[Unacceptable]

So I've got a few yards of this Moleskin Matte Silver from Spandex World and I started to throw together a quicky test with it but I'm a little lost at the moment. First off, the material is much thicker than I expected but oddly, the stuff just stretches and STRETCHES seemingly forever. No joke. I'm doing a 16:9-ish 120" screen (I say "ish" because I'm using this to see how the different screen sizes work in the room so not being totally accurate at this point.)


So, I start by doing the top of the screen and then start pulling the fabric to the bottom of the screen but it just keeps stretching so I got curious and cut off a 24" wide strip and sure enough, I can pretty easily stretch it to 60" and I'm thinking "that can't be right" and decided to move my half built test screen in front of the PJ to see what the picture quality is looking like.


It looks pretty darned good and more importantly, the speakers behind the screen still sound bright and lively to me. Then it dawns on me to do the old "light up the speakers behind the screen trick" to see how thin I've got this stuff stretched and I'm shocked to say that I can't see my speakers sitting about 8" behind the screen..


So I'm confused. Am I stretching it too much? Not enough? I swear I could put a little muscle into it and get it stretched plenty more but I'm not sure if there's any point. I think it would be kind of neat to light up the speakers behind the screen but maybe that doesn't work with spandex?


Any advice from those who've gone down this road?

 

[PanteraGSTK]

You took the words out of my mouth. I didn't purchase that spandex (bright white for Joann's, not very good) and I think I stretched mine too much. Lots of light gets through and the picture is very washed out. I'm going to try the Moleskin Matte Silver, but before I do, I wanted the "how far to stretch" question answered. Thanks.

 

[perpetual98]

Does it stretch in both directions? I was looking to make a 108"-120" wide screen in a 16:9 ratio and then use panels to cover the top and bottom for different ratios, but I didn't think that the Spandex would stretch to the 61" (or 68" height if it's a 120" wide screen) and I was going to be more limited to closer to 50-54" high.

 

[Unacceptable]



Quote:
Originally Posted by perpetual98  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22147471


Does it stretch in both directions? I was looking to make a 108"-120" wide screen in a 16:9 ratio and then use panels to cover the top and bottom for different ratios, but I didn't think that the Spandex would stretch to the 61" (or 68" height if it's a 120" wide screen) and I was going to be more limited to closer to 50-54" high.

Oh yeah.


It's comes in 58 to 60" width (by however many yards long you want) and stretches 4 ways. In my limited time playing with it the other day, you can easily stretch it to double its size. Here's what I'm working with specifically...

Moleskin Matte Silver

 

[PanteraGSTK]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Unacceptable  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22147499


Oh yeah.

It's comes in 58 to 60" width (by however many yards long you want) and stretches 4 ways. In my limited time playing with it the other day, you can easily stretch it to double its size. Here's what I'm working with specifically...
Moleskin Matte Silver

Ordered some for myself. The cheap stuff from Joann's wasn't very good. Way too much light getting through. When you stretched yours the first time, did you use one or two layers?

 

[Unacceptable]



Quote:
Originally Posted by PanteraGSTK  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22147621


Ordered some for myself. The cheap stuff from Joann's wasn't very good. Way too much light getting through. When you stretched yours the first time, did you use one or two layers?

I just did one layer because my screen will sit about 9" in front of a wall painted Mouse Ears black and I have total light control.

 

[PanteraGSTK]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Unacceptable  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22147627


I just did one layer because my screen will sit about 9" in front of a wall painted Mouse Ears black and I have total light control.

Thanks. I plan to put some black felt on the back wall, side walls, floor and ceiling to try to trap some of the reflected light. What PJ are you using?

 

[Unacceptable]



Quote:
Originally Posted by PanteraGSTK  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22147719


Thanks. I plan to put some black felt on the back wall, side walls, floor and ceiling to try to trap some of the reflected light. What PJ are you using?

Optoma HD3300

 

[MississippiMan]

The World could suffer through having more Spandex around. Why, just the other day in the Park, some Spandex trimmed with a long Red Ponytail ran by........

For some reason, DIY Screen making was the last thing on my mind.

But to the point in hand, the Moleskin Spandex is considered as being a heavier variety. It's also a "4-way Stretch" so than does mean maximum "stretchability"


If a screen needs up to 90" height, the Moleskin is just the ticket. One cannot be afraid to stretch it until it's taunt, almost to a Drum-head point. When you go too far, you can see the material separating, and feel it starting to "pop". Don't go there. Just figure stretching it to 50% more than it's original width, and length (equally) should be about perfect.


As for the audio characteristics, it's been proven to be better than many extremely expensive AT materials, and if the color/shade of the Spandex is well matched to the PJ and the environment, it's reflective performance can be "as good as" or even "better than" even the high gain Mfg AT materials that cost literally several hundreds of dollars. This is to the lament of such Mfg of AT materials, and to the wholesome advantage of Cheap-arse DIY'ers expecting the biggest "Bang for the Buck" they possible can get...while sacrificing not one bit of performance getting there.


