[gregfisk]

Thanks for your thoughts, Greg, I really am soliciting them and like input from a different perspective...don't be shy y'all!
 Kinda funny when I think about it. Bury the magnets to conceal the fastening mechanism and then add a fake...hmmm.  In the end, I decided against either, seemed too busy, despite the copper tie-in. There'll be plenty going on, I probably don't need to add yet more detail, but my mind just doesn't go there without some coaxing.

Got the frames filled, primed and lacquered.



 I didn't say it but I agree nothing is best, you have enough going on with the look without adding things that make the speakers too busy...




And the baffles sealed and ready for gilding






 


FWIW, you did spark another idea, though. I was planning on black fasteners for drivers, but then got to wondering what copper might look like. Yeah, yeah, I know that's a rivet, just imagine it's a screw and tell me what you think.

[Peter J]

Going backwards to go forward....arrghhhhh!

Haven't been able to work on these much lately but decided to get the grills done and out of the way.  Shortest staples I had were 3/16" and the grills were 1/4". Subtract the depth of the staple groove and a margin for ohshit and I knew it was close. Shot a few staples and looked at the front...good to go. As I was installing the screen, I somehow broke the cross braces loose.
I thought, "I can fix it", so finished stapling and trimming the first one...face down, of course. Flipped it over and heart sank, staple tips barely poking through my nice grills!

So I went back to drawing board and redesigned to avoid previous boondoggles. Ordered shorter staples, thickened  up the grill frames by 1/16", drilled and epoxied steel left over from wire grill experiment. Also took the opportunity to make the bottom grill mid rail corner blocks a little smaller since they don't need to house magnets and looked kinda bulky. I had misplaced the top grill cross braces so I fixed too. Mo betta the second time around! So I'm back to where I was 2 or 3 weeks ago.

I was finally able to upload photos by using Internet Explorer instead of Edge. Can anybody shed some light there? I've been using Edge since I switched computers a few weeks ago without issue until now.

[jseipp]

This is one of the things that makes build threads so valuable -- I always appreciate it when someone in the midst of a masterful build details a misstep.  It's a bit heartening, as it seems like my own builds have been nothing but....


Thank you for bringing us along, every step of the way.  There is quite an audience awaiting your final presentation.

[Captainhemo]

Peter,
Even though reading the above is  painful ( I can relateas I've made many blunders  as well),   I did have a good laugh when I read  "I can fix it".... SPICOLI !!! 

jay

[gregfisk]

Peter,

I've been using internet explorer for years, then I purchased a new computer with windows 8.1 and all hell broke loose. Finally to save my sanity I switched to google chrome. I have read that IE is going away and won't be supported for much longer. I realize this is opposite of what you wrote but thought it relevant with the added info. I'm posting below.

With that said, My 25 year old daughter who has been filling out applications to get a new job, has had nightmares using google chrome on some applications and has had to switch back to internet explorer to get them to work.

So, it seems like it has to do with compatibility with the site your trying to work with rather than the program itself .

 By the way, your frames look absolutely amazing, very impressive indeed   Can't wait to see what you finally decide to do with the details.

Greg

[cody69]

Peter,

FWIW, you did spark another idea, though. I was planning on black fasteners for drivers, but then got to wondering what copper might look like. Yeah, yeah, I know that's a rivet, just imagine it's a screw and tell me what you think.

I'd be tempted to try those copper fasteners... they sure go well with the center cone.

Can definitely relate to your grill saga... had a room divider project this summer with overlapping slats in the field that were stapled together... same proud staple tip horror when I flipped the panel over.

Big favor to ask... can you say a few words on how you handle the corners of your grill cloth? I've tried many approaches of pleats, folds, cutting, etc and have never had much success. The fronts look OK, but the back side is usually too thick (lessening the power of the magnets) and looks amateurish at best.

[Peter J]

Jay - Spicoli...had to reach back in my way-back memory. Welcome back Cotter, no? Oops, I accessed the wrong memory bank on this one. Google tells me it was Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Cody - I'll shoot some photos of the grill fabric installation. The bunching at corners is always a problem and an ongoing quest of mine to deal with. It's part of why I like to recess the back in some way, gives a place for that fabric gob to live. Thinner fabric is easier and this screen is really thin...probably the easiest I've dealt with in some ways, but it's not really stretchy like fabric. It has some give, but not what I'd call forgiving in the same way as fabric.

FWIW, the right magnets has been an ongoing research project too. Currently I'm high on the N52 1/4" Neos in various lengths. Because of the small diameter,  they have pinpoint magnetic pull for positioning. They seemed almost too strong at first in this configuration, but once I get a layer of felt between the baffle and grill, it's just about right. Snaps into position without futzing but not so hard a pull that its difficult to remove. Best resource I've found:

http://www.magnet4less.com/

I think I'll forgo the copper screws for this one because the front baffle will be plenty if it goes like my minds eye sees it. Hope to get a little more experimenting in today. The copper screw idea led me to an interesting copper plating resource though. They were quick to respond to my queries...I hope to use their kit someday.

http://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/plug-n-plate-brush-plating-kits.html

[gregfisk]

Here's another great source for magnets, been buying them here for years.

