How to Build a Projector Hush Box
Building a hush box for your movie projector will greatly improve watching movies by sealing off the noise the projector's internal fan makes. The problem is finding a way to vent out the heat generated by the projector. The best way to do this is to mount the box on the ceiling with a hole in the ceiling to for the heat and noise to escape out of.
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Things You'll Need
- Plywood
- Saw
- Drill/screwdriver and screws
- Hammer/nail gun and nails
- Wood glue
- Small whisper fan
- Heat-sensitive fan switch
Instructions
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1
Pick a spot on the ceiling of your TV room that the projector box can hang from and project a clear video image onto your screen or wall. Mark this spot on the ceiling.
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2
Design and draw a box big enough to hold your projector and allow air circulation around it. A good size is four to six inches longer and wider than the projector. The front end needs an opening just big enough to fit the projector's front end through.
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3
Cut out pieces of plywood at least 3/4 inch thick to make the hush box and nail or glue the pieces together. Drill a hole in the back piece just big enough to fit the projector's power cord through and leave that piece unconnected for now. The box won't have a top piece.
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4
Cut a vent hole in the ceiling where the box will be placed. Cut it near the spot where the projector's rear end will be positioned and make the size of your fan. Make sure you don't cut through any ceiling joists.
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5
Test fit the projector within the hush box. The front end with the lenses must securely fit within the opening in the box's front end, just barely sticking out the opening. Trim or whittle the opening if needed.
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6
Screw the box into the ceiling joists to secure it to the ceiling. If there are no joists in the right position, bridge the joists closest to the box's ends with a ledger board, and screw the box into that board.
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7
Insert the projector into the hush box. Run the power cord through the hole in the unattached back piece. Use caution when attaching the back piece to the box, making sure you don't damage the projector.
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8
Place the fan into the ceiling hole from the attic (or whichever room is above you) and plug it into an available power supply. Connect the heat-sensitive switch to the fan as per the switch's instructions and set its temperature to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The fan will turn on when the space in the box reaches this temperature.
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Comments
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MicHaeL H.
Sep 12, 2009
Cut a hole in the ceiling?... That's not the goal I'm looking for... Besides, you get a random hole in the room above, what's that about? Also, good luck (to myself) drilling a hole through our concrete ceilings/floors. XD And actually, my little "theater" is in an attic, so it wouldn't be so great with the elements coming in. Kind of an advantage though, I could make an actual outlet, but there's no way I should get on that roof. It's angled too... -
cyprinodon
May 17, 2009
First, noise doesn't "escape", it can be absorbed or cancelled. Second, not all projectors exhaust the cooling air at the back end (some of the most popular actually draw in air and vent to the front). Third, and most importantly, if you do not have an entry port for incoming air, the projector will just burn up, or more likely shut down from overheat. I have built a hush box using ¾ inch plywood. I force in air from a fan located in another room through a 4 inch duct and exhaust it into the attic through a separate vent as the author describes.
