Arbor weightsfor fly systems
Steel counterweight bricks for theater fly system arbors. Thousands in stock from 17 to 64 lb, vintage sizes to match older rails, and crated shipping to theaters, schools and rigging contractors anywhere in the US.
What are arbor weights?
Arbor weights are flat steel plates, notched at each end, that stack inside a counterweight arbor to balance the scenery, lighting or drapery hanging on a batten. With the load balanced, one operator can raise and lower a line set by hand from the lock rail.
They go by a lot of names: stage weights, counterweights, bricks. Whatever your crew calls them, the job is the same, and the weights have to fit your arbor exactly. That's why we sell by fit as well as by pounds.
Sizes in stock
We stock arbor weights from 17 lb up to 64 lb and everything in between, with thousands of pieces in the warehouse at any time. Lighter weights make fine trim adjustments easy; heavier ones fill an arbor faster for big loads like full drops, electrics and LED walls.
Not sure which size your arbor takes? Measure one of the weights you already have:
| Measure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Overall length, end to end | Has to match your arbor's width between the rods. |
| Width, front to back | Has to clear the arbor frame and stack with your other weights. |
| Thickness | Sets how much weight fits per foot of arbor. |
| Notch width and depth | The notches ride the arbor rods; too tight won't load, too loose can shift. |
| Weight of one piece | Confirms the pattern, and tells us how many you need. |
A photo of a weight next to a tape measure helps too, and so does the arbor manufacturer's name if it's stamped on the frame.
Vintage and hard-to-find weights
Older theaters often run arbors built around sizes nobody makes anymore. We keep a large selection of vintage weights, including Grosh Studios weights, so you can add to an existing rail without replacing it. If we don't have a match on the shelf, our fabrication shop can build one.
Why theaters buy weights
- Adding line sets or upgrading an existing fly system
- Replacing weights that have gone missing over the years
- Heavier new loads, like LED walls, new electrics or hard-framed scenery
- Renovations, new venues and school auditorium builds
- Rigging contractors stocking up for installs
Who we supply
Our weights hang over stages from the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway to the Encore Theater in Branson, Missouri. Schools and colleges such as Sevier School District in Utah and Crowder College in Missouri buy from us, as do rigging and production companies like Ricochet Rigging in Venice, California and Synapse Audio Visual Designs in Paramus, New Jersey.
Load safely
Counterweight systems should be loaded and unloaded only by trained crew following the system's procedures. The industry standard for these systems in the US is ANSI E1.4-1, Manual Counterweight Rigging Systems. Our stage weight guide covers the basics.
Arbor weight questions
Are stage weights and arbor weights the same thing?
In most theaters, yes. Arbor weights, stage weights, counterweights and "bricks" all describe the steel plates stacked in a counterweight arbor. "Stage weight" is also used for the floor weights that hold down stage braces and scenery, so it helps to tell us which job your weights are for.
How many weights do I need for a line set?
Enough to equal the load on the batten, including the pipe itself. Your technical director or rigger should calculate that load. Give us the total pounds and the size your arbor takes, and we'll build the order.
Can I mix weights from different manufacturers in one arbor?
Only if every piece fits your arbor's rods and spreader plates properly and sits flat in the stack. When in doubt, match the dimensions of the weights you already have. We match on measurements, not just pounds.
My arbor's weights are discontinued. Can you still help?
Yes. We carry a large selection of vintage and hard-to-find weights, including Grosh Studios pieces, and our fabrication shop can build new weights to match an older pattern.
Do you sell to schools and colleges?
Yes. Customers include Sevier School District in Richfield, Utah, and Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, alongside Broadway houses, performing arts theaters and rigging contractors.
Tell us what's in your arbor. We'll match it.
Call or text 702-400-8767 with sizes, quantities and where they're headed.