Friday, January 30, 2009

A New Projector Mount



I've built my own projector mount as the "Universal" mount that I had been using was universally wobbly! The basic design of the mount was created by a member of the AVS Forums, I modified it to work with the theme of the theater. The cables feed in through the side pipes which are made out of ABS plastic plumbing pipe and fiberboard, then textured with sawdust to look like cast iron.

Next I'll need to make a themed enclosure for the projector...

Surround Speaker Enclosures and Piping




I've been working away on the surround speaker enclosures and the pipes for them. Here is my working drawing and some work in progress photos of the pipes.

The pipes are made from ABS plumbing pipe with MDF flanges. The grey parts have already been textured to look like cast iron by first painting them with and enamel paint, coating in sawdust and then a couple more coats of paint.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall


A great new addition to the theater.

This is a casting of the mirror over Nemo's pipe organ in the salon taken from an original plaster master from the movie. Scott Brodeen was very kind in giving me access to his mold to make this casting. The story goes that Emile Kuri, the set decorator on 20K would keep master plaster casts from the various sets that he worked on in case the need for the same part came up again. After he died in 2000 the plasters were sold at his estate sale. A friend of Scott found the mirror frame and purchased it. A few years later he made it available to Scott to restore and mold.

Scott visited my theater a while back and said "You know what would go real well in here?"

Thanks again Scott!

Screen Panels



Trying to get some of the more mundane details out of the way. I've finally finished the panels which fill in the large gap below the projection screen. Tidies up the stage area. The panel frames are open, covered with acoustically transparent fabric so as not to change the acoustic 'shape' of the room.

Display Shelves




I've built a couple of display shelves for all those cool little knick-knacks. They're made from solid mahogany with turned brass gallery rail hardware. The mahogany will continue to darken and redden with time.

The shelf in the top photo holds a "Control Room Nemo" diorama that a friend gave me for my birthday as well as a Crown Top 50th Helmet and the beginnings of a shell collection. On the other shelf is my friend Stephen's gorgeously crafted Nautilus stereoscope, a piece of coral as well as the Nemo 50th Helmet contributed by Andy and Stephen. Thanks again, gentlemen!

Underwater Rifle


I've finished construction of a replica of Captain Nemo's Underwater Rifle. I did not worry about creating a 100% accurate replica, but rather embelished it with some additional details.

Additional photos of the rifle are posted on my website http://www.goldbergarts.com/id73.html

Glassware



Guests get to enjoy their beverages from glassware that I've had made bearing the Nautilus crest and it's motto, 'Mobilis in Mobile'.