The terribly slow Aviatrix build thread

[JarOfSonicMen]

Last week I went over to a carpenter friend's house, and in the hottest part of the day on the hottest day in years in Texas, we cut out the MDF for his Recession Busters and my Aviatrices, 1 pair each of MLTLs and sealed. Not entirely sure about the center channel yet; still considering doing a sideways MLTL TV stand.

I went to his house last night, and he's got the RBs built, veneered, and 1 coat of sanding sealer, almost ready for me to wire them up and do final assembly.

So I guess it's time for me to start assembling. So in that spirit, here are the first pics of my 4 Aviatrices in progress I will attempt to actually make some progress, and continue posting as things go together. Since he makes his money building things out of wood, and I building things with 1s and 0s, I can't hope to come even close to his pace, but I'm really trying to learn how to do this kind of thing instead of asking or paying someone else to do it.

[JarOfSonicMen]

Gluing the top onto the first box, then gluing up the second box. Flashlight was handy to counterbalance the clamps.

[JarOfSonicMen]

Second top, no baffles, then the first baffle.

[JarOfSonicMen]

Gluing up top/back/sides of MLTL. Who among us hasn't used a 12-pack to counterbalance a heavy clamp? ;)

[curt_c]

Couldn't you find a larger jug of glue? Surely you will run out before the front baffle is glued on...

Looking good!

C

[JarOfSonicMen]

Thanks, Curt. Did 2 pair of Tritrix first, and I wanted to seal them thoroughly before painting. Brushing on a few coats of TItebond may have been...a touch excessive.

Going to try veneering these puppies. OK, well, when I'm happy with the sanding, I'm hoping to watch and help (or not mess up) my carpenter friend as he veneers them with the ribbon-stripe mahogany I bought.

He assembled and veneered his 3 recession busters (have been in a closet over a year) in a week, and they sound good. They look even better: it just doesn't get any better than free curly bubinga. We weren't sure what it was, but it looks EXACTLY like the bass bins on Dan N's Sound Rounds. Maybe I'll take pictures of his this week and post them.

Slow and steady; I'll get there. Decided to go with a sealed one for the center channel. It just gives me more flexibility, plus I have enough veneer and MDF to do another one.

The two MLTLs in the extra bedroom (cleaning lady gets upset with speakers on the bar...), then the first completely assembled, ready for fill and sand before veneering.

[JarOfSonicMen]

Hoping ot make a bit of progress this weekend. Got the veneer rough cut to size, MLTLs are sanded and ready for veneer, need to sand the sealed ones.

Here's a pic of my friend's Recession Busters in bubinga-hey, they may not be audiophiile-grade, but they look like a million bucks (cruddy iPhone photos, sorry)

[JarOfSonicMen]

Wow. Veneer. Hmm. Well, I gotta say, MUCH easier than painting. I always wondered why they even made that black laminate stuff. Now I know.

I'm thinking the utility knife method isn't quite for me. I don't have the patience or skill to do it right. So I'm waiting on flush trim bit before I do the next one.

The Titan DX contact cement seems to be sticking the paperbacked veneer on there really well. I may try the cold press glue on the MLTLs; either that or I'm going to need some help from my friend with them, I can't lift those dudes by myself and have any control.

And yes, the grain on the back does go the short way. 2 4x8s of veneer isn't quite enough to do the MLTL pair and 3 of the sealed version, at least not the way I cut it. So I was forced to do one back crossgrain. I'll use that as my center channel and it'll never be seen.

Flush trim bit should be here this week, and the Waterlox not long after, so I can keep moving along.

[andykriech]

Looks great. What kid of veneer are you using?

Be careful of using contact cement indoors! Very volitile and noxious. Even water-based needs a lot of ventilation.

ak

[JarOfSonicMen]

Looks great. What kid of veneer are you using?

Paper-backed ribbon-stripe mahogany from veneersupplies.com



Be careful of using contact cement indoors! Very volitile and noxious. Even water-based needs a lot of ventilation.


My carpenter friend exclusively uses the stuff festooned with explosive and flammable warnings. On a lark I tried some Titan DX (which some say is exactly the same as the Dap Weldwood stuff) and I have to say, it seems pretty harmless, and thus far seems to stick perfectly well.


So, tonight I tried the flush-trim router bit. I'll be putting away the utility knife for good. I don't have the skill or patience to do it right with the utility knife, and it looks good from the router, and it's easier and faster.

[arlis_1957@yahoo.com]

the recession busters will surly sound better upright. those look like the sealed, the ported will go lower.
the avatrix will make a fine center channel.
yes, i have listened to them.

