Well, extravaganza might be a bit strong, but what the hell - maybe I'll get a few more views that way.

I'll spare you the boring intro, because nobody really cares what my motivation for building a theater is. Let's get right into the details:

The room is approximately 16x24 or something like that. I don't really remember without looking. It's Thanksgiving Day, I ate some turkey a while ago, and I'm tired. So assume it's 16x24 until I say otherwise.
I'm doing the whole soundproofing/acoustical treatment thing. You know, RSIC clips and green glue, fancy-pants bass traps and all other kinds of black magic. I've hired Bryan Pape to help me out with this, because I don't know anything about it. I give him money, he tells me what to do. Kind of like being married now that I think about it...
I'm slow. My wife and I built a house last year and moved in last year around the end of October 2008. I just started the build the other day - 3 days before Thanksgiving 2009. Don't expect to see drywall pics next week.
I'm....thrifty. Some would say cheap. I call it an aversion to spending more money than I have to. Don't expect to see new projectors and pre-amps flying around here.


Ok, now that I've got the smart@ss out of my system, here are the real details:

The room is 16x24. I think. Point #1 from above still applies...
I am doing the whole soundproofing/sound isolation thing. My wife talked me into this. More later.
Currently, I'm planning on a row of 4 seats with a bar and stools behind that.
Scope screen. Will be 2.35 or 2.40 - will have that argument later. It will also be an AT screen.
Theater name - I need one. I can't think of anything catchy... That's not really my area of expertise.
Overall theme is yet to be determined. Kind of thinking about art-deco. We'll see. All I know is that I want something kick@ss. But no Star Wars or Star Trek theaters, I think it's kind of corny and I'd be embarrassed to have friends over. No offense to anyone.
Budget. No idea. Don't care to think about that right now.


So there you go. I started the build on 11/24/09. I will recount the last couple of days including some pictures in just a bit.

One post?!? What the hell? I've never responded to a post before? I used to have another user name, maybe that's the problem...

First get to Logans thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1014847) to get yourself "Loganed" that will speed up your build for sure. As for your catchy named theater I think "Flying Cheese" is catchy enough...don't you?????

As for a budget you really need to set one, because no one around here ever sticks to one or comes in under one so if you don't have one how could you ever do either of those things and call your self a DIY theater builder???

You also need to get pictures of your space up pronto with a floor plan and measurements.

Good luck.

Regards,

RTROSE

Pictures of my current space....

Looking forward. Current screen is a 140" or so wide DIY WilsonArt DW screen. I like it. Also visible are my Klipsch speakers which I intend to use in the finished theater. RF-82's for the mains, RC-62 center, RS-52 surrounds, and 2 RW-10d's. The projector on the floor is a bitchin' NEC XG-85 which matches the one hanging on the ceiling.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/4136687874_45778f3b51_o.jpg

Looking off to the right, you see the space designated as my wiring closet. All the components will be housed here as well as media storage. And other stuff. Approximate size is about 9x12.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/4135923171_6ff7b3b94a_o.jpg

Looking back. Visible are some, uh, more CRT projectors, my green glue stash, and a kittehhh... Currently we're sporting some double doors in the back of the theater, but those will probably get ditched in favor of a nice, solid single door entry in keeping with the sound isolation theme...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2699/4136688184_ba52a9e457_o.jpg

Current rack setup. Kind of a disaster. We built the house last year and I wired in whole-house audio and distributed video at that time. Never quite got around to wrapping things up...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/4136688886_585d915a8a_o.jpg

So that's the starting point. I've used it as-is over the last year since moving in and can't imagine what the finished product will be like - in it's current form it's a hundred times better than what the average bloke has to work with.

The Flying Cheese Cinema Build Extravaganza - Day 1

So day one began with a bit of cleaning. The pictures in my previous post were taken after my cleansing...Not much to say except crap gets put here, crap gets put there....

Also had some lumber delivered in order to get the framing underway. Lumber for the theater consisted of 100 9' 2x4's. Haven't figured out the stage and riser designs yet, so I opted not to order any of that. I've got a kick@ss builder who lets me borrow tools and order lumber at his cost on his account, so delivery was free - no big deal to figure the rest out at a later date. Lumber yard is also about a half mile away, so that helps....

So anyway, after cleaning and watching the lumber get dumped into the driveway, I made a couple dozen trips up and down the stairs with the stupid 2x4's. I don't remember them weighing so much...

