For some reason the video has now glitched out, it was working normally for two days, and then all of a sudden it's just a glitchy green screen. I'm working with youtube support to fix it, so hopefully it will be resolved soon! It would mean a lot if you could save it to your watch later and come back once it's sorted!
Man, if anyone else remembers the show 'Pimp My Ride' I can't help but thinking "...so we put a screen, in your DM SCREEN!" Jokes aside, fascinating build and extremely clean video! Really well done.
Now can we do a "British Bake off" were multiple DnD UA-cam's attempt to make a "DM screen" and complete against each other 😅 each DM adding their own "flare" then hey you get to raffle off the DM screens later for promotion. Bottom line though great video dude
Since it's a project I've also done, allow me to add something: - You can recycle the monitor of an old laptop by buying a compatible driver board, this significantly reduces the cost, but the screen will need to be powered. - If you carry it around it's best to close the side panels over the screen, this way it won't get scratched. - I discovered a little program called Immersion that allows you to create scenes (background image, music and any NPC/Monsters) that can each be activated with a button
I'd be interested to find out more about that program. I won't be doing this full project, but I took a look for anything called Immersion with different suffixes and I got a lot of unrelated articles about how to immerse players and an entire, lesser known RPG system apparently called Immersion RPG lol.
Hello, I'm a tradesman. You said"it's better to have the opening too big than too small" during the prep phase. This is actually backwards. Remember, you can easily take more away, but adding more is always tedious. But all in all this is fantastic, definitely going to try my hand at making one. What I really want to do is one of those big touch screen map tables, but holy dear lord does that get pricey.
@@tteckk9 in trades, if you’re cutting one thing to fit another, it’s always better to go smaller with the receiving cut. As he explained, if you are trying to fit something into the cut but it’s too small, you can simply keep adjusting until it’s the right size. Conversely, if you make it too large, your new piece will fit, but you’ll find it hard to make the connection good considering the hole is too large
This is really impressive! FYI the bumps come from the damp cloth. If you want to remove dust, you should use a tack cloth or something not water based
@@powerwordspill Actually the bumps come from the grain in the wood raising when you apply the water-based urethane. So, it won't matter if you use a damp cloth or not. You sand in-between coats of any sealer because the grain raises.
I built this and everyone was really impressed. I replaced one layer of the side boards with cork so I can push-pin things onto it, and some parts were a little tough because I was using plywood instead of basswood, but all in all I followed the measurements and recommendations and it came out super well. I used it for the first time yesterday and everyone loved it. Thanks Kelly!
FYI, it's good to take a moist cloth and wipe all of the wood prior to staining. This raises the grain. You can then sand it, apply stain, then rinse and repeat as needed. This was a great tutorial. Especially, for those who may not build many things. Good stuff!
I watch a lot of woodworking on UA-cam, and it was refreshing to see a project with so many constraints on tools and materials turn out so nice on camera. Loved how you outlined each mistake you made, so a true novice can give this a shot. My first home made DM screen went a little overboard.. I used red oak from Lowes (wanted that hard wood construction), included 2 Dice towers, a tablet mount (with air vents!), and a shelf for Miniatures. Completely overkill, i like the simplicity in your better.
I have many suggestions for improvements, but the biggest one that comes to mind is using rare earth magnets to attach the layers that sandwich the monitor. That way, if anything happens to the monitor it's easy to remove and repair or replace.
Im in the process of my build and only just saw this comment. I got my 4 middle layers glued together, along with the front panel. I have yet to put the back panel on. Im wondering if there is a way to do the magnet thing at this point? The only thing i can think of is to take a hole saw, one hole in each corner, and toss a magnet down in the hole. Then on the back layer, add a magnet. Any other ideas? :(
@@chadc638 Watching the video again, assuming I'm understanding your position, that's probably the best place to do it anyway. But you won't need a hole saw. You'll just need a drill bit. The kind off magnets I'm talking about aren't much, if any, bigger than a half an inch. Just drill a hole in each corner the same depth as the magnet, drop in some super glue, and drop in your magnet. Watch your polarities though. Stick 4 sets of magnets together before you glue them in so you don't glue them in the wrong way around.
@@lenonkitchens7727 Thats fair. I hadnt really gauged the size of the magnets. Just saw them on amazon or whatever. They look like those flat batteries you put in your car remote .. say the size of a quarter. But, yes, if they are smaller, then a drill bit probably works the best. Thanks man :)
@@corneliusvonbogart I pretty much already have in the posts above. Instead of gluing all the layers together, attach the layer that holds the screen in with magnets. Buy the magnets, drill a hole that sized appropriately to it, and super glue it in the hole. Do this on all 4 corners of both the top and bottom layer, make sure the polarities of the magnets are all correct. Did you have any specific questions?
I built this for my wife and she absolutely loved it. She spent a few weeks learning OBS and the visuals really enhanced the experience as players. Thanks for posting. Cheers!
I don't play D&D, but your video popped up in my suggestions because it's DIY. Don't be harsh on yourself, you did great! You're not a woodworker, so there are things you didn't know but figured out and found out by trying. The DM Screen looks amazing, and in time can be replaced if you want, since you didn't do anything lasting to the monitor, so that it can be reused. I liked your video because you showed what you did wrong, and the consequences it had, making sure that others learn from your mistakes.
Great project! When making this, I think would cut the middle pieces into a U shape, open at the top, so that the monitor can slide in and out. Thanks for the inspiration!