[JarOfSonicMen]

Oh, yes, I know they'd sound better upright. People reading this would hear the difference. My friend wouldn't. At least it's better than Bose.

1/3rd of the way through veneering the second sealed Aviatrix, the flush trim bit is my favorite tool ever.

[JarOfSonicMen]

What can only be described as a shockingly small amount of cursing occurred when I went to align the box for the last piece of veneer on the second speaker...and dropped it. Missing the edge by 1/4 inch on one side.

If you had any doubts about the tenacity of the water-based contact cement, allow me to relieve you of them.

Once it's pressed down good, it's stronger than the veneer; I know this because I was carefully, smoothly trying to pull the oversized veneer piece of the front, and wound up with this mess.

Where it's just the contact cement, it comes off fairly easily by rubbing your finger on it, like on the back of a magazine address label. But where it stuck...

So, I'll sand it flat and try again with my spare piece.

[theLinks]

I use dowel rods or scraps of wood between the wood and veneer. When it's aligned up, I take them out one at a time and roll a small section. I've been there also, it's no fun.

[dlsbobby]

What can only be described as a shockingly small amount of cursing occurred when I went to align the box for the last piece of veneer on the second speaker...and dropped it. Missing the edge by 1/4 inch on one side.

If you had any doubts about the tenacity of the water-based contact cement, allow me to relieve you of them.

Once it's pressed down good, it's stronger than the veneer; I know this because I was carefully, smoothly trying to pull the oversized veneer piece of the front, and wound up with this mess.

Where it's just the contact cement, it comes off fairly easily by rubbing your finger on it, like on the back of a magazine address label. But where it stuck...

So, I'll sand it flat and try again with my spare piece.

Man, my heart just sank when I saw that pic. I know exactly how you must of felt. Love the spirit though, sand and drive on. Very good work. Robert.

[FreekingDelphina]

Im late but excellent thread. I just bought my black em1 a little over a month ago and have only driven it a few days. Been going behind the guy i bought it from fixing replacing everything. Well Im glad to see others doing big things with theres so I figured i give ya the 2 thumbs up When I get finished on my suspension Ill take some before and after pics because Im painting soon. The one thing the guy actually did right was a well built all motor poorman type r engine. keep us informed

[LoveDoctor]

Im late but excellent thread. I just bought my black em1 a little over a month ago and have only driven it a few days. Been going behind the guy i bought it from fixing replacing everything. Well Im glad to see others doing big things with theres so I figured i give ya the 2 thumbs up When I get finished on my suspension Ill take some before and after pics because Im painting soon. The one thing the guy actually did right was a well built all motor poorman type r engine. keep us informed

That's some tasty Canadian Spam!

[superspeeder]

That's some tasty Canadian Spam!

Don't talk about my girlfriend like that! :D

[JarOfSonicMen]

Hey, I told you I was terribly slow. Took a bit of a break after I had 3 of the 4 ready to have the holes routed for final assembly, and one coat of finish on them. I switched from the contact cement, tried one of the powdered plastic glues. did NOT care for it. Completely messed up one side of the 2nd MLTL, with unfixable waviness. Wound up having to sand it off, and let me tell you, that's a trick. Finally gave in and bought a 3x21 belt sander with 40 grit belt.

So, just finished re-doing the second side, have been using the Better Bond cold press glue on pieces I can't use contact cement on (long narrow pieces don't lend themselves to aligning well).

Anyway, 3 out of 4 done, big sides of the last one done, front, back, and top left.

[arlis_1957@yahoo.com]

when working with dried contact cement, one can use a brown paper bag between them. when alined, peel or roll the bag out.

[DIYNut42]

Hey, I told you I was terribly slow.

Hey, time wise you have me beat! I have one of my towers finished, and the other tower and center 90% done. So don't worry about being the slowest.

Btw these are looking great!

[Leroy R]

I used waxed paper between my veneer and cabinets when applying with contact cement. You have to be careful when you start sliding the waxed paper out and pressing the contact cement together to keep the waxed paper well away from the seem or you can get it pressed in so tight you can't get it out.

[Soundslike]

Randall Kepley came up with what seems to me the best idea yet. He suggests using the little plastic venetian blinds (taken from a small inexpensive set of blinds) to separate the two surfaces. He describes his method, and offers other tips in my os build string -- if you're interested, follow the link below my signature. He also has started his own string in the projects gallery.

I recently did my first veneer job and fouled up a few things. Hang in there -- most things are fixable...

[stevedyndiuk]

I will also recommend the vinyl blinds for veneering, my dad taught me to use them while laying formica counter tops.