[jk@home]

Simple question; I have a few diy wall absorber panels I need to hang, they are 2'x4' wood framed panels (w/ 4" OC703 inside) that weight about 23 pounds each. How do most folks hang these on the wall, taking in account that more than likely they won't be centered on top of a wall stud? Hardware made to hang heavy duty picture frames? Molly bolts?

Also what's the recommended air gap spacing behind the panels? The way I framed them, there is already a built-in 3/4" space. Figured I can add rear blocking for more, as long as the mounting means allow it.
Thanks, John

[bpape]

Just stretch a wire across them so you can hang like a picture frame.  Use OOKS brand hooks - they have different weight ratings. They have one that will hold up to 50lbs without going into a stud and makes a very small hole in the wall.

Bryan

[drummermitchell]

Instead of using the wire on my Gik panels I used "L"brackets.
One flat side screwed onto inside the frame of the panel so the other flat side is flush with the edge of the panel thus being flush with the wall .
For me so much easier than wire as I found it quite a pain to get the panels level and stay that way.Same with picts as they tend to move.
With using two L brackets one on each side and then install Two easy anchors in the drywall,the panels never go out of level and they are secure.
I'll take a pict and post:













I should add that the brackets(measure) are the same distance down from the top of panel.
then I just put a level on top of the panel and viola level and secure .

[jk@home]

Thanks guys. I think I have some of those OOKS brackets in the garage, will have to hunt them down.

Doing some searching on the net last night, found someone recommended the metal French cleats that ATS acoustics sell, but they seem like they would be hard to get lined up right. Then I remembered someone posting that homemade wood cleats, like below, would work (with the top mounted to the panels). Guess I have a few options to go with.
 

[Nyal Mellor]

French cleats work but probably not necessary. Personally with stuff <30lbs I just use a couple of the metal screw in drywall anchors. They work GREAT. http://www.itwbrands.com/product_details.aspx?id=3

[drummermitchell]

Yep their a panels best friend.

[Austin08]

I used french cleats. they are very easy to line up. You can buy them in home depot.

[WireNut]

Simple question; I have a few diy wall absorber panels I need to hang

Let's see some pic's of your absorber's 

[jk@home]

I used french cleats. they are very easy to line up. You can buy them in home depot.

Found them, thanks.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/OOK-Hangman-200-lb-French-Cleat-Picture-Hanger-with-Wall-Dog-Mounting-Screws-13-Piece-Pack-55316/202341629/

[jk@home]

Let's see some pic's of your absorber's 

Sure...

I'm building bass traps (6") and wall absorbers (4") for a small stereo room. The wall to ceiling corners don't go up a full 8' due to the roof cut-in, so I built 81-1/2" tall frames for the traps. This allowed a one plus two thirds 4' length of 2" OC703 per layer (80"), with a total of five OC703 panels used per trap, with no waste. The handles are to be able to move them around without touching the fabric, a couple of the traps will partially block attic doors and have to be moved periodically.



I built the frames out of 3/4" thick sandply, used a hand drill w/hole saw bit and circular saw to cut out the side openings. Used aluminum angle (glued to the wood) and small corner braces to reinforce the front edges.



Cut some plastic angle from left over vinyl siding trim, to use to help hold in the OC703 panels.



Used Tyvek tape to secure the plastic angle and smooth out all the outer frame corner edges for the fabric.



Covered all six sides with lightweight landscape fabric, as an inner barrier. The stuff I used passes the "breathability" test so well that it is virtually invisible (Note that other landscape fabrics, that have a higher 'life" or heavy duty rating, may be more restrictive). The 3m Super 77 glue worked great with this material, to glue down any edges that weren't stapled.



EDIT: I have found that even this fabric will restrict some high frequencies, so I later cut out the front facing side, on the inside plastic/tape edge, so that only OC703 and burlap are used there. Also added some white duct tape to the front face, for a better color blend behind the burlap. I did leave this extra landscape fabric on the fronts of any of the panels to be used mainly as bass traps.



Covered the outside with burlap from ATS acoustics. Put the outside folded seams with staples showing, on the tops and bottoms, since they are less likely to be seen. Looks very "crafty" but turned out great, wrinkle and sag free. Plan on finishing the larger traps in the next few days.

[WireNut]

 Nice 

 Please let us know how the end result effects the sound in your room.

