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This is my first speaker build, I'm building Jeff B's Dreydels. I had these drivers on hand (they are going to other projects) but I wanted to try a small build to get my feet wet and try some construction ideas for those other projects. I also wanted to hear what some 'smallish' speakers can do because I'll need some speakers for my computer. Apologies to Jeff in advance for using your design as a guinea pig. After initially laying things out and it looking a little tight I extended the baffle at the bottom by 1" so my baffle is 8"x13". I admit a completely uneducated decision but I've seen people make monitors into towers, so I figured that an extra inch at the bottom would have minimal effect. I hope this doesn't come back to haunt me. Box volume is ~3.2 cu.ft. not including bracing, driver, & port displacement, etc.
I'll post pics of the build in progress, probably a lot of stuff I don't need to but I wanted to show what I'm up to. I'd like to get some feed back on what I'm doing wrong.. or right, and I'm asking for it so be honest.
First parts cut and biscuits cut.
Gluing up first joints.
It's even square!
Main part of box done with a brace I took the liberty of adding. Not saying it needed it, just one of those things I wanted to try out.
Box with the rest of the flange that the back piece will mount on. Note to self - shoulda biscuit'ed these.
Another lesson learned. I guess the sides bowed in a bit when clamping the final glue-up with the brace, so now the sides are permanently bowed in. I think it's small enough it will go unnoticed unless someone lays a straight edge against the sides of course.
Gluing in corner braces/baffle mountings.
I had an issue when I cut my first hole that the disk (and router with it) wandered a bit when I broke through and kissed the side of the hole making a little gouge. Yeah I could've screwed it all to the sacrificial piece so that didn't happen but I remembered a trick from the telescope guys and on the last pass I didn't do the full 360°. It keeps the router from taking off and you can push the disc out breaking the bridges by hand and sand off the remainder in no time.
First driver holes cut.
Dropped my router and this was the result. $300+ router with a $40 bit and this is all that broke, I suppose you could say I made out lucky.
Than I dropped a box... stupid gravity. Not to self - Don't be DUMB!
I worked in some thinned glue and clamped it an it appears to have cleaned up OK.
Back to the baffle. Another one of those ideas I'm trying. Maybe not so much an issue with bigger drivers but I wasn't sure how I'd route out the relief and still leave enough meat for t-nuts... couldn't find any 8-32 t-nuts anyway.
After the chamfer.
Dowels added and trimmed.
Baffle with all threaded inserts. The other ones (not around the drivers) are to hold the baffle onto the box. Yet another idea. The intention is these baffles are screwed on from the inside so I can have a removable baffle without the screw holes.
Initially I only had the four corners of the baffle mounted but pushing on the back of the baffle I could see a little flex so I decided to add the extra mounting screws part way down.
I left the baffle a little big so I could trim off the excess so it'd be a perfect fit with the box... and good thing since the sided are a little bowed. Heres the edge treatment with a 3/4" round over bit. due to bearing spacing it didn't quite take it all off but it was so thin it sanded down in minutes.
Here's where I am now. It looks to me like everything is working out so far.
I still need to make the back piece and mount it, as well as make the port. I also need to make the XO and mount it + wiring. I have to admit I'm really looking forward to giving these a try. I've never heard 'proper' speakers before, just department store boom box cheapo stuff, so make that really anxious.
I appreciate any and all comments.
Thanks,
Ryan
I'll post pics of the build in progress, probably a lot of stuff I don't need to but I wanted to show what I'm up to. I'd like to get some feed back on what I'm doing wrong.. or right, and I'm asking for it so be honest.
First parts cut and biscuits cut.
Gluing up first joints.
It's even square!
Main part of box done with a brace I took the liberty of adding. Not saying it needed it, just one of those things I wanted to try out.
Box with the rest of the flange that the back piece will mount on. Note to self - shoulda biscuit'ed these.
Another lesson learned. I guess the sides bowed in a bit when clamping the final glue-up with the brace, so now the sides are permanently bowed in. I think it's small enough it will go unnoticed unless someone lays a straight edge against the sides of course.
Gluing in corner braces/baffle mountings.
I had an issue when I cut my first hole that the disk (and router with it) wandered a bit when I broke through and kissed the side of the hole making a little gouge. Yeah I could've screwed it all to the sacrificial piece so that didn't happen but I remembered a trick from the telescope guys and on the last pass I didn't do the full 360°. It keeps the router from taking off and you can push the disc out breaking the bridges by hand and sand off the remainder in no time.
First driver holes cut.
Dropped my router and this was the result. $300+ router with a $40 bit and this is all that broke, I suppose you could say I made out lucky.
Than I dropped a box... stupid gravity. Not to self - Don't be DUMB!
I worked in some thinned glue and clamped it an it appears to have cleaned up OK.
Back to the baffle. Another one of those ideas I'm trying. Maybe not so much an issue with bigger drivers but I wasn't sure how I'd route out the relief and still leave enough meat for t-nuts... couldn't find any 8-32 t-nuts anyway.
After the chamfer.
Dowels added and trimmed.
Baffle with all threaded inserts. The other ones (not around the drivers) are to hold the baffle onto the box. Yet another idea. The intention is these baffles are screwed on from the inside so I can have a removable baffle without the screw holes.
Initially I only had the four corners of the baffle mounted but pushing on the back of the baffle I could see a little flex so I decided to add the extra mounting screws part way down.
I left the baffle a little big so I could trim off the excess so it'd be a perfect fit with the box... and good thing since the sided are a little bowed. Heres the edge treatment with a 3/4" round over bit. due to bearing spacing it didn't quite take it all off but it was so thin it sanded down in minutes.
Here's where I am now. It looks to me like everything is working out so far.
I still need to make the back piece and mount it, as well as make the port. I also need to make the XO and mount it + wiring. I have to admit I'm really looking forward to giving these a try. I've never heard 'proper' speakers before, just department store boom box cheapo stuff, so make that really anxious.
I appreciate any and all comments.
Thanks,
Ryan
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