maybe I have to make it square but I'm so dying for the curve one.
if I make the box exactly like the sonus faber(detachable rear and front baffle) except the curve ... it will be aquare.... should I need to liner inside with mdf or just wood(1.5" or 2" thick cheery).
If I use brace inside( should I not) should I use mdf or the same wood.
it is a cabinet for mtm .. the lower will be cut off at 200hz... therefore trength might not be an issue but I want to use the brace to isolate the tweeter.
Kerf cuts in MDF or use bendy-board ... and laminate layers up. Building something like that requires a LOT of tricks and a LOT of skill. Nice tools are a big help too Plenty of DIY'ers like us have built curved cabinets, but Sonus Faber takes the craftsmanship to a whole 'nother level.
Nice link though, pretty cool to see their shop. You do get what you pay for it seems. Labor from individuals of that skill level isn't cheap.
Looks like some cool bandsaw work.... flat stock or laminated "stepped" pieces, then cut a curve with a band saw. Make a sanding "stop" form which fits around each piece, then sand to the form curve... repeat for each piece (12 per side x 2) and assemble to back and front.... voila... it's a lot of work... like previous poster, could also use multilaminated 1/8" pieces in a bender form.... lots of work also.... and some good tools... and jigs...
That's assuming it's all solid wood... particle board would be easier (and less costly) and then laminate a single layer of thick veneer on top (3/32" +)...techniques would be similar (as the 1st operation of thick stock or better yet laminated "stepped" stock to fit the curve profile and desired thickness.
It's a good day, and all is 'said and done', when you have wood dust in your nose and an ice-cold kraft brew in your hand...
thanks all for repond... I'm curious that how sonus get the curve.... machine or bending... if bending... they bend single board or the whole pannel in one shot and fit it in pre-shape mdf liner.... what do they use to bend the wood... steam press???? or just bend dry...
thanks all for repond... I'm curious that how sonus get the curve.... machine or bending... if bending... they bend single board or the whole pannel in one shot and fit it in pre-shape mdf liner.... what do they use to bend the wood... steam press???? or just bend dry...
Depending on the basic construction... as I stated... easiest and probably a better non-resonant cabinet would be to use mdf (1" probably) base. Create your curve template and glue various lengths (probably of 3 or 4" widths) of the mdf in a "stepped" pattern so that the "pattern" is filled but overlaps, then cut on a bandsaw or other high-tech mill machine to the template pattern. Final sand to a smooth even finish (this is the tricky part done with a jig of some sort to create a consistent final curve). Stack and glue the pieces together to form the panel, then over lay with thick veneer (which if thick would have to be steamed so the wood does not spit over the bend). Using various types or lots of the same wood can give the "banding" effect that they created, instead of a single sheet curved panel look.
It's a good day, and all is 'said and done', when you have wood dust in your nose and an ice-cold kraft brew in your hand...
My guess is the box is made with thin laminated layers glued up as a curve. hard to tell what they used. Maybe MDF or Plywood. Then the last layer looks like wood boards, maybe 3/8" thick by 3" wide, steam bent then glued onto the box after it is put together. The way it is clamped in the pic it only has three clamps so there can't be a lot of pressure. Then sanded smooth. It then looks like they coat it with some sort of resin to fill in the grooves between the boards. Then it is painted with a transparent paint. Then sprayed with lacquer.
Dave
sidewalls are bend laminated. You can see it on one of the pictures.
Building a speaker like this is not an easy task, however on the factory the job gets broken down in stages and simplified. Initial tool setup is lengthy and expensive, after that it's just repetition.
Somewhere on the web is a tour of the factory with comments about construction of this series of enclosures.
I remember reading that they steam bend solid wood to form the sides. They use strips about 4" wide, edge glued with some (black) viscoelastic adhesive.
The guide extoled the virtues of solid wood, the whole "Homage" bit, the inspiration coming from Stradivarius and all.
Don't recall any mention of what the bracing is made of. It looks as though they cover or coat the interior with another material, probably some sort of asphalt compound from the looks of it. There might even be a membrane covering the enclosure walls.
