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| Projector Cart | Snack Bar | Marquee | Ice Cream Freezer | Popcorn Machine | Snow Cones & Blankets |
PROJECTOR STAND/CART
The ever popular Tupperware-Box-on-a-Patio-Tea-Cart-with-an-Extension-Cord-Hanging-Off-the-End acted as our projection stand for the first summer.
Once Season Two got underway, an old PVC stand that I'd made for my classroom was drafted into service. It was surprisingly sturdy, fairly lightweight and had much better height, but it's height was precisely what made it awkward to pick up and move.
Moreover, it still took a number of separate trips to bring out all the video equipment.
And, no matter how carefully I put away the cords and cables, it seemed as though at least one cord managed to tangle itself around another cord.
I soon began to realize that I needed
to start thinking, "Storage + Wheels."
Sometime during the Second Summer, I purchased a projector base. The base is probably overpriced, but it works very, very well. Finding just the right angle used to drive me to distraction. Not anymore.
Prior to its purchase, I searched yard sales for an ex-computer monitor base, as hiredpower suggested, but had no luck. (Why is it, when you're NOT looking for something, you see a million of them?)
Based on richardjoseph's satisfaction with his utility cart from Amazon (pictured in a 2009 post and still useful in a 2011 post),
I ordered one toward the end of Season Three. I paid $60 for it at the time. I notice that it's now (April 2012) selling for $64.
The cart held my projector and PJ stand, Wii, screen, bungee ball cords, extension cord, and the old faithful tupperware box full of manuals, remotes, and Wii cartridges. A surge protector was zip-tied to the side.
I could bring out all the equipment in one trip.
With the addition of new a new audio system, it held even more (outdoor speakers, receiver, speaker wire).
I made a cover to minimize dust during the Off Season.
Then, because the cart could easily manage a lot of weight,
I kept piling things on.
It still rolled around well and was great for storage,
but I was often carting out things I didn't need.
Items include:
projector and projector stand,
BOC Screen and bungee balls,
surge protector,
outdoor speakers (when the speakers are installed there's room for the laptop,)
speaker wire and cords to connect various video sources to the projector,
receiver,
pieced-together sheets that provide protection for BOC screen during attachment to frame,
cable box,
Wii, cartridges, and controllers,
manuals, remotes, and small hammer,
plastic letters and extra bulbs for marquee,
four lap blankets.
Although the cart sits only a few feet onto the grass when projecting movies,
it must be in the center of the lawn when playing WII games.
The wheels aren't made for rolling over grass.
I replaced the original wheels with 6" pneumatic wheels and it now rolls along
(slowly, but surely), without cutting groves in the lawn.
One trip = lots of time saved.
Equally important is the fact that the two carts can store just about everything I use to set up my backyard theater. That means that it reduces the storage footprint in the house, garage, and side shed.
In addition, I rarely find myself saying, "Now, where did I put the such-and-such?"
For me, that's huge.
For an alternative way to attach pneumatic wheels, check out underdogs66's post, Triple H Theaters.
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THE SNACK BAR
Our Third Season saw the addition of a small snack bar made from 1-inch PVC pipe, 1/8-inch masonite, striped fabric, and LED chaser lights. With a little coaxing and soft-soap from my granddaughters, I made a matching (and much more portable) snack bar that saw the opening of Season Four. I’ve posted construction details for both snack bars here on the blog.
. . 
Although I've never timed it, the tear down is definitely longer than the set-up. I'm far more careful about folding up the fabric panels, tapping apart the PVC sections (don't want to crack anything) and inserting everything back into a tube sack, than I am dumping it all out on the lawn and wacking it together.
When not in use, the frame pieces are kept in a tube sack in the side yard shed. The fabric panels and flags are kept on the concession cart. The sign sits upright in the back of a closet, as I'm concerned about warping during damp weather.
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Popcorn Machine
Shortly into Season Three, I bought a 4 oz. Gold Medal popcorn machine. Although most BYTers recommend purchasing one of the larger models, we so rarely have more than 8 kids and adults at a time, that it seemed reasonable to get the smallest model.
The kettle's kept clean with Gold Medal's Heat N' Klean and Watchdog Spray Cleaner.
That Heat 'N Klean is an amazing product.
I don’t make the popcorn until the children arrive, as they like to watch it overflow from the kettle. (So do I.)