This is SO amazing! And the OBS tip is really nice. I use it for streaming, but hadn't realized it's perfect for a D&D application! Plus you don't have to worry about secrets getting out like they would if you just screen-mirrored, AND you can control your music there too. Brilliant. Very thankful you popped up on my page, and delighted to subscribe after this and your props video! Thank you.
This is awesome! I am glad that you go into why you should do things by showing what happens if you dont. And it was just satisfying watching this thing come together.
I would suggest using iron-on wood edge banding next time to hide the ply-wood stripes and any glue that didn't get sanded off. Do that step before staining, and stain at the same time as the rest of the wood, AFTER putting on the front face. I like to do the sides and front first together, then the back alone. I use "delicate" grade paint tape around the back while doing the front to prevent drips, and along the sides and front while doing the back. For a pro job, leave the upper edge between the front and back open so you can slide your screen into and back out. (Your inner spacers would end up L or U shaped this way. When you sand the finish, do NOT sand before the last coat, only after the other coats. If using three coats, you only have to sand after the first.👏Great plan!
I am currently making this for my boyfriends birthday! It's fun to make. I chose to leave the middle top part open so the screen can slide in and out of the front panel (With some side padding). This way I can gift the screen seperately and be re-used for other purposes
Great Video, I can't wait to make a build like this now! Also a little tip for laminating(glueing) wood like if anyone's having trouble with the line up, sprinkling a bit of salt on your glue helps give it traction and keep in place for clamps/weights. Since wood glue is typically a water based PVC the salt just ends up dissolving while it cures
I have a similar set up and can highly recommend it. Showing Artwork of areas. npcs and monsters is great for immersion. I would highly recommend getting the software "remote monitor" or similar so that you can have a small display of what you are showing on the screen you cant see on your own screen
Great idea that I seriously want to steal. Just a small tip for gluing up the layers of plywood. If you have the layers of plywood sliding around when trying to laminate them, you can sprinkle a small amount of salt in the glue before clamping (or setting something heavy on top of it). It doesn't affect the glue at all and that little bit of grit will stop the pieces from sliding around and keep them in one spot
This is actually a cool build and also a very useful idea. I can see the utility in this, not just for a quick "This is what Captain Obvious, commander of the King's Guard looks like" but also for things like "here's a quick reference to the spell" rather than people diving for books or for things like showing an initiative order. Easier communication, more immersion, saved time and the cost is manageable. Well done and thank you very mich!
I know this is an old video, but just in case someone finds this later and wants to give it a go, these are some tips I'd recommend to make it just a little easier! No matter what, I'm sure yours will come out perfectly, but these are just a few small things to keep in mind when you're building it. 3:00 - A tip when it comes to glue-ups, ideally use blocks or walls, but if you don't have access to that you can add a small amount of table salt to increase friction and prevent sliding. Adding too much will compromise the joint; However, there are other alternatives, i.e. Rock Tumbler Grit, that can avoid breaking down the glue entirely. 3:40 - Another tip, rather than using a sandpaper block, for long edges like this, you might have a much better time taping the sandpaper down and running the wood along the sandpaper rather than the other way around. You'll have much finer control over the angle of the wood and won't end up with rounded edges. Keep in mind that once an error is introduced, continuing to sand that error in will only make it worse. So, check often with a square if you have one available. 4:52 - Ohp another one! Whenever you're staining, you should stain with the grain rather than against it. It's a small detail but it will hide your wipe marks a lot more! 6:12 - This one is more of a recommendation than a tip, electronics break down and need to be serviced sometimes. If at all possible, I'd highly recommend using some small nuts and bolts and drilling through the corners, yes it breaks the no power tool requirement but I really think this is something really worth considering. These can easily be covered with a small plug and can even be integrated aesthetically. Gluing everything up means you're permanently stuck with that screen in its current condition. If you ever need to remove the screen, you'll have to destroy a lot of the work you put into it. The only adjustment I'd recommend to make this possible is that rather than gluing everything up on the back face, do it 50/50 with the front and back so that you have some material to bite into. 6:57 - So, this is an unfortunate downside of working with plywood (essentially what you've created) and I'd highly recommend a veneer in a situation like this. They're really cheap, come in a variety of styles, and you only need an iron to apply them (although some bandy clamps will go a long way). Then you can just trim them down with a razor!
If you use a gel stain like General Finishes water based gel stain the glue won’t be an issue. I used it to redo a walnut stain to a 60s couch. It turned what was very uneven between the wear and a light sanding into something really nice. It works even better on a fresh build and it’s so easy. The stain floats on top. Great video!
I'd personally make a few minor changes, but great job. first off, adding little rubber feet will do a lot. two on the main section, and then one on each of the wings. right now, it can scratch a table with the edge, or rock, depending on how flat the surface is. the feet just mitigate it a lot. second, rather than glueing the frame, screwing it in. you can buy some cheap but good looking screws, and use them to secure the frame, but it means if you ever need to, the screen can be removed without having to break apart the whole thing. third, and this is related to the previous, mounting the screen with either double sided velcto tape, or 3d printing a mount bracket (something to hold the corners would be enough), so that the screen is removable. fourth, and this is of course, personal preference, but I'd add a small track along the top edge, by making one of the layers sit about 5-10mm lower at the top. it means that you can hang things off it like combat tokens, if you want to do initiative another way, or build accessories later.
You could also do vinyl wrap pretty inexpensively if the liquid finish process isn't for you. @DIYPerks Has great videos about creating "Portable Screens from laptop displays" that utilize this wrap. And/or if you want to do a more stylized finish @WylochsArmory has many techniques that would allow you to make a dungeon themed screen. Even if you don't want to do the full build use the bits in the end about OBS and a monitor at your table it is great. Also if you have a TV in the room you could connect to it remotely with a Chromecast/Apple TV/Miracast and use it as your player screen.
