I had made masks for my original DIY screen documented in this thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1008446
In my new HT I bought an Elite fixed frame screen which features a much slimmer profile (.5") than my previous DIY screen (1"). As a result my original design was not going to work on the new screen. I spent the last few days trying to devise a way to create flush fitting masks that would work for my new Eiite screen.
I think I have the new masks figured out. I went to Home Depot today to find some foam suitable for the masks, all they had was very flimsy white foam. I went to Lowes and found the same stuff I used last time. The problem is that foam is 1" thick and my screen frame has only about .5" of depth to accommodate a mask. I then noticed another type of foam I have not seen before, it was covered in what looked like aluminum foil. I pulled a piece down and it felt very rigid, in fact on the sheet it was described as a rigid foam. The best part is that it is only .5" thick. It comes in 4'x8' sheets, so I bought a piece and cut it into two 2'x8' sections to get it in my car.
Since my masks need to be at least 104" long and possibly longer, the 8 foot length would not be sufficient. I am going to need to combine 2 pieces together to get the necessary length. So I searched Lowes for a way to securely attach 2 pieces of foam together. I came across some metal that looked very promising, it was in a U sort of a shape and very lightweight. Amazingly it was .5" and slipped over the foam perfectly like a custom fit. Another bonus is that this metal has a very flat edge which will give the masks a very sharp and clean edge once covered in velvet. I bought enough of this metal to cover all the edges of each mask, it was only about $1.50 a piece. The metal comes in 8 and 10 foot lengths, I got 10 foot because the masks need to be about 9 feet long, this will give me 6 inches approximately of metal on each end of the mask that I can use to devise some sort of mounting system. These are probably not going be friction fit masks due to the additional weight of the metal, the metal though is extememly lightweight anyway. Now when I join the 2 pieces of foam together to achieve the length I need there is going to be a strong metal joint created by this metal I purchased.
Here are some photos of all the stuff so you can get a better idea of what I am talking about:
The metal pieces:
The metal pieces viewed on end to see the U shape and how they will fit perfectly over the edge of the foam:
The 2 pieces of foam:
Profile of the foam to see the thickness:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1008446
In my new HT I bought an Elite fixed frame screen which features a much slimmer profile (.5") than my previous DIY screen (1"). As a result my original design was not going to work on the new screen. I spent the last few days trying to devise a way to create flush fitting masks that would work for my new Eiite screen.
I think I have the new masks figured out. I went to Home Depot today to find some foam suitable for the masks, all they had was very flimsy white foam. I went to Lowes and found the same stuff I used last time. The problem is that foam is 1" thick and my screen frame has only about .5" of depth to accommodate a mask. I then noticed another type of foam I have not seen before, it was covered in what looked like aluminum foil. I pulled a piece down and it felt very rigid, in fact on the sheet it was described as a rigid foam. The best part is that it is only .5" thick. It comes in 4'x8' sheets, so I bought a piece and cut it into two 2'x8' sections to get it in my car.
Since my masks need to be at least 104" long and possibly longer, the 8 foot length would not be sufficient. I am going to need to combine 2 pieces together to get the necessary length. So I searched Lowes for a way to securely attach 2 pieces of foam together. I came across some metal that looked very promising, it was in a U sort of a shape and very lightweight. Amazingly it was .5" and slipped over the foam perfectly like a custom fit. Another bonus is that this metal has a very flat edge which will give the masks a very sharp and clean edge once covered in velvet. I bought enough of this metal to cover all the edges of each mask, it was only about $1.50 a piece. The metal comes in 8 and 10 foot lengths, I got 10 foot because the masks need to be about 9 feet long, this will give me 6 inches approximately of metal on each end of the mask that I can use to devise some sort of mounting system. These are probably not going be friction fit masks due to the additional weight of the metal, the metal though is extememly lightweight anyway. Now when I join the 2 pieces of foam together to achieve the length I need there is going to be a strong metal joint created by this metal I purchased.
Here are some photos of all the stuff so you can get a better idea of what I am talking about:
The metal pieces:

The metal pieces viewed on end to see the U shape and how they will fit perfectly over the edge of the foam:

The 2 pieces of foam:

Profile of the foam to see the thickness:
