Yesterday I posted the first 10 pics of a doorway under construction, recently completed. Today, here's another 10. Here, I am gluing and clamping the hardboard over the lightbox frame. The thin hardboard is attached with wood glue, and with tiny screws which are countersunk and filled with wood filler. The screws are essential, because if I used little trim nails, they tend to back themselves out and ruin the paint finish later.
This part was a blast to work on!
I made an MDF covering for the existing doorway. It is split in the middle using an unusual pattern. Then it was trimmed out with composite wood and a circle made of hardboard. Both happen to be the same thickness, so I got a pattern with no seams. Here, I have begun fill in the seams, first with wood filler, then with red spot filler. You can make anything smooth with spot filler and Kilz primer.
Below is more detail painting on the door covering. Both halves fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. In the background is a clear-ish lens cover I'm fabricating for the top "crown" of the doorway.
I used this photo in a previous post to show how bright the LED light is inside this frame. The LED strips are laid inside 4" PVC pipe which has been halved and covered in a foil metal shiny tape.
TESTING! The Star Wars doorways always used white lights. But, Oh wow, I can turn these any color with the flick of the remote control.
The whole wiring assembly is laid out on the carpet and checked. Looking left-to-right, we have the left upright tube, then the top crown light, then a backlight box for a simulated control panel, then wired over to the right upright tube. The bottom has an infrared sensor for the remote control. In the final assembly, this sensor will be placed behind the rightside upright lens. Power for the whole thing feeds in at the bottom from a tiny AC adaptor (outside the photo). Wiring was easy. These sections are wired with 4-conductor cable. For servicing, each section can be unplugged from the next. For the plugs, I used commonly available computer power supply plugs and sockets. They use 4 wires for the LED's. There is
1 -> 12 VOLTS
2 -> R for the Red color
3 -> G for the Green color
4 -> B for the Blue color
This is the backside of the lightbox, propped up on the floor. I've got the black and gray paint on it.
Below, I've got the lightbox standing upright, getting ready to swing it into place. This whole assembly does not need screwed to the wall. I designed it so it fits over every dimension of the existing doorway like a glove. In fact, the hardboard was angled slightly so it "grabs" the doorframe edges and snaps on tightly like a snap-together model kit. The door covers are in place. Notice the old doorknob is GONE!
Below is a test-fit of the unpainted lightbox with no covers on it. There are six rectangular covers to be installed. Each one snaps in place with a magnet catch system. At this point in the construction, I have not cut out holes for the control panel yet. I'm moving it to the rightside, one of the few changes from my original Sketchup design. On a budget, my control panel will be made of entirely recycled materials from my shop.
I like the ovals of light. Seems like these movie Stormtroopers might come busting through the doorway at any time!
Next time, I'll post another set of photos, detailing the finished doorway!