Steel Cable instead of EMT Cage in Unfinished Attic?

[Schmoulty]

Still waiting to get a real staircase built to this attic space for my sim, as it only has pull-down stairs now.

Before I get that built, and while I may eventually finish off the space with insulation, drywall, etc., is there any downside to just hanging the impact screen and nets from steel cable (not using an EMT cage)? It would seem that the steel cable is plenty strong enough and can be easily attached to the rafters with eye bolts, and they could carry the screen and the nets (I have one 10x10 net hanging temporarily in the picture. This would be a backup net behind the impact screen). Carls can put a sleeve on one side of the impact screen, for the top cable, and grommets on the other for the bottom (maybe bungees there?) It looks like max screen size is 7x9, or I may be able to push it to 8x10.

In this initial Phase, my plan is to have a 55" TV on a stand beside the hitting mat until I can add a projector. For simulator, I am leaning toward the SkyTrak and an iPad with an HDMI cable, but have also been tempted to go with the GC2.

Anyone done it this way and are there drawbacks? Anyone with pictures? I have done some searching, to no avail! Thanks for the help!

Jon

[wbond]

I used steel cable in one of my early stages and no matter how tight i went on the turnbuckles, it still sagged down in the middle. that may or may not be a concern for you, but it does skew the image when projected on the screen.

[JackedUpSwing]

Ive used steel cable for a year and a half, never had any sagging and I have probably 100 pounds of screens and blankets hanging off it.

[Schmoulty]

Thanks, wbond, that's good info. I wonder if the gauge of the cable makes a difference? Or if I could use steel cable through a piece of EMT at the top of the screen only, and put that in the sleeve of the impact screen? With that, I might not even need the turnbuckles?

[StuartG]

Or if I could use steel cable through a piece of EMT at the top of the screen only, and put that in the sleeve of the impact screen? With that, I might not even need the turnbuckles?

If you're going to use an EMT cross piece, I wouldn't bother with the cable at all - just mount the EMT directly to the roof joists.

[Schmoulty]

Would you put the EMT at the top through a sleeve, with grommets and bungees on the bottom and/or sides, or just grommets and bungees all around? Thanks!

[StuartG]

Would you put the EMT at the top through a sleeve, with grommets and bungees on the bottom and/or sides, or just grommets and bungees all around? Thanks!

Support on the sides would be needed, the bottom can be done but is less important if the sides are well secured. I would think dropping cable down for the sides would be simplest but it's not something I've actually tried so can't say for sure. I rectangular, 4-sided EMT frame, just secured to the joists at the top two corners and the screen bungee'd all around would certainly work fine.