I could see this working extremely well when playing certain board games as well. Keeping track of resource generation in RISK, health in other games, etc.
I just made mine using your instructions and I'm happy amd excited to use it. I made one adjustment to your design by adding magnets to the front pieces and added a frame so that it is removable incase something happens to the monitor so I cam replace it without destroying the piece.
Loved this video and made my own adjustments. I made art based on the world of my campaign setting and lasercut it on the wood before putting it all together. Thank you for leaving a pdf of blueprints with instructions otherwise I could've never done such a cool thing (I also don't really woodwork)
Great instruction guide! Started building mine, it was one hell of a workout cutting the wood sheets with a Stanley knife though. Going midnight blue stain for the wood and silver corners. Also kudos for the extra bits on how to use OBS and improved initiative. Can't wait to show it to my players!
I am working on a new modular DM screen, and damn... this is a good idea. I probably won't use a screen this big, but rather 2 or 3 smaller ones, but yeah...thanks for the inspiration! There is so much cool sh*t to make!
I love your vibe and humor. You're a very approachable speaker and I really enjoyed the video and am inspired to make my own with your method. Liked and Subscribed
4:45 If you use a sponge, the distribution of the stain is WAY easier to achieve than with a rag. I done it on one of my projects and as I never used stain before it came quite easy and natural to me with the sponge.
I'm blown away with your project. I haven't played D&D for over 17yrs. Last time I played was in Afghanistan. I'm former Special Operations so didn't get a lot of time to play. Now I want to get back into it but do know anyone here in Greeneville TN that's plays it. 😢 thanks for the project beautiful concept.
One of the really cool things that I like about this idea (the entire thing I hadn't even really considered) is that you can very much look for and find pictures to match NPCs your party might be interacting with to help keep them immersed in the interaction. This feels a lot like taking the advantages that some VTTs have (digital displays and whatnot) and marrying them to the advantages of IRL gaming (things like body language, and not talking over each other all the time over Voice.) Now I just need a not ridiculously priced table for managing maps and we get to some REALLY cool stuff. . . . Keep it up! I look forward to seeing your other videos.
Since you're using corner protectors, once easy method to keep the pieces aligned during gluing, if you add a drill, is to drill say 1/8"/3mm alignment holes in each corner of all multi-layer parts. Then when stacking the pieces insert a short section of 1/8"/3mm wooden dowel into the 4 corner holes.
hmm cool idea. I use OBS in my group. The rest of my group is in person and I still play with them once I moved away. So they pull me up on the tv while the DM works with a laptop on the side behind his own divider screen. There is a camera on the group from another laptop and has a camera to the board. I run OBS so that I can hotkey from showing my camera or dice tower cam to show rolls (everyone rolls actual dice), and/or my browser with character sheet but I pull up any picture in Discord from the DM/GM for the group to see on tv or I look up stuff quickly to make it easier on the DM/GM. It sounds odd but its worked out to help the GM/DM. The downside is trying to say how or where I move on the map to the group that are together in person. I was debating putting something like this together and mailing it to the group.
Anyone else get an Etsy ad at the end? I don't know UA-cam well enough to know if it could possibly be intentional, but it was a great ending to a great video!
Great job. I collected all the stuff I needed to do a player-facing DM screen with all three sides containing monitors and a large flat TV for the map board itself. I downloaded ProPresenter 7 to control the various screens. Planning on the middle one exactly like you're using there, environmental info on one (day/night/weather/approx time/date if applicable) and monster images and regional maps on the other. For the most part I was going to use the center screen for initiaive order. Haven't cobbled it all together yet, but I've been messing around with the software and it definitely works.
Great video! If you want to make a more even looking surface for your edges on future products, you can apply a thin layer of wood filler to them to cover up the layers of plywood and then stain.
The wood cutting with razorknife was super time intensive, multiple passes to cut through. I had the perk of a skill-saw at my work and cut most cuts down in 2 hours. Some of the wood I had order came out warped & bent though, so when gluing it was impossible to get anything square even with being careful with measuring. Not a bad first build for a dm screen though for people new to woodworking, very fun and learned a lot
Yeah my hand was a claw after doing them all with the utility knife, power tools are definitely better haha. Yeah some of mine were warped too, but they lined up pretty well after sanding the edges. If you have access to a full wood shop, a better way would be to use a router and do a cutout in a thicker piece of wood instead of using those thin sheets from Amazon. Glad you had fun doing the project though!
This is awesome,it would be great to have a video guide on how you use the screen for a campaign. The little intro at the end was great but I’d love a full on tutorial.
Looking at your pdf plans for this I think if I do this I am going to change one thing and that is making it so the monitor is not stuck in the screen. So you have a front, 4 middle pieces and a back for a total thickness of 6 pieces. So in the gluing process glue the back and 2 of them and then the front and the other 2. Then you can add magnets (plan ahead where you want then and you can add the cutouts for the magnets in the center most 2 middle pieces) so that the front and rear sections snap together. Now you have have it so that you can snap the panel (DM side) off and put the monitor in when you need it. Now if something happens to that monitor (let's face it...$100 monitor off of Amazon will probably fail at some point) you do not have to start over completely! Either way great build! Thanks for the inspo for sure!
That's a great idea! I was trying to think of a good way to make it removable but couldn't think of anything so I just glued it in. But magnets in the middle is a good one!
