First Stage of Speakers Complete!

swaggs21 · « **on:** 27 Feb 2006, 11:40 pm »

Worked on the speakers this weekend, and the AV3 towers, AV3S Center, and SW12A Enclosures are finished up to paint (except polyfill and No-Res in the SW12A)

Here are some pics of the enclosures. I have had a great time building them, and my brother helped out a great deal building the crossovers and helping me rip the MDF

Still deciding on paint colors, havent gotten that far yet.

I will be doing the rear AV1 speakers this weekend, and then when it gets warmer, painting everything up and then soldering all the speakers in.

cOz · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 01:48 pm »

Very nice work, that looks like it is going to be an awsome setup...

swaggs21 · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 02:09 pm »

Quote from: cOz

Very nice work, that looks like it is going to be an awsome setup...

Thanks, I hope so.....

I forgot to mention that all pics were taken at my parents house. Once all the woodwork is finished (since he has a bigger woodshop than I do, I just brought some of my tools with me) I will be taking them back to my house for paint.

Still havent decided on a color though. Any suggestions?

Loftprojection · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:40 pm »

Very nice work. I'm currently building a set of AV3, AV3s and AV1rs. I'm very slow though, I finished cutting all my wood pieces but there is still a lot of work with the router to come. It will probably take me another month or two...

If you are set on paint and specially if it's for a HT setup, I think I would try some kind of very dark blue or red, close to black but not quite. That would be more "special/original" then the usual "piano black" finish.

swaggs21 · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:48 pm »

Quote from: Loftprojection

Very nice work. I'm currently building a set of AV3, AV3s and AV1rs. I'm very slow though, I finished cutting all my wood pieces but there is still a lot of work with the router to come. It will probably take me another month or two...

If you are set on paint and specially if it's for a HT setup, I think I would try some kind of very dark blue or red, close to black but not quite. That would be more "special/original" then the usual "piano black" finish.

Yeah, it definitely takes a while. I am pretty proficient at all the woodworking tools, so I can run stuff through pretty easy. I had all the pieces cut in about 4 1/2 hours for all the speakers, the rest of the time was put into construction, sound proofing, and sanding.

I am actually thinking a really dark gunmetal color with a black flake.

The rears will be dark blue, same color as the room.

Blaine_M · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 02:46 pm »

Paint might be nice, but to me there is nothing like a real wood veneered finish..

Blaine_M · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 02:47 pm »

Hmm, pic didn't show...I'll try posting as a URL....

http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict00022bw.jpg

swaggs21 · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 03:56 pm »

Quote from: Blaine_M

Hmm, pic didn't show...I'll try posting as a URL....

http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict00022bw.jpg

I agree, those look awesome, but in my theater room , they would look completely out of place.

Here is a pic so you know what I mean.

Blaine_M · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 04:16 pm »

Actually I think they'd look awesome in there....I think what you are doing will look very good as well. It would be hard now to veneer anyway with all the corners rounded off.

Cacophonix · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 04:51 pm »

Quote from: Blaine_M

Paint might be nice, but to me there is nothing like a real wood veneered finish..

That veneer looks very nice! What is it? I'm going with birch ply and cherry danish oil. Maybe i'll give your veneer a try once Danny releases his mini open baffle speakers

Blaine_M · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 05:58 pm »

It is from Oakwood Veneer, the bubble free stuff they sell. It is called Two Tone Pecan, or regular pecan, depending on where you look on the web site, it is not the 'premium pecan'. I used no stain, put on 4 coats of wipe on poly and that was it.

swaggs21 · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 06:13 pm »

Quote from: Blaine_M

Actually I think they'd look awesome in there....I think what you are doing will look very good as well. It would be hard now to veneer anyway with all the corners rounded off.

Well I think with it being as dark as it is in there, I want the speakers to kind of blend in, so while watching a movie you never see them.

