[patchesj]

I evaluated materials and purchased some CenterStage XD from seymourav. Built the frame over the weekend and got to the point of attaching the material. I am using the screen door channel and laying the screen material in with the tool and spline. I'm having a hard time figuring out the best way to do this. It might be that I was tired and was covered in velvet and spray glue, but I quickly threw in the towel last night. Is there a special trick to getting this done? The instructions I have say to start in the top left corner and work a few inches at a time, alternating between the top rail and side rail and then around to the bottom right corner. I've been able to get about 2 feet in either direction before being perplexed with wrinkles. :mooooh: FYI the screen is 110x62.

Thanks!!

 

[mechman]

You may want to try this method. It's from Elite and it's for their material. But I'm certain it would be universal for stretching screen material.

 

[patchesj]

Hmm. starting in the center of the long bars makes more sense to me. Starting in the corner just wasn't doing it. I'll try this tonight.

Thanks

 

[mechman]

If that doesn't work, put in a shout to Chris. He's a pretty fast responder.

Send Chris a pm.

 

[hunter69]

I found this post because I am building my first screen. I am having the same problem. I am wondering if this suggested procedure worked?

 

[patchesj]

Worked great. Just take your time and move an inch or so at a time and rotate around the screen as shown. Screen has been up and wrinkle free since then. Wow, has it really been 2 1/2 years...

 

[hunter69]

So I got lazy last night and frustrated, so it ended up stapled. I am considering trying this again. How long did it take you to accomplish this?

Did you have to redo it or did it work on the first try using this technique?

I was going to PM you but it doesn't look like you accept PM's. I am very glad you are still around to help people out.

DO you remember any tips you could share with me? Can this be accomplished by 1 person?

Bill

 

[patchesj]

Took me about 45 minutes to do it once I got it figured out. probably pulled the screen out of the channels 3 or 4 times before I got it right.

 

[hunter69]

By "got it right" do you mean get it to run straight. That is the problem I was running into with the other technique. i would start running the top from the corner, get 1/3 approximately. The start down the side. I could not get the material to stay straight. Is that what you ran into with the first technique? With the technique described in this thread was it a lot easier getting it to run straight?

When you started this technique did you do it this way: Push the material into the track say 2-3 inches at the top, then move and repeat this procure for the bottom and both sides. Then once there is 2-3 inches of fabric in the track top, bottom and sides, did you move back to the top and push say 2-3 inches of fabric into the channel to say the left top and left bottom. Then repeating this procedure as the diagram shows until you were finished?

Thanks for your time
Bill

 

[ALMFamily]

Bill,

IIRC, you need at least 5 posts to send / receive PMs - that may be why you could not send one. You can use the post padding thread here to get to 5 posts if you wish.

 

[patchesj]

Hmm. We must be using different channel.. My screen channel only "eats" about 1/4" of material, the rest just overhangs. I had my material cut with about 4" extra in both dimensions, so 2" hanging over on all sides. I also put the material up on a bias so as long as the material is covering all of the channel and is secured, it doesn't matter if it is a bit angled.

 

[hunter69]

Well I think mine only takes up say .25". I am using the same screen rail as described in the PDF on the seymourav website.

Do you remember if this is the same procedure that you did:

Push the material into the track say 2-3 inches at the top, then move and repeat this procure for the bottom and both sides. Then once there is 2-3 inches of fabric in the track top, bottom and sides, did you move back to the top and push say 2-3 inches of fabric into the channel to say the left top and left bottom. Then repeating this procedure as the diagram shows until you were finished?

So when you say "bias" do you mean that you ordered your screen extra large and angled it to the frame, when you installed it? My screen is say 2" extra on all sides and it is cut at a 19 degree angle.

There are 2 projects on seymourav Project 1 labeled "DIY Fixed Frame" and Project 2 "DIY Fixed Frame Gallo". I initially was building the second project. Chris told me that due to the cut of my screen material I should follow the screen thread when splining. He told me to follow the same pattern in the first project (DIY Fixed Frame) on his website used for stapling the cloth to spline the screen to the frame.

 

[patchesj]

I would follow Chris's advice... He helped out a lot during my frame build. I built my frames using the "Gallo" instructions, but I failed miserable stretching the fabric using those instructions. I switched to the pattern outlined in the earlier post in this thread.

 

[lastword]

I have used the method close to the elite screen suggestion and it always works well for me.

If you can get another pair of hands on it to make and position the stretches as you move along it really saves a lot of time and moves along brilliantly. If you are still trying to convince your wife to paint the room black then don't say ANYTHING if she is the one helping you other than "thankyou honey"

Move in a direction that makes sense if you are left handed or right handed after the initial horizontal and vertical stretches.

 

[fax6202]

Can I ask where you purchased your screens and where i might gather some good information. My first idea was to build a hickory frame and use and almost black stain. I love to woodwork and would like to use hardwood. Is that a good idea or not? Thanks.

 

[mechman]

Most folks use blackout cloth. It's available at fabric stores. Some folks use AT or Acoustically Transparent material. This is if you want to place your speaker(s) behind the screen. You would have to buy that from someone like Seymour.

The wood frame you describe would be fine. You want to avoid anything that will reflect light though. There may be a little spillover from your projector onto your frame. Most people wrap their frame in black velvet to absorb any projected light.

 

[hunter69]

Can I ask where you purchased your screens and where i might gather some good information. My first idea was to build a hickory frame and use and almost black stain. I love to woodwork and would like to use hardwood. Is that a good idea or not? Thanks.

I built my projection frame from poplar. I had a friend that has a very nice wod working shop assist/build it. I purchased black velvet and wrapped the poplar in it. Black velvet is awesome because it sucks in the light. SeymourAV has some good easy to follow pdf's.

 

[fax6202]

Thanks hunter

 

[weng]

hi,

i would like to build my first DIY screen out of wood frame covered in velvet but will use an Elite CineGrey screen material. i want to apply the screen tensioning method used by jamestown screen, where the screen material is inserted in between the wood frame & aluminum tube then tightened by a set of screws on the tube.

does the Elite screen material work or keeps tension with this method? i'm afraid that if the material is not thick enough, it will loosen out of the tube and wood over time.

my screen size requirement is 110" but Elite does not carry this size in CineGrey, so i opt to do it DIY and save some bucks. also, a friend who is a carpenter will help me build this project.

thanks