Pipe & Drape 2.0™ Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  What is the advantage of upgrading to Pipe & Drape 2.0™?
Q:  Who thought of this product and why?
Q:  I see there is a threaded insert in the Crown™. What is that used for?
Q:  Is retrofitting Pipe & Drape 2.0™ to my pipe a big job?
Q:  Do I need to cut off all of my tops when converting?
Q:  The tops of my pipe are damaged, and I want to remove the damaged area just below the slots. Won’t I lose height if I do this?
Q:  If I convert my pipe to Pipe & Drape 2.0™, how can I then use it along with pipe and base I rent from an outside source for larger jobs?
Q:  I have pipe from Georgia Expo. Will Pipe & Drape 2.0™ fit my inventory?
Q:  What about my 3-stage uprights?
Q:  What if I don’t want to do the retrofit myself?
Q:  Can I buy Pipe & Drape 2.0™ pre-installed on new pipe?
Q:  Can I get the Crowns™ and Ball Caps™ in different colors?
Q:  Where is this product made?
Q:  How does the product come packed?
Q:  How long will my new Pipe & Drape 2.0™ products last?

Q:  What is the advantage of upgrading to Pipe & Drape 2.0™?
A:  Let’s count the ways “2.0” will make your life better:

1.  The most obvious advantage is the instant damage mitigation. You will never again have a tear in your upright due to the hook acting like a can opener down your slotted upright. This alone reduces your replacement costs, and reduces the risk of injury due to cuts and scrapes on those tears.
2. Faster set up and take down times (as much as 30% time savings on every job)
3. More set up flexibility due to greater articulation in all directions with our exclusive patent pending ball and socket connection.
4. Greater stability due to a solid connection that is closer to the center of the upright rather than along the outer edge like with the old hook and slot system. This means less chances of accidental disconnection when the drape is at full height.
5. With the addition of a full line of connection accessories to be released in 2012, you will be able to attach decorative and functional elements to your pipe and drape system that you have not been able to do in the past. Lighting fixtures, columns, signs, banners, clips, clamps, two and three layer drape lines, etc. All this without the use of bailing wire and bubble gum.
6. You will notice a very clean drape line with every set. Since Pipe & Drape 2.0 aligns the cross bar supports to the tops of your uprights, you will never again see the “humps” from having to cap the upright like with old hook and slot system.

Q:  Who thought of this product and why?
A:  The patent pending Pipe & Drape 2.0™ was designed by people who worked in the event production industry for over twenty-five years.  With twenty-five years of setting up pipe and drape and dealing with torn up pipe, scrapes, and domino effect fall downs, they thought “there has got to be a better way.” The rest is history.

Q:  I see there is a threaded insert in the Crown™. What is that used for?
A:  The threaded insert is to accommodate future accessories that will be secured to the top of your uprights. For example, we will soon introduce a “Light Post” that will allow you to secure a lighting fixture up to 8-lbs directly to the Crown using this insert. It is important however to only use official Pipe & Drape 2.0 accessories.  Accessories are schedule for introduction beginning in 2012.

Q:  Is retrofitting Pipe & Drape 2.0™ to my pipe a big job?
A:  Not at all.  Retrofitting the Crown™ involves straightening the damaged end, or removing it with a pipe cutter, then attaching the Crown with two rivets.  Upgrading the drape supports means removing the old hook caps and installing Ball Caps™ with a single rivet using the same rivet hole used for the removed hook cap.  Each process takes 2-3 minutes depending on how much damage your upright has sustained and how interested you are in salvaging the slots.  Save time and reduce chances of more damage to your pipe or hands by just removing the top of your upright.

Q:  Do I need to cut off all of my tops when converting?
A:  No, Pipe & Drape 2.0™ is engineered to fit to the most popular pipe hardware. If you wish to keep your slots, and your pipe is repairable, you can fit the Crown™ to your pipe even with the slots. We do recommend that you remove damaged pipe ends for safety reasons however. Also, since you will no longer need the slots, it is best to remove them so there is no chance of someone trying to use hooks in the future.

Q:  The tops of my pipe are damaged, and I want to remove the damaged area just below the slots. Won’t I lose height if I do this?
A:  If you cut the tops of your pipe off just below the slots, you may lose about ½” in overall height. Remember, the 2.0 Crown™ fits to the top of the upright whereas the slots were located up to 4” below the top. Also, with Pipe & Drape 2.0™, the crossbar aligns with the top of the upright, whereas the old hook and slot system aligns 3”-4” below the top of the upright. So while it may seem like you might lose height, you really won’t.

Q:  If I convert my pipe to Pipe & Drape 2.0™, how can I then use it along with pipe and base I rent from an outside source for larger jobs?
A:  A couple of ways actually.  The best way to accomplish this is to have a "transition crossbar" to connect your new P&D 2.0 to the old rented stuff.  The transition crossbar is simply a crossbar with an old hook on one end and a P&D 2.0 Ball Cap™ on the other.  Set up your pipe in a line and then use this special crossbar to transition to the old stuff.  You can also leave the slots in your uprights when you install the P&D 2.0 Crowns, however we do not recommend this as your installers will be tempted to use hooks on your uprights and do more of that damage that P&D 2.0 eliminates.  Of course, a third option is to get your rental source to convert to Pipe & Drape 2.0!

Q:  I have pipe from Georgia Expo. Will Pipe & Drape 2.0™ fit my inventory?
A:  Yes, we offer a Crown™ and Ball Cap™ with a channel that mates to the extruded channels in the current Georgia Expo two stage  upright and telescoping crossbars.

Q:  What about my 3-stage uprights?
A:  Yes, Pipe & Drape 2.0™ has a Crown™ that fits the most popular 3-stage uprights.

Q:  What if I don’t want to do the retrofit myself?
A:  Contact your sales representative about retrofit services.

Q:  Can I buy Pipe & Drape 2.0™ pre-installed on new pipe?
A:  Yes.  Contact your sales representative for a quote.

Q:  Can I get the Crowns™ and Ball Caps™ in different colors?
A:  Currently all parts are offered in flat black only. If you require a custom color, ask you sales representative about having a special run produced. This will require significant volume to be cost effective however.

Q:  Where is this product made?
A:  We are proud to say all Pipe & Drape 2.0™ products are designed and manufactured in the U.S.A.

Q:  How does the product come packed?
A:  Pipe & Drape 2.0™ Crowns™ and Ball Caps™ come packaged in cases of 25 each. If you require smaller quantities, ask your sales representative for details.

Q:  How long will my new Pipe & Drape 2.0™ products last?
A:  During the design and test of the Pipe & Drape 2.0™ line of products, our testers smashed, hammered, ran over, and purposely tried to destroyed the products in every conceivable way.  In all cases, the pipe products failed well before he could break any of the Crowns™ or Ball Caps™.  Under normal usage, we would expect the products to outlast your pipe hardware.