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/

[Peter J]

Here's another great source for magnets, been buying them here for years.

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/

Plus they have interesting newsletters!

[Tomy2Tone]

Spicoli...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5cneCgNA9U

 

[Oscillate]

Peter ...I was wondering what material you are using to cover the
grills? It sort of looks like 'Charcoal Fiberglass Insect Screen'? I will
be fabricating grills for my X-series speakers soon and am weighing
something like you are using versus stretching some Milliskin Matte
(Charcoal) spandex across the frames (like the DIY projector screen
crowd uses to make acoustically transparent screens). Thanks to the
good shared information on this forum, I had already implanted the
magnets into the speaker enclosures prior to applying the DuraTex
finish

[gregfisk]

Plus they have interesting newsletters!

Yes they do! Some great ideas and always interesting what they come up with.

[Peter J]

Peter ...I was wondering what material you are using to cover the
grills? It sort of looks like 'Charcoal Fiberglass Insect Screen'? I will
be fabricating grills for my X-series speakers soon and am weighing
something like you are using versus stretching some Milliskin Matte
(Charcoal) spandex across the frames (like the DIY projector screen
crowd uses to make acoustically transparent screens). Thanks to the
good shared information on this forum, I had already implanted the
magnets into the speaker enclosures prior to applying the DuraTex
finish

No-See-UM netting for tents and the like.
http://www.seattlefabrics.com/mesh.html#No-See-UM Mosquito Netting
I ordered both the black and slate gray, but the gray just doesn't look right with chosen colors on this build.. Maybe on some other project...like when I build a tent!

[Captainhemo]

Here's another great source for magnets, been buying them here for years.

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/

A coule more I have used :
http://www.kjmagnetics.com/?gclid=CL3lmcXNicsCFQusaQodv3IOLA  (thanks ron)

and for those up here in Canada
http://zigmystermagnets.com/

jay

[Peter J]

Off we go on the grill saga

First I put a few staples along one side pulling just a smidgen of tension end to end.





Switch to other side, again pulling just enough tension to  pull wrinkles out. This screen is a little different than cloth, but principle is the same.





Do same on ends




Then to corners. I kind of peak the fabric in my fingers. These close ups could have been better if I'd set the camera for more depth of field but...





I sort of slide stapler down the ridge and towards center and shoot 1 staple diagonally





Then a couple more at right angles and perhaps another diagonal. I'm trying to squash and flatten all those folds,




I didn't get a specific photo but after I do the corners I staple around the perimeter coming as close as I can to a continuous line of staples. This step seems particularly needed for this screen...its stiff compared to fabric. The staple slot has a convenient by product as it pulls a little more tension into fabric when pushing stapler into groove. I leave fabric so I can get a handle on it then trim with new razor blade. I skate it along parallel to surface





This moves right along with sharp blade






Flip it over and NO STAPLES pokin' through...woo-hoo!





Add some felt on the standoffs





And we have liftoff!...or something. Success anyway, glad to have this behind me.

[gregfisk]

Very nice looking grills Peter, I do my corners almost exactly the same. I haven't tried cutting the extra with a blade thou, seems like you can get a more even cut compared to using small scissors.

I really like the look, somewhere between no grills and hiding the drivers.

I think you should let the copper plug ride alone and then use copper bolts on your legs, super clean, not busy in detail and it all get pulled together.

Very nice indeed!

[Captainhemo]

Necely done Peter,  I also try and  use the same , or similar , technique but mine never  turn  out so pretty on the rear side. I hadn't used a  staple  groove previouisly either... I'll have to try that.

I posted this  once before in another thread , but it may be useful to some  as it's where I got the corner idea from. Some of the info is relavent for grills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ1H3_uv2uE

jay

[cody69]

Peter, many thanks for sharing your approach to handling the grills... very useful and informative as always.

[Peter J]

I futzed around with some more patinas on the copper leaf for the baffles. I'm pretty set for color on the mahogany, so it's finding something to go with it while keeping the complexity to a minimum.  If you look closely, there's at least a couple subtle variations on each panel. I always feel a little like a mad scientist when I mess with this stuff...probably kindles some childhood memory...

I'll think I'll be finishing these in a low sheen like you see on samples. Same samples with different lighting. See any you like?

[gregfisk]

O.K. Peter, you asked.

I like both of the pieces next to the wood, I like the pattern on the left piece the best (not sure about the long red line, maybe a few shorter red lines going in different directions) I think the color on the right piece matches the wood better, at least on my screen.

The second picture makes everything more green, again on my screen.   

Hope I'm helping and not making it harder.