Watching a film with friends or family outside on a warm summer night, admiring holiday photos or maybe even gambling together? A self-made screen offers you all possibilities. Above all, this construction requires knowledge of knots.
Knots instead of screws is the motto of this canvas frame. This is practical because everything can be stowed away to save space when not in use.Here is step by step how to create own Open air Cinema in your garden
material list
- 7 wooden slats of 3 m each: Frame wood spruce/fir, planed, 9.4 x 4.4 cm
- 1 wooden slat of 2 m, slightly smaller dimensions may be sufficient here
- Nylon cord 10 m, diameter 5 mm
- Cotton or linen cloth, old bed sheet, duvet cover or similar approx. 220 x 240 cm
- director
- if necessary electric or battery tacker , alternatively duct tape or strong fabric tape, e.g. from tesa
- possibly sewing machine
Step 1: Start with the carpenter’s stroke
First take three of the seven slats and jack them up on the remaining ones or on another construction so that the following knots are easier to make.
The three pieces of wood are tied together at one end in such a way that they can later be set up as a stable tripod.
The first step of the knot is the so-called carpenter’s hit. To do this, first wrap the nylon cord around one of the beams and tie it tightly. Note the order of the pictures and the sketch.
Step 2: Thread the beams together
Now the nylon cord is threaded through above and below all three slats, always alternating.
Always go back and forth – a total of five times
Step 3: Wrap in a parallel waistband
In the next step you use the so-called parallel waistband: First, wrap the cord two or three times around the already existing cord waistband between the beams.
Now lead the string to the second intermediate area and wrap it around the waistband several times.
Then cross back and repeat.
Step 4: Fixing with the mast anchor
In order to finally fix the three beams, you have to use the knot technique of the so-called pole throw. To do this, follow the order of the pictures and the sketch.
Tighten the knot at the end and trim off the excess nylon cord.
Of course you have to repeat the steps for the other side of the frame.
Step 5: Prepare canvas
If the sheet or bed sheet does not have any side openings for threading the slats in, you can fold one side over twice and sew it around with just one seam (preferably with a sewing machine). You can then thread the last of the longer pieces of wood into these hoses at the top. The two-metre-long piece to weigh down goes in at the bottom.
If you use a normal duvet cover, you can simply slide the shorter part through the opening and then save yourself a step.
Alternatively, you can also wrap the cloth around the slats several times and staple it down or, if necessary, use strong duct tape as a quick-and-dirty solution.
Step 6: Set up the canvas
The last step is to hang up the canvas. Tip: Get a second person to help you.
Together you first set up the two tripods about two meters apart. Then you put the upper beam with the canvas between the three ends of the respective support. Align this and the cloth so that everything hangs in the middle and as wrinkle-free as possible.
