KnoxVegas "Bang for the Buck" Theater - Page 3

Thank you to everyone with help in steering me into a solution for a tweaking my riser into a bass trap. I think I have some good information, now I'm gonna take a stab at it this weekend... pictures to follow!


Now let's have some fun!

I am planning on covering the walls to the left and right of the false wall. Looking at having wall carpet just a bit up from the baseboard, to just above the wall receptacle. Then a tensioned, fabric track system from Fabricmate up to the crown.
However, I am trying to come up with a nice design to incorporate into the track, maybe even work in a variation of materials for a nice effect.

Any suggestions, pictures, designs would be appreciated.

I already drew out the wall to the right of the screen:
The space I am looking to cover is the big square area to the left of the doors, ONLY. I don't plan on taking this back any further. Then repeating the design on the other wall.




Attached are some examples I "doodled" earlier tonight, then my brain ran out of ...... uhhhhhh.... duhhhhh... energy.......


Again, any suggestion, ideas, heck "doodles" would be GREATLY appreciated, I may be able to make great bounds forward in the next 2-3 weeks. Would love to be able to settle on a design and get the parts, materials ordered so I can just keep on clicking along.
Edited by Johnny14o - 11/4/12 at 6:02pm

I do like it!
Maybe I should start drinking Mojito's, looks like they are "inspiring"

Awesome job! I'll send you a PM with my email.


OK everyone, Alex has set the bar. Keep 'em coming! Probably going to order all my stuff the first of the month.
So 1 week..... On your mark... Get set..... GO!!!

I need help, sooo... let's have some fun!

I am planning on covering the walls to the left and right of the false wall. Looking at having wall carpet just a bit up from the baseboard, to just above the wall receptacle. Then a tensioned, fabric track system from Fabricmate up to the crown.
However, I am trying to come up with a nice design to incorporate into the track, maybe even work in a variation of materials for a nice effect.

Here is the first example. Courtesy of Alexander GIK Acoustics:


Both stylish and functional
Edited by Johnny14o - 11/4/12 at 6:03pm

Riser + Bass Trap

Got a jump on the riser this afternoon. Flipped it upside down and got to work....



Began to cut vent and interior chamber ports...



Once I had the vents and ports cut. I began stuffing with insulation. I had several suggestions for insulation type. Rockwool vs Fiberglass. I had some ROXUL left over and got some insulation from Lowes for free.... USE 'EM BOTH! Started with the ROXUL


Made it 1 layer deep.


Then added fiberglass. Johns Manville product, got it @ Lowe's. Owens Corning USED to have a product like it. Fiberglass inside a polybag. Read a few discussions about Fiberglass an bass traps and a concern about the fiberglass becoming airborne. Figured this in a polybag HAS to help cut down on the possibility.



Once stuffed, I had leftover roofing paper from the hallway hardwood install. Decided to give the bottom a covering of it...


Then made a run to Wal-Mart for some cheapo material...



Flipped it back over and checked to make sure the lighting still works...

Finishing touches on the riser/bass trap. Vents.

Got a grayish foam to insert behind the vent to prevent airborne insulation. Probably overkill, but ounce of prevention.....

Cabinet install begins.

Keeping with the theme of updating, and being able to remove/tweak the room. I chose to install the cabinets OVER the carpet. Which normally I would have installed the cabinets and finished the carpet to the edge.

Seeing as how I am setting the cabinets on the carpet, I chose to install a frame under the cabinets and install adjustable feet that will penetrate closer to the subfloor=stability.



Also, got some winterizing gaskets for the switches and receptacles along the soundproof wall.

YIPPEE! and stuff.

My new Hard Drives for my NAS box showed up....


After running both drives through a 9 hour (each) test for bad sectors. I began installing into my new D-Link DNS-325. Having past experience with the D-Link NAS boxes, they tend to get a bit "warm". Decided to dismantle the box and make a few "modifications" to increase airflow and heat dissipation.

Drilled extra holes in the front and attached some hard drive heat sinks along the sides...



And in goes the hard drives.... Now do I have to do is decide if I want 6TB of storage space (spanning, box sees the 2 drives as 1 BIG one), or RAID 1 (mirroring) to protect my movie collection in-case of hard drive failure. Only thing is, I already have 3.2TB of movies....


Even added a few of the Isolate-It feet to the bottom...

Things are clicking along, "MIGHT" be ready for a movie in 2 weeks or so. Need to get on the acoustical panels and get the materials ordered...

Thanks to Alexander GIK Acoustics with hitting me with a color scheme along with a design.

I decided to try to "blend" the colors as much as possible. Doing a Black that will match the material on the false wall, and a brown that will be "close" to the color of brown on the walls. Figure it would help "blend" the acoustic panels into the rest of the room. The bottom 16" ish will be made of the same carpet as the riser.

