Is it possible to get the cabinet plans for the Alpha?

warnerwh · « **on:** 19 Jan 2004, 06:44 am »

I'd like to find out what I can have these cabinets built for locally. These speakers look like the best thing going for the money. What's the word on customer service and quality control here?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jan 2004, 11:23 pm »

Just shoot me an e-mail asking for the cabinet drawings and I will forward them straight over to you.

We are also always here for you if you need help anywhere along the way.

I will even call you at my expense to walk you through any aspect of the build.

We also check all drivers before they go out, but if there are ever any failures with any of them or problems we will take care of them right away. All items are stocking items.

warnerwh · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Jan 2004, 01:43 am »

Danny: Thanks much. You can send the blueprints to:
warnerwh1@comcast.net.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Jan 2004, 02:32 am »

Quote

Danny: Thanks much. You can send the blueprints to:
warnerwh1@comcast.net.

Done

jonwb · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Jan 2004, 04:04 pm »

When you discuss the cabinet build w/ any potential fabricator, make sure they understand exactly what you are expecting. No offense intended Danny, but the drawings are fine for geeks like us, but for some people who need every little detail spelled out because they don't posses an ounce of common sense, the drawings could be considered abridged.

As I move slowly through the building of my Alpha LS enclosures I will, in the end, have made detail prints of every panel. I'm doing this so I don't screw it up. And sometimes it is easier to get time with AutoCAD than get time in my workshop.

I've got a light-hearted (yet somewhat depressing) thread somewhere on this forum which describes my experience. It will have a happy ending though...

Good luck!

Danny Richie · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 Jan 2004, 09:56 pm »

Bob Reimer produced the current drawings. I think he did a nice job with them but the .pdf file is a little vague in some areas.

So Jon, how about sending me some copies of those .cad files?

Sounds like the rest of the Alpha LS customers could benefit from your expertise.

jonwb · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 Jan 2004, 11:51 pm »

Quote from: Danny

Bob Reimer produced the current drawings. I think he did a nice job with them but the .pdf file is a little vague in some areas.

Actually I think the drawings are OK, everything adds up. Its just that you have to think each panel through and make sure you are making both "hands" of certain panels. And that you keep careful track of the top/bottom and inside/outside of each panel. It is easy to screw up if you're not careful, or as in my case, the "craftsman" doesn't give a shit.

Quote from: Danny

So Jon, how about sending me some copies of those .cad files?

So Danny, how about sending me the bits to make the bass management system?

Quote from: Danny

Sounds like the rest of the Alpha LS customers could benefit from your expertise.

I'd be happy to share the drawings when they are done. I'll have to "fix" them because I'm making mine a little different. My MFD boxes are wrapped in 1/4" birch veneered plywood so my driver recesses end up in those panels and not the outer layer of MDF/veneer. No biggie... I'll also include more detailed info on the driver holes and recess depths.

(dammit, another guy is going to finish his Alphas before me)

Danny Richie · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Jan 2004, 12:17 am »

Quote

I'd be happy to share the drawings when they are done.

Way cool man.

Quote

(dammit, another guy is going to finish his Alphas before me)

And I just sent another kit out today...

warnerwh · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 Jan 2004, 02:20 am »

You bring up good points about remembering to keep the different sides mirrored and symmetrical. Only glanced at the drawing but am fortunately very mechanically inclined, just wish my woodworking skills were as good.

Danny: Thanks for getting the drawings to me so fast. As soon as I get another printer here shortly I'll print them out and see if I see anything that's hard to understand.

Hank · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Jan 2004, 07:06 pm »

When I built Danny's Alpha cabinets, I put the dimensions into a sheet layout progam. And, as I cut each piece, I labeled it on its inside face as to which part it was, whether Left or Right side of Left or Right cabinet, and Top or Bottom. Then I stacked all the parts for the left cabinet toghether and all the parts for the right cabinet together. Labelling really helped me cut the parts correctly and assemble them correctly.

Brian Bunge · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Jan 2004, 01:38 am »

I've built 3 pairs of these cabinets and if anything I think a nice cut list would be the most beneficial addition to the cabinet plans. It would sure allow the builder to verify that all his panel sizes are correct before starting assembly.

jonwb · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Jan 2004, 05:58 am »

Quote from: Brian Bunge

I've built 3 pairs of these cabinets and if anything I think a nice cut list would be the most beneficial addition to the cabinet plans. It would sure allow the builder to verify that all his panel sizes are correct before starting assembly.

