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Bethesda Build - Page 11

post #301 of 565
4/14/11 at 12:56pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jesto View Post

maybe a cutout of the column as part of the door

I actually am beginning to really like this idea - kind of like a secret door but not really
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post #302 of 565
4/14/11 at 1:28pm
I was thinking about a swinging column face, I know I've seen one somewhere. You really only need to pass a DVD through the opening.
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post #303 of 565
4/14/11 at 1:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC View Post

I was thinking about a swinging column face, I know I've seen one somewhere. You really only need to pass a DVD through the opening.

Also video games and storage / charging for controllers - would be good to see the preamplifier face too for setup and tuning

So need to be able to access
1. DVD
2. Xbox
3. Playstation
4. Mac mini
5. Receiver face
6. Ideally have a shelf or drawer for storage
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post #304 of 565
4/14/11 at 2:59pm
Due to my rear entry location, I went with corner columns. In addition, I wanted to have them also serve as hidden corner absorbers (for the portion not occupied by rear surround speakers), so they are a bit wider than my side columns. So, little different size, little different shape, but it ties in fairly well I think.



Just in case you could use an example of a corner column...
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post #305 of 565
4/15/11 at 12:54am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Horstkotte
Due to my rear entry location, I went with corner columns. In addition, I wanted to have them also serve as hidden corner absorbers (for the portion not occupied by rear surround speakers), so they are a bit wider than my side columns. So, little different size, little different shape, but it ties in fairly well I think.

Just in case you could use an example of a corner column...
Thanks brad - your build is definitely inspiration - I especially like the idea of getting real bass traps / absorption in the corner like you did

We will keep fiddling and hopefully get everything resolved this weekend - had trouble with measurements yet again tonight, oh well - figure big is coming tomorrow and we can get it all sorted out - me working til 3am is not conducive to math and clean measurements
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post #306 of 565
4/15/11 at 1:16am
Thread Starter 
Ok heres what got done tonight (will update this post with pics at some point tomorrow

- yet another trip to home depot - at 9:30pm no less - this time for painting supplies and paint samples. Also picked up a work table and a bigger level
- put the silly worktable together (should've just bought sawhorses)
- ran electrical for stage rope lighting
- ran electrical for riser steps
- ran electrical for riser power
- (really hoping ran the riser electrical correctly)
- sketched out column layouts bases on sketchup measurements (see previous post)
- ran the 2x2 cat6 rg6 into the riser for the front of riser outlet
- only screwed up 2 holes (yay for caulk)
- first screw up was just in the wrong place, I couldn't get the hole in the drywall to match the hole in the stage bc my bit wasn't long enough (that's what she said)
- the second screw up was running the data cable. Solved the length issue by using the right bit - but drilled the hole basically right up against the framing baseboard. Oh, and needed a bigger bit as well.
- sanded about 1/2 the room - mainly the around and above the riser - sanding drywall just sucks
- marked all the areas that need to be caulked / patched as I sanded
- labelled my tools - now that I'm slowly acquiring them, want to make sure they stay mine

On tap for this weekend
- finish stage
- Linacoustic ceiling
- finish riser
- finalize column layout (and hope it matches with the electrical we ran prior to drywall - or make it work)
- sand rest of room
- prime
- put some paint samples upon the wall
- hopefully build the soffit and convince my buddy to turn on the subpanel

One tip - as I was sketching out the columns I made it a point to mark the channel locations with a pencil - that way when we attach the columns (or anything for that matter) to the walls, we do so on the channels and not just through the drywall - marks will be behind the column as well

Ok - after 9 hours at work, 3 hours of watching the kid on my own, 1 hour at home depot again, and 4.5 hours of build I'm done for now -

planning on hammering through the weekend as much as possible starting tomorrow right after work, all day Saturday, and as much time as Sunday (wife) will allow
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post #307 of 565
4/15/11 at 7:02am
Thread Starter 
Electrical for stage rope light:


Electrical lines coming in for power to the riser and the step lights


Electrical running through the riser - actually the outlet wire was super long, so i figured i might as well put two outlet junctions into the riser - so extended it two joists over as well - that way there will be plenty of power for seats and other stuff


Line for the second step light:


2x2 Cat6 RG6 home run to garage into riser


Sanded riser area - need to put in corner and mud - the blue tape marks all the areas where we need to mud / caulk / or do something


Playing around with columns again
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post #308 of 565
4/15/11 at 9:12am
Hey, your build is looking great. I'm loving the updates.

