The Official Untreated Do-able Only Thread - Page 30

I was considering bolting / glueing a couple of these boards together for a larger board. If I were to put a filler between the gaps, sand it down, and paint it do you think it would work? If so, what kind of filler would anybody recommend?

Not sure how one would match the texture and color. I mean, a guy might be able to have them use the machine to match the color but what about the texture? If it's flat you might end up with hot spotting or some weirdness.

Oh I meant painting the entire board, not just the seams but I see what you are saying regarding texture. I wonder if it is possible after assembly to sand the seams, paint the whole thing, resin or varnish everything, and then paint again.

Hello all. I have read this entire forum from beginning to end a couple times now. I think the Do-Able board is the way I'm going to go, but I had a couple questions. I currently live in an appartment and the largest wall I can project my IF4805 on is only 62" wide. My main question is should I just put up a 62" wide do-able board with no border/frame in order to get the biggest picture possible? Or should I just paint directly on the board a 1" black border all the way around it? Or should I find some sort of 1" molding and paint it or wrap it in black velvet and attach it to the do-able board? My walls are a tan/khaki color I guess is the best way to describe it. FYI - I watch mostly HD content, play xbox 360, mainly at night when ambient light is not a problem.

Thank you all in advacne for your input.

Paul,
I'd recommend the molding/trim/black velvet frame route.
HTH, -j

Thank you.

Unfortunately "Do-able" is available in Australia. Can you please describe the properties of the best sheet so i can find a comparable local equivalent?

Well, got most all of my supplies last night and will work on building the screen tonight. Found the do-able board and then got just some small 1" framing that I'm going to wrap with black velvet. I'm hoping everything comes together just fine, but my luck I always run into problems. I'll see if I can take some pics during build and post them later.

I picked up a sheet of Do-able at the local Home Depot (Escondido, CA.) this weekend while I was picking up other items in preperation for the arrival of the PT-AX100U projector. The Lowes didn't have anything 4x8 with a white coating. I was actually trying to find the Wilsonart designer white, but when I came across the Do-able I remembered some of the DIY threads and picked one up..... what the heck for $13.

I came across this untreated Do-able thread since then and I am quite excited to try it out. Although I removed four sheets of it at the HD before I grabbed my "good" piece, it still has a few scratches here and there. If I like the results, I will go back to HD and pop open the fresh wrapped package of Do-able they had (about 10 sheets under the opened ones).

My plan is a 88" - 92" screen with a two inch black fabric frame, 16:9, viewing distance a bit over 11 feet, almost no outside light, light colored walls.

I'll post some more info/pictures later in the week.

Matt

Tucker,

What are your viewing conditions?

Tell us what you think after using it.

Thanks, -j

The Panasonic came yesterday, so I put it on the back of the couch just to try it out. I hung the Do-able board by two screws into wall studs.

So my disclaimer is this is my first projector so I don't have much to compare it to. I have a friend with a CRT that I haven't watched much lately and I recently went to a fellow AVS members house to see how is projector looked (Joekoz, BenQ PE8720, Carada screen).

With that out of the way..... it was gorgeous. In fact, I was giggling with excitement.

Going to the projector has involved a lot of room changes since all my equipment was in a cabinet up front. Everything has been moved into the closet so I had to drop wires and install two new AC outlets as well as clean all the crud that was in the closet (VHS cassettes from the early 90s).
Of course I plan to trim up the Do-able board, add a black frame, and fasten the board more securely to the wall, but that will come after I get my sound fully reconnected and get the room back into order (I have tools strung throughout the AV room and hallway... my wife is only so understanding )

With the lights off, the screen looked good. Whites were very white, blacks were good, although not perfect. Eventually I will work on the rooms reflected light, but overall I am happy with my $13 investment. Very happy.

On a general screen note...... how far up are people mounting their screens?. My eye level is about 1/4 of the way from the bottom of the screen (the bottom of the viewable area is 28" from the floor). At my viewing distance of just over 11 feet, I don't think I would want the screen any larger than 90".

