scrims??

dlang

dlang

Well-known member
Hey guys just wondering if anyone has made there own scrims and what material you used. I tried using a screen (off a door) and it was apparently too weak for the job, it started smoking:) So what kind of wire mesh does say... arri use for theirs and can you pick it up locally? Any ideas??
 
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Comon' it seems so simple... one of you geniuses (just for you J.R.;) has had to have gotten an itch to do this:)
 
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Don't know if there is really a small-run cost-effective DIY solution, because you would need to use a heat resistant metal wire to create the screen.

You might be able to get a custom order from here:
http://www.wovenwire.com/finemesh.htm

I think if you used the Type 309, you'd be very happy..

"Type 309 - A heat resistant alloy (23% chromium, 12% nickel) which is useful in temperatures up to 1700 Degrees Fahrenheit."

Actually, looking at it again, it says that Type 430 is one of the standard types they use for mesh wire cloth production, so it wouldn't have to be a custom order. It's description says that while not "heat treatable" it "is more resistant to chemical attack and high temperature than T-410"....
TYPE 410 - The general purpose alloy of the martensitic class containing 12.5% chromium. Heat treated T-410 has mechanical properties comparable to alloy steels such as SAE 4130. Type 410 possesses mild corrosion resistance as well as heat and oxidation resistance up to 1400º Fahrenheit.
 
Seems to me the frame would be the tough part--particularly if its a round one for something like an Arri fresnel. If you could find a gel frame for the instrument you're doing this for, that's probably the best thing to use to hold the screen.
 
You know, I just had another DIY idea for this..

Don't know why I didn't think of it before. What about a pizza screen? They're designed to be used in high heat, and are already round, and you can find them for like $2 or $3 online.

While it's been a good chunk of time since I've seen a real scrim in person.. from what I recall and comparing with pictures on B&H, the arri scrims and pizza screens look almost identical. Only difference really being available sizes..
 
Oh, yeah I suppose I should have posted a link or two...

http://www.northernpizzaequipment.com/hedupisc1.html?gclid=CJvrkaXF3I4CFSe9IgoduQ3J_Q
http://www.foodservicedirect.com/index.cfm/S/307/Pizza_Screens.htm

and don't forget ebay.. Looks like there are people that sell packs of 12 screens for about $30-40.. granted they're mostly 12" screens, which might be a bit large for most of your needs, the price isn't too bad.
(http://item.express.ebay.com/NEW-PI...0QQitemZ280154880700QQihZ018QQcmdZExpressItem)
 
I just went and bought a pizza screen and it seems to be working pretty good! Unfortunately they only had 7" screens so I had to saw a bit to get it fit into my altman 650, but hey it fits. I think the 6" ones will do the trick with my fresnels, however I do have another question.....are the Arri, or any other pro scrim for that matter, designed to knock down light precisely 1 stop, .5 stop etc so you can easily determine what scrim you need, or is just a trial and error thing? Hopefully that question makes sense:) I'm gonna do some tests to see how much the pizza screen knocks down the light, I was hoping to compare and see if we were in the same ball park as the arri's.
 
Light meter them, or cook pizza on them... see if they cook at the same rate under the same wattage.
 
ok I tested them out with my waveform monitor and there is about a 12 IRE difference when the screen is on.....It knocks down roughly two stops of light. I'm getting more....these things look good too!! Did the wife test and she agreed they look like they fit right in:) thanks alot guys I appreciate the direction....good ol' DVXuser
 
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I don't know that IRE units are the best way to figure out differences in stops. Partly because it really depends on what portion of the scale you're looking at...
"one stop is equivalent to 20 IRE units near the middle of the range, although this is not true near the black level."
 
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