Nubie's Build - The Copper Project

[tubetrek]

Long time lurker, first time post.
First I'd like to thank all the contributors to this forum, what a great place!

A bit of history:
Built my first DIY speaker in 2000, the ar.com speakers by Ed Frias. Just screwed everything together from prebuilt parts and enjoyed. Fast forward 10 yrs and family is finally settled and kids are at an age where constant supervision is no longer necessary. Saw the PE flyer with the Copper Project last year and was intrigued by the design. I've always wanted to build my own cabinets and x-overs, so I ordered all the parts in November, 2010. After a couple of emails to Marty who graciously provided invaluable advice and answered my questions, I proceed to buy my last bit of equipment needed for the project which was a router and bits.

One major nubie mistake I made was thinking my wife's Sienna could transport full sized MDF sheets. I've bought numerous plywood 4x8 sheets before without problems, but the MDF comes in 1" longer dimensions. It barely fit inside, and I dented the tailgate trying to push it in that last 1/2 inch to lock.

Planning out what I wanted to do. (Wanted removable front baffles) Also debating on whether or not try something easier first like the OS by Paul C.











My removable baffle, will this work from a sonic standpoint?





Still need to find time to route out the port hole and the roundovers on the baffles.

Nubie comments.
1. Circular saws don't always cut at 90 degrees, especially near the end of a long cut.
2. Live the saying: Measure twice cut once (for me measure 3-4x)
3. Only experience and practice bring 90 degree cuts and accurate measurements.
4. Routing holes, routing in general make LOTS of toxic dust! wear a mask!!!
5. Need to buy a table saw, battery operated circular saw sucks
6. tape measure always dissapears
7. people at Staples don't know what a compass is
8. Wear ear and eye protection at all times (especially when wife comes into garage and complains of dust everywhere)
9. buy and use all the clamps you can afford.

All comments, suggestions, criticisms appreciated.

To be continued.....

Ted

[DjDisturbed]

Those look really well for your first build from scratch , "and Dent" . Ouch that sucks , bent my truck bed once on a dunking booth.
I would also round over the back side of the opening for the woofer a bit.

Really nice work.

[Steve Henry]

Great start! In the future, have the place where you bought the mdf to rip it into more manageable pieces. My local HD will do 5 cuts for free, the local Lowes has never charged me.

[donradick]

Man, you get my heart felt sympathy and big-cojones award for trying to cut everything with a circular saw and clamp on guide. (I'm in the same boat - looking at table saws now). Nonetheless, great job and keep the pics coming.

[theLinks]

Great start! In the future, have the place where you bought the mdf to rip it into more manageable pieces. My local HD will do 5 cuts for free, the local Lowes has never charged me.

My HD cut all the pieces of my mini & center free, (2 sheets). I even tried to give the guy a $ 10 tip, He declined to take it. Be aware tho, they don't cut to exact measurements.

[robert]

You are building a super-good speaker; sounded real sweet at Iowa, and looks like the build was pretty easy for you, also.

Cheers / Robert

[tubetrek]

Thanks for the comments, and yes I'm gonna get HD to cut the sheets down to size a bit next time! Just wished I knew about the slightly bigger sized MDF (compared to 4x8 ply) before trying to shove it into the car.

This weekend to do
1. cut port holes
2. roundoff baffles
3. chamfer inside baffles
4. install hurricane nuts and braces
5. sand, sand, sand
6. decide where to install binding posts (high or low?)
7. decide on veneering process
8. construct x-overs

Ted

[arlis_1957@yahoo.com]

i fear someday, when you have a more complete tool set, you will make us all look bad. good job so far. i think you will make marty feel proud.

[Wolf]

i think you will make marty feel proud.

Just what we need....

Ain't that chunk of swiss on his shoulders large enough already??

Heh,
Wolf

[tom_s]

Looking good! Yup, when you fire these up you will be very pleased. Anyone at Iowa DIY 2009 will tell you that Marty did a marvelous job on these, even with that cheese handicap of his. The low end was really amazing from such a small woofer and the voicing was perfect.

[Taterworks]

Aesthetically, I think it would be a good idea to put the port on the back of the enclosure (at the same height off the floor as you would have put it on the front). Or, if you use adjustable-height speaker spikes on the bottom of the enclosure, you could put the port on the bottom and then adjust the speaker's height off the carpet to 'tune' the bass to the room.

[tubetrek]

Managed to get some more done on the speakers.

Rounded off the baffle and routed the front port hole.


Found out how unforgiving a router is and made a minor mistake.


Well make that two mistakes, luckily it was on only one baffle.


second baffle came out perfect


wood putty to fix routing mistakes.


Had to stop to work on kid's school project. For those who have grade school kids, had to work on Flat Stanley Project.

Ted

[dlsbobby]

Had to stop to work on kid's school project. For those who have grade school kids, had to work on Flat Stanley Project.

Ted[/QUOTE]

Ahh yes. Flat Stanley tries sailing with no sails.

[MrkCrwly]

The roundovers on the Cooper's baffle realy make the design pop. Looking good. Hard to believe you did this with just a battery saw. Well done.

[martyh]

Originally Posted by arlis_1957@yahoo.com
i think you will make marty feel proud.

Just what we need....

Ain't that chunk of swiss on his shoulders large enough already??

Heh,
Wolf

No, no, no. We don't mock 'The Marty'. Instead we do this:

Looking good! Yup, when you fire these up you will be very pleased. Anyone at Iowa DIY 2009 will tell you that Marty did a marvelous job on these, even with that cheese handicap of his. The low end was really amazing from such a small woofer and the voicing was perfect.

Please learn this simple lesson, Mr. Wolfie.

Thank you,
M.

[critofur]

you don't need binding posts just to play them before they're finished. Drill a small pair of holes with no space between them just large enough to push through speaker wire - temp. solution to getting the signal into the box without running the wire through the vent...

[tubetrek]

you don't need binding posts just to play them before they're finished. Drill a small pair of holes with no space between them just large enough to push through speaker wire - temp. solution to getting the signal into the box without running the wire through the vent...

Found out that my son's hand is small enough to go through the front port hole. When it comes time to veneer I'll get him to undo the posts from the inside.

Finished soldering the crossovers and all the wiring.

May fire them up for a test run tomorrow!!

Light is at the end of the tunnel!

Ted

[Wolf]

Whatever, Cheesehead.....
Later,
Junior

[greywarden]

I ordered some of those binding post plates, they're really nice!

[tubetrek]

HELP!!

Hooked these up for a test listen and nothing is coming out of the tweeters in either speaker.

here's my x-over wired up


here's the x-over schematic.


anyone see anything wrong?

thanks

Ted