Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2019 This is the back side of the panel I'm currently working on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lesg 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2019 Are they constellations or just random? Interesting project. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2019 I'm doing them randomly and making sure they aren't evenly spaced. So that way it has a more real look of clusters rather then spaced exactly. In research for this I saw a few people do constellations which in theory sounded cool, but after done it was not really something that I could make out as to what it wa. So I decided to forego any more time consuming things and just do randomly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Poopdeck 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2019 Looks tedious. Here's how I carry 4 by 8 sheet goods. Brute strength has past me by but this makes it really simple to carry sheets. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2019 I hear ya on the brute strength days being over, I'm getting there myself. After 3 hernia surgeries (need another now again ) and a really messed up shoulder I now look for ways to make it as little of muscle needed as possible. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2019 Took about 40hrs or there abouts but fiber optic star ceiling is done. Was a real pain to do but I'm glad I did it because it really looks great in person. Going to add such a cool feeling to the room while watching movies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2019 That looks fantastic, Steve! Well done! Just before the end, what is that thing left and center? Looks like a tube/pipe? I'd have to glue some wings or fins on it to make it look like a rocket or space ship. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2019 That's a recessed light. I wanted to keep the lights in the ceiling because with the whole room being painted flat black & dark grey it's going to be very dark in there even with lamps on. So I built two recessed lights into the ceiling to help when I need more light for cleaning and such. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Poopdeck 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2019 That is cool. Will the light from the TV wash them out or are the fiber optics bright enough to withstand a little competition? Was this a kit? Where does the other end of the fiber optics go? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 3, 2019 Oh they are incredibly bright, actually pretty amazing how bright they really are. The power source is such a strong light that you can't even look directly at it. I had the TV as well as room lights on tonight while working in there and the stars still showed up really well even with all the other lights on. It's a kit that I got from Singapore. They sell then in the states but the ones here cost about $350-$800 range. I got this one overseas for $145. Only bad thing about getting it overseas is they don't come with instructions so I spent about a week every night researching all the info I could find on how to install it myself. Was money well saved though. Some of the info I found on places that do the installation charge $3000 or more to do an area the size I did (48sq). The other end goes into the light engine. That is basically a 8"x8"x6" aluminum finned box that houses the bright light source and the wheel that causes the twinkle effect. Once you have all the strands in the MDF panels then you gather them all up into small bunches of strands taping them tightly with electrical tape. After you have them all in multiple bunches then you keep taping them together till you end up with one thick cable taped together. You cut the end of that flat and that fits into a compression fitting with attaches to the light engine box. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 5, 2019 Worked on the theater room late tonight after some rod work. Built some C-channels that I lined with some LED lights so they point upward at the edges of the star ceiling to give it that edge of the earth atmosphere type look to it. Really happy with the way this little project came out. My only worry now is with the blue LED lights, if Mike comes up this Feb I dunno if I might have trouble getting him to leave this year Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted October 5, 2019 The drive up from Ohio is actually shorter than the drive over from Chicago. I'm planning on making that drive this trip! If I can fit those ceiling components in my suitcase, I'll leave early. If I can't ... can you fit a bed in the corner of that room? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Piker20 0 Report post Posted October 6, 2019 Looks great Steve. You'll be needing an Usherette at this rate. Have you found any old cinema movie posters on eBay or similar? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted October 6, 2019 Yeah I've bought three movie posters and frames so far. Two Game of Thrones ones and a Lord of the Rings as well as some house banners from Game of Thrones. Plan on getting some of the nicer collectable statues and such as well. The whole decor for the room is all that style. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites