Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
The lights are on.
The electrician finally found time to come and install my lights and turn the power on to the shed.
The lights are pretty much how I expected them to be the baby spots on the side maybe a little dimmer than I thought but will serve their purpose well as they are intended to highlight wall art and provide some ambient light during viewing.
The electrician for some unknown reason did not bring the HDMI cable through the ceiling next to the plug. But as there is no current I can do this job myself when I install the projector.
The builder was back for probably the final time to tack down the flooring in the ceiling and also at my request knock down some flooring nails that were sticking up. Given that he spend about 10 minutes doing this I am confident that there are still a lot of flooring nails for me to knock down.
I'll post some pictures tomorrow but we are nearly finished just the floor and the final fit out to go.
The lights are pretty much how I expected them to be the baby spots on the side maybe a little dimmer than I thought but will serve their purpose well as they are intended to highlight wall art and provide some ambient light during viewing.
The electrician for some unknown reason did not bring the HDMI cable through the ceiling next to the plug. But as there is no current I can do this job myself when I install the projector.
The builder was back for probably the final time to tack down the flooring in the ceiling and also at my request knock down some flooring nails that were sticking up. Given that he spend about 10 minutes doing this I am confident that there are still a lot of flooring nails for me to knock down.
I'll post some pictures tomorrow but we are nearly finished just the floor and the final fit out to go.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Still waiting but getting there
I spent $400 on paint for the interior yesterday and painting is set down for Tuesday. I hope to get the walls, ceiling and floor done in one day with two of us painting. I think it is wishful thinking but aim high. White low sheen easy clean paint for the walls and satin clear coat for the floor.
For anyone following this saga, I finally made my decision between the smart TV and the projector with a bit of advice from Alan Todd of Todds Hi Fi. I will stick with my old plasma for short term and have purchased the amazing Mitsubishi HC 4000.
Two factors influenced this decision, the rising Australian dollar and falling smart TV prices and the performance of the projector in the sound lounge at Todd's HiFi.
A few minutes of seeing a properly tuned projector perform meant the decision was easy.
So now I am waiting for the electrician and the painter.
I am also fitting a very loud alarm with video recorder to protect my investments in the shed. Jaycar have excellent easy to install systems for a great price.
Part of the fun of this project has been to discover these new gadgets and suppliers.
The fake VJ Walls look great against the hardwood floor.
Monday, July 18, 2011
So why are we waiting
This means they cant finish the outside cladding nor the internal walls.
It does give me the opportunity to take some photos and measurements so that when the walls go on I will know where the bearers and joists are located. Why would this be important, well to hang the projector screen and projector I'll need to find them to attach them to as they are too heavy to just go on the paneling.
I am not worried about the delay all things in there time and the builder can't bill me for work he hasn't finished so he has more incentive to move it along.
Once the builder is finished the painter comes in then the final fit out.
Still haven't decided on the projector but I am leaning towards the panasonic 4000 over the infocus.
The TV may have to be a Christmas present.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Floor me
The sub-frame is down and today is flooring day. The chippies are banging away, so much easier with a nail gun rather than a hammer why even I could do it. Just kidding.
The size of the Shed is becoming apparent.
The natural colours of this hard wood floor will be brought out with natural oil. Can't wait for the true colours to be revealed.
It will be stunning.
The natural colours of this hard wood floor will be brought out with natural oil. Can't wait for the true colours to be revealed.
It will be stunning.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Choices, Choices, Choices
The ground work is laid so my mind turns to the fit out technology.
As mentioned I scored the bargain of the year with the motorised projector screen.
Naturally, the first choice then is a projector to go with it.
I have the wiring organised so decision made except nothing runs smooth in the course of true love. Whilst investigating the variety of home movie projectors which hide away in specialist stores like Video Pro, fell in love.
Sadly, it was not a projector by which cupid's arrow struck home but something newish called a smart TV in 3D no less standing 55inches.
The stores lure you in by playing bluray DVD's which look amazing, sadly the free to air HD looks dull except for the ABC oddly.
But like super models they lurk in the stores stick thin and brightly coloured.
The budget does not go to both and a garage sale won't cover the gap. So one will be in and the other will need to wait for Christmas.
What about interest free I hear you wonder? Get it now and pay no interest. Well given the traps that GE include and application fee of $150 I don't support the interest free schemes.
In this post GFC world my advice, which I will be taking myself, is to save up for your toys and enjoy them more. As an ex Banker and a CPA I think I will listen to my own sage advice.
Projectors
The case for projectors is simple and the choices narrowed to two units.
The Infocus SP8602 ($3,800 before bargaining) includes a free replacement blub worth $800 and the Panasonic PT AE 4000 ($2,999).
Smart TV
These are many and varied but boil down to the Samsung and Sony and are in the same price range as above. They wirelessly connect to the internet bringing catch up TV streaming movies, you tube, and for the more technical no doubt any video available on the net.
Skype via a web cam and your TV no computer needed. The smart TV merges your big screen and your little screen as well as connecting to your laptop or iPad / iPod.
As a Sony devotee I find myself amazed that the Samsung seems to be a better product.
The other point against the smart 3D TV's is that they are at the start of the technology release and they will get cheaper and better over then next twelve months.
So as they say I'll let the decision incubate and the story is to be .... continued....
As mentioned I scored the bargain of the year with the motorised projector screen.
Naturally, the first choice then is a projector to go with it.
I have the wiring organised so decision made except nothing runs smooth in the course of true love. Whilst investigating the variety of home movie projectors which hide away in specialist stores like Video Pro, fell in love.
Sadly, it was not a projector by which cupid's arrow struck home but something newish called a smart TV in 3D no less standing 55inches.
The stores lure you in by playing bluray DVD's which look amazing, sadly the free to air HD looks dull except for the ABC oddly.
But like super models they lurk in the stores stick thin and brightly coloured.
The budget does not go to both and a garage sale won't cover the gap. So one will be in and the other will need to wait for Christmas.
What about interest free I hear you wonder? Get it now and pay no interest. Well given the traps that GE include and application fee of $150 I don't support the interest free schemes.
In this post GFC world my advice, which I will be taking myself, is to save up for your toys and enjoy them more. As an ex Banker and a CPA I think I will listen to my own sage advice.
Projectors
The case for projectors is simple and the choices narrowed to two units.
The Infocus SP8602 ($3,800 before bargaining) includes a free replacement blub worth $800 and the Panasonic PT AE 4000 ($2,999).
Smart TV
These are many and varied but boil down to the Samsung and Sony and are in the same price range as above. They wirelessly connect to the internet bringing catch up TV streaming movies, you tube, and for the more technical no doubt any video available on the net.
Skype via a web cam and your TV no computer needed. The smart TV merges your big screen and your little screen as well as connecting to your laptop or iPad / iPod.
As a Sony devotee I find myself amazed that the Samsung seems to be a better product.
The other point against the smart 3D TV's is that they are at the start of the technology release and they will get cheaper and better over then next twelve months.
So as they say I'll let the decision incubate and the story is to be .... continued....
Thursday, June 30, 2011
In the beginning
The Blog will appeal to gadget addicts, movie fans, shed and barn builders and grand designers everywhere.. The is the story of the greatest shed ever built. Okay an overstatement, but the greatest shed I have ever built.
Well designed the builder is Darren, but I think if you pay for it you get to say you built it. I mean they call it Trump Tower but he didn't build it.
The Blog will follow the journey of the build and fit out of the shed then I hope morph into a series of movie and gadget reviews.
Hopefully the story of my journey will help others who yearn to build their own grand designs and avoid some of the many pitfalls that are ahead.
For my family the shed solve two problems, secure dry storage for all those thing you just must keep and secondly an entertainment room where the volume can be hitting the bars and not worry anyone.
To say I am excited about this project is an understatement.
Today Darren started building but I have been buying stuff for the shed for about six weeks. Each piece has it's own story. That's how much fun this has been before the first shovel touched the ground.
