[newportcycle]

Has anyone experience with joining with glue, solid wood baffles, to the face of MDF cabinets?  I've read lots of differing opinon on this.  I'm working on a set of OB-7's and wanted to make the front baffles from laminated maple, I can go with veneer I just wish to skip a step if I can.  I've seen the bolt on method that was done by one member here in his OB-5's, but didnt wish to go that route if glue works fine.  Thanks in advance for your input.

[JohnR]

I used solid wood for my Jordan Minotaurs (7 1/2 inches wide) and they have been playing fine for years, no evidence of cracking or anything like that.

I expect it depends a lot on the wood and your climate conditions.

[Mr Content]

There a lot of ways to do it. Many, many glues will work, screwing, nailing,bolting all work with different degrees of effort involved. Most glues will need some sort of fixing to keep every thing in place while glue goes off, the only exception to this would be contact cement. I like to use rubberized tile adhesive when I am laminating 2 substrates together, commonly called "tile on timber", but this may be called by another name in your region. Just make sure the timber panels are dry, that is have stopped drying out, so they dont split after you have glued them to your MDF. If you would like more detailed info, you could PM me, let me know what you are using,and I will give you my recommendation.

Mr C aa

[newportcycle]

Thanks for the reply's.  My thought is to supplant the MDF baffle for a solid wooden one.  I was planning on typical wood lamination technique, PVA glue boards together to gain both width and thickness.  My concern was attaching the wooded baffle to MDF edges of the cabinet and if over time this joint would come free, I would tend to believe that in an 8" width expansion and contraction of the wood baffle would be insufficent to weaken those joints.  Probably making myself as clear as mud.

[Mr Content]

OK I can get a clearer idea of what you are doing. As long as the timber IS DRY, there will be no issues attaching the wood to the MDF. If you wanted a hidden fixing type joint, you could biscuit join the 2 together, pva glue, this is very strong, and will need cramping over nite. Yiu could also glue and nail, using a small gauge nail, so the head is easy to hide with colored putty. Dowelling is also a way, but most people will find a biscuit joint easier to handle. A biscuit machine is very cheap for handyman use. I hope I am a bit closer to what you are needing this time, feel free to ask more if you are still not sure.

Mr C

[Christof]

Thanks for the reply's.  My thought is to supplant the MDF baffle for a solid wooden one.  I was planning on typical wood lamination technique, PVA glue boards together to gain both width and thickness.  My concern was attaching the wooded baffle to MDF edges of the cabinet and if over time this joint would come free, I would tend to believe that in an 8" width expansion and contraction of the wood baffle would be insufficent to weaken those joints.  Probably making myself as clear as mud.

I would make a false baffle from 1/2"mdf so you have a six sided mdf cabinet. Route out the driver holes in the mdf.  Then drill 1/4" dia x 1/2" dowel holes on the back side of your real wood baffles (assuming a 3/4" thick baffle), locate them centered in width and about 1" down from the top and bottom.  Get dowel alignment plugs from the hardware store, slip them in the holes, flip the baffles over and center them on the speaker.....a little wack with your palm will make the pins indicate the drilling spots on the mdf...drill the mdf.  Your solid baffles will now be aligned by the dowels.  Seal the back side of your baffles with whatever finish and apply a urethane or silicon adhesive (read flexible when dry) to the back of the baffle slap it on your enclosure, clamp and presto.....    The baffle is free to move seasonally and you have a 1-1/4" thick baffle.   Be sure to finish the back side of your baffle before mounting it.


These are only 1/2" thick baffles but you can see what I mean by a false baffle before the solid wood baffle is applied.  In this case I did not use dowels...I oversized the baffles by 1/8" and used a flush trim router bit after the adhesive set, these baffles were only 4" wide....either way will work fine:


After the adhesive set I trim the edges and route the driver hole...

[newportcycle]

Christof, those are sweet.  Thanks for the tip.  So many talented people on here, I am constantly amazed at the creativity and skill.  Now if the baffles for my OB-7's come out looking half that nice I will consider that a sucess.