Speaker Building HELP!!! (1 Viewer)

[Brian Tatnall]

Hello everyone,

It has been awhile since I posted here. I have had a winding road with my DIY 5.1 setup and I'm in need of help from the audio community again.

The Short of it:

I have a complete Adire [2(281), 2(81), 1(81C), and 1(Tempest)] system with all the wood sitting in my basement uncompleted. The wood has already been cut (to some extent-see below) and I need someone to help me finish the speakers. I'm certainly willing to put some money down on it. If you can help read the long of it or if you want to give any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

The LONG of it:

1st I live in Chicagoland about 30 minutes west in Wheaton so close proximity would be nice.

How I got into this mess:

This is my first DIY HT project and I planned everything well so that I had different people helping me with different parts of the building process. I even had most of the wood pre-cut so I only had to make minor cuts like holes and angle cuts. Unfortunately, when a friend and I were working on the project one night his finger met with the table saw blade and we ended up in the emergency room. He is fine now and nothing was severed, but it caused my parents and his parents to step in and say we can't touch the wood cutting part of the project anymore. So I am in need of help.

Concerning how the wood is already cut:
Instead of going the usual route I decided that I wanted to connect EVERY edge of the speakers at a 45 degree angle. This way I wouldn't need to verneer and there would be no edges that show all the plys. All of the wood is 13ply baltic birch. If I have to I am willing to verneer it, but the wood is already very pretty.

I had the wood pre-cut so that I could cut it at 45 degree angles which means I can still not cut at 45 degree angles if I want. All I need to do is cut about 1" off of every other side to have it all line up just like in the regular Adire designs. (Sorry if this is a little confusing)

I would still like to cut at all 45's but if that is not possible this is a little beyond my control now.

Everything is sealed so the speakers are relatively small and the job should be pretty quick. I already have all but one of the crossover's built also.

If you have questions let me know, any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Brian Tatnall

 

[Brian Tatnall]

I justed wanted to add that maybe if you can't help you mightknow either a professional cabinent builder or professional speaker builder who is reliable in the Chicago area please let me know about them.

 

[TimForman]

I'd look around your neighborhood for self-employed cabinet makers, i.e., someone that works out of their home. Another option to cutting 45's is to use hardwood stock for the corners like this.
In either case you'll need someone with the proper tools to get the results you want. I agree it would be a shame to cover up the wood.

 

[Chad Kuypers]

YGM...

 

[Allen Ross]

one option that will give you a better joint is using a lock miter, its a miter that holds tight and is very simple to put together Also i second your choice for not veneering them its just more work and to be honest I don't think a Veneer will get the same result as the plywood.


http://rossda9.umeres.maine.edu/~allenross/

thats my Pi Studio Speakers that i built using 13ply BB

and these are them finished with winmax polycrilic semi gloss

 

[Brian Tatnall]

Tim,

I have been looking in the area and was hoping that I could find another DIY or someone who appreciates DIY before looking somewhere else. Someone who has actually built speakers before. A few of the cabinent makes I've found have never touched speakers before and that worries me a bit.

The hardwood stock for the corner's is an awesome idea. I have never seen that before.

Chad,

YGM

Allen,

I looked into using lock miter joints and biscuit joints, but never had the tools to accomplish such joints.

Thanks for the 'go' on not verneering. I like the look of the plywood already.

I really like the stain on those speakers

 

[Allen Ross]

i only needed a router with a router table and my radial arm saw to complete those


and its not a stain just poly i wanted to keep the natural blond look of the wood, i really liked how the poly brought out the grain and gave it nice depth

 

[Brian Tatnall]

Allen,

As of now I have no tools at all and the access I did have to some is gone. Thanks for the input.

Stain/Poly I thought of it correctly.

Chad,
YGM...