A wicked bad storm rolled in and several booths were damaged, art lost from the wind and hail. Thank goodness no one was hurt. I was surrounded by veteran artists who all agreed that this was one for the books: scarey stuff. The storm was through quickly and customers still showed up and shopped. I was pleased with the attendance and with sales and my heart goes out to those who had storm damage.
We use a combination of concrete filled PVC pipes and also tractor weights (extremely hefty) double strapped to the legs and bottom bars. You can get tractor weights at a farm store like TSC. We also stake the corners if allowed.
We were at Broadripple, right next to the unfortunate artist who had the tent dropped on top of theirs. He said the wind lifted the Light Dome and carried it two aisles over and it came right through their roof, legs first. It had long rectangular metal weights attached to the legs. Had it come down just a few inches to the side, it could have hit this poor artist in the head, and presumably could have killed someone. He was injured on his arm and neck, bandaged up, but will be okay.
We had a small backyard sunshade type canopy right behind us, and I don't think it had any weights on it at all. It belonged to a community organization. When the wind hit, it slammed into my back wall and nearly took our tent down with it. Fortunately we had set our shelving and display walls several inches inside away from the tent walls, or it all would have come down. About five customers in my tent waiting out the storm grabbed pots off the top shelves and lovingly held them until the storm passed. They were awesome.
Just a thought to add for beginning artists: The injured artist wished the show or the other tent owner would have been held responsible for his damages. I don't think either one could have been. The other tent did have weights, although they proved inadequate. In that case I believe any insurance company would call it an "act of God". However...if you fail to adequately weight and support your tent, I suppose you could be sued if it ended up damaging someone else's property and merchandise...or the worst case scenario, injuring someone. Could be a legal mess. So be sure you do everything you can to protect both yourself AND others.
I attended the Broad Ripple Art Fair last weekend and was pleased to present "Red Dots" to: John & Camille Staropoli, Dawn Adams, Laurie Fowler, Susan Lukas, Marji Rawson, Ynon Mabat, Vinnie Sutherland, Sandi Finney, Steve Cambronne, Cappi Phillips, B.J. McHugh, Jerry Farnsworth, Nadine King, Bonnie Blandford, Pat & John Hecker, Carroll Swayce, Elizabeth Busey, Vicki Bangs, Richard McCollum and Larry Humphrey, all members of ArtFairInsiders.com.
Lots of packages were seen leaving the grounds
There was a phalanx of buses carrying shoppers to and fro from the show, these folks headed home, tuckered out
I saw them (and coveted them) on quite a few booths during set up at my last show- great look and design. A bit out of my reach right now - but something to keep in mind for the future.
I'm not the first to do it -- it's just steel bar stock cut to length. You can make 'em square so they don't roll, or you can have round, in pretty much any width and length.
We do know someone who can do this, or something similar, so long as you don't mind us creating an adaptation based on your smart solution. Checked into the other two options- which looked great, and surely worth the $$ down the line. Just outside the budget for now. Thanks for the helpful info!
I had them fabricated by a place near my house. They weren't cheap ($75 each), but they are compact and indestructible. They are 2.5" x 2.5" x 30" plus the loop. We usually use a cable tie, run around the lower end, to keep them from banging around. We also have the extra zippers on our Trimline so that we can zip around the awning ells at night. That little bit lets us zip the weights inside the walls, so they aren't visible at night. If you don't have the zippers, there's enough space at the top of the sidewalls to get a hook and strap looped around the roof three way and still zip up. You can't fasten them at the bottom that way, though. We've got 9' walls, and never had a problem.
Hanging horizontally under the sta-bars is a good location for them, and puts the center of gravity really low. You might want a loop on both ends if you're going to do that. I'd center them, one on each sta-bar, if that's the case. Or two on each leg on the sides, each near a corner.
The tent next to us at our last show collapsed the night before the show, (these wonderful organizers came and set up at new tent for the artist in the morning) and we've been talking weight strategy ever since- We were thinking of hanging weights under the staybars, close up next to the corners. Those steel weight might work for us on their sides. Also, this may be obvious to everyone but me, but how do people w/trimlines who hang their weights on the outside of the booth attach them to the legs when they zip up the side walls? Especially if you want the bottom of the sidewall to reach to the ground?
I use 2.5" square steel weights with loops welded to the tops. They hang from heavy duty web straps, with the weights secured at the bottom of the legs. They weigh 75 pounds each. Word to the wise: Bungie cords will NOT keep your weights attached to your tent. Use something with a high static breaking point, like webbing load straps, or high-tensile strength cord. Even clothesline is suspect. Many folks are using ratchet tie-downs to provide cross-bracing between the legs.There was a recent discussion about this...
If I had a dollar for every booth with either no weights or significantly inadequate weights at each show I do every year, I'd retire from art shows as an artist and just go around and whine about all of those booths with, well, inadequate or no weights!
I wish more shows would enforce adequate weighting. La Quinta CA is on grass for the most part and they strictly enforce 3' rebars for each corner of your booth. It has saved a lot of booths/artwork from the high winds and sandstorms they get on occasion.
When artists set up on pavement, they have to have a lot of weight, not just 10 or 20 lbs of water weights or sandbags or tube weights, etc. At least about 30 lbs/corner. And make sure the weights hang to the ground. Weights that are suspended at midpoint or higher on a booth leg just become lethal weapons when high winds hit. The center of gravity is raised up, making the booth top heavy. We all want bottom heavy booths!