0:15 "Why the heck you'd wanna do this" Bro I've never DM's in my life and I can think of 11 off the top of my head: 1 Visual for setting the scene 2 showing characters and NPCs 3 showing items 4 playing animations to add flare for attacks or actions 5 Break timer 6 EXP gain 7 displaying handbook rules texts to keep player and DM on the same page 8 displaying house rules 9 Displaying turn order 10 Shop keeper inventory 11 forcing your players to watch your favorite vTuber This is honestly so so smart. You need to sell these. I'll buy 3
Bro thats awesome! Especially not being skilled at woodwork. i just looked, with a digital screen the lowest price i could find was $180 plain with no engravings. It only went up from there.
Another smart idea for the side panels if you want to do an exact half. is to test fit before edge stain. sand down the sides that will be the center for a smooth snug fit after stain.
wow second video over 10min in a row on your channel, quite a milestone, good quality excelent result, i dont know if i'll have tome someday to do it, but maybe etsy can help... xD
I have never used obs before. I would love to see a video of how you set up obs to follow along with your dnd session. Also, how you connect with your monitor on your dm screen.
Awesome! I'm thinking about making the gap for the cable in a ways that you could plug in the cable while the screen is closed. Would be awesome to be able to lay it on the table to transform it into a battle map if needed! :)
3:00 I've also seen other makers use a little sprinkling of table salt in between the layers to add some friction and keep the pieces from sliding during the glue-up
Very cool. One thing I might recommend is next time, build it so that the screen fits inside a well and then put a back panel on to cover it. That way, if the screen dies or get cracked or whatever, you can open up the back, pop it out, and replace it with a new one. Otherwise, it's awesome!
I built mine a bit different because I wanted more along the lines of a premium option like something Elderwood academy or Wyrmwood would make. For my project I started with Elderwood academies DM screen Mastertome as a concept, I then decided to head over to Framework Laptop site and pickup up a Cooler Master 11th gen Intel mainboard and case, Then simply got a few expansion modules and used 2 bare lcd panels 1 in the center outside and 1 on the inside for me as the main screen to run everything. For applications I simply use over on steam there is the 3dwallpaper engine, you see the UI settings interface(and preview) they only see the image, Its very very easy to use utilities to create trackers that are interactable or backgrounds to set the mood, or use already created stuff. Everything is digital, and in my table I made I have a 40 inch Samsung frame mounted for a VTT, I then premount 3d verticality to an acrylic sheet to make everything pop a bit, regardless its still a ton cheaper than Dwarven forge stuff.
Hello Kelly Thanks for making this video, it inspired me to make a very similar one (I made a couple of design changes and 'cheated' by using a cordless drill). My execution wasn't as good as yours, but I'm still super happy with it! Happy to share more details if you're interested
For some reason the video has now glitched out, it was working normally for two days, and then all of a sudden it's just a glitchy green screen. I'm working with youtube support to fix it, so hopefully it will be resolved soon! It would mean a lot if you could save it to your watch later and come back once it's sorted!
it seems to be fine now for me
All good from me, awesome work and love it :)
Wizards is going to make you put advertisements on that screen. It's cool though, they'll give you %1 of the profits from it.
I need one could I commission you
i am able to see it so it should be fixed atleast for some. ty for the warning tho
*plays subway runner videos so players pay attention when it's not their turn*
Way too underrated
Man, if anyone else remembers the show 'Pimp My Ride' I can't help but thinking "...so we put a screen, in your DM SCREEN!" Jokes aside, fascinating build and extremely clean video! Really well done.
Haha I absolutely do remember! 😆 thank you so much!
Now can we do a "British Bake off" were multiple DnD UA-cam's attempt to make a "DM screen" and complete against each other 😅 each DM adding their own "flare" then hey you get to raffle off the DM screens later for promotion. Bottom line though great video dude
"We put a screen on each of your PC sheets and dice!"
(Good luck carrying them anywhere and/or not breaking them 😅)
Since it's a project I've also done, allow me to add something:
- You can recycle the monitor of an old laptop by buying a compatible driver board, this significantly reduces the cost, but the screen will need to be powered.
- If you carry it around it's best to close the side panels over the screen, this way it won't get scratched.
- I discovered a little program called Immersion that allows you to create scenes (background image, music and any NPC/Monsters) that can each be activated with a button
I'd be interested to find out more about that program. I won't be doing this full project, but I took a look for anything called Immersion with different suffixes and I got a lot of unrelated articles about how to immerse players and an entire, lesser known RPG system apparently called Immersion RPG lol.
I would be interested in a link as well please. I can't seem to find anything in my searches.
If that's the actual name of the program they chose a horrible name, Google brings up nothing about it
Yeah, no luck here either. Leaving a comment in case anyone finds the answer
Also would like a link
Hello, I'm a tradesman. You said"it's better to have the opening too big than too small" during the prep phase. This is actually backwards. Remember, you can easily take more away, but adding more is always tedious. But all in all this is fantastic, definitely going to try my hand at making one. What I really want to do is one of those big touch screen map tables, but holy dear lord does that get pricey.
Bro, no one cares... it's a shoddy dm screen. You're "expertise" literally is moot to whoever even attempts this. Stop it.
Exactly my thoughts 😊
nicest tradesman correction ive ever seen
Why is less better just curious? My thought would be more is easier to cut?
