[Cacophonix]

Hi,

I am getting a custom design by Rick built by a cabinet maker who has never built speakers before. Due to miscommunication, he has made the tweeter cutout for the ribbon but did not recess it. So now the tweeter juts out. And the woofer recess is not deep enough. I guess using a rabbet, the woofer recess can be fixed so that drivers can be mounted flush. But I'm concerned about the tweeter. I took the cabinets from him, and plan on doing the recess myself. Apart from this, the cabinets have come out great (Bamboo veneer with real walnut trim)  . There was no way in hell that I could've done this at my apartment!

A question to all you woodworking gurus out here - Is there an easy way of routing a circle abt 3/16" deep around this rectangular cutout?
I've a plunge router and a jasper jig. Since there is no place for a pivot, i am in a quandary as to how to go about doing this.

Thanks!

[JoshK]

Rabbitting bit is what I'd think to use, howevery you might need a large one depending on how large the tweeter flange is.  This also might not help you in the corners depending on how large the rabbit is. 

If you have a partial lip or something to follow a pattern cutter can work, or you can try to make a pattern.  Some combo of these two techniques might prove useful.  HTH

Josh

[Cacophonix]

Thanks, Josh.
The problem here is that the tweeter flange is circular and the cutout is rectangular. So a rabbet but might not help me here. If i had the cutout piece, then i cud've used it as a pivot and used the jasper to make the needed recess. But i don't have the cutout piece ... so as of now, i'm leaning towards cutting a rectangular piece of MDF that can fit inside this tweeter cutout, and then using the jasper jig.

[Rick Craig]

Thanks, Josh.
The problem here is that the tweeter flange is circular and the cutout is rectangular. So a rabbet but might not help me here. If i had the cutout piece, then i cud've used it as a pivot and used the jasper to make the needed recess. But i don't have the cutout piece ... so as of now, i'm leaning towards cutting a rectangular piece of MDF that can fit inside this tweeter cutout, and then using the jasper jig.

You can glue in a temporary plug and drill a pilot hole for the Jasper Jig but you have to be careful to make sure that the pilot hole is centered.

Another option is to make a jig that fits over the baffle. You cut guide holes in the jig and then use a ball bearing bit to rabbet the new cutouts.

[Daygloworange]

Cacophonix,

I think the safer way to go is the template route with a pattern bit (bearing on top of cutter head). With an insert, if you drill your pilot hole off center you're in trouble, then there is the spinning of a heavy vibrating router on the finish of your speaker that could potentially scratch the surface (even if you mask it).

Whatever method you chose, make sure you use a really sharp bit, so it doesn't chip the finish. The edge that will be left will be really sharp, and the finish will be very prone to chipping. If you can, run a small fine nail file or emery board to remove the sharpness, and round it over slightly if you can. Hopefully you can without getting into touching up the edge.

Oh yeah, skip the coffee, the day you choose to do this. 

Cheers

[jono2channel]

Hey Dayglo

     If you are stuck of space (apartment) the seemingly simple way is to plug the square with MDF and then use your jig. I have had to do it once, and it is not nearly as bad as it sounds. At least that way you don't need any other special tools. Just make sure that you poke your jig in the exact center or you will run into a new set of problems. Let us know how it works out. Good luck. 


Jono

[mpauly]

Cacophonix,

I think the safer way to go is the template route with a pattern bit (bearing on top of cutter head). With an insert, if you drill your pilot hole off center you're in trouble, then there is the spinning of a heavy vibrating router on the finish of your speaker that could potentially scratch the surface (even if you mask it).

You can use a straight cutting bit with a bushing.  Just oversize the template by the extra radius of the bushing.

Michael

[Christof]

Cacophonix,

I think the safer way to go is the template route with a pattern bit (bearing on top of cutter head). With an insert, if you drill your pilot hole off center you're in trouble, then there is the spinning of a heavy vibrating router on the finish of your speaker that could potentially scratch the surface (even if you mask it).

Whatever method you chose, make sure you use a really sharp bit, so it doesn't chip the finish. The edge that will be left will be really sharp, and the finish will be very prone to chipping. If you can, run a small fine nail file or emery board to remove the sharpness, and round it over slightly if you can. Hopefully you can without getting into touching up the edge.

Oh yeah, skip the coffee, the day you choose to do this. 

Cheers

I assume this if for a Fountek?  You need to probably do like Dayglo mentioned, use a template.  Find a spiral down cutting bit with a top mounted bearing if possible.  Make a circle template about 1/32-1/16" larger in diameter than the Fountek.  Clamp the template to the cabinet and let er rip.  The router will only do the outer edge of the cutout.  Use a chisel to clean out the rest.  If you don't have a way to make the template, I'd ask the cabinet guy to send you one from 3/4" mdf.

[Cacophonix]

Thanks for all the responses!
I gave the cabinets back to the builder, and he used a template bit to make the cutout, and now the tweeters sit fully flush.
The cabinets are all ready, and i only need to attach the crossover and the sub amplifier. I"ll do that as soon as i find where my solder is

The cabinets are finished with catalysed lacquer. They look wonderful! 
Will post pics once my digicam comes back from the canon dealer 

[Cacophonix]

Looks like it'll be a while before i can get my digicam back, so i borrowed one and took some snaps now.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=1135

I'll take some better pics later on, but for now these should do. Caramelized bamboo turned out to be a little darker than i thought. But still it goes pretty well with the dark walnut trim.

Needless to say, they sound wonderful. Many many thanks to Rick for answering all my questions, and to DSK for perking my interest first, and then giving me lots of advice.

[Christof]

Nice boxes, Cacophonix!  Those are not your typical monkey coffins by any means  

[Cacophonix]

Thanks!
They do look quite nice. If i were to go through it again, i'd have probably chosen blonde bamboo and gone with an oil finish rather than crystal lacquer. Lacquer is an easy finish, but doesn't impart as much depth as i'd have liked. Oil finish was too labor intensive, and as a result more $$$$ 

My other two speakers will have an oil finish though now that i know what crystal lacquer looks like. Hank has given me some wonderful tips on how to go about with oil finishing.

[Christof]

Have you ever seen this finish which is a slightly modified version of the system Sam Maloof uses on his chairs.  It's two parts: Oil-poly blend followed up with an oil-wax blend....beautiful and easy to do.

I'm still looking for a piece of Zircote for my Selah project but plan to use this finish for my solid baffles.

[Cacophonix]

Wow .. they look great.

But i've been hesitant to use poly for the fear that it yellows with time.
I wanted to try crystallac, but now i've been leaning heavily towards waterlox satin finish. I tried it on bubinga, bamboo and rosewood pieces, and they turned out beautiful.