materials

1. RESEARCH TASK1 - SET CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Setconstructionmaterial Physical descriptionsupportedwith
photograph/ diagram
Explanationonhowitcan be usedasa
constructionmaterial withexamples
Safetyconsiderationswhenusing
materialsincludingreferencetoin-
use and storage
Explanationof the keypropertiesof
the material includingstructural
performance.
Comparisonof performance
againsta possible alternative
MDF ( mediumdensityfibreboard)
MDF is
small wood
fibres
pushed
together
reallyhard
at high
temperaturesmeaningthere isno
gaps makingitstrong.
As MDF is sostrong itcan be usedfor
structural buildingasitwon’tbreak
easily. Itcan be usedfordoors,
panellingasithasa smoothsurface
meaningthatit isgoodfor painting
ontoand do nestgetknotson the
surface so itwill lookgoodonstage. As
it hasno grainsit can be cut anddrilled
withoutcausingdamage tothe surface,
it can alsobe gluedto othermaterials
easily. MDFwouldbe goodto be used
as thingssuchas bookshelvesforthe
setof beautyandthe beastas itcan be
paintedandisresistanttobreaking
easilysocan be carriedon and off
stage withouthavingto be too gentle
withit.
Ventilationordustmasksshouldbe
usedwhencuttingMDF as it can give
off lotsof dustcontaining urea
formaldehydewhenbeingcutthat
can cause irritationtothe lungsand
eyes.Asitis sodense itcan be very
heavyto liftsomustbe movedwith
caution.MDF will alsosoakup water
easilysomustbe keptdry.
Due to it beingheatedand
compactedat hightemperatures
MDF isstructurally sound.Itiseasily
machinedandpaintedbecause of its
smoothnessandlackof grain sois
effiecntandeasytouse when
building. Howeverbecause of itslack
of grainMDF isn’tverygoodat
holdingscrewswell sootherwaysto
attachingit shouldbe used.
MDF islessexpensivethan
plywoodsocouldbe a cheaper
alternative.MDFalsocuts
smootherthanplywoodsogives
a cleanerfinishwhencuttingin
shapesandis alsoeasiertocut so
ismore efficienttime wise than
plywood.
Plywood
plywoodismade by gluingtogether
a numberof thin veneers of pilesof
softor hardwoodat 90 degrees
makingitversatile todifferent
strengthsdependingonitsuse.
Due to its layersplywoodisresistantto
bendingsoitcan be usedforstrong
structural panellingorfurniture making
howeverif youwere touse a verythin
piece of plywooditcouldbe bentinto
a curvedshape if needed.Plywoodcan
be usedfor thingssuchas props or
parts of the setthat will be neededto
be liftedonandoff stage as itisn’ttoo
heavy.Plywoodcanalsobe usedfor
structural usesas it isstrongdue to its
layers.
Whencuttingplywoodeye and lung
protectionmustbe consideredinthe
formof googlesanddustmasksto
stopthe dustgivenoff irritatingyour
eyesandbreathingitin causing
problemswithyourlungs.As
plywoodcomesinlarge sheets
havingsomeone toholdorsteady
part of itif it isbeingcut may be
useful tomake sure it doesn’tfall
and injure someone. Plywoodcan
oftensplinterwhencutsogloves
manybe usedtostop splinters
gettinginthe skin.
Because ithas multiple layers
plywoodis unlikelytobendeasily,
alsodue to the layersplywoodis
goodat holdingscrews soeasyto
use whenbuildingstructures.
Plywooddoesn’tswellorsoakup
watertoo fastso can be used in
outdoorcircumstances. Plywoodis
difficulttocutdetaileddesigns into
as the edgeswill splinterleaving
obviouslayersthatdon’tlookvery
goodwhenusedonstage ina set.
Plywoodisbetterthanholding
screwsso wouldbe a better
optionforbuildingstructures that
needtobe attachedtogether.
Plywood isalsolessresistantto
waterso isbetterfor structures
beingusedoutside.Plywoodis
alsomore reliable forstandingon
and holdinglarge amountsof
weightbecause of itsmanylayers
it can be made to be strong.
Howeverplywoodcancome in
thinnerlayersthatcan be bent
and curvedto make rampsunlike
MDF.
Pine
pine isa soft
woodas it
comesfrom
a needle
leavedtree
that is
lightweight
and straight
grained.It
has a good resistance toswelling
due to moisture
Pine woodcan be workedwitheasily
as it hasa goodstrengthand can be
workedwithbyhandor on the
machines,itcan be nailedandscrewed
makingiteasyto buildsetswithand
the surface is easilyfinishedwith
paints.Because of all these factorspine
couldbe usedto make furniture props
inBeautyand the Beast as pinewood
allowsthe propsto be paintedandalso
due to itslightnessitcanbe liftedon
and off stage easily. Pinewoodcanalso
be usedinset constructionasit is
ideallyusedtomake the frameworkfor
the set.
