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The TD is responsible for procuring all the raw material for sets. A trip to Home Depot and Backstage Hardware usually takes care of most needs (but there's some stuff in the office if you need e.g. 2x4s or plywood. There's also a lot of unlabelled wood in the set shop that can be used). A list of materials should be compiled as soon as possible during the production process so it can be updated quickly and easily- you don't want to spend an extra hour of travel time because you forgot to buy the dowel pins when you had a U-Haul. Make sure you're aware of Home Depot's and U-Haul's hours before scheduling this trip. Home Depot's Pro Desk (for delivery) is only open during business hours.
Budgeting can be hard, so don't spend more money than you have to! Make sure to double check that all the thing's you're buying are absolutely necessary and don't already exist somewhere in the set shop or ensemble office, that you're actually buying exactly the things you want when you go shopping, and that you're not spending significantly more money on things than you need to. Planning ahead carefully is very worthwhile to not have to make extra trips to return things. Also, check if you can order something online, because this will often be cheaper and give you more options than going to a store and buying things.
Paint can be acquired from Home Depot - the Set Designer, Scenic Painter, and TD should meet before the home depot trip and decide on what colors (and gloss levels) should be purchased from Home Depot (in addition to what's in the cabinet). This should happen several days in advance at least, and it should be made sure that home depot knows what those colors mean.
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The TD should begin scheduling builds as soon as possible. This varies from show to show, but builds should start at the latest the weekend after final set design is due. Remember to double check with MTG and G&S when their builds are (if they have them planned yet), since two groups should probably not be working in the set-shop at the same time. Try to make sure you are having sufficient build time early on so you don't have to be trying to finish everything yourself during or right before tech week.
All actors are required to complete some number of Pre-Put-In hours, the number of which is usually 6. Tell actors in advance (3-5 days is good) when builds are going to happen, and put them on Callboard. These Pre-Put-in hours can be completed by working at a build for any department (sets, costumes, pub sometimes lights, etc.) or in any other way the TD sees fit.
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Builds need not be dedicated to the completion of a given set piece. It is often advantageous to measure and cut lumber at builds, especially as put-in approaches. Keep in mind that anything constructed at builds must live in the office set shop until Tech Week (the theater group with the next Put-In can store set pieces in the front part near the Set Shop doorway) and must fit in through relevant doorways and into the freight elevator. If you finish set pieces, try to paint them entirely before Put-In. The entire set usually needs to be painted during tech week, and it helps a lot when pieces don't require painting so just the floor/backdrop can be focused on.
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