New Guy Orders "The Mini"

Digi-G · « **Reply #40 on:** 15 Jul 2021, 02:43 pm »

Another vote for a routing table. If you can. That speaker enclosure is pretty small, making routing with a handheld router that much trickier.

I rounded the top and bottom edge of the baffles for my NX Studios, which are still in progress, but the 3/4" rounded edges came out great. It took me an hour to set up the router and table and only a couple of minutes to actually route the pieces. It's a cheap, wobbly router table, but it worked well. Be sure not to use too large of a radius bit for the thickness of the MDF.

Runar0und · « **Reply #41 on:** 15 Jul 2021, 04:31 pm »

Do you think this would be enough of a table to do it:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Fixed-Corded-Router-with-Table-Included/1000318615

Speaker Challenged · « **Reply #42 on:** 16 Jul 2021, 12:06 am »

Quote from: Runar0und on 15 Jul 2021, 04:31 pm

Do you think this would be enough of a table to do it:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Fixed-Corded-Router-with-Table-Included/1000318615

Yes that would do what you want easily. I used something similar for my encores.

adammichael · « **Reply #43 on:** 16 Jul 2021, 12:30 am »

I just got my mini and the flat pack. Ill be putting it together this weekend!

wgraft5 · « **Reply #44 on:** 16 Jul 2021, 09:17 pm »

Flat pack arrived today.

Special Thank You to Hobbsmeerkat for going above and beyond and the rest of the crew.

Also picked up some clamps.

The soldering gun should be here sometime today, so I can work on it this weekend.

subsonic1050 · « **Reply #45 on:** 16 Jul 2021, 11:27 pm »

A router table is the easiest setup for handling a roundover on something this size, but it is also easy to use a roundover bit with a guide bearing on it. You just have to feel comfortable controlling a router by hand - routers can be quite dangerous to your workpiece as well as yourself if you aren't familiar with handling them. Also, you have to be careful that at the start and end of the line that you don't let it round over onto the adjacent edge if you don't plan to round all edges over (hopefully that makes sense). That last part is not a problem with a router table so it is more foolproof.

wgraft5 · « **Reply #46 on:** 16 Jul 2021, 11:43 pm »

ya I can't afford a router and a table and my skill level is low.

So I think I'm just going to hand sand everything flush where edges meet. I'll try and keep the sharp corners sharp. Then put on the DuraTex and call good.

Another set back, I broke a lead off an expensive cap so now I have to buy a new one

I'll have to order it monday.

kenfx · « **Reply #47 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 12:11 am »

Thanks for all the great advice for routers, router tables, and routing methods.

I have another question for the Pro-level woodworkers in this audience..

I'm looking closely at my fully glued up Mini cabinets. I'm noticing the flat pack when fully assembled has overlapping edges on pretty much every side. Tried to capture what I'm talking about in the attached pictures. If using a router "rounding" bit wouldn't I need every edge on the speaker cabinet to be perfectly flush first? I'm thinking that if not squared up then the "rounding" bit would make inconsistent cuts on each side. A friend mentioned using a "flush cut" router bit first maybe and then using a small radius "rounding" bit.

Really appreciate all the advice.

kenfx · « **Reply #48 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 12:44 am »

@wgraft5 Oh man, broken cap lead stinks. Hope you can find a good replacement or get one quickly from GR. Just curious, did your cabinet edges overlap a bit after you glued it all up? My speaker cabinet edges have quite a bit of overlap and would take a lot of sanding to make flush. I think I need to cut the edges somehow or else sanding that much material would create really uneven edges/surfaces. I'm still considering my options.. but I might just forget about it and just lay down about 4 coats of Duratex! Maybe that'll mask the irregularities.

Hobbsmeerkat · « **Reply #49 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 12:59 am »

I have a spiral flush trimming bit for my router that makes for supper clean seams. Peter would know the brand as he gave the recommendation.

Quote from: wgraft5 on 16 Jul 2021, 11:43 pm

Another set back, I broke a lead off an expensive cap so now I have to buy a new one I'll have to order it monday.