@@tteckk9 in trades, if you’re cutting one thing to fit another, it’s always better to go smaller with the receiving cut. As he explained, if you are trying to fit something into the cut but it’s too small, you can simply keep adjusting until it’s the right size. Conversely, if you make it too large, your new piece will fit, but you’ll find it hard to make the connection good considering the hole is too large
This is really impressive! FYI the bumps come from the damp cloth. If you want to remove dust, you should use a tack cloth or something not water based
Ah, thank you! That's great to know!
@@powerwordspill Actually the bumps come from the grain in the wood raising when you apply the water-based urethane. So, it won't matter if you use a damp cloth or not. You sand in-between coats of any sealer because the grain raises.
@@NickRosterPickscorrect
Tip from a woodworker... if you add some salt to your glue after using your finger or some other spreader it'll keep your wood pieces from shifting.
I built this and everyone was really impressed. I replaced one layer of the side boards with cork so I can push-pin things onto it, and some parts were a little tough because I was using plywood instead of basswood, but all in all I followed the measurements and recommendations and it came out super well. I used it for the first time yesterday and everyone loved it. Thanks Kelly!
That's fantastic! I'm so glad it came out well! The cork is a really great idea, I love that
FYI, it's good to take a moist cloth and wipe all of the wood prior to staining. This raises the grain. You can then sand it, apply stain, then rinse and repeat as needed. This was a great tutorial. Especially, for those who may not build many things. Good stuff!
I watch a lot of woodworking on UA-cam, and it was refreshing to see a project with so many constraints on tools and materials turn out so nice on camera. Loved how you outlined each mistake you made, so a true novice can give this a shot.
My first home made DM screen went a little overboard.. I used red oak from Lowes (wanted that hard wood construction), included 2 Dice towers, a tablet mount (with air vents!), and a shelf for Miniatures. Completely overkill, i like the simplicity in your better.
DUDE! I would love to see a picture of that!! That sounds awesome!!
I have many suggestions for improvements, but the biggest one that comes to mind is using rare earth magnets to attach the layers that sandwich the monitor. That way, if anything happens to the monitor it's easy to remove and repair or replace.
Im in the process of my build and only just saw this comment.
I got my 4 middle layers glued together, along with the front panel. I have yet to put the back panel on.
Im wondering if there is a way to do the magnet thing at this point? The only thing i can think of is to take a hole saw, one hole in each corner, and toss a magnet down in the hole. Then on the back layer, add a magnet.
Any other ideas? :(
@@chadc638 Watching the video again, assuming I'm understanding your position, that's probably the best place to do it anyway. But you won't need a hole saw. You'll just need a drill bit. The kind off magnets I'm talking about aren't much, if any, bigger than a half an inch. Just drill a hole in each corner the same depth as the magnet, drop in some super glue, and drop in your magnet. Watch your polarities though. Stick 4 sets of magnets together before you glue them in so you don't glue them in the wrong way around.
@@lenonkitchens7727 Thats fair. I hadnt really gauged the size of the magnets. Just saw them on amazon or whatever. They look like those flat batteries you put in your car remote .. say the size of a quarter. But, yes, if they are smaller, then a drill bit probably works the best.
Thanks man :)
Can you describe how you would do this exactly? I would very much like to try this
@@corneliusvonbogart I pretty much already have in the posts above. Instead of gluing all the layers together, attach the layer that holds the screen in with magnets. Buy the magnets, drill a hole that sized appropriately to it, and super glue it in the hole. Do this on all 4 corners of both the top and bottom layer, make sure the polarities of the magnets are all correct. Did you have any specific questions?
ngl that's the realest thinking room ever, literally where i get all my ideas
Metric system
I built this for my wife and she absolutely loved it. She spent a few weeks learning OBS and the visuals really enhanced the experience as players. Thanks for posting. Cheers!
Thank you so much, really appreciate it!! I'm so glad to hear the build went well and that it's been fun to have at the table!
I don't play D&D, but your video popped up in my suggestions because it's DIY.
Don't be harsh on yourself, you did great! You're not a woodworker, so there are things you didn't know but figured out and found out by trying.
The DM Screen looks amazing, and in time can be replaced if you want, since you didn't do anything lasting to the monitor, so that it can be reused.
I liked your video because you showed what you did wrong, and the consequences it had, making sure that others learn from your mistakes.
Great project! When making this, I think would cut the middle pieces into a U shape, open at the top, so that the monitor can slide in and out.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Oooh or make the slot on the bottom with little shims to hold it in place = no visible holes on top.
This is SO amazing! And the OBS tip is really nice. I use it for streaming, but hadn't realized it's perfect for a D&D application! Plus you don't have to worry about secrets getting out like they would if you just screen-mirrored, AND you can control your music there too. Brilliant.
Very thankful you popped up on my page, and delighted to subscribe after this and your props video! Thank you.
This is awesome! I am glad that you go into why you should do things by showing what happens if you dont. And it was just satisfying watching this thing come together.
This channel deserves so much love! Another awesome video thank you so much!
I would suggest using iron-on wood edge banding next time to hide the ply-wood stripes and any glue that didn't get sanded off. Do that step before staining, and stain at the same time as the rest of the wood, AFTER putting on the front face. I like to do the sides and front first together, then the back alone. I use "delicate" grade paint tape around the back while doing the front to prevent drips, and along the sides and front while doing the back. For a pro job, leave the upper edge between the front and back open so you can slide your screen into and back out. (Your inner spacers would end up L or U shaped this way. When you sand the finish, do NOT sand before the last coat, only after the other coats. If using three coats, you only have to sand after the first.👏Great plan!
