My New Oasis During the Pandemic

[JCK]

I spent months lurking on this site, collecting great ideas and insights to create a simulator in my basement.

Thank you all for the wealth of shared knowledge that can be found here. I learned many valuable things before starting and likely saved myself a lot of frustration. I have an odd space with a soffit and being able to see how others have dealt with similar weirdness was critical.

I went with the following set up:

• GCQuad w/FSX 2018 (I called Foresight and got a nice break on the sim-in-box offering, including choosing what components I did and did not want)
• Fiberbilt 7x4 studio mat
• Benq MW632st projector hung at 10' from my screen. The image is projecting the exact width and I have about 6 inches of unused screen at the bottom, best I could do with the ceiling height limitation while optimizing for width
• Carl's Premium screen - I hung it on a 2x6 wood frame with slotted angle iron using bungee cords

Given the COVID outbreak, I opted for an interim cable management option that fit my skill-set, hopefully I can get those in the ceilings in the next couple of months. All the finishes and padding are homemade or repurposed. I have some carpet tiles ordered to cover the ceiling directly in front of the screen, other than that I am finished with the build.

Bonus benefit to doing all this: my son has returned home from college and is not upset about using the projector to video games.

[Jay28]

Nice!
Excellent way to pass the hrs at home.

My build is half way through and unfortunately deliveries and the plasterer/electrician are not available... so it's going to take another 3 weeks

[jhp016s]

Sweet build!

[sirish19]

very nice.

[dudley286]

Great job!!!

Would you mind showing how you attached the 2x6 and angle iron to the screen? I am always looking for new ways to construct my screen when our house gets finished building.

[JCK]

dudley286 I used the fasteners pictured - it's roofing screw with a rubber washer, I wanted to get a good bite on the screw head and zinc slotted angle.

The picture shows one 2x6 on edge and the other laying on the long side. I mounted the channel flush to the front, in retrospect I wish I had mounted it about 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch back to account for the room needed for the bungees. I ended up shimming out the face of the 2x6 so I could velcro the padding on the edge without the bungees cords pushing it outwards. I hope that makes sense.

[dudley286]

Very nice!!! That is a great way to secure that for sure!

[Dax]

Nice set up!

something is telling me that sim companies are seeing an increase during this crises.

[JCK]

I *think* I am now done. Added some carpet tiles to the ceiling and leading edge of the bulkhead, as well as behind the curtain on the right side to account for the newbies in the house that are prone to shanks.

[Dax]

I was just going to ask where were all the holes in the ceiling, but looks like you found a way to solve the issue

Great looking set-up!

[JCK]

They are conveniently hidden under some 5/8 carpet tiles!

Thanks.