Your a CRT guy????? That figures! Puhleezzz!!!!!!! J/K. You have a great space to work with and with no budget the sky is the limit! You will be happy you went with "professional" counseling regarding sound isolation/insulation for time and cost I have chosen not to do all of what is really necessary so I will see in the near future if I have made the right choice.

Regards,

RTROSE

The Flying Cheese Cinema Build Extravaganza - Day 2

Ok, enough screwing around, let's build some stuff. So, to kind of 'ease' myself into the building mood, I decided that the first project I'd tackle was the wiring closet. For whatever reason, I didn't have it framed up when the house was built. That was #186 of about 800 things I'd do differently if I ever build another house, but that's another story.

Anyway, so the wiring closet needs framed up. Nothing major, just a couple of walls. Also framed around the sump pump, which unfortunately is in the same room. Here's hoping we never have any problems with it. It does have a water-powered backup in place.

Here's the finished product:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2804/4135998353_bc3abb4d8a_o.jpg/
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2720/4136759516_d760bd4439_o.jpg

I need to frame up a door for the little 'sump closet', but i don't have a door yet....I'll probably take care of that one sometime in the next couple days as those are pretty cheap.

Will probably do a suspended-ceiling in this room, to keep ceiling access open.

Not the way to frame a wall, it is a fire code violation. You need a top plate.

Well balls, man. I actually kind of thought about that when I was doing it...Wouldn't be too hard to redo. That's the way the rest of the basement here is actually framed when the walls run perpendicular to the joists above them.

We don't mess with permits and inspections here where I'm at. That's good and bad at the same time, but that's how it is.

We don't mess with permits and inspections here where I'm at. That's good and bad at the same time, but that's how it is.

Regardless of inspections you don't want to mess with safety.... if tearing down this and the other walls you mention is not 'desirable' just add the blocking. Comes in handy for the drywall too.

The Flying Cheese Cinema Build Extravaganza - Day 3

The task for day 3 was to tear down the front wall and rebuild it while isolating it with DC04's.

The finished wall was built in two 8.5 foot sections and then joined together while in place. It's spaced about 1/2 inch from the existing foundation wall and load-bearing walls on either side. DCO4's were placed approximately 6 inches from either end and every 2 feet in-between. There's a gap of 1.5 inches between the top plate of the wall and the bottom of the joists/support members. Here's the finished product:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4136761598_586598c005_o.jpg

The local inspectors came by to check it out. I think I passed.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/4136764678_c4fb0fe7db_o.jpg

The next task will be to tackle the back wall of the theater...I'm not looking forward to this. On the other side is a family-room area which is already finished. I will attempt to cut the existing top plate off, shorten the studs and reattach the top plate while isolating with the DC04's. I'd like to do this without jacking up the finished wall and ceiling on the other side. I've also got a central vac line to contend with - not sure how I'm going to handle this yet. Here's a couple of pics:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4136767108_5140f651e0_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2655/4136003767_ce54886377_o.jpg

This has nothing to do with the build, but it's my thread so I'm posting it anyway.

This is Bear, our 9-month old German Shepherd. He's a bad@ss. 65 pounds of muscle and teeth. You'll see more of him to be sure....

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2705/4136011893_78c0c15631_o.jpg

[B]


The next task will be to tackle the back wall of the theater...I'm not looking forward to this. On the other side is a family-room area which is already finished. I will attempt to cut the existing top plate off, shorten the studs and reattach the top plate while isolating with the DC04's. I'd like to do this without jacking up the finished wall and ceiling on the other side. I've also got a central vac line to contend with - not sure how I'm going to handle this yet.

It would be a whole lot easier, and more effective, to build another wall inside that wall. You'd lose a couple inches but it looks like the room is pretty good sized.

I am still strongly considering doing this. The only reason I was going to try to avoid this is because I don't really fancy the look of an 8-inch thick doorjamb. Not that I couldn't work with that. I've still got some challenges finding a way to secure the wall on the top side, but I'll come up with something.

Cheese,

Good luck with the build. Looks like it'll be a great space. Love the pup, got two GSDs myself.

Bud

The Flying Cheese Cinema Build Extravaganza - Day 4

Well, didn't really get crap done today considering I had all day...

Started the day with a leisurely mug of coffee and a bagel. Don't really want to rush into these things you know. First on the list was to correct the framing error pointed out by BIG and add a top plate to the back wall of the wiring closet. Did that and then moved a bunch of crap around the room for a while.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2511/4139730602_35145ef028_o.jpg

Seeing as how that was such hard work, a lunch break was in order. A nice leisurely lunch followed by some play time with the beast pictured in a previous post and then it was back to work.

