First Build in large Barn - Advice on current plan?

[76hudson]

Hi All -

I live up in Massachusetts in a 300 year old house and the best feature is a 100 year old barn. The Mrs. just gave me the green light to set up a sim for a birthday/xmas present.

The space I'm eyeing is 20' wide, 13' tall, and 30 feet deep. Based on my hours spent on this forum I have come up with the beginnings of a plan and I'd love some input. Open to suggestion on anything but the Skytrak, that's already locked in.

Launch monitor - Skytrak

Hitting Mat - Country Club Elite 5x5...How far back for the tee - 12'? 15'?

Screen - 16' x 9' from Carl's? Any others to check out? I can go bigger but is there a point where it doesn't matter? Should I go smaller?

Projector TBD - We will use the space for movies & sports occasionally so the 16x9 seems to make sense. I do have the space to go 16x10 - does the extra foot make a big difference when it's already 9' tall? Any suggestions for a short throw projector that will throw an 18-19' screen? (that isn't bananas expensive)

Also - with 13' to the rafters and then another 6 feet to the roof, mounting the projector overhead is not going to be an option. I could build something easy enough but I'm going to be taking it inside in between winter sessions (0 insulation) and I don't want to be climbing on ladders every time. Floor is looking like the best option.

Any input on any of those things would be amazing and greatly appreciated. Or anything I haven't considered.

Thanks!

[linkkingx]

With a space like that I'd try to figure out a way to go ceiling mount. You might be able to build a shelf on some kind of pulley system that you can lower easily and take the projector. If you mark the spot where it sits it shouldn't be to hard get it back in the same spot every time. With the ceiling height you might even be able to get away with a long throw projector.

[Sixmudd]

Hi All -

I live up in Massachusetts in a 300 year old house and the best feature is a 100 year old barn. The Mrs. just gave me the green light to set up a sim for a birthday/xmas present.

The space I'm eyeing is 20' wide, 13' tall, and 30 feet deep. Based on my hours spent on this forum I have come up with the beginnings of a plan and I'd love some input. Open to suggestion on anything but the Skytrak, that's already locked in.

Launch monitor - Skytrak

Hitting Mat - Country Club Elite 5x5...How far back for the tee - 12'? 15'?

Screen - 16' x 9' from Carl's? Any others to check out? I can go bigger but is there a point where it doesn't matter? Should I go smaller?

Projector TBD - We will use the space for movies & sports occasionally so the 16x9 seems to make sense. I do have the space to go 16x10 - does the extra foot make a big difference when it's already 9' tall? Any suggestions for a short throw projector that will throw an 18-19' screen? (that isn't bananas expensive)

Also - with 13' to the rafters and then another 6 feet to the roof, mounting the projector overhead is not going to be an option. I could build something easy enough but I'm going to be taking it inside in between winter sessions (0 insulation) and I don't want to be climbing on ladders every time. Floor is looking like the best option.

Any input on any of those things would be amazing and greatly appreciated. Or anything I haven't considered.

Thanks!

Not from personal experience, but just based on what I’ve read (based on my own research) I would stay away from country elite mat. I have read that their very hard on elbows, wrists, forearms.

Also if you’re going to use your impact screen as a dual impact screen/theater screen, you probably don’t want to cheap out on the screen. An image projected on my theater screen is very different than that same image projected on impact screen.

[3on3putt]

A 5x5 fiberbuilt (the same size CCE you listed) is around $500. Still expensive, but not really that much more than a CCE. I've read enough about CCE to stay away from it.

[Foreman33]

I don't like Fiberbuilt because the surface is too bristle-ey an I think think the ball sits up too much. I have Truestrike Academy mat,. I like the hitting surface a lot, but it's too small for righties and lefties to hit. If I did it again, I'd just buy the gel hitting section and build stance mats around it.

[76hudson]

I LOVE the Truestrike gel section with DIY stance mats idea. I'd think I can be all in about $600 for a 4x8 hitting mat that will accomodate a southpaw.

[DavidU]

Take a look at the sq screen from par 2 pro.

[jdieter]

With a space that big and living in a cold climate, building a sim room inside the barn would be my choice to have it heated. I’m building a 16x22x10 room inside my pole barn in northern Indiana and completed it’s going to be between $10-11 grand using the Mevo+, BenQ TH771ST & Carl’s Preferred screen, fully carpeted. However I’ve done all the work myself except drywall.

[76hudson]

I gave that some thought but the 20' wide is between two of the large supports that run floor to ceiling. There is another 5 feet on the outside of each post. The full footprint is 30'x30'. I'll try to get a picture or two on here. I have two large forced air propane heaters that can get the room from 30 degrees to 50 degrees fairly quickly, but it sounds like you're on the tarmac at O'Hare.

I don't see a TH771ST - perhaps TH671ST? Have you tried it on your big screen yet?

[Foreman33]

Are you doing the carl's enclosure + screen or just screen? When I purchased my screen + enclosure from them they said anything above 15' wide has sagging issues. You'll have to build additional supports. I assume this applies to the front ceiling edge of the enclosure. I'm not sure if it affects screen only. Probably worth giving Carl's a call.

[76hudson]

That's a good thought, thank you. I will be able to wire the top to the rafters at as many intervals as I need to keep it straight. The entire weight can actually be supported from above.

[jdieter]

Yes 76~, typo 671, havent tried projector yet, waiting on drywaller to finish and get screen setup.

[76hudson]

I ordered the Truestrike gel insert to diy the hitting mat. I'll create another thread when that project kicks off.