Whencuttingpine, a dustmasks
shouldalwaysbe wornas the dust
can be harmful whenbreathedin
heavily.Pinewoodcanalsocome in
large sheetssoshouldbe carriedby
multiple peopletopreventaccidents.
Whencuttingand shapingthe wood
glovesandsafelyusingthe cutting
equipment.Whenonstage the
pinewoodneedstobe secureddown
to reduce the riskof a prop fallingon
somebodyand injuringthemduring
the show.
Pinewoodisversatileasitcan be
workedwithbyhandor machine,it
can alsobe paintedtogive ita nice
finish. Itisresistanttoshrinkingand
swellingsoiseasyto store.It also
has greatstrengthand elasticity so
will workwell forpartsof the set or
propsthat are beingliftedonandoff
the stage.
Pinewoodcomparedto chipboard
isbetteras it isresistantto
swellingfrommoisture as
chipboardwill gosoogyand
break,itis alsodenserthan
chipboardsoit’sbetteras a
structural material ratherthan
justfor props.

2. RESEARCH TASK1 - SET CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
chipboard
chipboardisa
board made
fromchipsof
woodglued
togetherwith
a veneeror
plastic
laminate ontopto give ita more
expensive look.
Chipboard can be usedas a et
constructionmaterial asithas the
veneerlayertogive ita special look
meaningthatit wouldbe goodto be
usedinthe set of beautyand the beast
whenbuildingthe beastscastle asit
has to be grand and expensivelooking.
The chip boardcouldalso be usedfor
the ballroomflooringinbeautyandthe
beastas the dance issetin a grand ball
room andthe chipboardwill make the
floorlook expensive.Chipboardis
commonlyusedforfurniture socanbe
usedto make propsfor the setor used
as a topperfor furniture onthe set,for
example onatable
Whencuttingchipboard, a mask
shouldbe usedasthe dustfrom
cuttingmay cause damage to the
lungsif breathedininlarge
quantities,orbe cutin a well-
ventilated area.Glovesshouldbe
wornwhencarryingchipboardas the
edgescan be rigid.Chipboardcan
soakup waterif dampand swell
causingit to break, because of thisit
shouldalwaysbe keptina dry space
and notcarried outin the rainas it
may breakon stage and harman
actor. If carryinga large sheetor
heavyamountof chipboardthenit
shouldbe sharedbetweentwo
people toprevent any injuries.
Chipboardismade fromgluingwood
particlestogetherunderheatand
pressure creatingarigidboard with
a smoothsurface oftentoppedwith
a plasticveneer.Itcan come in
multiple densitiessuchasnormal,
mediumandhigh.The normal
densityisfairlysoftandthe highis
solidandhard withmediumbeing
somewhere in-between.However
whendampthe mediumandnormal
densitychipboardwillsoak upwater,
swell andbreakdown.Because
chipboardcan come in multiple
densitiesitcan be verylightsoidea
for the stage as It can be carriedoff
and on easily.
Chipboardisa cheapermaterial
than pinewoodasitismade from
woodshavingsgluedtogether,
not solidwood.A plasticveneer
can be addedtothe topof the
chipboardto give ita certain
finishmakingitmore versatilefor
it uses.Chipoardisalsolighter
than pinewoodsocanbe takeno
and off stage easierinset
changes.
Steel
Steel cancome in differentforms,
such as carbon steel,alloysteels,
stainlesssteel andtool steels,this
meanstheyeachhave different
Steel canbe usedasa setconstruction
material asit isstrong so can be used
for lightingrigsandtohang things
from. As steel isasturdymetal it can as
be usedon stage for the base of ramps
and platformsonstage to give levelsin
the performance,as steel cantake the
weightof the actors stoodon itsframe.
Steel isa heavymaterial sowhen
beingcarrieditshouldbe between
twopeople topreventany injuries.
Whenbeingcarriedglovesshould
alsobe usedas the edgesmaybe
sharp.Whenbeingcut goggles
shouldbe wornas it mayspark. Due
to itsweightsteel shouldbe secured
on stage as it fallingduringa
performance onan actor couldcause
seriousharm.
There are three differenttypesof
steel eachwithdifferentproperties,
lowcarbon steel iseasilyshapedand
bentintoa curve sois goodfor
buildingpropsthatneedtolook
heavyor shiny.Highcarbon steel is
hard and dense socan take weight
and isverystrong socan be usedfor
lightingrigsorbasesfor platforms
on stage.Stainlesssteel wont
corrode so isideal forlongterm and
outside use.
Comparedtoaluminiumsteelis
much strongersois more useful
for thingssuchas lightingrigsand
to hang thingssuchas wiresfor
actors flyingfromhowever
aluminiumismuchcheaperthan
steel andcan be bentinto
preferredshapesforwhatitis
neededfor,althoughlow carbon
steel isanalternative asthatcan
be shapedeasilytoo.Steel is
more hardwiringthanaluminium
especiallyasstainlesssteel
doesn’tcorrode