[lacro]

Greetings all...
 I am fairly new here. I recently picked up the XL-S Encore kit from Danny, and I thought being new to speaker building, I should document my build so anyone "on the fence" considering a build may learn from my experiences (mistakes ).

 A little background about how I got to this point: I put together a 5C HT set-up in a small room many years ago with an HK receiver and some Paradigm front,center, and surround speakers. I also built an Adire Audio Tempest sub in a very large box with plate amp. The system works good for HT, but I was never satisfied with 2 channel listening, and I kind of drifted away from music listening.

 Then... in the last few years, a couple of things happened that changed my thinking about music, and now has me starting over from scratch. First, I discovered Pandora which has opened up a whole new world. I now subscribe to Pandora 1 (the paid subscription). I even bought the stock during the IPO!
 I know most don't think of streaming audio as real music listening, but for discovering new artists/songs, it's superb! The second thing was I discovered "T" amps. I bought a PE DT100A to use with my new Desktop PC. I pulled my Paradigm Atoms (old version) from surround duty for my new nearfield PC listening. WOW!!
 I am now hooked....  don't know how far I will go with my new found hobby, but I am already learning about the different separates I "need"  to keep my happy!

On to the build:
 I have always had a difficult time getting square cuts with my table saw. It's a good old Craftsman model with cast iron table, but the fence is not so good. So, I decided to build a sled for it. There are dozens of designs on the web. I picked a simple one and put it together with scraps I had.








I works great for the cross cut of the narrow width, however, when doing the long length which is a rip and should have a fence, it was difficult to hold the piece from moving.

I made a jig to use with my router to square the pieces that were out of square. It worked very well , why don"t I just buy a new fence for the table saw!!



That's it for now, I need to get back to work on these boxes. More to follow.

Larry
 

[lacro]

 I spent most of today cutting the MDF for my speakers. BTW/ I have never bought MDF. There is a local cabinet shop that I "Dumpster Dive" They throw out anything less than a half sheet of MDF at the end of each CNC cut job. I had some left from other projects, just enough for this build.

 I finally got all the pieces cut square, and moved on to cutting the holes. I don't have a Jasper Jig, so I made my own for this project. If I start building more speakers, I will probably invest in one. However, I had great success with my home made Jig. Also, I used 2 different routers, I own a Harbor Freight $20 cheapie Trim Router that works pretty good, but I couldn't get it to stop slipping down in the pinch frame while cutting, so I bought a Bosch trim router.

 These little trim routers are great for ease of handling when you don't need the big guns. I started out using the HF router because MDF is really dusty and I wanted to save my new Bosch. However, the HF kept giving me trouble, but I found a mod that has fixed it. Speaker building requires a router, but don't let that deter you. The HF trim router will do just fine with your homemade circle jig. I did most of my cuts with the Bosch, but the HF is now ready for the next project.



I don't have a plunge router, but the little trim routers are so light, I just used a 1/8" dill bit for a pivot, just let the router slide down the bit while running. It worked very well.



Checking my cut diameter before proceeding. The 1/8" bit is tight in the 3/4" MDF and worked great.



Here's the mod I did to the HF trim router to keep it from moving. I ground off a spot for the bottom clamp. The top clamp fit without any grinding. I can still use the adjusting wheel for fine adjustment, but the clamps prevent any slippage. My $20 wonder is back in service..



Here is my homemade circle jig. I started with the HF router but when I switched to the Bosch  instead of making a new one, I just swapped ends and it worked fine.



 I ran out of space for 1/8" pivot holes in my jig when I realized I didn't need to keep them in a straight line. I just drilled a new hole out of the line I had started  See the hole at about 5 o'clock from the big hole on the left.



I hope I am not boring everyone with my build. I am just enthused with my new found hobby and want to share my experience. Please let my know if I should just go away...

Larry
 

[corndog71]

Not boring.  Keep them coming! 

[django11]

Yeah it's like watching MacGyver  .  Can't wait to see what you use to solder  . 

Just kidding of course...

Just as an aside for other readers, a person could get very serviceable plunge router for about the price of the Bosch.  More powerful as well (but not as high quality).  This type of stuff is easier with a plunge router.

