In the first part of this build we went through cutting out all the pieces you will need to make your own GM screen. So now it is time to put it all together. . .
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Assembling the bases
The two pieces of trim are going to hold the two sheets of Acrylic with two sheets of paper between them. So go ahead get two sheets of paper and put them between the Acrylic as we are going to use this to set the gap between the trims.
Hold the panel on the base and put the two trims on either side. Slide the panel along until you can see the gap and then use some lolly pop sticks as a ‘stand-in’ for the panel when we glue. Give the trims a hard squeeze against the panel and fit in as many lolly pop sticks as you can, so they hold the trims the correct distance apart. You are trying to create a tight fit against the panel so it is not lose and does not wobble.
Now you know how many lolly sticks you need to make the correct gap, remove the trims. Squeeze a bead of glue along the edge that will be against the base.
Using a waste piece of paper or another lolly pop stick, smooth out the glue so that you have good coverage of the entire edge.
Place one of the trims on the base and then line up the lolly pop sticks to recreate the gap that you need. Place the second trim against the other side of the lolly stick and apply pressure downwards, towards the base and towards the lolly sticks. Don’t worry about the glue that squeezes out you can wipe the excess away. The glue also dries clear and will not be noticeable once dry.
Leave these in a safe place over night to let the glue dry completely and in the morning remove the lolly pop sticks.
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Adding the magnets
Now it’s time to put the magnets into the holes we made.
This step is really easy. Put some superglue in the hole and insert the magnet, hold for a few seconds and then leave to dry for a few minutes. Don’t get too excited and try the screen out straight away as the magnet is likely to come out and there will be superglue everywhere.
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Assemble the GM Screen
That is most of the hard work done. Now insert the panels into the gap between the trims. Add ball bearings between the magnets and you are done.
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That is it – the DIY GM screen complete!
Here is my screen that has been set up for the 13th Age RPG, but you can use whichever sheets you need in any configuration.
I like this solution because it is changable. If you want the screens landscape or portrait you can, you can even have a mixture.
I hope you like my GM screen and if you have any comments please leave them below, I would love to hear them.
For more information check out;
Making Your Own GM Screen Part 1
More RPG – DriveThruRPG // Rare Earth Magnets – Wikipedia
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