Another person starting to see the light of the Metric System
Being a new player, I probably won’t be DMing any time soon, but this is really awesome!!! Appreciate 😊
I am currently making this for my boyfriends birthday! It's fun to make. I chose to leave the middle top part open so the screen can slide in and out of the front panel (With some side padding). This way I can gift the screen seperately and be re-used for other purposes
Great Video, I can't wait to make a build like this now! Also a little tip for laminating(glueing) wood like if anyone's having trouble with the line up, sprinkling a bit of salt on your glue helps give it traction and keep in place for clamps/weights. Since wood glue is typically a water based PVC the salt just ends up dissolving while it cures
That's a great tip!
I have a similar set up and can highly recommend it. Showing Artwork of areas. npcs and monsters is great for immersion. I would highly recommend getting the software "remote monitor" or similar so that you can have a small display of what you are showing on the screen you cant see on your own screen
Great video editing and broll, dude!
Thanks so much! That means a lot, I've watched your channel for quite a while!
As someone who is gearing up to DM their first campaign, your videos have been a godsend. Thank you!
The cinematic/Storytelling finesse in this video is superior for a channel with "only" 14k subs. Keep up the amazing work!
And just when I thought I wouldn't spend even more money on dnd...
This screen looks awesome, I'll definitely need to give it a try!
Great idea that I seriously want to steal. Just a small tip for gluing up the layers of plywood. If you have the layers of plywood sliding around when trying to laminate them, you can sprinkle a small amount of salt in the glue before clamping (or setting something heavy on top of it). It doesn't affect the glue at all and that little bit of grit will stop the pieces from sliding around and keep them in one spot
This is actually a cool build and also a very useful idea. I can see the utility in this, not just for a quick "This is what Captain Obvious, commander of the King's Guard looks like" but also for things like "here's a quick reference to the spell" rather than people diving for books or for things like showing an initiative order. Easier communication, more immersion, saved time and the cost is manageable. Well done and thank you very mich!
This is incredible! Gonna be making my own this weekend!
I just ordered everything (using your links of course) and will be putting it all together soon! Can’t wait to unveil this beauty to my group.
I love this design idea! I make DM Screens for people and you have inspired me to have new design ideas!
I know this is an old video, but just in case someone finds this later and wants to give it a go, these are some tips I'd recommend to make it just a little easier! No matter what, I'm sure yours will come out perfectly, but these are just a few small things to keep in mind when you're building it.
3:00 - A tip when it comes to glue-ups, ideally use blocks or walls, but if you don't have access to that you can add a small amount of table salt to increase friction and prevent sliding. Adding too much will compromise the joint; However, there are other alternatives, i.e. Rock Tumbler Grit, that can avoid breaking down the glue entirely.
3:40 - Another tip, rather than using a sandpaper block, for long edges like this, you might have a much better time taping the sandpaper down and running the wood along the sandpaper rather than the other way around. You'll have much finer control over the angle of the wood and won't end up with rounded edges. Keep in mind that once an error is introduced, continuing to sand that error in will only make it worse. So, check often with a square if you have one available.
4:52 - Ohp another one! Whenever you're staining, you should stain with the grain rather than against it. It's a small detail but it will hide your wipe marks a lot more!
6:12 - This one is more of a recommendation than a tip, electronics break down and need to be serviced sometimes. If at all possible, I'd highly recommend using some small nuts and bolts and drilling through the corners, yes it breaks the no power tool requirement but I really think this is something really worth considering. These can easily be covered with a small plug and can even be integrated aesthetically. Gluing everything up means you're permanently stuck with that screen in its current condition. If you ever need to remove the screen, you'll have to destroy a lot of the work you put into it. The only adjustment I'd recommend to make this possible is that rather than gluing everything up on the back face, do it 50/50 with the front and back so that you have some material to bite into.
6:57 - So, this is an unfortunate downside of working with plywood (essentially what you've created) and I'd highly recommend a veneer in a situation like this. They're really cheap, come in a variety of styles, and you only need an iron to apply them (although some bandy clamps will go a long way). Then you can just trim them down with a razor!
Thank you for this! I would have never thought about using OBS as a screen manager for the player side.
This is incredible and I love how accessible it is. Bravo!
Just finished building one as a gift for my husband. Instructions and video made it super easy, thank you for sharing your work!
Thank you for explaining each step in depth. Not having done these processes often, it's nice to hear the basics while doing a project
Damn dude, this is such a sick idea. Brilliant work. Keep it up!
If you use a gel stain like General Finishes water based gel stain the glue won’t be an issue. I used it to redo a walnut stain to a 60s couch. It turned what was very uneven between the wear and a light sanding into something really nice. It works even better on a fresh build and it’s so easy. The stain floats on top. Great video!
I'd personally make a few minor changes, but great job.
first off, adding little rubber feet will do a lot. two on the main section, and then one on each of the wings. right now, it can scratch a table with the edge, or rock, depending on how flat the surface is. the feet just mitigate it a lot.
second, rather than glueing the frame, screwing it in. you can buy some cheap but good looking screws, and use them to secure the frame, but it means if you ever need to, the screen can be removed without having to break apart the whole thing.
third, and this is related to the previous, mounting the screen with either double sided velcto tape, or 3d printing a mount bracket (something to hold the corners would be enough), so that the screen is removable.
fourth, and this is of course, personal preference, but I'd add a small track along the top edge, by making one of the layers sit about 5-10mm lower at the top. it means that you can hang things off it like combat tokens, if you want to do initiative another way, or build accessories later.
