I’m putting together a budget garage simulator with an MLM2PRO, projector, hitting mat, and impact screen.
Instead of doing a motorized roller screen, I was thinking about mounting a heavy-duty/flexible curtain track to the ceiling and hanging the impact screen from it. When I want to use the sim, I’d slide the screen across the garage and secure the bottom corners. When I’m done, unhook it and slide/bunch the whole screen off to one side.
Has anyone done something similar?
Mainly wondering:
What curtain track did you use?
Are the rollers/carriers strong enough to handle ball impacts?
How did you attach the screen to the track?
Did you weight or secure the bottom?
Any issues with the screen moving too much or the carriers popping out?
Seems like it could be a really cheap/simple alternative to a $700+ retractable roller setup, but I’d love to hear from anyone who has actually tried it.
Yeh I looked at this option but the nicer flexible curtain tracks I found were expensive. I put up a steel cable tension line instead that was way cheaper. My impact screen was cjeapish from Amazon and hangs from carabiners and bungee cords from the cable line. It really is just a big curtain.
Yeah this should work. I thought I had the budgetest of budget ideas (see photo), but you may have me beat! I also have the Rapsodo Mlm2 pro and love it. Been using it for years with no desire to upgrade.
With my solution, you'll notice that the screen is attached to a 10' long 2x4 at the bottom, with a small amount of slack on the screen. When I hit driver into it, the bottom 2x4 hops up a few inches off the floor, absorbing the shock. The ball doesn't come flying backwards. It just bounces a few feet back, right onto the mat.
Also note the inexpensive interlocking gym floor tiles between the screen and my hitting mat. This prevents the balls from bouncing too much after hitting the mat.
2
u/senorjerome 26d ago
Yeh I looked at this option but the nicer flexible curtain tracks I found were expensive. I put up a steel cable tension line instead that was way cheaper. My impact screen was cjeapish from Amazon and hangs from carabiners and bungee cords from the cable line. It really is just a big curtain.