How to Build Your Pop Diva Her Own Stage

Welcome
In this instructable my daughter, Holly, and I will demonstrate how to build a very nice, fully functional, miniature stage for wanna-be pop-stars. The cost of this stage only $35, with almost no wasted materials. The size of the stage is totally up to you it can easily be made into larger and/or modular sections.

Background

Every couple of years we, the wife and I, change the theme in our children's bedrooms. Holly is now into the DIVA Pop-star theme. My over all goal is to transform her room in to a mini-Pop-star club.

I thought it would be a good idea to have a stage for her to stand on while performing. In order to do this and save money it was important to utilize current assets. For instance my first plan was to use her computer as a Karaoke machine, while utilizing her PC camera to make her own sing along pop video. I did find free Karaoke software but finding quality music was difficult. We just went with a karaoke machine to save ourselves all of the other trouble. It came with one microphone, but I bought her a microphone and stand that would plug into the machine. Now both she and a friend can sing together.

I have many more upgrades to add to her room but this is the first of the projects that I have built. So of course I had to make an instructable for everyone else so they can build their own version. I really hope this will inspire others to build their own or create some kind of spin-off idea.

Lets get started.

The only thing missing from this instructable is a picture or video of her actually using it, which I hope to get really soon, so hang it there.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

List of Materials

(1) Pallet

(1) 4x8 sheet of chipboard of plywood

(1) box of lament, flooring

(1) box of deck screws

(2) tubes of construction adhesive

Tools

Table saw or circular saw

T-Square

Measuring tape

Caulking gun

2 Saw Horses

Screw Gun

Drill Bit

Comments

[rudyroo220]

also...because of the weight (you're right, its HEAVY to move) i added some casters on the back edge that i roll it on when i stand it up to move it

[rudyroo220]

Great idea. I did the same for me...for karaoke singing with my brother. I added tube lighting around the floor edges...and a black curtain background....Trying to figure out lighting though...recently ordered a neon sign with a karaoke mic to hang over the curtain

[technogeek-1995]

I think you had a great idea. Just something else for me to build. I think that you could may be have an update and add some electrical lighting. I will have to make some track lighting to stick in front when I make mine. Maybe you could build a stand for the lights. Whatever, I will just stick my lights on the floor.

[Mr. Rig It]

That is a great idea!

[technogeek-1995]

But, I was thinking...It needs a dimmer. And if you wanted
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Chauvet-ZX5-Colored-Moonflower?sku=803103
You could get them a cool effect light! This is normally $80!!!

[Mr. Rig It]

Too Cool! Thank you!

[technogeek-1995]

If you decide to get it, I don't know where you could put it. It looks like she has a tight space. They do get hot so, you don't want to have them dancing and then get burned. Well, good luck; Maybe a Christmas present, that is how I got it.

[Scubabubba]

Great minds think alike! I built something very similar a few years ago. I tried to countersink & screw the laminate instead of gluing it like you did, but it didn't turn out so well. I started from scratch (no pallet, I wish I had thought of that!) and I built in two full-depth drawers. I had to recess the front a bit so the handles wouldn't get stepped on. The drawers have been a great place to store big flat items like drawing pads, posters, etc. Unfortunately it took something like 4 months for me to finish it. Your design is better, and you could piano hinge the front panel and get the storage too. I like it! I found a disco ball (the type that spins on 2 axes and has all the colored lights) at the local thrift store and hung it from the ceiling, that was the finishing touch for us.

[Mr. Rig It]

Thanks. Having drawers for storage is a great idea!

[andrea0701]

very cool!!

[Metal4God]

my lil sister (she's 9 years old) would love this, just we need a mic stand, a mic, and a keroykey machine, actullly my sis can sing well, to bad she wastes it on pop, i love metal, metal is more fun, cause instead of dancing, u mosh no mosh is not a type of sex, if thats what ur dirty mind is thinking search mosh pitt on youtube,

[Mr. Rig It]

Dirty mind? LOL, I know what moshing is silly, and you mosh in a mosh pit :-)

[proffesor cuddles]

moshing is not silly!

