Custom wall plates

[Chris D]

Cool, yeah, I write a recurring column in HTB magazine that has shown the entire construction of my home theater, from start to finish. I've got 3-4 more articles left on the completion work I've mostly wrapped up.

[freon]

hey chris, I just got my first copy of Hometheaterbuilder magazine...and I noticed your name in there. Have they been running an article of your theater construction?? that's pretty cool.

I did end up using blank wall plates, I dont have plastic specific drill bits but I did find that using a step up bit works really well (shaped like triangle for moving up to larger size).

[Chris D]

I haven't had any problems drilling so far. I just used a standard drill bit on the Leviton blank inserts. From the looks of the drilling, I think the insert is a plastic nylon thing.

[RobP]

If you guys are having problems breaking the plastic plates when you drill through them then you need to get drill bits made for drilling plastic. Just look in your phone book under plastics or plastic suppliers they sell them in any size you need. I have a whole set for when I used to do custom plexi work for car audio and they work very well.

[Shawn Solar]

If you get blanks you might want to get the Nylon ones as they are a little less brittle. Believe it or not there are about four different materials used for wallplates. I use Leviton quick ports for all my jobs, they are quick and easy to snap in as they are modular and one peice. decora is availble but decora doesn't work very nice with mud rings or low voltage boxes that are just the ring type.

[freon]

theater is moving along, I actually hung the last piece of drywall tonight.

Hopefully I will get my dad over here to help do the finishing.

I gotta hurry up and pick out some wall colors/carpet.

[Chris D]

I also bought a bunch of blank inserts for the Leviton plate. One way I used them is to drill a hole in the middle of the insert with a standard drill bit, and then install a 1/8" plug terminal from Radio Shack. Solder the leads to Cat 5e wire that I ran through the wall, and I've got an extension system for my Xantech IR distribution system hidden in the walls.

[Patt]

Freon,

How is the progress with your Home Theatre? 8O

[Uncle Clive]

Well, I just bought blanks at the hardware store and drilled out the appropriate sized hole.

Curious, how many did you break :

I went that route once broke 4 to get 1 :banghead:

[Chris D]

Yeah, I've been using a LOT of Leviton configurable wall plates like Leef mentioned. I've put them all over my house with RCA plugs, S-video plugs, Cat 5e plugs, etc. Quite handy.

[David Meek]

Well, I just bought blanks at the hardware store and drilled out the appropriate sized hole.

[Leef DaLucky]

Hmmm not sure.
There's nothing other than white at home depot thats for sure.
i've been using those modular plates this year, as i upgrade.
i forget the company's name but they have a rectangular hole in the middle of the plate and let you choose between: coax, rg6, speaker wire, rca, and phone connectors.
they're modular in the fact that they have plates in 1,2,4,6 hole configuration.
not a bad way to go.
and the face on them is pretty flat (texture) so they'd be easily paintable one would assume.

There nothing like having to break up a perfectly good connection though.
run it through if you can.

cheers,
M.

[freon]

Where is everyone getting their wall plates specifically for audio speaker connects. are we just painting white ones to go on black screen walls?

has anyone seen a blank wall plate with a rubber center that you can just push a wire or group of wires through so you would'nt have to terminate your speaker wire twice?