The pictures are raw with just cropping and resizing done to them.

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With full lights and camera flash to see the Do-able.

Looks like a good option - but 49x87" might be a bit small for a room that's 24' long like mine. Has anyone been able to join a couple pieces seamlessly? I guess mudding and taping wouldn't work and kinda defeat the purpose...

I'm going to check the forums for an ideal screen-size recommendation for my room dimensions (16'W x 24'Lx10'H).


Eq

Any do-able available in or around cincinnati, oh.? I'd like to build a screen but can't find this material anywhere online (HD or Lowes) with the SKU's given in this thread... Is Parkland Plastic, Do-able or something else the proper name now?

Looking to build an outdoor screen like this one here:

I believe it has been determined that Do-able is very hard to get east of the Rockies.

Do-able is one brand (Do-able Products Inc). Parkland Plastic Polywall is different. You may also want to consider Wilsonart (brand) designer white (color).

Matt

Thanks. Is this Wilsonart available at Home Depot or Lowes? How does it compare to the Parkland Plastic? I was able to find the Polywall Plas-Tex in my area at a local Hardware store that carries Do It Best products. They would have to order it for me, but it's still only about 20 bucks.

I believe both Home Depot and Lowes carry the Wilsonart brand. I know my local Lowes carried it for sure. They didn't actaully have a 4x8 or 5x10 sheet of designer white, but they had a display of all the different Wilsonart colors that are available.

I am not familar with Parkland plastic. I did a quick search trying to see how the R-G-B rating compares to Do-able and Wilsonart Designer White, but didn't find the info.

Matt

This quote was from way back on page nine of this thread, but looks like it is still pertinent.
I went back to Home Depot to find a pristine piece of Do-able. The top few sheets were pretty bad, but after that I was finding very clean sheets. However, I noticed in the HD lights that each sheet had two marks that sound a lot like the description above. It is maybe a 3/4 inch wide, is worst near the edge and continues down about 3/4 the way. The two marks were separated by roughly 4 feet. Every "fresh" board had the markings. If they were marks from the pressure of the nylon pieces that wrap around the package, I would expect the severity of the marks to be less a few sheets in. It isn't a scratch... more like the texture is different or maybe the coloring is different. The strange thing is the older sheets didn't seem to have the markings.... including the one I picked up two weeks ago that has "real" scratches on it.

I was there about 45 minutes pulling the sheets down, comparing, and putting them back (great exercise for a couch potato like myself). I didn't worry too much about it since the marks are the most obvious off axis. I made a frame yesterday, cut the board down and mounted everything. I fired up the projector. By this time I had forgot about the mark, but once a lot of white hit the middle of the screen.... Bam, there was that mark as clear as day. I am afraid it is too big to ignore especially since it is almost dead center on the screen.

My options are to try a different Home Depot or try and sand the area. I tried using a 400 grit and steel wool on the old piece of Do-able in the garage. The steel wool seemed to work best for not leaving scratch marks, but smoothing the surface down. If that doesn't work then maybe I will try painting the sheet. That would be sad since I could no longer post in the "untreated Do-able Only Thread"

One picture shows the new frame, the other tried to show off the mark. It looks MUCH worse with the projector shining on it.

Any suggestions?

Matt

Homedepot's web site now lets you search SKUs at your local store. I did so for mine (Bothell, WA), and put in the SKU from the image in the first post of this thread (174278).

The description and price seem correct (it even say says 49 In. x 97 In. instead of 4ft x 8ft), but the brand is "ClosetMaid". Is this not the right item? Maybe they bought Do-Able, or changed their name? Or maybe the SKU changed? Anyone know?

Here's the description from their site:

ClosetMaid 1/4 In. x 49 In. x 97 In. MDF White Satin Vinyl Finish Paneling

Model 63036

$14.99/Each

-Product shown is normally carried at your local store; availability may vary.

