Matt Riley Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Hi all, Since we're putting in a big black drape round the back and sides of our stage in our 450 seat hall, our current 4:3 white emulsion painted MDF screen has to be replaced by a 16:9 front projection screen safely suspended about 6ft off the ground from an appropriately rated scaff bar. I have almost certainly decided on using Rosco Twin White or the similar grey fabric to make the screen out of - I'm erring toward the grey due to the higher gain, current ambient light levels in the hall and the fact that the max viewing angle will be tighter than 120 degrees. We're either going 2.4m high or 2.8m high depending on which will fit the space best, however I just wondered how people would go about constructing this screen? Thanks in advance, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHYoung Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Have to ask why are you making something rather than buying? Much like anything else screen manufacturers will make you the right thing and it wont actually cost any more than a diy effort. Generally a lower gain screen has a much more even veiwing angle, and you will notice the difference in brighness at different viewing positions, you could hower buy a m of each as its cheap enough and straple them side buy side to your mdf and test the difference between paint, white and grey. Id suggest Harkness "white" as a good general purpose surface and they will make a fixed frame for you and fit the dual loc to the surface so you can get a nice neat unit. another option is to look at a Screeninternational big flat elastic, these are a alloy frame with the screen attached by grommets and small bungees. Its actually remarkably tricky to make a screen of this size yourself as you need to evenly strretch the material all round whilst not having a massive frame that also has to be rigid enough not to bend. If you want a cheap option, id simply get a surface made with grommets top only and a scaff pocket on the bottom, the weight of the scaff will keep it pretty flat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the kid Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Depending on what you are thinking about flints do screen goo which I hear is pretty good. I did get a quote on a custom frame that would have been about 4mx3m,(I think I made it 450x350) it would have been box pole with insert able corners and bracing to make in to chunks of 2m box, total £300+.* The other option is a ali scaff kee klamp frame with eyelets and elasticated stretchers. I would go for a made screen to be honest, at least its easier to get parts. * we bought some while canvas from Joels to hang outside on a wall for open evenings and I figured lets make more use than 8 hours in 365 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHYoung Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 other than looking like a trampoline which isnt allways the look you want, youd be surprised how much a 5m length of scaff bends and its pretty obvious when your screens are smiling or frowning even by a few mm . Again, a proper surround made ot of alloy extrusion wont be that much more than a load of scaff and has the advantage of hiding the fixings so its a neatly framed screen. If you want the cheap option and have the skills, mdf and cls painted in emulsion works fine, but if you want a decent lightweight metal framed screen, id just buy it off the shelf.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Riley Posted November 13, 2013 Author Share Posted November 13, 2013 Have to ask why are you making something rather than buying? Much like anything else screen manufacturers will make you the right thing and it wont actually cost any more than a diy effort. Generally a lower gain screen has a much more even veiwing angle, and you will notice the difference in brighness at different viewing positions, you could hower buy a m of each as its cheap enough and straple them side buy side to your mdf and test the difference between paint, white and grey. Id suggest Harkness "white" as a good general purpose surface and they will make a fixed frame for you and fit the dual loc to the surface so you can get a nice neat unit. another option is to look at a Screeninternational big flat elastic, these are a alloy frame with the screen attached by grommets and small bungees. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place, but I haven't found any decent fixed screens in the region of £180 + a wood or ally frame? Does anyone have any recommendations for premade screens and rough prices I should expect to pay? Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicky Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Does anyone have any recommendations for premade screens and rough prices I should expect to pay? Take a look here.... wide selection with prices. I buy quite a bit of kit from this company as their prices are very competitive. - Dicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Riley Posted November 23, 2013 Author Share Posted November 23, 2013 Have to ask why are you making something rather than buying? Much like anything else screen manufacturers will make you the right thing and it wont actually cost any more than a diy effort. Hi all, This was stated a couple of times in the replies to the question. I have now received quotes from a number of different suppliers. All of them come in at between £1500 and £1800 for a 2.44 by 5m ish front projection screen. The cost of materials for a self build screen is either £175 for the rosco grey / twin white, or £600 for the goo systems paint . As this project requires a simple front projection surface, I think that it may be possible to come up with a solution using wood and adequate bracing (and a mechanism to even out any stretching/ creases) for a fraction of the cost of the suggested options... Time to start experimenting! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Please don't make it out of wood - no matter how well you make it now you're going to spend the rest of your life adjusting and re stretching it - wood is susceptible to all sorts of environmental influences and with the sort of size you're talking about you could easily see an inch of size change in a single day because of temperature and humidity changes. If you're adamant about self building at least get the frame made out of metal so that it stays the size you want it to - even consider making it from Ladder Truss if you're not confident designing a metal frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHYoung Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 im surprised you cant find a screen for less than 1500, but by all means self build, but If you want a flat timber screen, its going to pretty heavy, otherwise its going to warp and a 5m / 2.8m Flat isn't going to be the most manageable of things, or the easiest thing to store. Id certainly not be paying 600.00 for goo screen paint, rosco supersaturated white will be fine on what after all is a cheap screen, if you are prepared to spend that kind of cash, youd be better just buying something more elegant off the shelf, but it seems that you are set on the DIY route, so id suggest that you get the biggest screen you can out of 3 or 4 10' sheets of 6mm mdf and a cls frame, fill the joins and paint it white. its going to be an unmanagable brute, but it will work fairly well as a projection surface, to so something more manageable you will end up spending the same if not more than with an off the shelf solution unless its simply a surface cable tied to some scaff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 http://www.projectorpoint.co.uk/projector-screens/Sapphire-Rapidfold-Portable-Projection-Screens-Fastfold-s2074 £560 +VAT including some bits you don't want in 2.4m The Twin White solution is ok, but all that gaffing around with inserting poppers, or eyelets for bungys makes me wonder - although if Rosco would fit these for you, then perhaps I'd consider the DIY route. Although when I needed to do it I just bought a big fast fold secondhand on ebay that had a broken support leg, which as I was flying it, I didn't need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrea Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 We've done a few jobs where we've used standard set flats - 42x21mm timber battens edging a 4mm plywood top. We've then screwed these together added a little bracing across the back and cover the whole lot with felt or foam, before covering with a screen surface, pulling tight and stapling round the back edges. I think the largest I've seen done was about 14' high 16:9 ratio. We've done 8' high IIRC This gives a reasonably solid surface, and no black border, so can look really good - stand it of the back wall/cyc and you can light up behind it so giving extra depth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Riley Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Hi guys, Thanks so much for your replies - certainly some very good food for thought! I'm not at all averse to using a pre-made screen for this application, it's just that this is a second venue and I am trying my hardest to ensure that we get the best bang for buck - if we can get a solution for £600 then I would be happy to put my hand in my pocket and pay for the proper job screen. I think we could also be onto a winner with looking at broken fastfold screens, so I'll have a look on ebay for those also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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