Grounded Strips

[RoninX]

Maybe I am spoiled after fencing in college but out here in Seattle even the nicest clubs don't seem to have grounded strips that they roll out for tourneys. Now, I understand they are very expensive but I find this totally bizarre.

Who fences on grounded strips in (non-collegiate/college hosted) tourneys on a regular basis, and where do you live? I assume many of the NY/NJ clubs have strips but I'm curious about other places.

[mrbiggs]

I've only fenced at one club that has any grounded strips.

I think you're spoiled.

(Of course, for big tournaments that aren't held in clubs, they get grounded strips together, at least for the foil and epee finals. But in terms of clubs, I've rarely seen any.)

[stealingophelia]

a few clubs have metal pistes built into the floor around here, strangely enough they arent grounded

[KD5MDK]

I've never seen a club with grounded strips built in, but then I've only ever seen one club which had a facility all of its own. Grounded strips are a standard with at least two at any tournament which considers itself respectable around here, but only the Shreveport ones go 100% grounded.

[oiuyt]

Both Prise de Fer (New Eng. Div) and Candlewood (Connecticut) have grounded strips for both regular training and hosted competitions.

-B

[RoninX]

Do they use the rollout metalic mesh strips or metal sheeting?

[seak]

We REALLY tried to get one for Cherry Blossom this year. We've tried the roll out strips in the past but couldn't get them to safely stick to the floor. Due to university regulations we can only use a certain type of tape as they are worried about the finish being pulled off of their floors (wood).

Absolute (who will be there) doesn't have any that they rent out.

We will have floor judges

Around here (Maryland) the only places that I know of that have grounded strips is DCFC and the Hopkins Fencing club don't know about Chevy Chase fencing club

[DJ Apostrophe]

These are pictures from the construction of our club... you can see what our grounded strips are like in the pictures.

http://www.prisedefer.com/images/Fau...rts/index.html

-w

[larkmaj]

Berkshire Buccaneers has a salle big enough for 3 strips. Which are LP aluminum sectionals, with overhead reels, boxes attached to the walls, and repeater lights over each end of the strip. Excellent salle for small tournaments.

[Josephine25]

We pratice in a school gym and you expect grounded strips?

[El Chucko]

What I would like to see in my division (and assumed that some other divisions were doing already), is this: set up a divisional circuit, with decent-sized tournaments maybe every month or so. The division would save up for some metal strips, which could be then used for the circuit events. In other words, pool your resources! One club may not be able to afford this sort of thing, but if everyone in a division pitched in...

[Smyles]

These are pictures from the construction of our club... you can see what our grounded strips are like in the pictures.

http://www.prisedefer.com/images/Fau...rts/index.html

-w

Very very impressive!!!

[darius]

What I would like to see in my division (and assumed that some other divisions were doing already), is this: set up a divisional circuit, with decent-sized tournaments maybe every month or so. The division would save up for some metal strips, which could be then used for the circuit events.

Lots of questions there:

Where would they be stored? Who would ensure they get to every event? (Copper strips are heavy and huge; sectional ones even more so!)

Our division has had some issues with equipment "ownership" and use of division funds by certain officers to enrich their own club with equipment. That's in the past now, but if purchasing equipment is something the division would do, it would have to be revisited.

If you're interested in speaking more about stuff, PM, email, or call me -- I can let you know what's been done in the past.

darius

[hpfencing]

We have a single grounded strip and three taped strips at our Amarillo location but for our tournament (The Crown of Texas) we go ALL grounded. nothink like fenicng on metal at a tournament.

[seak]

My division did purchase a metal strip several years ago. However, it hasn't been done since. We have some other shared equipment as well. PM for more information.

[schlager7]

I've only fenced at one club that has any grounded strips.

I think you're spoiled.

Ditto.

Note to Darius, re: issues of division equipment for the enrichment of certain clubs...

yeah, been there, not fun.

[seak]

Several people in this thread have said that while there club doesn't have metal strips for large tournaments they are able to procure them. So how did you go about doing it? Are you getting them from a vendor? How are you getting them to the location? etc

[dberke]

Maybe I am spoiled after fencing in college but out here in Seattle even the nicest clubs don't seem to have grounded strips that they roll out for tourneys. Now, I understand they are very expensive but I find this totally bizarre.

Who fences on grounded strips in (non-collegiate/college hosted) tourneys on a regular basis, and where do you live? I assume many of the NY/NJ clubs have strips but I'm curious about other places.

I think the main reason we don't use grounded strips out here is the cost - building strips into the facility isn't easily done, and buying the new segmented ones to for $3k each it pretty pricey.

The Western WA division currently only owns 3 rolled copper strips, and one of those is beyond repair. We rarely use them mainly because they are a huge pain to transport. Also, most of the venues we've used for large events have restrictions on taping things to their finished floors.

Last year when we ran sectionals I coordinated with our friends up in Vancouver, BC and borrowed 10 of their strips, so we had 12 grounded strips which was awesome. However, the logistics were a nightmare and I'm glad I only will have to do that once every 5 years!

Dan

[stealingophelia]

Berkshire Buccaneers has a salle big enough for 3 strips. Which are LP aluminum sectionals, with overhead reels, boxes attached to the walls, and repeater lights over each end of the strip. Excellent salle for small tournaments.

how is that place anyway? i might be going to school up there and need to check out places to fence by new paltz, ny

[KD5MDK]

Lots of questions there:

Where would they be stored? Who would ensure they get to every event? (Copper strips are heavy and huge; sectional ones even more so!)

Our division has had some issues with equipment "ownership" and use of division funds by certain officers to enrich their own club with equipment. That's in the past now, but if purchasing equipment is something the division would do, it would have to be revisited.

If you're interested in speaking more about stuff, PM, email, or call me -- I can let you know what's been done in the past.

darius

Local policies:
http://www.northtexasfencing.org/gov_docs/equip.html
http://www.southtexasdivision.org/equipment.html