Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
The wild card of my project at the Brown Grand Theatre is replacing the top of the drop curtain. It is a long process, that requires several steps and several days of dry time.
This portion of the project all stemmed from a horizontal rip that began along the top batten years ago.
What should have happened when this damage was initially identified, was a simple patch. In other words, remove the top batten, repair the fabric, replace the top batten, and rehang; problem solved. Instead, the old four-inch pine batten was replaced and a new six-inch oak batten, placed well below the original damage. The excess fabric was then wrapped around the backside of the batten. Even this repair may have been reversible, except the excess fabric was glued to the batten.
Furthermore, the new top batten was not adequately prepared prior to use. Specifically, the sharp edges were not rounded, shaved, or sanded, so another rip began to appear in the same location as the previous one. On top of everything else, the glue used to secure the excess fabric was solvent-based, so it continued to off-gas after the new oak batten was attached. A chemical reaction occurred that rapidly deteriorated the fibers and irreparably damaged the top of the drop. This meant that the top twelve excess inches wrapped around the oak batten became damaged beyond repair; they could no longer support the weight of the drop. A simple reinforcement strip along the top was no longer an option. The damaged excess fabric needed to be removed and the new top edge would be “sandwiched” between two reinforcement strips for adequate support.
Although this seems like a complex repair, the biggest problem is dry time. Each step requires a good day for the glue to dry. The drying goes slow because the patch needs to be compressed for a secure seal. This is not like the application of a normal patch to a puncture where you lightly press and walk away. I am using hide glue for this repair.
Three days ago, I glued the fabric extension to the backside, creating the back patch. While this dried, I prepared a painted front patch. By yesterday afternoon, I had managed to secure the painted front patch to the edge of the top, as I could not glue the entire patch at once due to size. Today, I will continue to attach the remainder of the front patch.
In addition to the top patch, I will also need to reinforce all of the seams. This will be the most difficult repair in the entire project. It is time-consuming and tricky. There were four panels of fabric sewn together when the drop was constructed. The three horizontal seams have begun to fail, so this will require a reinforcement strip that runs the entire length of each seam.
While all of this is happening, I continue to work on consolidating loose paint and addressing areas with paint loss during dry time.
To be continued…