So let's get some Screen shots up on here and make this endeavor respectable!

:edited: for content because the "Auto Editor" failed miserably.

 

[Unacceptable]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MississippiMan  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22151163


One cannot be afraid to stretch it until it's taunt, almost to a Drum-head point.

That's all you had to say. In fact, I was thinking of a drumhead when I was stretching it. Sounds like I've got a ways to go with my pulling. I'll report back but I can already say I'll be stretching it well more than 50% it's width. This 24" wide strip is currently stretched out to around 60" (that's a 250% stretch!) already and more to go.


Stay tuned...


EDIT: I just noticed I said "width" and really I mean "height". Haven't gotten to stretching it horizontally yet.

 

[Unacceptable]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MississippiMan  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22151163


So let's get some Screen ****s up on here and make this endeavor respectable!

By the way, I almost spit out my Sprite when I read this. Yes, I've a juvenile sense of humor.

 

[MississippiMan]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Unacceptable  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22151186


That's all you had to say. In fact, I was thinking of a drumhead when I was stretching it. Sounds like I've got a ways to go with my pulling. I'll report back but I can already say I'll be stretching it well more than 50% it's width. This 24" wide strip is currently stretched out to around 60" (that's a 250% stretch!) already and more to go.

Stay tuned...

EDIT: I just noticed I said "width" and really I mean "height". Haven't gotten to stretching it horizontally yet.

I would be cautious enough to err by being conservative. A ultra tight stretch isn't necessary, just one that does not waver or wrinkle in any way. Sounds like your already there to me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Unacceptable  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22151201


By the way, I almost spit out my Sprite when I read this. Yes, I've a juvenile sense of humor.

On my Keyboard (...and everyone else's the "I" sits ensconced beside the "O", so a mere slop of the finger and "Presto".......you have Sprite dribbling down your trim.

In my case....Guinness Black Lager

 

[NJPete]

How visible is the weave pattern on Spandex? Because of my tower speakers, I really want to try a ceiling-hanging AT screen to get maximum image width for 'scope in my height-challenged basement. I'd be sitting about 11 feet away from a 100"-wide scope picture (using an Epson 8350 and the basement is light-controlled). Currently using a cheap Elite pull-down behind the speakers, but I can see the vinyl pattern easily from 12 feet away and the height of the speakers restricts the picture to only 84" wide.

 

[Unacceptable]



Quote:
Originally Posted by NJPete  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22151655


How visible is the weave pattern on Spandex? Because of my tower speakers, I really want to try a ceiling-hanging AT screen to get maximum image width for 'scope in my height-challenged basement. I'd be sitting about 11 feet away from a 100"-wide scope picture (using an Epson 8350 and the basement is light-controlled). Currently using a cheap Elite pull-down behind the speakers, but I can see the vinyl pattern easily from 12 feet away and the height of the speakers restricts the picture to only 84" wide.

I don't require vision correction and I lose sight of the "weave" at about a foot away. It's hard to describe but it's like a layer of liquid that gets thinner as you stretch it out. There's really no weave to speak of but I CAN start to make it out up close (12" away) with the lights on. Up to this point, it looks (and sounds) VERY promising and I plan to acquire various screen samples to compare with it once I'm up and rolling.

 

[Unacceptable]

Here's a pic from my iPhone but it shows what I'm talking about. I've got the spandex stretched in my fingers to about double it's actual size.

 

[NJPete]

Thanks for the information! I'll have to order some of it and see what kind of results I get, it's cheap enough to experiment.

 

[PanteraGSTK]

I get mine on Saturday. Thanks for posting the shot of it stretched over your hand. I think this material will work pretty well for me. I'm happy with the image projected on the small amount of blackout cloth I have with the exception of the lackluster black levels. Brightness of the hc4000 seems to be good enough to where a material this color should improve my picture. I'll report my findings once I get it stretched over the screen.

 

[goldman812]

has anyone tried the white spandex of the same make? it was my understanding that the grey or silver was only really for black levels and depending on your projector white may be better??? does this sound reasonable or is silver the way to go. i want to build a 120 inch with a new epson projector. 8350 or the 5350 epson.

 

[TheAstronaut]

I have the white on my screen, and while bright, it doesn't have quite as impressive black levels as my previous BOC screen did. I've been thinking about switching to either the silver or the gray to see if black levels improve. My projector is a BenQ 710ST.

 

[Duane T]



Quote:
Originally Posted by goldman812  /t/1416407/my-recent-experience-with-spandex-as-a-screen-and-some-questions#post_22167157


has anyone tried the white spandex of the same make? it was my understanding that the grey or silver was only really for black levels and depending on your projector white may be better??? does this sound reasonable or is silver the way to go. i want to build a 120 inch with a new epson projector. 8350 or the 5350 epson.

Check out the comparison between white and silver in post #15 of this thread: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1387673/spandex-at-screen