Starting garage build today...few questions

[GolfinInTheCold]

Hi everyone
The gutting of my garage is starting today so I can start the building of a sim over the next few weeks.

The wall my screen will be against is 14'W x 10'8"H. Is a 12'x9' screen overkill? will I have a hard time getting a decent image with a 1080 projector? Would I be better with a smaller screen surrounded with black out to the 12x9?

I am thinking of going with Mevo+ and have 24' in length. Thinking that maximizing ball flight distance should help accuracy of LM (8/9' to ball and 12-14' ball to screen) so thought biggest screen possible would be best as I will be a bit further away. Maybe I am wrong with this (I will keep checking the Mevo+ subforum). Skytrak is also an option but am terrified that one of my high handicap friends or kids will shank a ball into it.

I will post some updates as I go so I am not just the leech taking everyone's ideas. Thanks to everyone who has posted their builds before, it has given me countless hours of enjoyment of allowed me to really feel like I can pull this off.

[Dax]

A few thoughts. I don’t see why with the right projector the size screen you are using would not work. I think the bigger issue is finding the right projector for your budget (lumens, throw ratio, etc etc).

you note you will play with friends and thus part of your 24 feet will need to accommodate friends watching and drinking. This will take up some room and just as you are worried about a Skytrack getting hit you will need something to ensure people don’t kick or trip on a Mevo+ and so some thought on how you will protect this would be in order.

I always say that having the most tee to screen distance possible for radar is the way to go. Keeping in mind you will need 1 foot from the screen to wall and say 1 foot at least for the Mevo from the back wall (thinking of how you will want to accommodate friends this could be five feet from the back wall). Thus this will leave between 19 to 22 feet. Given you need 8 feet I think for Mevo to tee you will have 11 to 14 feet of ball flight which is really good. I think some believe ideal is 15 feet tee to screen, which you can accomplish, but I am not sure that would be needed. I think 12 or 13 feet would be good. Obviously a skytrack would provide tons more room to accommodate friends as you would ideally only need 10 feet tee to screen.

it’s a tough choice that for me boiled down to loving TM and it’s software to not wanting my young boys to destroy my launch monitor given that it sits in front of them when they hit (this was my personal feeling but I did have a pro with a Quad confirm that his Quad has taken some pretty good hits (note that the Quad is designed to take a hit up to a certain amount).

a question though with your garage is how you will hear this and whether the fan might interfere with your radar depending on where it is located.

will you use heavy drapes to protect the sides? I am sure you have a solution for this and the Ceiling.

[GolfinInTheCold]

I do have lots of room to the sides for friends to hang out while we play. Garage is 22' wide total and only have shelving around the outside for the most part and don't park in it at all.

Plan is to hang projector from ceiling which is 10'8". I am not sure yet how far back it will be set back. There was a post in the Flightscope subforum that someone had put a material to reflect the radar on the bottom of the box they built for the projector, I cant remember what it was but if the projector is in the path of Mevo+ I am hoping I can clad the box of projector to help.

Not sure yet if I am going to use heavy drapes alone or frame a permanent walls 5-6' off of back wall and put padding on them and the existing ceiling and use drapes beyond that if I need to.

[Dax]

I would get your launch monitor first and then if you go Mevo, I would test first to see if your projector interferes. Mine did for my TM and it was easy to fix by just raising my projector a bit closer to the ceiling. Easy fix no issues.

[GolfinInTheCold]

Ordered Mevo+ today. Will take 6-8 weeks but feel its worth the wait for a better fit for what my space and needs are.

[Dax]

Excellent congrats! Hope you had time to do a part of your build today!

[GolfinInTheCold]

Build no... but tore off 20' of workbench and 3 rows of fixed shelving off the wall. Small steps but enough I could tape off the floor to make sure my math was not wrong. Decided on 1" conduit frame fixed for 5' from wall then 6' extensions that will swing in when not in use so the garage could be used for something else if needed. I don't know what would be more important but I guess I'm not the only one who lives here
Picking up conduit and adapters etc tomorrow and have a buddy coming to give me hand so hopefully frame is constructed by end of day and fixed to wall.

[Dax]

Sounds like good progress. Good choice on the 1” conduit.