There are a couple of books on making shoji screens- one by Jay Van
Arsdale and one by Toshio Odate. I have the Van Arsdale book which is
very thorough and I've checked out the Odate book from the library.
I've made several shoji screens, mainly three or four panel moveable
screens with dual action hinges that I purchased from Lee Valley. I
also made a set of swinging (think Old West saloon) shoji doors with
cafe hinges. For the frames I've used vertical grain Douglas Fir and
white and red oak. For the panels I've used both rice paper and a spun
fiberglass material named Synskin sold by TAP Plastics. The rice paper
I glued to the frames with wallpaper paste. The Synskin I stapled into
a rabbet and then put trim over the staples. The Synskin is thicker and
would definitely stand up to more abuse. I've also made solid panel
screens with 1/8" masonite panels inside a frame. This screen I primed
with pigmented shellac and painted. I would look at the Van Arsdale
book for some ideas and construction methods.

Dale

Dick Snyder wrote:
My wife wants me to make a shoji screen but I would really call it a
room
divider as it will be about 8-9 feet in width. It will be made up of
individual panels about 24" side. She wants it to have the area
inside the
frame of each panel covered in a fabric that won't let much light
through.
I'm trying to decide if the better way to stretch the fabric which
must look
nice on each side of the room divider would be over a solid piece of
maybe
1/4" plywood or if it would be better to do it over a rectangular
frame that
is empty in the middle (imagine the frame being made up of 4 1" wide
pieces.
The best way I think would be a solid piece of plywood but we both
worry
about weight. This room divider will not be up all the time but will
only be
put up when the space it is dividing needs to be closed off for some
temporary sleeping arrangements. I know the rectangular frame over
which the
fabric is stretched would be lighter but I wonder if it would be
strong
enough.

I can't find anything that gives me a clue by using google. I'm
guessing
that one or more of you have made something similar. What would you
advise?

TIA.

Dick Snyder