Good point Brian, that is one of the first things I did was make a drawing showing all the panels I would need. Keeps one a bit more organized and I just checked 'em off as I went.

tverry · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Feb 2004, 07:53 pm »

Hank where did you find such a thing? I've often thought there should be something like that out there.

It seems like Deansheen's going to rope me into this Alpha LS project. I really don't want to plan 5 sheets of mdf in my usual half-assed manner.

jonwb · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Feb 2004, 11:42 pm »

This is kinda crusty, but the Adobe Acrobat print drivers are currently not loaded on my laptop.

http://www.geocities.com/jonwb/alpha_panel.pdf
[you'll have to cut & paste... making the URL a link doesn't work]

Basically the three panels laid out across the bottom are for my rough cuts. That's why they are over sized. I basically just ripped the entire sheet to those widths and then cut them to length. You'll need two each of the sheets w/ the big "2X" on them (5 sheets total). The panels across the top of the drawing are the finish dimensions and quantities of all the panels you'll need.

I did all this cutting outside, I couldn't imagine trying to do this part of the project indoors.

I'm sure there are other layouts arrangements that would work, but this is what I came up with. With the left overs you can probably make a couple other sets of "normal" sized speakers.

jonwb

DeanSheen · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Feb 2004, 11:50 pm »

Arghhhh........ that link is broken.

jonwb · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Feb 2004, 11:57 pm »

Quote from: DeanSheen

Arghhhh........ that link is broken.

Love that geocities / yahoo deal...

did you try to cut and paste the URL?

DeanSheen · « **Reply #16 on:** 6 Feb 2004, 12:01 am »

Faahhhncy! Thanks man.

azryan · « **Reply #17 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 04:42 pm »

jonwb,
I tried many times to get your link to work, but couldn't. Maybe it's my computer though?

Anyway... here's a link to the layout I came up with to cut the MDF when I built my Alphas.

http://home.earthlink.net/~azstrehlow/mdflayout.html

4 sheets for the actual pair of cabinets and a 5th sheet for the base plates.

It wouldn't fit if I would have cut it like jon did so I'm guessing him saying 5 sheets is not incl. the base plates?

I can put up a pic I drew of the x-over too if Danny says that's fine. I'd understand if he didn't want that put up though.

jonwb · « **Reply #18 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 07:20 pm »

Quote from: azryan

4 sheets for the actual pair of cabinets and a 5th sheet for the base plates.

It wouldn't fit if I would have cut it like jon did so I'm guessing him saying 5 sheets is not incl. the base plates?

Dohh! I'm a moron...

That's what I get for trying to do this stuff during the day; work can be so distracting.

I did fail to mention that when I laid out my panel cuts I didn't need to worry about mat'l for the bases. That was the ONE thing they did right on my old enclosures.

Ryan, your layout looks like a good way to go. If I were to do it from scratch w/ bases I might be inclined to buy one more sheet (what's another $15-20 in the scheme of this project?) and use full length panels for the inners. Basically my layout w/ one more sheet for the bases. The yeild is not as good but it is one less set of panels to worry about lining up and gluing up.

jon

azryan · « **Reply #19 on:** 8 Feb 2004, 03:38 pm »

I thought it might be better also to use one piece inner sidewall panels but when I did it with two half panels I found it was PLENTY hard when it's all put together incl. the cross bracing dowels I used. There's just no way the panels can flex.

Make sure your first cross brace goes in dead center on the side panels 'cuz that's a panel's weakest point.

Even if they could flex they'd want to bow 'out' in the center so that'd push those two inner half panels into eachother not bow them apart. Just make it all tight and it'll act like a solid 1.5" MDF sheet.

I wouldn't bother with making one piece inner panels. It's just not gonna have any benefit IMO.

I DO rec. anyone buy an extra sheet of MDF though just in case you F something up. It is only ~$20 and saves you from making another trip (which would have been a BIG hassle for me).

I know in a month or so I'm gonna be making a pair of A/V-3's w/ my neighbor and we're gonna be using my 'spare' sheet of MDF I had from the Alphas so that was real nice how that'll work out.