The Design
The structural design of the shed was predetermined by the design of the existing house. The cheaper option of fitting out a steel barn or shed just wouldn't suit the existing home or the sloping block.
A 7 x 6 metre shed, iron roof 30 degree pitch, hard wood floor on steel stumps with weatherboard exterior.
Hardwood tongue and groove floor to be finished with an organic oil.
Double doors in the centre of the 7 metre wall, one window 180cm x 90cm and on the back wall one picture window 125cm x 180cm over looking the forrest down toward the creek.
Sound deadening insulation in walls and ceiling.
Both 6 metre sides windowless to allow for movie screen and kitchenette / wet bar.
ladder access to storage area in ceiling area.
Budget $30,000 - 35000 AUD
The excavator cleared the pad, dug the utilities trench and the holes for the posts. The ancient sandstone of my place does not yield easily. This had two effects, a cost over run in time probably $330 to be confirmed and a relocation of the shed about a metre ( three feet) further away than planned.
The pre-purchases:
Now the first thing you do after agreeing the contract with the builder is to do some research on the net on the all important fit out.
I don't know about you but when I research on the net I inevitably find bargains that in the building time line I am not ready to purchase but too good to miss out on.
I have two examples to share. The first was fairly straight forward. In a home cinema it is desirable to have a movie screen. The better ones are motorised and general rule bigger is better ( maybe that's just me) So in researching screens I found that they are not cheap and that many people opt for such tricks as painting a wall with special paint or even hanging a sheet on the wall because after all it will do.
I also found on Grays online auction site a number of brand new motorised screens up for auction. Long story short I scored an amazing bargain of a 120 inch screen for $220 delivered. So now I have a projector screen around which to build a room.
Okay you think not crazy behaviour yet a bargain is a bargain is you need the item.
But for a home cinema you need a cinema lounge, with cup holders and storage and recliners. This is a must have item anything else is second best. More research required after all still a month before the shed is due to start.
Oh no a bright red leather cinema lounge on ebay buy it now $1,400. Perfect, email to seller can I see it. No response arrgh. After a week of emailing and falling more and more in love with the picture I finally get a call from the owner. Sorry I am a first time ebayer so don't really know what I am doing.
So off I go to view the lounge with a borrowed trailer, $1,400 cash and a helper. The lounge is just as beautiful in person so we load up the lounge and head home. Only one problem, no where to put it because the shed is not built yet.
Okay so starting to enter the world of the obsessed now.
But look at this lounge, how could I leave it there:
The question now is will it ever get to the shed?
Preparation II
Now the gadget and tech possessed out there will know the import thing in build is to make sure the wires that can go behind the wall are all installed by the sparky.
The obvious one is the HDMI cable from the wall to the ceiling for the projector. Now these cables vary in price from $10 to $500 with no visible difference.
I tried a variety of places for advice and parts like face plates.
Even longer story shortened. Jaycar electronics came up trumps on price and advice. I now have the face plates the cable a splitter and a four port switch. All of which I apparently have desperate need of to install the electrical entertainment systems I have or plan to buy.
But be very careful this store is an Aladdins' cave of treasure. In addition to the things I needed I also bought a 35w rechargeable torch and a Mini Laser light show, ($99, $140) that I just had to have. No buyers remorse yet still love both gadgets.
Next part of the prep, the electrical plan. This is the lighting and power point plan. Again general rule too many is never enough. The sparky has these cool four point plugs where there is a gap between the two outside ones and the two inside ones to accommodate transformers which come with everything from laptop chargers to rechargeable torches and mobile phones.
I found two beautiful round fluro lights for the main lights and fours sets of twin spots, they look like miniature movie spots to highlight the movie posters on the wall on a dimmer switch.
I will also put in floor LED lights as a finishing touch.
Well designed the builder is Darren, but I think if you pay for it you get to say you built it. I mean they call it Trump Tower but he didn't build it.