-Local store prices may vary from those displayed.

Satin white finish paneling adds beauty and value to any home improvement or remodeling job. Satin white paneling can create just the look and atmosphere you desire

Attractive white satin vinyl finish
Paneling Dimensions: 1/4 In x 49 In x 97 In.
One panel covers 33 Sq. Ft.
Won't rip or tear
Durable easy to clean finish
Lumber Application : N/A
MFG Brand Name : ClosetMaid
MFG Model # : 63036
MFG Part # : 63036

EDIT: Oops, I see someone mentioned this on the previous page. Has it been confirmed this is still the same (quality, etc.) item?

Okay guys, gonna get the doable tomorrow (local HD had it, still called doable not closetmaid..same SKU). Can you double check my list below, lemme know if something is off?

(I plan to do a setup similar to KillRob):
Screenie

-Doable board (HD cut 13" off for 49"x84")
-1"x2" pine strips (how long do these come? Will HD cut to length AND the 45degree?) (2) cut to 49" outer length, 45deg cut (2) cut to 84" outer length, 45deg cut
-Flat Black spray paint can
-(4-6) Flat head wood screws (2-3" length)
-(4-6) washers for screws to spread load
-Package of Industrial Velcro

The plan is to mount board using 4 screws (with washers) into studs on wall. Paint the 1x2 strips with the flat black paint. Mount the 1x2 strips flush on top of the doable with the velcro strips (cover screws and washers).

This should give me a 45"x80" projection screen or 92" diagonal.

(Does all that sound right? -cuz I'm the guy that thinks he's got it all right, and then gets it home and realizes he was off 8 inches somewhere)

You could also use mirror mounts to mount the board to the wall and then simply a finish nailer or something else to mount the boards. If you wrap them in felt you can secure them with just about anything and then cover them up.

thanks for all the great info/pics on the Do-Able screen, many thanks.

On p. 2 mboy asks

I'm thinking of this same screen size (92") and cut dimensions (49x84). I'd mount the screen using mirror hangers on drywall and then use Velcro to attach mitered 1x3 hardwood on the Do-Able screen. The 1x3s on the screen will hide the mounting brackets and Velcro will give me the ability to adjust as needed.

Am I on the right track, or are there better options?

Thanks Larry. My plan was to use 1x3s, mounting them over lapping 2" of the 1x3 on the Do-Able screen with 1/2" extending past the do-able. I'd just cut the inside miter dimensions to 45x80. I think should work.

thanks for the feedback.

I have been very happy with the picture I have been getting from my Doable board. However as I mentioned in a previous post, all the boards at the last home Depot I went to had a streak on them that deflected light differently. That streak didn't show up too well in the pictures I posted earlier, but it was quite distracting with solid light colors (a light blue sky for example). You didn't have to know it was there to see it. It shouted out at you.

The other local Home Depot didn't carry Doable so I went one town over (San Marcos, CA.). They had a nice collection of Doable and the only consistant defect was a mark in the corner of the boards that was the same size as the stickers they put on the back of the boards. It looked like the pressure of the boards pushed the stickers into the adjacent board and cauased an impression. It didn't really matter since I get rid of a big slice of the board when I cut it down for my 84" screen. I bought two of the boards, wrapped them carefully, and took them home.

After cutting, cleaning, and hanging, it was the moment of truth. I turned on the projector and froze the screen with a bright solid grey screen. It looked great! No marks or lines. With my old doable board, there would have been an obvious streak 2" wide by 2 feet where the color would have been several shades lighter.

Although it has taken some time to get it perfect, I love the picture I get with the Doable. I also like that I didn't have to paint anything. I know I would have obsessed about getting an even coat without streaks.



Here is the finalized screen with a frame I made for it.
I used a staple gun to attach the material to the wood and then velcro the frame to the screen.


I use dry wall screws along the top of the screen (into studs) and gravity takes care of the rest.




Matt

So how can I get this in Florida? :-\\