Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Removing creases in screen

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Posted by Matthew Taylor (Member # 2310) on 08-24-2005, 10:29 AM:

I have a small perforated screen from this company that I have kept rolled but obviously not very well because when I got it out to use recently, there were lots of small creases in certain areas of the pvc.

I have mounted the screen and kept it taught for the last couple of days but the creses don't seem to be going. Is there anything I can do to correct this?

Thanks, as usual, for your advice.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-24-2005, 12:21 PM:

...bet you hung that screen up in a cool auditorium....

Too bad you didn't place that screen outside in the sun to soften up that vinyl some before you hung it up...

You might have to turn up the heat in that auditorium/room to get that vinyl warm, thus pliable to work with. Then, you might have to redo your springs (if you used springs instead of the cord) all around the screen to eventually "travel" the creases out of the vinyl.

Had to do that a few times when creases showed up on a screen. Luckilly, it was at the lower part, so I can "travel" the creases that somehow showed up.

Another possbibility of creases is that the screen frame is losing it's "squarenes." Check your frame hardware for any loose bolts/nuts and building settling.

(those screens in that site that you listed are pretty pricey..in as well pretty good sized..-mf)

-Monte

Posted by Matthew Taylor (Member # 2310) on 08-24-2005, 03:14 PM:

Monte, these are creases resulting purely from bad storage. They appear in the lower right hand quarter of the screen and a the result of 'crumpling' of the material in storage. I've tried heating the areas affected using a hair dryer but that hasn't really worked a great deal.

Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 08-24-2005, 03:52 PM:

Warm up the auditorium to 80 degrees, keep it there over night, and make sure the screen is taut. They should eventually go away.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-25-2005, 07:30 AM:

Also, remember that in ordinary light, creases in a screen will look much worse than when an image is projected on it. You look at creases, what you are mostly seeing are shadows of the imperfection as light hits it from all angles. Projected light hits the screen head-on, so no shadows are cast and creases almost disappear. With an image moving about reduces their visibility even more. Hang the screen as Monte and Brad suggest and project an image on it. You might find that even before the creases relax, you will barely notice them when there is an image on the screen.

[ 08-27-2005, 09:34 AM: Message edited by: Frank Angel ]

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 08-27-2005, 08:23 PM:

Where I work we built a rear-projection screen out of some kind of translucent screen material that was shipped to us folded. After stretching it over the frame we were concerned about the creases. But they did completely vanish after maybe 10 days or so.

Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 08-27-2005, 11:06 PM:

It's time consuming but I have used blow dryers to get wrinkles out of screens. It worked every time.

Don

Posted by Brett Rankin (Member # 31) on 08-31-2005, 10:20 PM:

A more severe scenario: I was cleaning out a storage shed today and found a 40' screen folded into a 2' x 2' square. It's been there for 2-3 years. Does it have any chance at all of being salvaged, or do I dump it?

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-01-2005, 12:49 AM:

quote: Brett Rankin
It's been there for 2-3 years. Does it have any chance at all of being salvaged, or do I dump it?

Heavens No! . Don't dump it. Just take it outside to warm it up, then gradually and carefully unfold a section to see what kind of condition it would be in. If you're planning on using it as a screen, then unfold it carefully and let the sun warm up the vinyl while having it lay out on the back yard.

But, if you plan on selling this screen, leave it in the box intact and folded.

Screens are valuable to many.

-good luck Monte