Next Project: Arc 40 CBT Array

[ani_101]

nice video Kevin. I have had marks from the bearing, but it kind of depresses the fibers, nothing more... but is visible after first trimming, goes away on sanding.

I am going to get the bit, and look around got the straight angle grinder - it is a air tool or an electric one you are using? I need to find a cheap electric one.

[Kevin K.]

Is this more or less like a Rotozip spiral-blade? It seems one of those could do the job as well.

Later,
Wolf

It is similar Ben. Not sure if the Rotozip cutter is upcut or downcut and I haven't seen one with a bearing. Not saying they don't make one with a bearing, I just haven't seen it.

[Kevin K.]

nice video Kevin. I have had marks from the bearing, but it kind of depresses the fibers, nothing more... but is visible after first trimming, goes away on sanding.

I am going to get the bit, and look around got the straight angle grinder - it is a air tool or an electric one you are using? I need to find a cheap electric one.

It wouldn't really matter if it's electric or air Ani, just need to be able to chuck up a 1/4" shank.

[tomzarbo]

The bearing making marks depends really on the user and router being used. When I use a big two-handed router I tend to get the bearing mark because I end up using more pressure. When I use the trim router with one hand the bearing marks are either very light or not there at all. I suppose you could use too much pressure with anything, but with a big heavy two-handed router, it's more likely.
I think with Kevin's light die grinder approach with tape for the bearing to ride on, it would be pretty hard to goof up... unless you got the angle pretty far off, which is possible.

But then again, we're not just big oafs... we're craftsmen, right? Seriously though, I built a jig/tool for trimming 1/8" or 1/4" MDF and it used a trim router and some guides. I needed it because of the angles and curves I was dealing with. I like Kevin's solution to the problem. I just picked up one of the bits he used and a cheaper, but still tiny die grinder to give it a try.

I've used my father's rotozip several times and the bit can wander a lot... it's fairly flexible. I'd be scared to use that to trim veneer. Maybe with such a thin piece of wood to cut it may stay in place, but I'd try it out first.

TomZ

[jhollander]

Rotozip come with 1/8 inch bits either up or down cut. No bearing on those bits just a blank spot. I don't find Rotozips very useful even for drywall.

[Millstonemike]

I don't find Rotozips very useful even for drywall.

Yes, it seems like overkill of the trusty, pistol-shaped, 7" drywall saw.

[skatz]

No authority on finishing, but I have several times used a published finish that consisted of BLO, followed by several coats of thinned dewaxed shellac (I simply used Seal Coat), followed by oil based poly. Then rubbed out with 0000 steel wool. There was some extremely light sanding between the shellac and the poly.
I wonder about the darkening of oil finishes that has been mentioned, does that depend on sunlight exposure/UV?

[jhollander]

BLO is opposite of what you would think.
http://news.thefinishingstore.com/index.php/tip-linseed-oil-gets-darker-in-the-dark/

[Kevin K.]

Wow, six weeks have gone by since the last update! Sorry fellas, the delay was due to a move and the new home was too nice to pass up. Kole is super excited because he has an upstairs bedroom now. We're starting to adjust and get settled in now so it's time to get back to work on the arrays. Still following John's finish recipe and it's working great so far. Had to finish the baffles first and get a couple of coats of seal coat on them to prevent the BLO from effecting them if I got messy on the Sapele. The baffles took up the better part of one of those six weekends that went by. That was followed by the first coat of BLO to the Sapele, and that was another one of those weekends. After that was the moving process. Just me and Kole for the most part so it took a while. These first couple of photos were taken over a month ago so I believe the first coat of BLO had plenty of time to dry. Still get blown away every time I apply the oil. The Sapele looks so plain dry, then you apply the oil and it just comes to life, amazing! Really hoping they will look close to this after the Lacquer.







This weekend consisted of one coat of seal coat over the BLO followed by grain filling and then the second coat of BLO. Here are a couple of more pics although they wont look much different than the previous ones. You probably can't tell from the photos, but with just one coat of the grain filler they feel smooth as a babies .... No sense trying to type it, stupid software thinks it's a bad word.





Couldn't find a lot of information about grain filling with Crystalac. Worked out a technique that seemed to yield pretty good results for me. Here is a video showing how I did it. Let me preface this with the statement: In no way am I claiming to be a master woodworker, in fact, don't have much more experience at that than speaker building. Just kinda feeling my way around taking advice where I can, when I can and following that with the old saying, practice makes perfect. For the record, these are far from perfect but I'm learning to accept my limitations and working to improve my skills. The video is a little long at 6 minutes and needs some editing. For now, the arrays take priority, learning how to edit a video can wait.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEj3DlASIrM

So, now they sit again for another week. Next weekend the final part of the finish process gets completed, hopefully. It will consist of putting on another coat of the Zinsser Seal Coat and then spraying the lacquer, Yee Haw! That's Texas yall!

One more thing to add. I sent Rick the Clio files from the two woofers in series and the four tweeters in series. He will be working on the shading values so we can incorporate all of the parts required in the order to be placed within the next week or so. Once that stuff lands, doubt I'm gonna sleep again until I hear em fire up. Thank goodness someone created Energy Drinks.

[Chris Roemer]

What the .... ?

I only look in here occasionally, but did you notice that these towers went from a "squarish" X-section to a hex shape??
Maybe you covered this on one of the other 11 PAGES of threads (I just can't look through all that), but those look absolutely gorgeous (and difficult to create)!

[ani_101]

Very nice Kevin. They look amazing. If I have have missed it, how did you trim the veneer across the angled joints? A regular trim router wouldn't work.

[Kevin K.]

What the .... ?

I only look in here occasionally, but did you notice that these towers went from a "squarish" X-section to a hex shape??
Maybe you covered this on one of the other 11 PAGES of threads (I just can't look through all that), but those look absolutely gorgeous (and difficult to create)!

Thanks Chris! They changed pretty early on (probably second or third page in your browser). It was primarily for stability and it helped a lot. Yea, lot of pages, but it's a monster build. Hope you can make MWAF and get a closer look.

[Kevin K.]

Very nice Kevin. They look amazing. If I have have missed it, how did you trim the veneer across the angled joints? A regular trim router wouldn't work.

Thanks Ani! I posted a video showing the technique used. Look back to post #157 (messed up and had the phone vertical) and then post #158 (corrected the phone and re-shot the vid). Hope it helps.

[Pallas]

These speakers just keep getting better and better looking.

Fantastic design and craftsmanship.

[Navy Guy]

That grain looks really nice after the BLO! Did the filler work better for you this Rhine or are you still getting white spots?