enough space for the table (some ceilings and doorways can pose a problem). This is a very easy way to carry a table over great distances. If there is a low door to go through at the end, you can switch to the “horizontal carry”.

One-Person Single Table Forearm Carry: A rectangular table, laying on its long side in a delivery truck with the top facing you will have to be unloaded and carried. Grab the table by the top and bottom edges and slide it out of the truck until you can lay it on top of your lower forearm. This arm should be your strongest (dominant arm) as it will bear most of the weight. Using this method, you will easily out-carry anyone trying to hold the table in both hands. When you are ready to put the table down, rotate it to the floor/ground from the balance point and once it is down continue to “roll” it onto its long side to get ready to open the legs.

Opening the table legs: Every so often I see tables set up that do not have the leg locks engaged. The legs hinge open and then there is a bar that should be pushed. It will snap into place securing the folding leg. When the time comes to take down the table, the lock is pushed in the opposite direction to release it. There are many types of tables in the world, and many types of locks. The type mentioned above is the typical Rental Table lock. Another type is the gravity lock which will fall when the table is turned upright – then they have to be slid back to release the legs.


Carrying Techniques – Folding Chairs:

In the table-carrying section above, tables can weigh anywhere from 45 to 65 pounds. Chairs are much lighter and normally carried in groups. A Standard “Samsonite-style” folding chair weighs 7 pounds, while a standard garden chair weighs 10 pounds. This weight will determine how many chairs you can comfortably carry.

If you can easily move thirty-five pounds, then you should be carrying 5 “Sams” or 3 “Gardens” per trip.

Seventy pounds is an upper limit for most strapping young lads who work in the event rental field (for multiple “carries”) and would dictate moving 10 “Sams” or maybe 7 “Gardens”. I say maybe because the garden chairs are bulkier than the regular folding chairs so are more difficult to handle.

Chairs, because of their small size, lend themselves to being carried by one person. Many folding chairs lock together nowadays and that makes them easier to carry. Some of the older style wood garden chairs do not and that raises the level of difficulty.

To get ready, position the chairs in front of you. If they are standing folded leaning against something, grab five (or 10 if that is your comfort level) and lock them together. Then bend your knees and reach through the chairs with one arm just below the seat (this is close to the balance point). Lift with your legs while “hugging” the chairs to your midsection with both arms.

If the chairs are laying flat on a dolly or the floor, pick your amount to carry and lift the top of the chair (the part your back would lean against while sitting in the chair) while reaching through.

Put them down by reversing the process.






























Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

FOR PARTY & EVENT RENTAL NEWBIES

Anyone who needs basic rental items such as tables and chairs for their home to host a party has only five steps to complete:

1- Look online for potential Party Rental Companies and view their web site.

2- Check out photos and information on the different types of chairs and tables available.

3- Make a list of the items you need to rent along with any questions you may have about the services or items. Some Rental Companies have their price list posted online – you can print it out to use as a guide.

4- Call the Rental Company you would like to use to get a quoted price (written). Aside from the rental costs of the items, expect to pay state tax, a delivery/pick-up fee, and maybe a labor charge (for additional services such as set up and break down).

HINT: You may be able to save the delivery/pick-up charge by doing a self-pickup and return – depending on how many rental items you need, this may be a feasible option for you.

The Rental Company should at this point email (or fax or snail-mail) you a printed quote.

5- If the rental quote shows what you want at an agreeable cost, you then place your order. The easiest way to reserve your order is with a credit card over the phone.


The entire ordering process can take only ten minutes if you have already seen the prices online and know what you want. Have your credit card and your email address (for the quote to be sent to) available when you make the call to avoid having to call back to reserve your order.


Party Rentals can be surprisingly affordable:

Lets say you are planning a party for 40 guests. The rental order would be 40 basic Folding Chairs and 4 Folding Tables (60” round or 8’ long) to fit ten guests on each. Your total cost would be somewhere between $70 and $80 if you pick up and return the items. If you need to have the items delivered, you would have to also pay the delivery/pick-up charge. It is based on how far away from the rental company you are – the fees are standardized and the rental company can tell you what they are when you call.


Larger Orders:

The process is much the same for larger orders that include tents, stages, china, linen, and glassware, etc. The delivery fee is for a truckload (and the trucks are fairly large) so it would remain the same. The only other fees (besides the rental fees) would be the additional services required by the renter.


Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com