What I would appreciate is feedback to which design appears more appealing. RIGHT wall or LEFT wall?

Ok... I tweaked the LEFT a bit and compared it to the RIGHT (which I was favoring). I made the left truly fade from the Black around the screen to a grey/black in the middle that will play off the lower section below the panels. And into a brown that meets the painted wall.



What it would look like on BOTH walls..



And I even took the black all the way through the middle... I'm kinda liking this one a lot....

Edited by Johnny14o - 9/25/12 at 6:59pm

Not done with it yet..... funny you should ask, because i have been keeping an folder with receipts in it. When I get done I plan to add it all up, but break it down (Carpet, paint, etc) Maybe that would help folks get a rough idea what they can plan on for a project.

To be honest, I am afraid to look!

Hate to say it, but the project being drawn out like if has, worked out in 2 ways:
1 It helped me absorb the costs over time, rather than hit me in the head at once.
2. I had time to think about some of the stranger problems I ran into, and come up with better ideas.

Bad side.....I'm going through SERIOUS movie withdraw!

Next phase of planning and building continues...

Sent my materials info off to Fabricmate for review and went ahead and ordered the track I needed. Ed took very good care of me and made sure I understood how to go about installing the track, fabric and acoustical material.

Ed Blumenstock
Architectural Sales
866-622-2996 x1439
805-290-1439-direct
805-642-3154-fax
www.fabricmate.com



Design layout with measurements:

Edges and intermediate joint track all have a beveled edge, rather than a squared.


Ed had some fabric samples sent to me from Guilford of Maine line, FR701 series. Black, a Chocolate and 3 gray-tones. Black is perfect, need to look at different colors for the Browns and Grays.

I did settle on the acoustic material. More like IT settled the decision for me. Found some Linacoustic RC on Craigslist. 1" 100' roll.

Edited by Johnny14o - 12/4/12 at 4:11pm

Worked on the "random" but necessary items today.

Started the hanging of the new fire rated (which equals HEAVY) door. Chiseled out the hinge mounts..




Re-built, squared up, and notched out hinge mounts on the new, custom door frame... Please note the Iron Man Band-Aid and blood splatter on the frame.... Heavy door = 4 hinges and Oak frame (on hinge side to support extra weight) = need extra sharp wood chisel + clumsy me = blood...




Started painting the frame and door as well as installing the automatic sweep in the bottom of the door.





4 passes with the 'ole router (I could not find a router bit that was 9/16" wide and 1 3/8" deep, so I made a 3/8" work) and one notch for an automatic sweep...





Set the frame into the rough opening. Thought I would have all kins of room on the sides to "shim and square" NO, I actually had to use a putty knife and "shoehorn" the frame into the opening...



Now I'm tired.... Don't have a theater, so I'm going to see Dredd in a theater....

Ok... Saw Dredd last night (going through movie withdraws).
I had the entire theater to myself (10:40 Sunday night), It was nice.

First, separate yourself from the Stallone version. That one was a pitiful version of the comic. This one is more inline with the actual comic.

This version was better and worse than I expected (hoped for). The action was great! It was like the 1st Die Hard.... but on CRACK!
The shootouts were intense and BLOODY! Guts and Blood, and guts, and MORE GUTS! DREDD is a hardcore bad ass!
The plot/storyline was a bit shallow. However, I can see it playing out into a Trilogy with maybe more character development in other installments.

Make no doubt it is a Bang, Bang action movie...PERIOD.

If you don't catch it in the Cineplex, put it on your list for when it comes out on disc!

Worked on the door some more. Need it out of the garage, so decided to focus on the doors, trim and desk. Fabricmate track will be here Friday, but I won't begin that project until the false wall is done.


After long deliberation and consideration, taking feedback from you good folks, and just plain flipping a coin. I decided (part of the way) how I am going to approach the door.

- The door is already a fire rated door. It is DENSE and about 70lbs (just guessing, basing it on how a 50lb bag of Kitty Litter/or my wife's suitcase when we fly....
I had considered an extra layer of MDF at one time, but seeing as how I ended up with a door like this one VS. a solid Oak, Pine, Etc type material, I decided against it.

I still had some left over materials, so it helped make my decision a tad easier. I decided to add a layer of MLV, a layer of hardwood underlayment, and a layer of 3/16" plywood.

Cut the underlayment, even cut some strips and stuffed them into the channels in the door design.




Next is a layer of MLV...


Then the underlayment...


Then the plywood...



TA-DA! Materials sandwich...

Hauled this BEAST of a door upstairs and got it installed...



Finished installing the door frame. Wedged a long shim wrapped in MLV in the gap across the top then caulked one side with acoustical caulk...