The back wall of the theater was next on the list. I was originally going to isolate the existing wall, but after a lot of thought I decided it was probably just easier to frame up a new one. It took quite a bit more effort that I thought to tear down one of the existing side walls and then cut and nail the stringers in place to fasten the DC04's to the new wall.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/4139731614_cda4641cd5_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2693/4138968699_5aaef50485_o.jpg

Maybe the wall will go up tomorrow...

Cheese,

Good luck with the build. Looks like it'll be a great space. Love the pup, got two GSDs myself.

Bud

Chinadog,
How old are your pups? When do they calm down?!? Ours is 9 months old and he's definitely calmed down a lot in the 7 months we've had him, but he's still enough to drive me nuts most of the time. Little dude can sure play....

Chinadog,
How old are your pups? When do they calm down?!? Ours is 9 months old and he's definitely calmed down a lot in the 7 months we've had him, but he's still enough to drive me nuts most of the time. Little dude can sure play....

Chief is about two now. Maggie is 6 1/2. Chief is still a wild child, expect him to be wild for another year or so. Do you have him neutered? That'll take some spunk out of him. :p

http://images45.fotki.com/v1430/photos/6/649633/7055418/DSC02055-vi.jpg

Bud

Chief is about two now. Maggie is 6 1/2. Chief is still a wild child, expect him to be wild for another year or so. Do you have him neutered? That'll take some spunk out of him. :p

http://images45.fotki.com/v1430/photos/6/649633/7055418/DSC02055-vi.jpg

Bud

Good looking dogs! He's getting snipped in a couple of weeks I think, closer to Christmas. He's made a lot of progress since we got back from vacation a couple weeks ago - he's discovered the joys of napping on the couch while I watch football. No doubt he'll have his own chair down in the theater as well.

How is it having two of them? I don't think you could pay me to take another one right now, but once he settles down I think we'd consider getting a female shepherd. We've got 4 cats right now as well and they don't exactly get along....

How is it having two of them? I don't think you could pay me to take another one right now, but once he settles down I think we'd consider getting a female shepherd. We've got 4 cats right now as well and they don't exactly get along....

Mo problems at all. We've always had two (we've rescued four total, including these two). They keep themselves busy, love to play together. With two kids and two big dogs, you need a large vehicle if you take them on trips together.

Bud

For those of you using DC04's for isolation, how much are you tightening down the screw that compresses the big rubber washer? I've been cinching mine down about 2 turns after the screw reaches the washer, which compresses the rubber washer by 1/3 perhaps.

The Flying Cheese Cinema Build Extravaganza - Day 5

Another long day of getting not much done...

Did manage to get another wall up, the back wall this time. 2 down, 2 to go...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4142007265_d80f27a857_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2581/4142004957_350bca7dec_o.jpg

As you can see, I ended up framing up an entirely new wall rather than try to isolate the existing wall. Just seemed like less trouble this way, and I only lost 4 inches in length, which was negligible. I left a rough opening for where the new single door will go - I'll frame it up when I find a door.

Also on the list today was some exterior illumination - hard to pass up a 60+ degree day at the end of November. Nothing fancy compared to some folks, but the house doesn't look like a friggin fun house either...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/4142762984_6cb0a37a74.jpg

Flying Cheese- good to see another CRT'er willing to post up pics of their build. I see you are in Central Illinois. Where at? I'm in Peoria.

I'm in Sherman, just north of SPI. Good to hear from someone local. I glanced at your build thread and you just a great job based on what you started with!

Long live the CRT. I've got 6 at the moment, but I really, really need to cut it down some...I do plan on using one of my NEC XG's when I roll the theater out. Eventually though, I'll likely replace it with a digital. A 12'-wide 2.40 screen is just not a CRT's friend.

What CRT are you running? A Sony 1251? I've got two Ampro 3600's I'm looking to get rid of....a bit brighter than your Sony....mmmmmm, tempting....

okay what are you asking for them? :)

okay what are you asking for them? :)

I'll send you a PM with the details, but a couple hundred bucks for the pair and they're yours. One works great with good tubes, the other is non-working with not great tubes - it's a bad board or power supply on the non-working unit, I don't remember which. Good for spare parts though.

Damn, I can't believe it's been almost 6 months...One of these days I'll actually get around to doing something...

This pesky thing called work keeps getting in my way. And now that it warm out, flying seems like more fun than spinning my wheels on where to start with my build.