Geodesic Dome Media Pod

Step 12 Monitor Screen Mounting

Your Full Media Experience wont be complete without the monitor screen being installed, although you could just play music in there from an i-Pod, it's better to have a full blown Computer Sound system via any old laptop or unused computer that can be put into service. I am using my company Issued Dell Laptop for this, and I unplug it and take it on business trips when I'm on the road.

Since I don't want to look at some tiny lap top screen, I installed a Large 21.5" wide screen monitor screen and hooked it up to the monitor port on the back of my lap top. WOW!, What a Difference.

In order to mount the monitor screen on the inner wall of the geodesic dome, you will need to have a secure method to mount the monitor screen to the wall. I have developed just such a plan to do this, and it is fully adjustable, quite sturdy and safe.

Start by using some 3/4" Scrap plywood, anything you find will work, just stay away from particle board material as it does not have the needed cross strength to safely hold a heavy monitor.

Draw out 2ea 11" circles on each piece of wood and start marking off 72 degree sections to make a common pentagon shape, a compass will help greatly with this step and will also mark the center point as well, you will need to drill a 1/4" hole through the one full pentagon center point to latter add foam insulation.

Cut both of them out using a jig saw or a table saw, cut cleanly along the edge lines to make them both identical. Now you will take one of the pentagons and draw a line across the top two points (See Pictures) this is where you will cut off this section.

Now you will have one Full Pentagon, and one Partially Cut Pentagon. Take the pentagon with the cut edge and bevel this at 45 degrees, this will allow for the piece to swing up completely at any given angle needed to mount and adjust the computer monitor.

Take the full pentagon piece and lay it in one of the cardboard pentagons as shown in the pictures, you will align the wooden pentagon points with the cardboard pentagon seams, and try and adjust it to the approximate center.

Next, pump a liberal amount of Elmer's Wood Glue along the edges of the wooden pentagon, set this aside to dry up completely hard overnight.

Now you will use the 1/4" hole you previously drilled in this full wooden pentagon to pump in a small amount of Can Foam Insulation, this will harden inside the cavity void and become quite solid, making the whole assembly very strong and unbreakable. The wall mount will hold 25-30 Pounds without worry.

Now paint up this completed section and wait until dry. The second section will now be assembled, purchase some cheap 1" hinges at a hardware store, any will do, and align them to a pre drawn line you will need to make that extends across the top two points of the star of the pentagon shape (See Pictures).

Align the hinges, and mark holes for drilling. Drill holes and mount hinges to both wooden pieces, once the holes are drilled and the fit is determined you might want to unscrew the 2nd wooden piece and paint to match as it is hard to paint this piece when mounted on the wall.

After the whole hinge assembly step is complete, go and purchase a small wall monitor bracket (See Pictures) this will need to be a flush mount model that fits closely to a wall.

Mount the bracket as shown on the half pentagon shape, then mount the other metal section onto the monitor back, these are all universal fit and mount with 4 screws that are usually supplied with the bracket.

Mount the monitor screen onto the dome wall and adjust the angle of tilt by sticking a rubber door stop between the wooden parts of the monitor screen mount, this will easily allow for quick and effortless angle adjustment. Sounds quite simplistic - but it's impossible to get behind the monitor screen after it is mounted to view any complex bracketry you might need to adjust, so a rubber door stop works best and it can be felt in the dark to make adjustments if needed.