The Cinemar Home Theater Construction Thread - Page 31

Hi Larry,

Here's a diagram showing the moulding I'm going with.



I'm still on the fence about how to tackle attaching the fabric. Especially on the sides. I'm open to recommendations.

For the sides, I was thinking of just using hot glue or contact cement to attach it to the MDF. I'm thinking stapes may fray the edge of the MDF since I only have about 1/2" of contact with the mdf to fabric.

Here's an illustration. The moulding is 3/4" and I'll finish nail it over the top of the fabric and then into the mdf.


For the lower front of the column, I have a lot more room to staple or glue the fabric. The top half grill needs to be removable. I'm planning to use a plastic speaker frame from parts-express.

I ordered the Black GOM so I'll be getting to that phase soon.

I cut all the mouldings for the first column. I became more and more efficient. I started using a finished cut moulding piece as a template to mark the next piece for cutting. The trick was to place them back to back on the floor and then use a sharp pencil to trace the cut line. This narrowed by cuts down to about two or three per moulding per side. Much easier than using the measuring tape. Then to shave off a hair, I would lower the mitre saw blade down and push the moulding against the blade. Then lift the blade up and make the cut. The teeth are a little larger, so it just shaved a smidge off the end moving me closer and closer to my finished cut. These are probably all stuff the pro's know, but being my first time. I'm learning as I go.

Bryan,

I can definitely say that the edges are not perfect. And even with the Kreg jig, as I tightened the screws it pushed the edges a bit over their mark as I joined the pieces together. I think I'll need to clamp the MDF together next time before joing them to keep them from moving off their square. I think the hairline edge can be sanded though.

I do have a router. What type of bit are you suggesting using? The edges that I cut for the first column look pretty smooth.

Everything's going black, so I'm hoping shadows and just the overall room will hide some of the imperfections.

Looks cool. How easy is it to work with bondo?
Would I need to bondo the entire column or just the corners?

One thing to that's in the back of my mind is that I'm not necessarily trying to make it look like the corner doesn't exist, but rather create a smooth matching finish on the cut edge so it's paintable. I want it to look like painted wood (but without the grain). If I look at my expensive kitchen cabinets, you can see where the wood panels were seamed together. But the edges are nice and flush.

I'm not necessarily looking to make it look like the columns were drywalled and there are no seams.

Any tips/tricks for cutting the GOM and working with the large roll? It seems like it'd be challenging to get nice straight cuts with scissors.

Guys.

Thanks for all the great advice. My father-in-law seems comfortable with the bondo. So I think we'll try that on the edges. Then use sanding sealer on the entire unit along with sanding.

Larry,
I actually intended on going a bit fancier with the trim. But I had quite a bit left over from the basement that I decided to use that instead of just throwing it away. Otherwise, I would have gone with a slightly taller base and more decorative.

I haven't gotten into the theater tonight. But here's some progress from last night.

I built a speaker frame out of a speaker frame kit from Parts-Express. I removed the nubs on the back that fit into the female socket fittings. The sockets seemed like it was going to be challenging to get the grills in and out. So instead I'm using magnets to attach the frame.

The frame certainly took some time and I have to believe there's a faster way. Was thinking of a metal bar on the top wrapped in the GOM and then another metal bar to add some weight to the bottom. Then magnets would hold the material taught vertically both at the top and bottom. My concern with this method is the edges may not always look taught over time unless they are attached to something and could possibly get snagged or frayed over time.

Any one else try the gravity method with magnets.

Overall the parts-express kit was easy to work with. I initially made some cuts with a hacksaw, but then just used a table saw for more precise straight cuts. The frame was hot glued together and then the material applied using hot glue. You really just need to take your time with the hot glue and keep pulling the material so it has a smooth edge. I started with the corners. Going from one diagnol to the other and then working towards the middle.

One thing I'll be doing with the next frame is adding the provided supports that the kit comes with in the middle. I can see a bit of bowing in the frame. It was most likely from me pulling the GOM to tight on the plastic frame. So next one, I'll be a little less agressive. I'll probably slip a small piece of black velcro on the bottom of the speaker frame against the fabric so I can pull the frame off the column easily.

Right now, I have screws attached into the back of the speaker frame that line up with the magnets in the female socket fittings within the column. I think I'll switch that around and put the screw in magnets on the frame and just a piece of metal in the column. Requires less presicion and lining up screw to magnet.

I'm using GOM fabric. I modified the speaker kit frame from Parts Express. I've got samples of speaker fabric from parts express. The premium is nice...but has a sheen. In the end I preferred the black GOM since it was darker and would blend with the red GOM I'm using on the side walls.

I like it. We did that in our dining room. Im also using the base on the ceiling soffit. I'll have to see how much I have left. Also, I'll have to match the same height since I've already cut the speaker column holes and I have the chair rail and base symetrical. Thanks for encouraging me to spend more money.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Actually, they would probably would just stay in there with my current design. I'll try removing the magnets and see.

I've certainly been doing my part between the theater and the entire basement. Most of the people I hired were out of work or had hit a very slow period. Menards, Home Depot and Lowes have certainly excercised my wallet too.

Maybe AVS should change this section of the forum from Dedicated Theater Design & Construction to "Economy Stimulus".

I'm planning to go with the Seymour AT screen.


In the spirit of progress, I ripped down some of the MDF last night and broke out the jig saw. Have almost two more of the columns ready for assembly.

I don't know if it's realistic, but my goal is to have the theater done by the Superbowl. I may have to develop a concrete schedule in order to keep myself on pace. I'll have to see how long carpet will take. That alone might need to be ordered 6 weeks ahead of time.

Hey Larry,

What would that be for? More stimulus?

When the columns are against the wall, you can't see through the GOM fabric.

That's what I was thinking when you wrote that. I remembered you work for Benjamin Moore.

It's kind of like burlap. Initially I wasn't sold on it. But it seems durable, fire retardant and will match the other GOM color. I'm happy I went with it.

I used Juno 4" Air Tight housing. I couldn't have any light leaking up into the ceiling from the back sides of the enclosure.

I went with these from Lowe's:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_90674-38269-...ght&facetInfo=

They are taller than 3.5". I'd have to double check, but they may require 5.75" above the tray. I plan to disguise them though with crown moulding.

I would have preferred a 3" can, but couldn't find anything airtight.

Worked in the theater until about 2am last night getting a total of 5 columns cut up for assembly. Was a little slow after all that Turkey.

I noticed my jig saw started straying a bit even along the straight edge. Do these blades eventually get bent or worn which would cause this? Or perhaps it was fatigue setting in.

I was using the T101B Clean blade that I purchased. But then moved back to the T144DP Precision blade that came with the Bosch. That one seemed to cut as clean and faster anyways.