The Harder Theater pics and info!

So here is my theater. My father in law has his own company and they actually do the screen, drapes, and decor of actual theaters so naturally I had help from him.
I started out with just a typical 2 car garage. Onced finished the room is about 14 feet in front to back depth and about 11.5ft in width. The framing was done with 2 x 4's and then dressed with sheet rock.
Next is were it gets really cool, we framed out the inside the theater with one inch by one inch mdf along all the corners and edges so we could cover the walls with acoustic installation fiberglass then cover the wall with a grey tension mount. We then covered the edges with black base board and black trim.
The biggest task was to be able to open the garage door but not have it in the theater so we did a tension mount across the ceiling in the front of the theater just to were the garage door will open to and then the garage ceiling is used and was painted black. Thge result is a garage door that opens but you would not be able to visually tell while in the theater.

Sorry but the pics are from my phone but you get the idea.

Over the next few weeks we are working on drapes and a masking system. I will post pics when done.
The main reason for the post was to show that it is possible to have an actual theater in your house (or garage) if you really want one and have an imagination, also to help other generate ideas for their own theaters.

So here is the drapey surrounding the screen and hiding the masking with all the cords and pullys:


Here is with the masking open:


Now with the masking:


Currently the masking is a manual pull cord type with the top and bottom closing evenly and can be stopped anywhere. Soon we will have a motor with multiple stop points.

I did my best to try to explain:
I will do my best but because I am by no means a professional it might not be crystal clear.
First we built 2 masks, one for top and one for the bottom.
For each mask we used two 1 X 2 inch beams of wood that were about 8 inches longer than the screen on each side, one 1 X 2 for the top of the top mask and one for the bottom of the top mask, then a thin but wide piece of wood to connect the beams. This piece of wood was about 1cm thick (I am guessing) but about say 4 inches shorter than the beams so about 96" in length and 8" tall as my masking needs area about 6-8 inches for each top and bottom. Then paint is with flat black paint, dry then wrap it in black velvet. The ends of the beams ( 1X2 wood) should extend about 2 inches past the thin piece of wood on each side.
Then drill a small hole about one inch from each end through each beam and make sure the top and bottom beam are alligned this is where the pully cord will be pulled through.

So do this twice and now you have 2 masks, one for top and one for bottom.
Hopefully this is maksing sense to you all.

Next we used 4 pullys one for each corner, attaching 2 to the ceiling and 2 to the floor. Then we treaded the pullys with the maks in place. I can't really explain all this part as I have no idea how to thread it as my father in-law knew exactly how to do this BUT it really is not that complicated and with some thinking and trial and error you can figure it out.
Each mask is locked in place on the thread with these locking type nuts (not sure what they are called but you can buy them a home depot I am sure) they area the silver nuts in the above pic.
Next I displayed an image that was 2.35 to 1 and locked the masks in that position and I was done.


To connect and tighten the thread (rope really) so that it is a complete loop above the screen it is complete with this device which can be bought a home depot I am sure:

This is the top Right pully (the left top is the same):


Here is the bottom left ( the bottom Right is the same):


Then simply pull on a cord whether on the R or L side of the screen and the masks either open or close. Sounds far more complicated but think about it like this as the top lowers the bottom raises.

I have two computers and when I look at the photo's no doubt the cell phone photos suck but that is all I have and if you increase the brightness on the screen the effectiveness of the masking is noticable as well as a little more detail.

You could easily make something similar and easier if you don't mind having to go to the R side then the L sides to make the masking. Just put a pully on the ceiling on the L and R sides of the screen, make the masks as I described in the previous post and just thread the masks and lock them into place (you can buy the thread lock or what ever it is called and do like in the photo above to lock the masks in place) and when you lower the top masks the bottom mask raises BUT then you will have to go to the other side and do the same to get the masking level.

1. Yes one rope and it is completed or connected right over the screen by this device (which you can buy at homedepot) in one of the above photos, it also tightens to given and reduce slack.

2. The pully with two rollers to it is on the ceiling and the single roller to it is in the floor. However you do it just make sure that they match so for example if you do the to the wall make all them on the wall, if/when you do it you will see it is quite simple to match them up right.

Let me explain this drawing as I am no artist and it is not to scale.
The "2" means there are two rollers on this pully and the "1" mean 1 roller to each pully, also I was unable to draw the device that connects the rope (at least not well) and the metal locks that lock in each masking but the pics show these quite well.
The arrows show the way the rope will move.