All white backgrounds can at best be described as a least worst solution - they all have drawbacks!!!! Muslins and curtain backgrounds crease, Paper backgrounds rip and have to be kept on rolls, and vinyl backgrounds are heavy...
We spend long sessions with customers working out how best to handle their vinyl backgrounds, especially in the mobile situation, and the following is a guide to the handling white vinyl backgrounds.
MOUNTING VINYL BACKGROUNDS
Vinyl backgrounds are heavy and are not suitable to be mounted in any working condition on a cardboard core similar to that used with background paper. They should be mounted on a metal core: We find a 50mm diameter Alucore quite satisfactory, and this is the pole that we supply with backgrounds to order. Vinyl backgrounds not ordered with a pole are supplied on a cardboard core of our choice for carrying only
IN THE STUDIO - WALL/CEILING MOUNTING
If the wall space behind can be sacrificed, then the simplest way to hang the background is to fit a wooden batten (approx 1inx1.5in, 25x37mm) across the wall, fold the top couple of inches of the background over, and fix to the batten with suitable screws and large penny washers: When not in use, the floor section can simply be rolled up.
Where wall space cannot be dedicated, and the background has to be rolled up and down we do not recommend the Expan type of pole end, as this is designed for use with paper backgrounds in cardboard cores, so the combination of firstly the reduction in friction between the Expan and the metal core and secondly the very much greater weight of the vinyl will lead to slipping, and then almost certainly a massive reduction in the working life of the expan. Additionally the standard plastic chain of the expan set is not strong enough to cope with a vinyl: If you do use a vinyl on an expan system, then certainly you will need to purchase a metal chain for the expan set.
In the studio situation we DO recommend the 'Standard Chain System' which provides a fixed metal drive. However, there is a friction clutch in the system, and you should always keep the chain secured by means of a hook or screw nearby.
IN THE MOBILE SITUATION
A white vinyl background is extremely difficult to handle without a core, and whilst it is quite acceptable to unroll it and clamp it to a stand and crosspole arrangement, it is far from easy both to transport the background and to handle it while it is clamped.
We therefore recommend having the background fixed to an aluminium core as above. It is then easiest to have two spigots on the top of your stands, and with your background pole slightly wider than the background and suitably drilled to take the spigots, the background can be simply unrolled, remembering to leave at least one wind of the background on the pole, and then fitted over the spigots where it cannot unwind. If you have a telescopic or sectional crosspole, this would be redundant with this.
Vinyl To Go mounting - a spigot on the top of a stand goes through the pre-drilled pole
Please bear in mind the load of the white vinyl: Very few of the Portable background sets (stands and crosspole) on the market are considered by us to be clearly safe to use with a full length white vinyl in this manner: We recommend the use of heavier duty stands where possible for stability and peace of mind. Please ask us about a complete 'White Vinyl To Go' package comprising the background, mounted on a suitable metal core, heavy duty stands and spigots.
Go to White Vinyl FAQ (a pdf file)