[Mr. Rig It]

"moshing is not silly!" says proffesor cuddles
lol

[proffesor cuddles]

if you have ever moshed before, you would know that it is fun and not silly

[Metal4God]

that comment was for every1 to see, and a mosh pit is at a concert, what if i'm with just me and a few other guys (and a girl or 2) we just run into each other and go crazy like a mosh pitt

[drummonkey92]

realy nice idea. i'm sorry to say i saw the materials list and the pictures and skipped most of the writing though. i thought this would be a complicated and expensive decking system, but using a pallet is genius!

[Mr. Rig It]

Genius? (ego inflating and sticking chest out) Yes I must agree. Actaully it was very easy to do and only took a couple of hours to make. Since it is made on a pallet it should be able to handle the weight you need very easily. Especuially if you add two or three pallets to extend the floor area. Good luck with it, love to see it when you get it made.

[The Stans Mysterium]

This is actually a really good idea. Do you think it would be possible to make something like this but bigger for a drum kit? It would have to be pretty strong as well, i read what someone else posted about making a drum platform which would be really cool.

[Mr. Rig It]

Yes it should work just fine. Would love to see it when you get done.

[drummonkey92]

it probably could be. i know someone who owns a company selling all things made out of wood and he lets me have any scrap i want (sell kindling to pub, make £££) he's got loads of old pallets so i might make a drum platform soon (2 weeks of gcses left then the projects can begin) if you make one before me could you post pictures and any tips on making it better for drums. i'l do the same when i make mine

[Tumwatertechwhiz]

Just glue carpet down instead of the laminate flooring for the drum kit. I would also add a small lip at the back where the throan goes so it doesn't scoot too far back and fall off. If you make it taller than 2 palletts high, the I would add a pipe railing. And maybe (depending on how hard you play the drums, add a cleat or 2 where the kits legs (that come off of the bass drum) touch the floor to keep the kit from sliding so far forward that it falls off.
Good luck and post pics when it's done.

[The Stans Mysterium]

Cool lol. Yeh i have a level exams at the moment but would love to have a platform. Got long holidays ahead so might look into making one. Il post something if im sucessful.

[rubyjule]

some kind of "tubed-goo" from the hardware store in the platform's "edge-crack" would act as a very good finish and wouldn't get tripped over.

[Mr. Rig It]

That is a good idea, I will have to ponder it for a while. Thanks for the input.

[wishes]

very cool, my daughter is in the same stage. Where did you get the wavy mirrors from? those are awesome. Perhaps an instructable on how to make them? :D

[Mr. Rig It]

Thank you for your comments. I got the mirrors form the IKEA store here in Phoenix, they were very cheap. I got the music notes from the dollar store. You could easily make your own music notes though..

[skipfrehly]

It's a good idea for a solo stage, but making it much bigger, or perhaps, for a big sweaty drummer like myself would require you to modify the pallet. I made a modular drum riser along the same lines, but I took the lateral planks on the pallet, trimmed them down, and rotated them 90 degrees so that they were more in a joist type configuration. I also used 5/4 instead of chipboard, because the drums tend to have place more weight on smaller points. Great job, though. I am going to use you laminate flooring idea to make mine look a little nicer :)

[Mr. Rig It]

Thank you for the comments and the ideas. The floor laminate makes a big difference. Thanks again.

[de-evolution]

OOOOOOOHHHH MY GOD HANNAH MONTANA jk nice instructable

[GorillazMiko]

Awesome, cool how she has those mirrors, where did you get those?

[Mr. Rig It]

We got the mirrors from the Ikea store. They were only a few dollars, then I came up with the idea of music notes, and got those from the dollar sore. They were supposed to come out looking like sheet music.