Just a question on your last couple photos there. It looks like you have 12 ga and 14 ga running together. The last couple electrical inspections I have had, the inspectors get a little freaked out when the see that. Are those running on different circuits?
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post #309 of 565
4/15/11 at 9:32am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BllDo View Post

Hey, your build is looking great. I'm loving the updates.

Just a question on your last couple photos there. It looks like you have 12 ga and 14 ga running together. The last couple electrical inspections I have had, the inspectors get a little freaked out when the see that. Are those running on different circuits?

yup - running on different circuits - the 12 is for electrical outlets - the 14 is for lighting
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post #310 of 565
4/15/11 at 11:31am
Man you are a machine, some marathon effort going in lately.
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post #311 of 565
4/15/11 at 11:36am
Quote:


Electrical running through the riser - actually the outlet wire was super long, so i figured i might as well put two outlet junctions into the riser - so extended it two joists over as well - that way there will be plenty of power for seats and other stuff

You might want to treat that like a wall for outlet purposes....an outlet every 8 ft and within 6 feet of a wall, etc. ESPECIALLY if there are no outlets on the wall behind it.
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post #312 of 565
4/15/11 at 11:41am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Horstkotte View Post

Man you are a machine, some marathon effort going in lately.

Thanks Brad - daughter's first birthday party is May 21 and the room has to be done (at least usable) by then -

I'm trying to be realistic about carpet, trim, theater seats, acoustic panels and such - but I do think we can get the room layout finalized and painted by then and then just throw area rugs down

Need to move all my equipment out of the living room which i'm using for storage right now
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post #313 of 565
4/15/11 at 11:42am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlogan6797 View Post

You might want to treat that like a wall for outlet purposes....an outlet every 8 ft and within 6 feet of a wall, etc. ESPECIALLY if there are no outlets on the wall behind it.

Thanks Logan, we're going to have lots of outlets, 2 at back of stage, 2 on the riser, and one on each column except the corners (so 2 on the sides and 2 at the back) - I think thats enough right?
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post #314 of 565
4/15/11 at 12:54pm
It's not so much a question of how many there are, it's how they measure out along the wall. FOr instance, I found out the hard way that the fixed panel of a sliding door is considered wall space. I had to move one outlet and add a second because I had to move the one that was there.

I'd have Big check out the placement for you before you close up that stage, just in case. Make him work for that cake!
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post #315 of 565
4/15/11 at 12:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlogan6797 View Post

Make him work for that cake!

Yea!
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post #316 of 565
4/15/11 at 2:03pm
He was running around today getting everything for the marathon work session tomorrow.

Things like 1/4 inch drywall for the curved soffit over the screen. Will use 2-3 layers glued together.
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post #317 of 565
4/15/11 at 9:47pm
We got some work done this PM just the pics for now explanation later. Stage is 100% done, riser just needs the decking screwed down.



This is the magic, 1 5/8 lip measuring tool. Some assembly required:













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post #318 of 565
4/15/11 at 10:10pm
Shame you're not making that riser a bass trap....
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post #319 of 565
4/16/11 at 4:55am
We're not done with it, those are Jesto's plans.
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post #320 of 565
4/17/11 at 7:38pm
Can't he still make it a bass trap by adding vents?
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post #321 of 565
4/17/11 at 7:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC View Post

We're not done with it, those are Jesto's plans.

When using a riser as a bass trap, don't you usually try to keep the "joists" from going all the way to either the top or bottom, to make it a big continuous cavity (vs many smaller ones)?
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post #322 of 565
4/17/11 at 9:34pm
Brad we talked about that but in the end decided to go with the simplified form as documented in Dennis Erskine's old article.
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post #323 of 565
4/18/11 at 4:58am
BIG,

Nice job on the stage cutting. I'm impressed that your knees are still strong enough for doing work like that on your knees with no pads. I can't do that any more, assuming I want to walk the next day.

Jesto, this build is moving so fast you ought to rename this thread the "blitzkrieg build." At this rate it'll be over before we knew what hit us. Very envious.
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post #324 of 565
4/18/11 at 5:38am
"This is the magic, 1 5/8 lip measuring tool"

I like it. Looks like that worked good. The stage looks very nice.
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post #325 of 565
4/18/11 at 9:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon_B View Post

"This is the magic, 1 5/8 lip measuring tool"

I like it. Looks like that worked good. The stage looks very nice.