I use cement blocks, 8x8x16. They vary in weight between 26-42 lbs. I put one on each corner, maybe two on a corner that is exposed to potentially high winds. Many times I've seen tube weights rolling down the street at a show, sometimes with a booth attached to it. I have yet to see a cement block rolling down the street, or even lifting off of the pavement. They're about $1-1.50 each at your major home improvement center (Lowes, etc.). I double strap them to both my Sta-Bars and my booth legs so there is no slippage or shifting.
Again, shows: pay attention! So much damage could be prevented or minimized if adequate booth weighting was enforced, with inspection and enforcement on setup day!
Comments
We use a combination of concrete filled PVC pipes and also tractor weights (extremely hefty) double strapped to the legs and bottom bars. You can get tractor weights at a farm store like TSC. We also stake the corners if allowed.
We were at Broadripple, right next to the unfortunate artist who had the tent dropped on top of theirs. He said the wind lifted the Light Dome and carried it two aisles over and it came right through their roof, legs first. It had long rectangular metal weights attached to the legs. Had it come down just a few inches to the side, it could have hit this poor artist in the head, and presumably could have killed someone. He was injured on his arm and neck, bandaged up, but will be okay.
We had a small backyard sunshade type canopy right behind us, and I don't think it had any weights on it at all. It belonged to a community organization. When the wind hit, it slammed into my back wall and nearly took our tent down with it. Fortunately we had set our shelving and display walls several inches inside away from the tent walls, or it all would have come down. About five customers in my tent waiting out the storm grabbed pots off the top shelves and lovingly held them until the storm passed. They were awesome.
Just a thought to add for beginning artists: The injured artist wished the show or the other tent owner would have been held responsible for his damages. I don't think either one could have been. The other tent did have weights, although they proved inadequate. In that case I believe any insurance company would call it an "act of God". However...if you fail to adequately weight and support your tent, I suppose you could be sued if it ended up damaging someone else's property and merchandise...or the worst case scenario, injuring someone. Could be a legal mess. So be sure you do everything you can to protect both yourself AND others.
I attended the Broad Ripple Art Fair last weekend and was pleased to present "Red Dots" to: John & Camille Staropoli, Dawn Adams, Laurie Fowler, Susan Lukas, Marji Rawson, Ynon Mabat, Vinnie Sutherland, Sandi Finney, Steve Cambronne, Cappi Phillips, B.J. McHugh, Jerry Farnsworth, Nadine King, Bonnie Blandford, Pat & John Hecker, Carroll Swayce, Elizabeth Busey, Vicki Bangs, Richard McCollum and Larry Humphrey, all members of ArtFairInsiders.com.
Thanks Phil,
I saw them (and coveted them) on quite a few booths during set up at my last show- great look and design. A bit out of my reach right now - but something to keep in mind for the future.
Thanks, Jim.
We do know someone who can do this, or something similar, so long as you don't mind us creating an adaptation based on your smart solution. Checked into the other two options- which looked great, and surely worth the $$ down the line. Just outside the budget for now. Thanks for the helpful info!
Eaton's weights, or Happi Feet work well too, if you don't want to find a fabricator. Won't save you any money, though.
I had them fabricated by a place near my house. They weren't cheap ($75 each), but they are compact and indestructible. They are 2.5" x 2.5" x 30" plus the loop. We usually use a cable tie, run around the lower end, to keep them from banging around. We also have the extra zippers on our Trimline so that we can zip around the awning ells at night. That little bit lets us zip the weights inside the walls, so they aren't visible at night. If you don't have the zippers, there's enough space at the top of the sidewalls to get a hook and strap looped around the roof three way and still zip up. You can't fasten them at the bottom that way, though. We've got 9' walls, and never had a problem.
Hanging horizontally under the sta-bars is a good location for them, and puts the center of gravity really low. You might want a loop on both ends if you're going to do that. I'd center them, one on each sta-bar, if that's the case. Or two on each leg on the sides, each near a corner.
The tent next to us at our last show collapsed the night before the show, (these wonderful organizers came and set up at new tent for the artist in the morning) and we've been talking weight strategy ever since- We were thinking of hanging weights under the staybars, close up next to the corners. Those steel weight might work for us on their sides. Also, this may be obvious to everyone but me, but how do people w/trimlines who hang their weights on the outside of the booth attach them to the legs when they zip up the side walls? Especially if you want the bottom of the sidewall to reach to the ground?
Thanks!
If I had a dollar for every booth with either no weights or significantly inadequate weights at each show I do every year, I'd retire from art shows as an artist and just go around and whine about all of those booths with, well, inadequate or no weights!
I wish more shows would enforce adequate weighting. La Quinta CA is on grass for the most part and they strictly enforce 3' rebars for each corner of your booth. It has saved a lot of booths/artwork from the high winds and sandstorms they get on occasion.
When artists set up on pavement, they have to have a lot of weight, not just 10 or 20 lbs of water weights or sandbags or tube weights, etc. At least about 30 lbs/corner. And make sure the weights hang to the ground. Weights that are suspended at midpoint or higher on a booth leg just become lethal weapons when high winds hit. The center of gravity is raised up, making the booth top heavy. We all want bottom heavy booths!
I use cement blocks, 8x8x16. They vary in weight between 26-42 lbs. I put one on each corner, maybe two on a corner that is exposed to potentially high winds. Many times I've seen tube weights rolling down the street at a show, sometimes with a booth attached to it. I have yet to see a cement block rolling down the street, or even lifting off of the pavement. They're about $1-1.50 each at your major home improvement center (Lowes, etc.). I double strap them to both my Sta-Bars and my booth legs so there is no slippage or shifting.
Again, shows: pay attention! So much damage could be prevented or minimized if adequate booth weighting was enforced, with inspection and enforcement on setup day!
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next