Sawing thick material would yield a weak panel with so much curvature. The amount of sanding and finishing would be quite costly too. Plus you lose the rigidity of a panel in tension.
When I do mine it will be veneered mdf and hdf for the sides, solid wood for the back and ply for the bracing. Still working out the baffle details.
~99% I remember the night the kid cut off his right arm
In a fit to save a bit of power
He got fifty thousand watts
In a big acoustic tower
I built my curved cabinets by using an internal frame and layering three layers of 1/4" Masonite, gluing each layer as I went. It creates a rock solid cabinet, the curved panels are much more solid than a flat one.
Here's a couple pics, the 2nd and 3rd and 4th pics are a pair of speaks I still havent finished, I took these pictures right after I finished spraying them, they weren't polished at this point so they weren't very shiny yet. I got stuck on a few other projects. I hope to finish them soon.
I was about to post some of my build picks and then Aaron goes and posts that. W.T.F.
Oh well. In this pic, I was just test-fitting the front baffle and drilling pilot holes. Rest assured, when assembly time came, that sucker got glued, screwed and clamped down HARD with about 300LBS of additional weight on it.
Really, the process isn't too complex to build a curved speaker like that. I'm VERY fumble-fingered and am managing to get some decent results, mostly by way of going slow and LOTS of planning.
It DOES take many more steps than a rectangular build. Either you kerf so the MDF bends easily or you use a bendable plywood (where the grain of each ply runs the same direction). With the MDF, that means a lot of carefull passes with the table saw. With the bendable plywood, you can almost plan on needing a skim coat of bondo across the entire side. Pick your poison.
I would suggest searching online for a canoe store & purchase some fancy wooden canoe. Already curved for ya! Lob off the top & bottom, replace with flat pieces and them make a baffle. Done!
If dynamite was dangerous, do you think they'd sell it to an idiot like me?
"Wolf, you shall now be known as "King of the Zip ties." -Pete00t "Wolf and speakers equivalent to Picasso and 'Blue'" -dantheman "He is a true ambassador for this forum and speaker DIY in general." -Ed Froste "We're all in this together, so keep your stick on the ice!" - Red Green aka Steve Smith "We don't just make a crossover, we make a statement!" - Lawrence Fishburne for Cadillac
Yes on all the drivers. The woofer is paper that looks like carbon fiber mixture.
Shaper is great! But like with any other tools, if you get one you need to get a good one. Mine is Powermatic (I think model 31) 5hp 3ph Baldor motor. Picked it up used for $800. All Powermatic shaper fences are total and total,.... the word has yet to be invented of how total ...they are. Upgrading fence to Felder later.
Sonus Faber uses many pieces of solid wood to build that cabinet. The dark lines between them are a material that allows for the small amount of expansion/contraction which the wood will ultimately undergo. It's a little bit like a wooden boat and their cabinets are very cool.
You are also right (in my opinion) that many layers of 1/8" board glued/laminated together would be easier. That's what worked for me. Wish I had pictures. I've been wanting to do it again but I haven't found a good source of 1/8" board that would work. Home Cheapo had them and now I don't see them anymore.
Bill
Originally Posted by jeffhough
Looks like some cool bandsaw work.... flat stock or laminated "stepped" pieces, then cut a curve with a band saw. Make a sanding "stop" form which fits around each piece, then sand to the form curve... repeat for each piece (12 per side x 2) and assemble to back and front.... voila... it's a lot of work... like previous poster, could also use multilaminated 1/8" pieces in a bender form.... lots of work also.... and some good tools... and jigs...
That's assuming it's all solid wood... particle board would be easier (and less costly) and then laminate a single layer of thick veneer on top (3/32" +)...techniques would be similar (as the 1st operation of thick stock or better yet laminated "stepped" stock to fit the curve profile and desired thickness.
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Plenty of DIY'ers like us have built curved cabinets, but Sonus Faber takes the craftsmanship to a whole 'nother level. 
Originally Posted by dusty
massive!