Oh well, if I dont like them, I can build another set :p

Blaine_M · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 06:23 pm »

I'm sure whatever you do will look fine.

samplesj · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Mar 2006, 08:45 pm »

Quote from: swaggs21

Well I think with it being as dark as it is in there, I want the speakers to kind of blend in, so while watching a movie you never see them.

I know exactly what you mean about shiny finishes in a dedicated HT (especially FP) room. I painted mine flat black for that same reason. I actually used to have a black felt cloth over one of the centers I had before the AV3S. It was just too distracting to see the reflected light from the screen.

Quote from: swaggs21

Oh well, if I dont like them, I can build another set :p

I also know what you mean about building another set. Don't joke about it or you may get taken up on it. I teased my wife about building her a set to replace her speakers in the den. She is usually fairly tight with money so I was shocked when she said do it and really meant it.

ozdiver · « **Reply #14 on:** 3 Mar 2006, 10:47 pm »

Blaine_M Wrote:

Quote

It is from Oakwood Veneer, the bubble free stuff they sell

Blaine did you have any issues with the added thickness of the bubble free veneer. For instance where the two planes of veneer meet at the edge of the spealer. I was thinking it may show a thicker line being a multi layer product that is over twice as thick as regular 10 Mil veneer.

Blaine_M · « **Reply #15 on:** 4 Mar 2006, 03:13 pm »

Not really, the edge shows a little more just because I used a multi color veneer. On the top for example where the light would meet up with the dark it looks like more of a seam than it does where two similar colors matched up. If you used a veneer that was the same color throughout, like a maple or oak, I don't think you'd hardly see the seam. On mine the only visible seams from the front anyway are on the top, if you put the top piece on first, then the large piece around the front, you can only see that seam when you are standing up close to the speaker, not when sitting down. One thing to remember with the veneer when going around the radiused edges, do not go against the grain of the veneer, it will not make a curve that way. I'll try and take a close up photo and post it....

Blaine_M · « **Reply #16 on:** 4 Mar 2006, 03:28 pm »

Couldn't get the camera to focus worth a darn this close up, but here's a photo of the only visible seam I have from the front of the speakers, there is a seam all around the front and side edges, but not the back....

http://[URL=http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict00013hp.jpg][img]http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/2681/pict00013hp.th.jpg[/img][/url]

ozdiver · « **Reply #17 on:** 4 Mar 2006, 04:55 pm »

Thanks for the info. The butt joining where the wrap aroung piece meets was not a concern for me as it will be down the center of the back of the speaker. It was that one around the edge of the top I was mainly concerned about.
It doesn't seem bad at all even with a light colored veneer like you used.
I'm thinking of going with Lacewood for mine (just to support the Australian product) which is more in the tonal range of the dark areas of your veneer. I've go eight speakers (3 AV-3S, 4 AV-1RS, 1 SW-12/PR-12) to do so it's going to take a while.
Did you use the dry glue method with yellow glue and a hot iron or one of the other methods; hide glue, contact adhesive?

Blaine_M · « **Reply #18 on:** 4 Mar 2006, 05:39 pm »

I used contact cement, for this application it's about the best way to go, I also didn't mess with rounding off the back edges, no one sees the back anyway, I have a seem on both sides on the back instead of a seam down the middle. Makes it easier to apply the contact cement. Oakwood has tips and instructions on the web site, follow those. For example they say not to use a j-roller but to use a piece of scrap wood with a rounded off edge to get more pressure when applying. You'll have to put multiple coats of contact cement on the cut edges, it soaks in. Here's a pic of a friends AV-3s cabinet I just finished applying the polyurethane to, not sure it gives much more of a look at the seams or not...

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ozdiver · « **Reply #19 on:** 4 Mar 2006, 08:16 pm »

Not rounding off the back edges is a great idea. That avoids the complication of the veneer butt joint. Glad to get that tip now. In a couple of hours I would have already finished running the assembled speakers over the router table.
FTW what species did you use building your TV cabinet.

I have an interim cabinet until we get into our new home. This one is from one sheet of birch ply from HD. Cheap and presentable but not ideal for the addition of a Receiver and L-C-R speakers.