This looks great! Thanks Kelly, this will be my project next weekend.
You could also do vinyl wrap pretty inexpensively if the liquid finish process isn't for you. @DIYPerks Has great videos about creating "Portable Screens from laptop displays" that utilize this wrap. And/or if you want to do a more stylized finish @WylochsArmory has many techniques that would allow you to make a dungeon themed screen.
Even if you don't want to do the full build use the bits in the end about OBS and a monitor at your table it is great. Also if you have a TV in the room you could connect to it remotely with a Chromecast/Apple TV/Miracast and use it as your player screen.
I love this! This inspired me so much to build my own, with my own tweaks to it. Thank you so much! ❤
I could see this working extremely well when playing certain board games as well. Keeping track of resource generation in RISK, health in other games, etc.
I just made mine using your instructions and I'm happy amd excited to use it. I made one adjustment to your design by adding magnets to the front pieces and added a frame so that it is removable incase something happens to the monitor so I cam replace it without destroying the piece.
Amazing idea! I am so happy that it popped up on my feed. Thank you for creating this masterpiece that I now need for my table.
I think this is brilliant!! And I love all the useful comments 😊, woodworkers are a helpful bunch!
improved initiative is a fantastic tracker! I have been using it for years now, and it is awesome.
Wow this is awesome. This is the first project that I actually think i'll be able to build myself.
I want one so much I might even try
what a great idea and outcome! and your beard is awesom dude!
Maaaaaaaaaan. I've been sitting on this idea for 2 years now and still haven't done it and here it is. Lookin awesome. Really well done.
Loved this video and made my own adjustments. I made art based on the world of my campaign setting and lasercut it on the wood before putting it all together. Thank you for leaving a pdf of blueprints with instructions otherwise I could've never done such a cool thing (I also don't really woodwork)
The OBS hack is what sold this concept for me. Great job with the build and video!
Great instruction guide! Started building mine, it was one hell of a workout cutting the wood sheets with a Stanley knife though. Going midnight blue stain for the wood and silver corners.
Also kudos for the extra bits on how to use OBS and improved initiative. Can't wait to show it to my players!
Great video as always! Love the idea and what you were able to make. The moment I get all the things I need I'll try as well.
I am working on a new modular DM screen, and damn... this is a good idea. I probably won't use a screen this big, but rather 2 or 3 smaller ones, but yeah...thanks for the inspiration! There is so much cool sh*t to make!
this is such a cool build, can't wait to surprise my players with this!
I love your vibe and humor. You're a very approachable speaker and I really enjoyed the video and am inspired to make my own with your method. Liked and Subscribed
4:45 If you use a sponge, the distribution of the stain is WAY easier to achieve than with a rag. I done it on one of my projects and as I never used stain before it came quite easy and natural to me with the sponge.
I'm blown away with your project. I haven't played D&D for over 17yrs. Last time I played was in Afghanistan. I'm former Special Operations so didn't get a lot of time to play. Now I want to get back into it but do know anyone here in Greeneville TN that's plays it. 😢 thanks for the project beautiful concept.
Oh man, I am glad this popped up into my feed. I feel like I got inspiration from a kindred gm and now will enhance my in person vtt game! Thanks.
I like how you showed your mistakes so others could learn from them.
One of the really cool things that I like about this idea (the entire thing I hadn't even really considered) is that you can very much look for and find pictures to match NPCs your party might be interacting with to help keep them immersed in the interaction. This feels a lot like taking the advantages that some VTTs have (digital displays and whatnot) and marrying them to the advantages of IRL gaming (things like body language, and not talking over each other all the time over Voice.)
Now I just need a not ridiculously priced table for managing maps and we get to some REALLY cool stuff. . . .
Keep it up! I look forward to seeing your other videos.
Excellent! I imagine this would look sick with digital paper!
Ngl this is the perfect opportunity to make an app catered to this setup.
Since you're using corner protectors, once easy method to keep the pieces aligned during gluing, if you add a drill, is to drill say 1/8"/3mm alignment holes in each corner of all multi-layer parts. Then when stacking the pieces insert a short section of 1/8"/3mm wooden dowel into the 4 corner holes.
Ok, I don't know how I stumbled here to the channel. But I am glad I did. Solid content my dude
hmm cool idea. I use OBS in my group. The rest of my group is in person and I still play with them once I moved away. So they pull me up on the tv while the DM works with a laptop on the side behind his own divider screen. There is a camera on the group from another laptop and has a camera to the board. I run OBS so that I can hotkey from showing my camera or dice tower cam to show rolls (everyone rolls actual dice), and/or my browser with character sheet but I pull up any picture in Discord from the DM/GM for the group to see on tv or I look up stuff quickly to make it easier on the DM/GM. It sounds odd but its worked out to help the GM/DM. The downside is trying to say how or where I move on the map to the group that are together in person. I was debating putting something like this together and mailing it to the group.
Anyone else get an Etsy ad at the end? I don't know UA-cam well enough to know if it could possibly be intentional, but it was a great ending to a great video!
Great job. I collected all the stuff I needed to do a player-facing DM screen with all three sides containing monitors and a large flat TV for the map board itself. I downloaded ProPresenter 7 to control the various screens. Planning on the middle one exactly like you're using there, environmental info on one (day/night/weather/approx time/date if applicable) and monster images and regional maps on the other. For the most part I was going to use the center screen for initiaive order. Haven't cobbled it all together yet, but I've been messing around with the software and it definitely works.
Great video! If you want to make a more even looking surface for your edges on future products, you can apply a thin layer of wood filler to them to cover up the layers of plywood and then stain.