[Danny Richie]

Build pics are always good.

[lacro]

I should probably show how to use my home made circle jig for those that don't already know. I think it's easy to get perfect sizing using this method as I did. I have never used a Jasper jig, but I can't imagine it has every hole spacing necessary for all speakers which would mean a fudge factor instead of precision. However, if I keep building speakers, and I foresee I will, I will probably have to try the Jasper.

Here is how I set the distance needed: I calculate the radius needed for the hole or counter bore from the plans, and measure from the far side of the router bit to the center of the hole needed. I use a caliper to get the exact measurement. I mark the location with a mechanical pencil (thin lead) and drill a 1/8" hole with a brad point drill. It's amazing (or I am lucky) how perfect a hole you can achieve with this method. Only one hole was a little small so I used a 9/64" bit to open the hole, and used the larger hole by pulling the router tightly against the pivot pin (1/8" drill bit) to the outside of the circle while cutting. Worked great!
 




Got everything cut including all holes, counter bores, roundovers, and braces. It took a lot longer than I had originally thought



These are the cutters I used:



I don't usually buy cheap cutting tools, but when I see a set of 12 router Bits for $20, I take notice and a chance To my surprise they cut just like the ones that cost more than $20 ea. Also, I took a chance on a set of $25 forstner bits, again pleasantly surprised.





Don't know how everyone else cut the clearance for the tweeter wiring points, but this little drum sander worked pretty good.




Next... I have to figure out a way to stop these dominoes from falling down when I get to gluing them together.


Larry

[lacro]

Yeah it's like watching MacGyver  .  Can't wait to see what you use to solder  . 

Just kidding of course...

Just as an aside for other readers, a person could get very serviceable plunge router for about the price of the Bosch.  More powerful as well (but not as high quality).  This type of stuff is easier with a plunge router.

django11:
 You are absolutely correct, a plunge router would make life much easier, and there are many to be had for a reasonable price. For me the new group of light weight routers are pretty sweet, especially for one handed operation. They are no longer just for "trimming laminate" As I get older I am looking for lighter tools to make my life easier. I do own a larger (fixed base) router, but it's a 2 hander for sure.
  I just found out that Bosch is going to offer a plunge base for the Colt router this October . I am sure it will cost as much as the router did, but I will probably take a look. But.. to your point, I agree, speaker building needs a plunge router if for nothing more than safety, and a cheap one should work just fine.

Larry

[django11]

That little Bosch has "constant response" which maintains motor speed at the selected rpm.  That will make it more pleasant to use.   Now I want one  .

If you have the time, and you certainly have the skill, you can live without the Jasper Jig.  It works on the same principle that you use.  It increases in 1/16 inch increments:
 

[lacro]

 I started gluing the boxes together using Titebond 2 without fasteners. I don't know how everyone else holds the panels without them falling over like dominoes, but I had to come up with something, and this is what worked for me:




I put a couple of 7" 2x2's wrapped with waxed paper inside between the sides to help keep the sides lined up. The glue is slippery making it fun to get everything lined up while clamping.

Lesson learned: I probably should have cut the top and bottom pieces oversized by 1/16"- 1/8" in width and and trimed to size later with a router. I didn't do this and trying to keep everything square was a little difficult.



Larry

[Peter J]

Lesson learned: I probably should have cut the top and bottom pieces oversized by 1/16"- 1/8" in width and and trimed to size later with a router. I didn't do this and trying to keep everything square was a little difficult.

Experience is a good but unforgiving teacher sometimes, huh?

  Looking good, what do you have planned for finishing the boxes?

[lacro]

Lesson learned: I probably should have cut the top and bottom pieces oversized by 1/16"- 1/8" in width and and trimed to size later with a router. I didn't do this and trying to keep everything square was a little difficult.

Experience is a good but unforgiving teacher sometimes, huh?

  Looking good, what do you have planned for finishing the boxes?

"Experience is a good but unforgiving teacher sometimes, huh?"

Peter,
 It sure is... The only saving grace is I am using the cheapest material in wood working, MDF which I scored from a "dumpster dive" Nothing invested but time..