I do all the popping, but 90% of the time, kids as well as adults serve themselves. Self-serve means that the popcorn machine is turned around, with the nice graphics to the back and a silly looking list of directions on the front (at least that's the case with a Gold Medal 4 oz.). This bugged me every time I brought the machine outside. So I stuck a strip of red contact paper over the directions (which were still readable from the back), put computer printed letters on the red strip and covered it all with a piece of clear contact.A few weeks later, a friend who does marvelous things with a Cricut Machine, cut out several adhesive-backed vinyl letters and I was able to decorate the top as well.
| When there are a lot of people, I need to make popcorn quickly, and sometimes get flustered when things begin to get out of place. I discovered that I needed a compact Something-or-Other to hold the packets. Came across the idea of using an old wire holder for McCormick and Lawry's mix packets. Keeps them visible and takes up very little table space. Because they stand upright, you can snip the top off several packets and have them ready to pour into the kettle as soon as the previous batch is dumped. |  |
The following popcorn related items are stored inside the machine:
popcorn packets,
small scissors,
Flavacol (This stuff DEFINITELY makes a difference.),
measuring spoon,
scoop,
popcorn boxes, and
cheese flavoring shaker.
The machine sits on a utility cart along with other concession items.
Life is good.
Popcorn Carts
BYT member Bruce Walker offered these thoughts (and some pictures) concerning the pros and cons of purchasing a popcorn machine with wheeled cart:
"I had originally been thinking about getting [a popcorn machine] without the cart, but then my wife & daughters got me one for Fathers Day last year with the cart. I'm glad they did. Though obviously it takes up more total space in the garage I don't have to worry about keeping any shelf space available for it, and I'm glad I don't have to set up a table on movie nights and carry the machine out. I just wheel it out of the garage.
The cabinet in the cart has enough room for 12+ 8oz. packages of pre-portioned popcorn/oil/salt, popcorn scoops and a box of 500 paper popcorn bags; so, I save shelf space for those items as well (extra pre-portioned packs are stored in the pantry in the house) -- everything I need to pop & distribute the corn is right there in the cart when I wheel the popper out.
And the look of the popper/cart combination is also just kinda cool."
If storage weren't such an issue with me, I'd give lots more consideration to purchasing a cart - if for no other reason than it just looks "kinda cool."
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Ice Cream Freezer
I sprayed a small table top freezer white.
(You are looking at the first of three coats.)
Circles were cut from red contact shelf liner and stuck to the sides at random.
If you don't mind stacking the popsicles, sandwiches, and eskimos pies, it's surprising how much you can cram into one of these.
When I asked forum members if it was safe to plug a popcorn machine and table-top freezer into the same outlet, Pyronious was quick with the answer, telling me that one divides the watts by line voltage (110 in the US) to convert to amps. Turned out, since the total did not exceed 15, all was well. Popcorn machine, freezer and LED lights work without a hitch.
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Snow Cones
We have a Little Snowie Ice Shaver.
Although this gadget was not cheap,
it's worked without a hitch for three seasons,
as well as performing flawlessly at numerous soccer fund raisers.
| The three syrup spouts pictured below never work for me. Actually, they work, but the syrup either doesn't flow well, or shoots out all over the place.  |  The little jugs hold 18 ounces. The syrup can be stored right in the bottle - just push down the stopper top and place in the cupboard. Clean up is a breeze. Wipe them clean. Remove the sticker that comes on each one and print your own labels. Place the labels on the little plastic jug and cover with clear packing tape or clear contact. |
Blankets
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I used this cold drinks tub to hold loaner blankets for my movie guests. The trouble was, it really wasn't big enough. AND . . . I lost the use of my cold drink tub.  |
So I picked up a 17 gallon plastic tub with rope handles at Party City.  A casing was sewn around a giant circle of fabric. Elastic was threaded through the casing.  Basically, the fabric top looks like a super-sized shower cap. It keeps the dust off everything stuffed inside. The tub stores my blankets and throws during the winter, for use around the outdoor fireplace, and in the summer, for backyard theater use. |
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MARQUEE
My marquee (plastic, approx. 30 inches wide) is more a decoration than a way to advertise an up-coming movie.
It was originally used as a motivational tool at the school where I taught. Heat from the inner lights had started to melt the plastic, and the controller and outer lights no longer worked. But I knew it had potential.
Although it sat in the garage for three years. I couldn't bring myself to throw it out. Just the IDEA of having a marquee seemed cool.
Eventually, the old light string was replaced with a set of battery operated LEDs (no more melting). The theater's name (made from a transparency printed at Kinko's) was placed in the arched area.
I was inspired to make a larger one for the front of the house.
I found plenty of ideas and styles on the internet.
. . . 
However, I had to dispense with anything elaborate, as weight, storage, and engineering problems had to be solved.
Eventually, I was able to design something for my needs.
As Season Four drew to a close, I came up with this simple marquee to open Season Five.
I recorded the construction process here.
For a look at how I store the marquee during the winter months, click here.
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