[ketchup]

Now that's a good looking panel.  Would you mind showing a picture of the corners or explaining how you folded the fabric?  I can't see and folds at all.  Very nice!

[jk@home]

...I can't see and folds at all...

LOL, that was the idea.    Give me a day or so to take some more pics, that would be easiest.

[jk@home]

OK, Ketchup, here ya go. The ATS burlap came in 56” widths (x by the yard), used that for the width of the panels and cut to lengths that allowed a 1-1/2” to 2” overlap on the back sides of the tops and bottoms. Used an Arrow electric stapler and T-50 x 3/8” staples. As you can see, used plastic sheeting on the worktable to protect the fabric and make the panels easy to move around.

First I wrapped and tightened (slightly) the fabric across the horizontal face of the panel, then stapled. You always want to work your way out from the center when stapling. Burlap is nice that it will stretch a little, but not so much as to cause a wrinkle somewhere else on the panel. If the burlap bunches up too much around the staple that you just laid, you pulled the material too tight.



Then I folded over the excess fabric and stapled to the inner frame edge. Then marked, cut off the excess fabric with a straight edge, pencil and scissors. Sprayed with Super 77 and stapled one more time. I used a drywall knife to first spread out the glued material, then a slightly damp paper towel to pat it down, to prevent glue on the fingers.



Pulled up and stapled the short end flaps on both ends, to tighten the fabric across the front of the panel vertically. Then folded back the corner flaps tight and stapled to stretch the fabric on the short sides of the panels.



Folded back the corner flaps tight towards the opposite direction and stapled, to tighten the fabric across the long sides of the panel.



Used a razor knife to cut apart all the folds and separate the material in the flap.



Cut the excess inside flaps to make a miter corner and stapled down (just pinch it with your fingers and use scissors to cut), cut the inner flap on the end flush (used the razor blade with the drywall knife as a backer for this), and cut/shaped the outer flap with scissors.



Sprayed with Super 77 and stapled down the flaps. Used just one row of staples on the outside flap that shows on the  4” panels, used more on the 6” panels. The 6"ers look like H… but doesn’t matter, since on the bass traps the seams won’t be seen. I imagine one could glue the outside flap, skip the staples that show, and just staple the back. The way I did it insured that it was tight. Hope this helps.





As an update, I have the bass traps in the room, and sure enough I feel they are affecting the rear wave of my MMGs as I posted in this thread:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=109985.0

Originally I was going to try building some foam diffusers, think I will take the easy way out on this one. So I"m going to get an order out for some GIK Gridfusors, to mount on some old Sound Anchor stands, to try placing in front of the two front wall traps. I had already planned placing some Gridfusors at the first reflect point of the maggie's rear wave. Just need double now. 

[Rob Babcock]

That's some very nice work!  Quite professional looking!

[ketchup]

Thank you very much for the additional pictures and information.  Your panels are some of the nicest there are- DIY or commercial.  Let us know how they work!

[jk@home]

Thanks. I've placed all the panels in the room temporarily, they do appear they will work well. I had enough material left over to also do a 2' x 2' x 4" absorber, so I will use it as part of the center image wall treatment. Actually had more panels framed and insulated than I showed in the pic above, so thinking about stealing the OC703 out of those, cutting the fiberboard into triangles and placing them behind the existing traps as mini "super chunks".

Also I've found, due to the size of the room (only 11-1/2' x 15') and placement of the speakers, it's best if I place the side reflection 2' x 4' x 4" panels on their sides, long edges paralleled with the floor, and at ear level height. This way each will cover the first reflections of both speakers on both sides, minimally. But I need to add some stands on the panels to do that, as doors and windows get in the way of just mounting them on the walls. Should be easy enough with some oak boards, screwed to the sides (and btw, covering the fabric seam folds  ).

So absorption is covered, moving on to diffusion. On top of the QRDs I plan on getting, think I will run down to Home Depot and grab some material to throw together a couple of polycylindrical diffusers, to see what they can do in front of the traps.

[Ericus Rex]

Thanks guys. I think I have some of those OOKS brackets in the garage, will have to hunt them down.

Doing some searching on the net last night, found someone recommended the metal French cleats that ATS acoustics sell, but they seem like they would be hard to get lined up right. Then I remembered someone posting that homemade wood cleats, like below, would work (with the top mounted to the panels). Guess I have a few options to go with.
 

Very smart!  Automatic leveling and cheap!