[kwhitman]

OK guys my patience has been wore very thin this afternoon.  I was making a pair of grills for my X-LS speakers and the 1/2" birch plywood kept splitting when it got a little thin around the drivers.    Any suggestions on proper grill material or techniques would be greatly appreciated. 

Thoroughly frustrated.

Kris

[mlundy57]

I use 1/2" Baltic or Finish Birch plywood for mine and have not had that problem.  Here is how I made some,

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=117653.40

scroll down to reply #59 on this page and #68 & 69 on the next page

Mike

[ebag4]

I have used 1/2" mdf without issue. 

Best,
Ed

[mjosef]

Or you can go the easy way (if these kits are the size/shape you need)
http://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-speaker-grill-frame-kit--260-346

[Peter J]

Hi Kris, are you using Baltic (Russian) Birch? It's sometimes pretty splintery...one of the many things that "ain't what is used to be" Sharp tooling, clamped securely is the best I can tell you.

Here's a couple of places in the same thread you can nose around. Scroll till you see pics of grills. If there's a way to get closer, I don't know it, so you get to peruse a little 

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=100369.20

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=100369.60

Also, if you show some pics of the difficulty you're having, or at least the end result, maybe we could be more helpful.

[Peter J]

Or you can go the easy way (if these kits are the size/shape you need)
http://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-speaker-grill-frame-kit--260-346

Interesting...I haven't seen those. Have you used them?

[mjosef]

Yeap, for a pair of old Klipsch KG2, worked pretty good .

[kwhitman]

Unfortunately it is not Baltic birch...just 1/2" big box store birch plywood.  Not many ply's to this stuff....dang brittle if you ask me.  It appears Baltic birch and MDF is the universal favorite.  Thanks for all the reply's.  I'll surf the links you guys provided for design idea's.  I had to walk away from the shop before I started swearing!

I did manage to get the stands built.  I'll post an update to my X-LS build thread with some pictures of the stand build.  I cannot take credit for the design because I shamelessly copied a design I saw on this circle...can't remember exactly who it was that designed the stands but I do remember it was a set of Encores that was finished with black ink and epoxy....dang nice finish and a great stand design.

Thanks again...I'm starting to feel a little better knowing my issue is with material choice.

Kris

[kwhitman]

One more question...what thickness of material are you guys using?  I thought 1/2" allowed for a little round over and not be too flimsy but I am open to suggestions on thickness as well.

I have some 1/2" Red Oak lumber as well so maybe real oak would be a good solid speaker grill choice. 

Thanks,
Kris

[Captainhemo]

I've always just used  .5" MDF.  Some of the grills I've made have had pretty thin wals after everything is cutout, haven't had any issues .   On the  8.5" baffles  with the 7.25"  flange , it gets pretty thin after you cut a recess for the  woofer  flange  (sepecailly if you put a decent sized roundouver on the vertical edges of the baffle). 
I always run a  small roundover around the inside of the  grill frame when I'm done

jay

[mlundy57]

One more question...what thickness of material are you guys using?  I thought 1/2" allowed for a little round over and not be too flimsy but I am open to suggestions on thickness as well.

I have some 1/2" Red Oak lumber as well so maybe real oak would be a good solid speaker grill choice. 

Thanks,
Kris

Kris,

Furniture grade plywood (birch, oak, whatever) has bay too many voids. I've also tried leuan plywood before and didn't like the way it worked either. So I stick with either Baltic or Finish birch depending on what I can get.

I use 1/2" for grills and put a 3/8" round over on the tops.

Don't know how solid wood would work. I would expect it to tear out and/or break in the really thin places. Another problem could be warping over time.

Mike

[kwhitman]

Thanks guys...I acquired some Baltic birch based on multiple recommendations.  It worked much better.  Thank you very much.  I was getting very frustrated.

Kris

[gregfisk]

Hi Kris, are you using Baltic (Russian) Birch? It's sometimes pretty splintery...one of the many things that "ain't what is used to be" Sharp tooling, clamped securely is the best I can tell you.

Here's a couple of places in the same thread you can nose around. Scroll till you see pics of grills. If there's a way to get closer, I don't know it, so you get to peruse a little 

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=100369.20

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=100369.60

Also, if you show some pics of the difficulty you're having, or at least the end result, maybe we could be more helpful.

To zoom in on your screen just press and hold the control key and use the +plus button on your keyboard to zoom in or the -minus button to zoom out.