Progress slow. Work and sick (or sick of work!) slowed my plans down.

I did however, get solve 2 problems surrounding the door. The automatic door sweep could not extend low enough to make a good seal beneath the door, and the seal would drag on the carpet a bit when opening and closing.


SOLUTION. Had a scrap piece of rubber trim left over from edging out the riser (good lesson NOT to throw out ANYTHING..... "on the next episode of HOARDERS"...).

Cut the rubber trim to fit between the door frame, an overlap to the inside and cut it down just a bit to give a lip at the carpet.
Added some double sided sticky tape (so the rubber strip can be take up if needed)



Worked GREAT. Also with the rubber at the carpet interface, this should help with any carpet snags/wear, etc... Nighttime check of sealing. Bottom... PERFECT, Sides... TBD still have to build and install perimeter door stop with gasket. (Little round blue light above the door is the IR light from the CCTV camera...)

I am also able to adjust the automatic sweep. Now it does not have to come down as far, so it is getting no where near the carpet and hitting the rubber perfectly.


Continued work on the desk and cabinets. Roughed in a piece of Aspen and built up counter-top ends with wood filler to attach laminate end trim.


Also, got my arsenal out of storage to dust them off...


JBL L820's (x6) on the floor. JBL LC2 (x2) on couch to the left. Extra JBL S-Center in middle, and JAMO Dipole C400SUR
Edited by Johnny14o - 10/3/12 at 3:27pm

Sick, Work, Honey-Do's and just general lack of time... SHALL NOT KEEP ME FROM FINISHING!

Priority was to get my office area back into a functional form.


The cat is happy the computer is back where it belongs....




Planning for the false wall....

Taped floor follows a design that Chinadog used to accommodate subwoofer into each corner. HOWEVER, after discussing the design/layout with a couple of folks (chinadog, 1Myke) on subwoofer placement and orientation, I have decided to position the sub almost in the middle of the wall (slightly off-center) and sideways instead in the corner. Not having the sub in the corner also allows me to position bass traps in each corner.
Edited by Johnny14o - 10/24/12 at 3:12pm

Found another use for a 2nd story home theater......

During the past couple weeks, a coyote got one of our out door cats. I even have it on CCTV in our backyard, even coming up on our back deck and looking into our patio door....

I spent 3 nights in a row hanging out the Home Theater window with a borrowed toy from the neighbor....


No luck..........BUT THE HUNT WILL CONTINUE....

The time consuming "little-things"... trim....




And of course the "Honey-Doo's" The boss saw the paint out and "reminded" me that I promised to do some faux wainscotting in the dining room. I am also going to do it down the upstairs hallway and the staircase....(but don't tell HER that!)

This is just the initial coat, trim and at least 1 more coat needed.... AFTER I GET MY THEATER BACK.... (this just bought me some time...)

This weekend....False Wall... or DEATH...

I will be out of town for a couple of days. But I got my lumber and painted it black to let it cure for a bit before I chopped it up into toothpicks.

Ahhhhhh....... progress

Out of town and then crappy weather..... GREAT time to goof around in the 'ole H.T.

Tweaked the layout of the false wall. Instead of the corners being kicked out to accommodate the subwoofer, turning the sub sideways and kicking out the entire width by 3 1/2"



Stopping for the moment..... ran out of wood and screws (good planning, eh?)

The new DARBLET is here..! The new DARBLET is here!!!! (Think Steve Martin in 'The Jerk')


Box arrived yesterday... Wife tells me today "Oh, yeah...there is a box crammed in the garage that came in the mail......


OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!



I had a long conversation with the folks at DARBEE a couple of weeks ago about if I would see any improvement with my projector. After reviewing the projector specs (SANYO PLV-Z3000 50,000:1 Contrast Ratio, 120hz, 5:5 pulldown), That I should see SIGNIFICANT improvements....... STAY TUNED!
Edited by Johnny14o - 10/28/12 at 5:29pm

Got off work early today, went and VOTED! Got home and had a bit of time this afternoon to make some progress...

Fiddled with screen position:



Goofing around with speaker locations:



For the moment settled on this configuration:



Ordered additional bag of ROXUL Safe n' Sound for the bass traps.

I have some extra black cloth that is stretchy plan on layering the entire back and sides of the false wall frame with the material (staples) making pockets. My 1" Linacoustic will go up against the material. Using the rest of the material I plan on making cubical bags to stuff the ROXUL into, making modular Bass Traps. The bass traps will be in the top Left and Right and Bottom Left and Right (above and below the L and R channel speakers.

Still not sure what EXACTLY I will do with the chamber with the subwoofer. With the sub firing Left and Right, directly into the bass traps, would it be a good idea to put some plywood at a 45* angle out into the room?
Edited by Johnny14o - 11/2/12 at 5:52pm