Neat idea! I use a lot of video backgrounds, so the OBS trick was an eye opener 👏
Jeez man, your last two videos absolutely exploded. Glad you're getting some recognition that you deserve!
Cool idea. Some low profile speakers in the side panels facing the players would be a good way to deepen the immersion.
This is an amazing idea, and I’m looking forward to creating my own. Awesome work! I look forward to more videos.
The wood cutting with razorknife was super time intensive, multiple passes to cut through. I had the perk of a skill-saw at my work and cut most cuts down in 2 hours. Some of the wood I had order came out warped & bent though, so when gluing it was impossible to get anything square even with being careful with measuring.
Not a bad first build for a dm screen though for people new to woodworking, very fun and learned a lot
Yeah my hand was a claw after doing them all with the utility knife, power tools are definitely better haha. Yeah some of mine were warped too, but they lined up pretty well after sanding the edges. If you have access to a full wood shop, a better way would be to use a router and do a cutout in a thicker piece of wood instead of using those thin sheets from Amazon. Glad you had fun doing the project though!
Ugh ... I've been wanting to try this for quite some time. I gotta get off my rump and git to it.
Great work, good sir!
I remember while having a campaign with my friends we would play ambiance sounds on the pc nearby, it would be nice if we had this back then
This is awesome,it would be great to have a video guide on how you use the screen for a campaign. The little intro at the end was great but I’d love a full on tutorial.
Ive seen DM screens but this animated one is definitely a good idea to get people interested in DnD 😅
A job well done! also, thanks for showing me improved initiative!
Looking at your pdf plans for this I think if I do this I am going to change one thing and that is making it so the monitor is not stuck in the screen. So you have a front, 4 middle pieces and a back for a total thickness of 6 pieces. So in the gluing process glue the back and 2 of them and then the front and the other 2. Then you can add magnets (plan ahead where you want then and you can add the cutouts for the magnets in the center most 2 middle pieces) so that the front and rear sections snap together. Now you have have it so that you can snap the panel (DM side) off and put the monitor in when you need it. Now if something happens to that monitor (let's face it...$100 monitor off of Amazon will probably fail at some point) you do not have to start over completely! Either way great build! Thanks for the inspo for sure!
That's a great idea! I was trying to think of a good way to make it removable but couldn't think of anything so I just glued it in. But magnets in the middle is a good one!
0:15 "Why the heck you'd wanna do this"
Bro I've never DM's in my life and I can think of 11 off the top of my head:
1 Visual for setting the scene
2 showing characters and NPCs
3 showing items
4 playing animations to add flare for attacks or actions
5 Break timer
6 EXP gain
7 displaying handbook rules texts to keep player and DM on the same page
8 displaying house rules
9 Displaying turn order
10 Shop keeper inventory
11 forcing your players to watch your favorite vTuber
This is honestly so so smart. You need to sell these. I'll buy 3
Awesome project, I would love to see iterations where you improve the design, or use lighter materials, or recycled ones, etc.
Bro thats awesome! Especially not being skilled at woodwork. i just looked, with a digital screen the lowest price i could find was $180 plain with no engravings. It only went up from there.
This such a good ideia, i can see using to put the maps with owlbear rodeo or putting some animated backgrounds to set the tone of the scene.
Another smart idea for the side panels if you want to do an exact half. is to test fit before edge stain. sand down the sides that will be the center for a smooth snug fit after stain.
nice work on the dm screen and that is an excellent 'stache my dude!
wow second video over 10min in a row on your channel, quite a milestone, good quality excelent result, i dont know if i'll have tome someday to do it, but maybe etsy can help... xD
Love your videos, dude. Stay doing this nice work.
I have never used obs before. I would love to see a video of how you set up obs to follow along with your dnd session. Also, how you connect with your monitor on your dm screen.
Awesome! I'm thinking about making the gap for the cable in a ways that you could plug in the cable while the screen is closed. Would be awesome to be able to lay it on the table to transform it into a battle map if needed! :)
3:00 I've also seen other makers use a little sprinkling of table salt in between the layers to add some friction and keep the pieces from sliding during the glue-up
Very cool. One thing I might recommend is next time, build it so that the screen fits inside a well and then put a back panel on to cover it. That way, if the screen dies or get cracked or whatever, you can open up the back, pop it out, and replace it with a new one. Otherwise, it's awesome!
I built mine a bit different because I wanted more along the lines of a premium option like something Elderwood academy or Wyrmwood would make. For my project I started with Elderwood academies DM screen Mastertome as a concept, I then decided to head over to Framework Laptop site and pickup up a Cooler Master 11th gen Intel mainboard and case, Then simply got a few expansion modules and used 2 bare lcd panels 1 in the center outside and 1 on the inside for me as the main screen to run everything. For applications I simply use over on steam there is the 3dwallpaper engine, you see the UI settings interface(and preview) they only see the image, Its very very easy to use utilities to create trackers that are interactable or backgrounds to set the mood, or use already created stuff. Everything is digital, and in my table I made I have a 40 inch Samsung frame mounted for a VTT, I then premount 3d verticality to an acrylic sheet to make everything pop a bit, regardless its still a ton cheaper than Dwarven forge stuff.
I LOVED the metric joke ~ greetings from Germany
Hello Kelly
Thanks for making this video, it inspired me to make a very similar one (I made a couple of design changes and 'cheated' by using a cordless drill). My execution wasn't as good as yours, but I'm still super happy with it!
Happy to share more details if you're interested