The Blog will follow the journey of the build and fit out of the shed then I hope morph into a series of movie and gadget reviews.
Hopefully the story of my journey will help others who yearn to build their own grand designs and avoid some of the many pitfalls that are ahead.
For my family the shed solve two problems, secure dry storage for all those thing you just must keep and secondly an entertainment room where the volume can be hitting the bars and not worry anyone.
To say I am excited about this project is an understatement.
Today Darren started building but I have been buying stuff for the shed for about six weeks. Each piece has it's own story. That's how much fun this has been before the first shovel touched the ground.
The Design
The structural design of the shed was predetermined by the design of the existing house. The cheaper option of fitting out a steel barn or shed just wouldn't suit the existing home or the sloping block.
A 7 x 6 metre shed, iron roof 30 degree pitch, hard wood floor on steel stumps with weatherboard exterior.
Hardwood tongue and groove floor to be finished with an organic oil.
Double doors in the centre of the 7 metre wall, one window 180cm x 90cm and on the back wall one picture window 125cm x 180cm over looking the forrest down toward the creek.
Sound deadening insulation in walls and ceiling.
Both 6 metre sides windowless to allow for movie screen and kitchenette / wet bar.
ladder access to storage area in ceiling area.
Budget $30,000 - 35000 AUD
The pre-purchases:
Now the first thing you do after agreeing the contract with the builder is to do some research on the net on the all important fit out.
I don't know about you but when I research on the net I inevitably find bargains that in the building time line I am not ready to purchase but too good to miss out on.
I have two examples to share. The first was fairly straight forward. In a home cinema it is desirable to have a movie screen. The better ones are motorised and general rule bigger is better ( maybe that's just me) So in researching screens I found that they are not cheap and that many people opt for such tricks as painting a wall with special paint or even hanging a sheet on the wall because after all it will do.
I also found on Grays online auction site a number of brand new motorised screens up for auction. Long story short I scored an amazing bargain of a 120 inch screen for $220 delivered. So now I have a projector screen around which to build a room.
Okay you think not crazy behaviour yet a bargain is a bargain is you need the item.
But for a home cinema you need a cinema lounge, with cup holders and storage and recliners. This is a must have item anything else is second best. More research required after all still a month before the shed is due to start.
Oh no a bright red leather cinema lounge on ebay buy it now $1,400. Perfect, email to seller can I see it. No response arrgh. After a week of emailing and falling more and more in love with the picture I finally get a call from the owner. Sorry I am a first time ebayer so don't really know what I am doing.
So off I go to view the lounge with a borrowed trailer, $1,400 cash and a helper. The lounge is just as beautiful in person so we load up the lounge and head home. Only one problem, no where to put it because the shed is not built yet.
Okay so starting to enter the world of the obsessed now.
But look at this lounge, how could I leave it there:
Preparation II
Now the gadget and tech possessed out there will know the import thing in build is to make sure the wires that can go behind the wall are all installed by the sparky.
The obvious one is the HDMI cable from the wall to the ceiling for the projector. Now these cables vary in price from $10 to $500 with no visible difference.
I tried a variety of places for advice and parts like face plates.
Even longer story shortened. Jaycar electronics came up trumps on price and advice. I now have the face plates the cable a splitter and a four port switch. All of which I apparently have desperate need of to install the electrical entertainment systems I have or plan to buy.
But be very careful this store is an Aladdins' cave of treasure. In addition to the things I needed I also bought a 35w rechargeable torch and a Mini Laser light show, ($99, $140) that I just had to have. No buyers remorse yet still love both gadgets.
Next part of the prep, the electrical plan. This is the lighting and power point plan. Again general rule too many is never enough. The sparky has these cool four point plugs where there is a gap between the two outside ones and the two inside ones to accommodate transformers which come with everything from laptop chargers to rechargeable torches and mobile phones.
I found two beautiful round fluro lights for the main lights and fours sets of twin spots, they look like miniature movie spots to highlight the movie posters on the wall on a dimmer switch.
I will also put in floor LED lights as a finishing touch.
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