As far as finish, I am trying to decide how far I want to go with my first build. This is where I hope to rely on you guys for suggestions/support. I like doing things a little different than the norm (coolness factor). I work with wood strips building kayaks. I am comfortable using epoxy, fiberglass, carbon fiber, and carbon/Kevlar hybrid cloth (many colors). I don't know if any of these materials are a fit for cabinet finishes, but I am open for suggestions/cautions.

BTW/ I like your avatar!

Larry

[grimace]

Yep they get pretty slippery. I used biscuits to line them up the second build.

For finishes, carbon fiber sounds cool and would be a little different. Good job and keep posting the pics.

[django11]

I have a 23 gauge headless pin nail gun (tiny nails) which I use to lightly assemble before clamping.  If I didn't have a nail gun I would pre drill for a 1 1/2 finish nail.  Sometimes I use pliers to snip the head off of a nail and use that as a drill bit to pre drill.  That way it keeps everything aligned but you don't risk splitting the edge of the mdf.

I see a kayak there in the background.  Very impressive!

[Captainhemo]

+ 1  on the carbon fiber.   If you're into the high tech look .

[lacro]

  Looking good, what do you have planned for finishing the boxes?

Peter... Wow! I just looked through your gallery. You do exquisite work. I see you did a build using laminate. I have considered using laminate, but don't want a whole sheet (4x8) Where did you get your laminate, and is there a certain type/thickness you recommend?

Larry

[lacro]

+ 1  on the carbon fiber.   If you're into the high tech look .

Yeah, I really like CF. Before I started this build, I put together a boom box using a Tripath 2024 Sure amp and a couple of 6x9 car speakers to use in my garage/basement. I did the front baffle with CF, and it looks pretty good (to my eyes anyway). There are different weaves of carbon, and carbon combined with Kevlar that is available in several colors (the Kevlar). If I do something like that, I would only do the front baffle.

Larry

[lacro]

I have a 23 gauge headless pin nail gun (tiny nails) which I use to lightly assemble before clamping.  If I didn't have a nail gun I would pre drill for a 1 1/2 finish nail.  Sometimes I use pliers to snip the head off of a nail and use that as a drill bit to pre drill.  That way it keeps everything aligned but you don't risk splitting the edge of the mdf.

I see a kayak there in the background.  Very impressive!

I actually have  a narrow crown Porter Cable stapler that works pretty good for MDF. and a little finish nailer that shoots a T shaped very fine nail, but not long enough for 3/4" MDF I found that one at HF on a close-out table $6! However, I am trying to avoid steel fasteners so I have the option of doing roundovers without risking my router bits.

Yes... wood strip kayaks was my passion for many years.. I have built several.

Larry

 

[Peter J]

Peter... Wow! I just looked through your gallery. You do exquisite work. I see you did a build using laminate. I have considered using laminate, but don't want a whole sheet (4x8) Where did you get your laminate, and is there a certain type/thickness you recommend?

Larry

Larry, I get laminate from different distributors depending on brand. The common ones around here are Formica, Wilsonart, Pionite and Nevamar. Most all laminate I get now is what they used to call post-forming grade...all that means is the core of the laminate is thinner. Other than that core thickness they are the same, and that's likely what you'd be getting if you ordered from somewhere.

If it's a fairly common pattern, my suppliers will cut 4x8s and 5x12s into several sizes where they can sell the drop off pieces. For instance, 4x8 could net 4-2x4 pieces or 2-2x8s. I don't think most retail places will do this, but don't know for sure. If you'd like to try laminate and can't find the size you're after, I'd be happy to get it and ship it to you, just cover my actual $$ costs....I'm happy to help.

[lacro]

Gluing the back on box 2. Not possible to own too many clamps



Major screw up!

In my haste to get the back on, I inadvertently flipped the back over, and glued it on upside down I will have to deal with that later. Also, I installed the braces. I used a little pneumatic brad type nailer to hold the braces with glue. 




L

[django11]

Around here the big box renovation stores often cut up sheets of laminate that have been broken or that don't sell well.  There is often a bin with 2foot x 4 foot pieces for 3 or 4 $...  Sometimes you get lucky.