My new fixed screen DIY attempt

Hi all I have decided to build a custom fixed screen and decided to try help others out with my trials and tribulations I am not very good at DIY !)
Anyway am making a 16:9 screen which should be 86" diagonal [max I can go] it will be a simple timber design with a separate added border finished with this stuff
DeepBlack Border Tape - PSM Screens - Projector Screen Material
If anyone wants information about the materials just post on here I will not list everything but it will mainly be a pictorial thread. Hopefully the pics with explain themselves. To get the correct dimensions I used this tool.
Custom Projector Screen Size Calculator :: Draper, Inc.

I have already made the border using the beading and a mitre saw so made the frame today. I will be hopefully finishing the border next while waiting for the material which is this stuff
ProWhite - PSM Screens - Projector Screen Material

 

Couple more pics as thread tools limits you to ten pics per post

 

Moving on fitting border timber leaving a gap for wrapping velvet. starting to look a little like a screen. Remembered to sand all edges and round off corners of frame to hopefully make wrapping cloth easier [sharp edges tear]
I have wrapped a border trim peice with velvet..have to think of a better method went sort of ok will post pics when I do the rest. Measurments seem good 86" diagonal. Picked material up today from depot as I missed the delivery

 

How I am doing the border trim. Found a method that seems to work well with a little patience only get one shot with the long lengths got to make it count !

 

This looks really good, and ill be very interested to see the pics when it's finished.

 

Thanks I have finished the border now and surprisingly it went together well. Not looking forward to fixing the material on, attempt it next week in between work.

 

hi there , what wood did you use for the frame ?
Also has the wood you chose stayed true and not warped ?

My diy screen has warped , not a great deal but anough to bother me .

 

I fixed my DIY screen to the wall using brass (or carbon steel maybe) mirror flush mounts (from B&Q) on each side, probably a pair on the top and bottom, and one on each side, and so unless the wall moves the wood is fixed. I'm fairly sure it wouldn't have stayed straight otherwise (given my DIY incompetence).

 

I was wanting to use thicker wood say 25mm but they only did thicker stuff and did not want to add too much weight. I used 18mm thick by 70mm wide. It is not perfectly flat but i think you would be asking a lot to expect anything else ! All i did was pick the straightest 2 lengths out the pack for the long sides. Ot does warp a little in the middle, the wall its going on is good so i am just going to fix it to wall with flush fixings on all four sides to pull it flat to wall... And hope for the best

 

Should sort it.

 

Well its completed.. Will post pics and results later. Regarding flatness i went to remove old screen and could put my fingers in the middle between wall and screen.. Never noticed a problem viewing though ! My new screen it fixed securely to wall in 4 positions so pretty flat. I did not notice any warping etc but i never tried a test pattern will try that later.

 

Unpacking material and fixing to frame. I was dreading this part as I have had problems with material in the past and it had to go back! Anyway the packaging was extremely well done and the material came without any blemishes or creases so Thumbs up PSM and the quality of the material was excellent to my eyes anyway and I am fussy.
I needed help fixing the material it really is best if you have a spare pair of hands ! I was also a little concerned about puncturing the material to fit border but it was not a problem and it went on fine. Hopefully the pictures are self explanatory so here they are.

 

More pics screen hung and the screw holes covered. I used a little cut off from the pure black velvet tape and a paper punch to cut the little screw covers out.. best I could think of. The reason for border is I may at some point have to move to another room or house in the future and may not have a davore blackout wall and if at any point I need to change material I can simply take off border strip frame and re-cover.

 

Finally the results. I have not calibrated yet but wanted to see how geometry was so I fired up a few test patterns. Seems ok to me the image for movies is fantastic but my old camera and phone are, not I will try get better pictures than these but you get the idea. I am extremely pleased with the results hope this helps anyone wanting to have a go at making a fixed screen. Best advice I can give is take your time be patient and plan it out in stages depending on the time you have to do it !!

 

Martian1

It looks great, good job. Did you keep a running cost?

 

I have a rough breakdown of cost but I did already have tools from previous jobs.
The material was £58 plus delivery £11
The border tape was £30 expensive but hassle free to fit
Timber screws brackets cost around £50
It probably cost between £150-£170 to build
More pics my damn camera needs a tripod and it seems to be making images too contrasty but these are slightly better.

 

Is there a special reason or any benefit by you using the "L" corner brackets set as a "V".

It looks aesthetically nicer that way but I would not have thought of using them that way round

 

I decided to use the brackets that way as i felt it gave more support into the corner of screen.. Probably doesn't matter but it just felt stronger using them that way.

 

Looks really good. Even with the dreadful robocop

 

Your screen looks awesome! - inspirational!!

Dude a few questions if I may?

1. So the 18mm thick by 70mm wide pieces are what's joined together by the brackets I take it? What about the four pieces warped in tape around the boarder, what's the dimensions for that wood?... Also, may I ask, why is there a piece of cardboard in a gap in one of the pictures?

2. You say in one of the steps you left a gap for the felt, how do you mean?

3. What is the distance between the frame and the start of the boarder wood?

thanks mate

 

Forget the silly cardboard question , but I am eager to know the dimensions for the other timber you used

 

I will post back with answers soon out at the moment

 

Thank you very much! I'm going to undertake the same but slightly larger - look forward to your answer

 

1. The border is a thin timber moulding similar to this except its 45mm wide so from the edge of that to the frame was around 25mm [45mm+25mm=70mm] I got mine from Dove builders merchants.
http://www.diy.com/departments/richard-burbidge-pine-d-shape-moulding-w34mm-l24m-t8mm/246408_BQ.prd

2. You have to leave a little gap where the border joins at 45 degrees if there is no gap then when the tape is wrapped around the timber it will be obviously thicker ! That's why I put the cardboard strip in to mimic the velvet thickness.

3. as above 25mm

I am not 100% I have given you the info correct just let me know if you have any more questions.

cheers

 

Also yes all secured with brackets staples and wood glue.

 

Perfect, thank you .....you have done a fantastic job with yours I must say!! . As mentioned I plan to replicate based on this design - but I'm going to use this as the main screen material 110" Projector, Projection Screen Material, 60" X 100" | eBay

thanks again, If I need some more questions asking I hope you don't mind mate?

Have a good day ya'll
Dave

 

No problem. Out of interest why have you decided to use the non uk material seller ? I was going to do the same but after getting samples from both actually thought the PSM stuff was thicker and of a higher quality i also didn't want to be hit with custom charges after paying around double the price. The gain is higher which ideally i wanted 1.0 gain 1.2 might be toon much for a light controlled room.
So i went with 1.1 closest i could find. When you prepare the timber ensure you use the straightest lengths you can find for outer frame and if possible fit the two middle support pieces with any bowing going inwards mine bowed in a few mm to ensure they did not protrude outwards and show through material !
Good luck m8t

 

The main reason was after reading many threads, vouching for it, also the fact that a friend of a friend ordered some a while ago and I believe its superb!
"just like watching a TV" he said
Its going to be in-situe or can be moved for years and years to come + the fact it will be used a hell of a lot of the time so for the sake of a few extra quid I think it's worth paying for TBH

Thank you for the tips also, I was thinking of trying to get the supporting beams set slightly in from the frame if you understand what I mean? for the same reasons you mentioned, and so the light doesn't illuminate them (two great big horizontal lines is a BIG NO NO !)

thanks

 

Yep you could do that i was actually thinking of getting thinner stuff for supports just in case. I am very happy with what a have considering i used blackout cloth before its a nice upgrade and if i fancy a change at some point its easy to strip and replace. Did you get any samples sent ?
Cheers