Anyone here use the PE laminate (1 Viewer)

[Chris Carswell]

Anyone here use this or any other color of the PE laminate:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...number=260-010
Wondering how tuff/thick this stuff is or if is more like contact paper? Also, how well do you think it will stick since it is peel, stick, and apply? (again, sounding more like cheap contact paper)

 

[Brian Bunge]

Chris,

I have a roll of that arriving today as well as a few other items. I ordered the black and the cherry but the cherry was already out of stock.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Brian

 

[Ronnie Ferrell]

Chris--
I was wondering the same thing. From the PDF instructions, it does resemble contact paper. It even has the grid on the back. I hope it is better quality.



Brian--
Keep us posted on what you think about the vinyl laminate and how it looks after you have used it!

I am about to build some cheap speakers for my office using single full range Fostex FE83E 3" drivers. I am going to use the Fostex recommended double bass reflex plans found on Fostex's site. I am curious to see what a 3" full range speaker sounds like! They will be for background music, so I am hoping they will work out well.

I suck at spray painting and I don't want to spend the time or money to veneer them.

thanks!

rf

 

[Brian Bunge]

Ronnie,
I've got some nice little 3" Tang Band full range drivers in 2L sealed enclosures on my computer desk at home. Mated with a 22L ported enclosure tuned to about 30Hz using the Dayton 8" woofer makes for a surprisingly nice sounding little system.
I'm sure it's not as high end as the Fostex drivers, but at less than $10 each, my little TB's will do nicely! Can you say Bose Buster?!
Brian

 

[Ronnie Ferrell]

Funny you mention the 3" TB drivers. I am really considering getting them instead of the FE83E and putting them in the double base reflex enclosure that Fostex has the plans for on their website. $20 buck sounds a lot better than $50. (I AM a cheapskate!)

How do the 2L sealed enclosures with the TB 3" drivers sound without the sub? Do you have them playing full range?



rf

 

[Brian Bunge]

They're pretty anemic without the sub but still sound pretty realistic on some drum material. Hank and I are going to try 2L ported next so we'll see how that works out.

If you try any, get the W3-879S. The paper cone and the phase plug definitely make a difference.

Brian

 

[Chris Carswell]

Brian,
Please let us know. I was looking at some H.D. laminate for $2.50 ft^3, this stuff is $.75 but, as Ronnie stated, this stuff does resemble crappy contact paper..........

 

[Jake_L]

I've used it. It's pretty nice stuff and goes on fairly easy. Here is a thread from over at the PE forum I started about it with more pictures. PE Thread

 

[Chris Carswell]

Jake, Looks GOOD!!! Now you got me thinking.........
BTW, how do you like your DIII's? How do they sound & how low do they play? That was one of the projects I am considering to make.

 

[Ronnie Ferrell]

Thanks for the pics! It does look A LOT nicer than contact paper. I don't think contact paper would have a visual grain texture like the PE vinyl does. This will definitely be the route I go with my office speakers!

Thanks again!



Ronnie

 

[Chris Carswell]

I second that notion Ronnie

 

[Jake_L]

Thanks guys. I have to say I have been very pleased with the DIII's. They are a good all-around speaker and not too difficult to build. The bass they put out is nothing short of amazing. I've had people over listening to them, and they would not believe I was running them without the sub on. I think with room gains, you can get into the high 30's with decent spl. The only complaint I've ever heard about the DIII is that the midrange is a little laid back, and it is. I happen to like it, but ymmv. For the money, you will be hard pressed to find a better speaker, IMHO.

Jake

 

[Chris Carswell]

Cool Jake.
Any laminate tips for me with the rounded edges? I would like to round all 4 but if it is too much of a pain to get to lay right LMK & I'll go with 2. Thanks!
Glad you like your DIII's! I was going to build some GR speakers until my A/C pooped out. There went my HT funds and some... I'm & very :frowning: . I just sold my speakers so I have nothing now. I'm dying, got to get something cheap temporarily and soon. I am working on a budget MTM but even cheaper than the DIII's. About $50 less a pair or $100 total cost. That's even using 18g air core inductors, metallized polly caps, and film & foil bypass caps! Using cheaper xover parts I can get it down to $75 a pair. I am very excited I've got a 2db dip I don't like from 3000Hz to 5000Hz but hope to have something up soon for you guys to nibble on soon. Thinking of bringing them to ATL so I could get a measured response of them. Hopefully there will be some DIII's for comparison. Still thinking about later on building the DIII's as well but in a tower type design. We shall see............

 

[Jake_L]

Chris, I guess it depends on how comfortable you are with applying it. Just for the time savings, I would only round 2 if I were doing it again. Either way, just take your time and keep a clean, sharp blade. Keep us updated on your project, sounds cool. I plan to build a floor standing version of the DIII's sometime soon. I've got someone who really wants to take my current set off my hands.

Jake

 

[Mark_E_Smith]

I think rounding is only important for the vertical edges for a cleaner dispersion in the horizontal plane. It needs to be at least 3/4" roundover 1" would be better. Look at Brian Bunge's pics of his a/v's and the Dayton IIIs at the pe website.

 

[Chris Carswell]

Hey Mark, what's going on?
So I only need to round the 2 side edges for better horizontal dispersion. OK, if you say so Besides, Jake says it will be a lot easier to work with if I do go laminate.
BTY, I got you email. Did I include the xover diagram & response graph or did I forget to attach them? I'll email you later.
Jake, do you have any pics of your laminate edges close up? I would like to get some type of idea of what the best angles or way to cut it.
Thanks all

 

[Jake_L]

Chris, I tried taking some close-ups of the edges, but my cheap camera could not focus. Read through the application pdf over at PE, the link is on the vinyl page. This will provide much insight on the process. One big decision you will have to make is grain orientation. On a speaker (less than 2ft tall) with only the vertical edges rounded the easiest application would be to wrap one piece completely around the vertical surfaces. This would put the grain pattern going in the horizontal direction. This is a personal preference that I think looks good with the black but not so much with the others. You could then just apply a piece to the top and bottom and trim around the edges. To get the grain going vertically with rounded edges will require more work. If you go this route, I would apply the front and the back first. Make these so that about 1/2" is wrapped to the flat surfaces. Then wrap a single piece over the top, sides and bottom. Where it overlaps the front and back pieces you can use the straight edge technique (covered in the PE pdf). Then trim around the rounded corners until it meets the overlap joint. This might be kind of hard to understand until you actually get into it. One tip, for the overlap joints. Don't fully apply them until after you have made the cut and removed the scrap underneath. Also, I found it worked best to leave around 1/4" on the underlap. You can then peel the top piece back a little and pull it out without deforming the vinyl. Well, hope that helps.

Jake

 

[Chris Carswell]

Thanks again Jake

 

[Jake_L]

No problem, let us know how your project turns out.