Here is a close-up of the business end of the magic stage lip tool:

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post #326 of 565
4/18/11 at 9:53am
Jesto is slammed at work so he asked me to Post the WEEKEND REPORT

1)Finished Decking the Stage with two layers of OSB and a layer of 30lb roofing felt.
2)Tracing the arc and cutting the lip
3)Finished Decking the riser
4)Running a mega bunch of wires for everything Jesto could think of and laying in conduit for the future.
5)Finalized the design of the soffit, it changed a lot going from a 12 x 12 presence to a more space efficient 8x10. One item that had to go from the build was our version of a dead vent. Instead we used insulation lined vent boots and located the supplies in a direct drop down rather than a little further forward.
6) A good segment of the Wiring was completed with power now turned on to the sub-panel and a number of circuits terminated in the room. All Thanks to Jesto's electrician friend.
7) Soffit was framed including the matching curve over the stage and we began to add the drywall to the curved portion with 3 layers of easily bendable 1/4 inch drywall laminated together with drywall glue.
8) On the menu this weekend was steak, chicken, two different chicken pasta's and Pizza. No one on the crew complained other than the foreman who always wanted to keep us working faster and longer.

Now for some pictures of the progress.





















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post #327 of 565
4/18/11 at 10:08am
Interesting approach to framing the curved front soffit, certainly simpler than the way I built mind - and use of the metal u channel things, haven't seen those.
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post #328 of 565
4/18/11 at 10:14am
Thread Starter 
Don't forgot i finally got some tools of my own

got a minute for lunch so i figured i would post some pics of the wiring. I must say I am very very happy with the progress we made this weekend, took some engineering (columns and curves mainly), but the room cosmetics of the room are now "fully" designed and ready to be finished off

all we need now is to finish off the drywall, mud and sand, paint and carpet (and of course columns and trim and the fancy stuff)

- anyone wanna take bets on how long I wait to set up a "temp" a/v system to test everything?

thought i'd explain some pics of the low voltage wiring for those that might be curious

managed to get everything across in one pull including:
1) 1 Big green cable =2cat 6 and 2 RG6 - why? just because I had it left over (barely made it)
2) 2 additional Cat 6 cables
3) Speaker wires for L,C,R and Side Surrounds (rears come through the back)
4) 2 RCA cables for the subs



Here's the view from the equipment closet (cutting that conduit down afterwards was kinda scary - but it got done)



Here's the run through the room prior to the soffit framing




another view - ran the speaker and data cables through separate rings


everything is safe and sound in the equipment closet (looped up high so nothing can be put on it) - the loops on the left are the 2 big green cables and 2 cat6s from the home run to the "nerve center" in the garage - you can also see how we trimmed down the conduit on the two runs going into the theater - the one on the left is for the projector, and we still need to add one for the riser and rear surrounds.


Also got the rear surrounds wired and ran a 3/4" conduit through the other big conduit hole on the right (into the soffit - can be used as a pull tube if necc), and ran conduit to the front of the riser

Thanks again to Mr. Big for all the hard work and brain power!
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post #329 of 565
4/18/11 at 10:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Horstkotte View Post

Interesting approach to framing the curved front soffit, certainly simpler than the way I built mind - and use of the metal u channel things, haven't seen those.

The metal framing is actually the bottom and top channel of a 1 5/8 thick metal framing wall system. Such a system is at HD but these particular channels were from a commercial building supply where they run about 50% of what HD wants. They also carry the 1/4 inch drywall something you won't see at HD.

The wood gets screwed from both sides, In the case of the bottom we just ran 2 inch screws through catching both sides. It helps to use a pistol grip clamp just to the side of the screw. The thing is lighter than a wood frame and we could have used all metal but in anticipation of installing some molding with rope lights used the wood to give a nailing base. We are also using the lightweight drywall for this structure.

When doing this just subtract about 3/32 of an inch from the length of each wood piece to get the right height.
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post #330 of 565
4/18/11 at 7:24pm
Another great weekend of progress! Exciting progress at that! I would guess the temptation to plug some things in and give it a test is overwhelming!
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