Seas Excel MT Tower Build Pics

[nikbrewer]

Well, here are some pics of the towers I just built for Madisound. Sorry I did not get any build pics, but I just got the drivers on friday, and they a re shipping out tomorrow.

Specs are

Seas Excel tweeter and 8" woofer

38" x 10.5" x 10.5"

3" flared port in rear

Large cavity in bottom to house crossovers and reduce internal volume

Walnut venner with Bri-wax clear wax finish

I will say the wax finish was unusual. but i like it. The clear adds no color to the wood, like oil would, so the walnut came out a light washed out brown/grey. I think it looks pretty cool. Also this is a labor intensive finish. it took me about an hour per tower to apply several coats and buff back off.

pics

front and back



angle 1



Angle 2



Crossover cubby (notice how the terminals exit into this area)



bracing pic

[Brewski]

Nick,

I like the finish I think they came out nice.

Take it easy
Jay

[nikbrewer]

Thanks

I forgot to mention 1/2" round over on al lvertical edges, and veneered all the way around with 1 piece of veneer, seemed in back

[Ray Tremblay]

Walnut looks so amazing on speaker cabs. Especially if they have the appearance of being "unfinished", which it appears you accomplished. I can imagine that these pics don't do those cabs any justice. I bet they look unreal in the flesh.

Great job, Nik.

[nikbrewer]

yeah, its a different look, but i like it a lot.

[Operandi]

Those are gorgeous, is this going to be a kit at Madisound, and can you say anything about the design?

I'm gona have to look into that finish. You say its intensive work wise but how is it in terms of F-up ability? I don't mind putting work into something but I don't want to screw it up and waste time.

[nikbrewer]

it would hard to screw up. All you do is apply a little wax, buff till shiny, and repeate till you get a good layer. Your arms just get tired

I done believe it will be a kit, possibly due to a pair would cost alost 1200$ in drivers alone, and i dont know wha the crossover will be, i just know there are seperate crossover boards for the woofer and tweeter

[mtmpenn]

Hey Nik,

Two quick ?'s:

1. Roughly how many coats do you think it took?

2. Any issues with the wax collecting in the walnuts grain? Did you use a dark paste wax or white?

I have a test peice for my build that I am experimenting on.
One side got two coats of watco dark danish oil and two coats of trewax (a carnauba based paste wax). It's only okay looking. I think it would need a few more coats to really look good, but there are already some issues with the wax building up in the grain of the wood. It is very mild right now, but I think it would get worse if I did a few more coats. Watco makes a solvent wax that seems like it might solve this issue...

The other side of the test piece I am going to experiment with natural DOl and amber shellac on one half, medium DO and wiping varnish on the other. You seem to work with walnut a lot - what is your favorite finish for it?

Mike

[nikbrewer]

i like a satin clear over raw walnut myself. 2 coats, sand with 320, 2 more coats then steel wool and im done

for the wac, i did 2 coats. Is a combination fof caranuba and bees wax i believe, and dries pretty hard, thats where the hard buffing comes in. I had some small build up, but you just buff it out with 0000 steel wool, then polish with a rag again. This will provide no water protection though