Give us a call Monday and we'll get you set up with a new one!

subsonic1050 · « **Reply #50 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 01:25 am »

kenfx - yes, you will want to square those edges up before using the roundover bit or it won't work properly. The easiest way is the way that was suggested to you - which is to use a flush trim bit. It has a guide bearing on the bottom side. Make sure you DON'T get a pattern bit, which has the bearing on the top. There are tons of options out there. If you have a local hardware store they often offer the CMT flush trim bits for around $20. If you also plan to use veneer you may want to get a spiral downcut flush trim bit. Whiteside makes them in different sizes. The reason for the downcut is that the spirals will actually push down on the veneer as you trim it - this will prevent the possibility of your router bit lifting the veneer on the edges, or tearing it out. If you just plan to flush up your MDF and then roundover for paint, the spiral downcut is not necessary - you can just get a straight bit and save yourself some money.

https://www.amazon.com/CMT-806-095-11-4-Inch-Cutting-Carbide-Tipped/dp/B000P4NQY8/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=cmt+flush+trim&qid=1626485011&sr=8-8

https://www.amazon.com/Whiteside-Router-Bits-RFTD2100-Diameter/dp/B0012JI88E/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=whiteside+flush+trim&qid=1626485047&sr=8-8

wgraft5 · « **Reply #51 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 03:59 am »

@Kenfx, the edges overlap. It's not to bad on mine. I think I can sand with a really long sandpaper holder. Or maybe tape the paper to my counter top and sand.

@Hobbsmeerkat, Thank You,I will be calling. It's the erse 9.1.

The one on the right, look at the white shrink. You can see the broken lead.

Moving along

kenfx · « **Reply #52 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 04:07 am »

Thanks for the info subsonic1050. Exactly what I was hoping to hear.

Dug around on YouTube and watched a few router videos and feel a whole lot more confident now. Should be good-to-go after busting out the wallet. I'm planning to use a flush trim bit and then a small radius roundover on my Mini's tomorrow. With any luck the first coat of Duratex will be applied tomorrow. I didn't get a roller with my shipment (not sure if a quart was supposed to come with one or not) so I need to find a textured roller.

wgraft5 · « **Reply #53 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 05:02 am »

Oh crap I glued the front baffle on inside out.

wgraft5 · « **Reply #54 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 05:39 am »

Ok so ummm ok

I just checked the fit of the drivers to the front panel and the recess is cut too small and the drivers don't fit.

I know its hard to tell from these pic's but they just don't fit. I don't know if others are having the same problem.

So the drivers do fit on the wrong side, and I did glued the one in inside out. I guess i'll do the same on the other box. Have not glued the other box yet.

Hobbsmeerkat · « **Reply #55 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 02:32 pm »

Oh no..

Double oh no...
I'm surprised they don't fit. I know it's normally a snug fit, but they should still fit. Might need to sand the inside edges a bit to get them to fit cleanly.

I'll give Killian a poke tho about the baffle issues to make a small change going forward. Tho i don't think we've gotten anyone else with the same fitment issues.

Chewbacca · « **Reply #56 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 02:49 pm »

Cutter compensation on the tool was probably input/measured wrong. If that’s the case, the whole nest will be wrong.

Hobbsmeerkat · « **Reply #57 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 03:04 pm »

Killian thinks it might have been one that missed a finishing pass.
You already need a new cabinet, so when you give us a call, let us know and we'll send you half a flatpack and a 2nd front baffle as well.

kenfx · « **Reply #58 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 05:02 pm »

I just checked out my driver fitment on my Mini's. The woofer wasn't fitting properly at first. Turns out the connector terminals were flared out in such a way that they were making contact with the edge of the MDF cutout. I little creative engineering (lightly pushing and bending the terminal with my fingers) allowed me to create enough space between and the drivers both fully seated properly and flush to the face of the cabinet.

(sorry about my images appearing to be rotated 90 deg off.. Haven't figured out how to fix that yet.)

mlundy57 · « **Reply #59 on:** 17 Jul 2021, 05:21 pm »

Quote from: Hobbsmeerkat on 17 Jul 2021, 12:59 am

I have a spiral flush trimming bit for my router that makes for supper clean seams. Peter would know the brand as he gave the recommendation.

Give us a call Monday and we'll get you set up with a new one!

I use Whiteside flush trim bits