Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...

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jeff lam

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Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« on: 21 Nov 2006, 11:10 pm »
I just got around to putting together my AV1RS' and I bought the premade AV1 baffles with magnetic grills.  Anyway, I painted the cabinets to match the wall color.  As I tried mounting the tweeter, it doesn't sit flush with the baffle and since the woofer overlaps the tweeter this is a problem (it's a big gap too).  I guess i can either make the baffle higher or cut away at the tweeter countersink but I don't know how to go about either.  What have all of you done to fix this issue?

Loftprojection

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #1 on: 21 Nov 2006, 11:44 pm »
If the baffle is mdf then just use a carpet knife or xacto and cut some material to sink the tweater in more.  If it's real wood then you'll need something more "robust"!!!  A router or a dremel could do the trick for you.

BradJudy

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #2 on: 21 Nov 2006, 11:45 pm »
How much of a gap?  I'm guessing it's designed to be flush when wood veneer is used rather than paint.

Danny Richie

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #3 on: 21 Nov 2006, 11:51 pm »
Since the majority of the speakers built with our pre-cut baffles are intended to be veneered, we allowed for the average thickness of a sheet of veneer.

You can sand the area that the tweeter set on down with a piece of sand paper and a couple of minutes of elbow grease.

If you're real good you can set the depth of a router bit to shave off just a tad and mill it out that way, but try not to hit the sides.

I usually slice a little out with a razor knife and then hit it with a little sand paper and that will get it done.

Also when you tighten up the screws that hold the tweeter in, it will compress the gasket that is on the tweeter and sink it down a little as well.

Loftprojection

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #4 on: 21 Nov 2006, 11:55 pm »
...Also when you tighten up the screws that hold the tweeter in, it will compress the gasket that is on the tweeter and sink it down a little as well.

Yes, that is a very good point Danny.  I made the mistake of sinking mine a bit too much because I did not consider it would compress with the gasket!!!  :duh:

jeff lam

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #5 on: 22 Nov 2006, 12:13 am »
...Also when you tighten up the screws that hold the tweeter in, it will compress the gasket that is on the tweeter and sink it down a little as well.

Yes, that is a very good point Danny.  I made the mistake of sinking mine a bit too much because I did not consider it would compress with the gasket!!!  :duh:

The tweeters I have are the ones with the plastic ring on the outer edge and braces in the flange... so just by tightening the screws wont set the tweeter down further unless the plastic compresses.

the baffles are MDF... and the gap is big... much bigger than 1 sheet of veneer.  I measured with some extra veneer I have.  Ill try to take some pictures and measurements if I can.

Danny Richie

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #6 on: 22 Nov 2006, 01:31 am »
Quote
The tweeters I have are the ones with the plastic ring on the outer edge and braces in the flange... so just by tightening the screws wont set the tweeter down further unless the plastic compresses.

All GR-T2 tweeters have a foam gasket mounted on them. Let me know if your do not and I can send you some.

Quote
the baffles are MDF... and the gap is big... much bigger than 1 sheet of veneer.


Okay something sounds a miss here. Send me some pics and let me see what's going on here and I'll do what I can to solve it.

TomS

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #7 on: 22 Nov 2006, 01:58 am »
I think mine were the same way, using just painted MDF, no veneer.  I did the carpet knife trick and a little sandpaper and all was well with flushness.

Hank

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #8 on: 22 Nov 2006, 05:03 pm »
Jeff, I would advise against using a router freehand.  If the bit chatches the side of the recess, it would not only gouge it, but might pull the router out of control for a split second and cause some ugly damage.  Only use a router if you go to the trouble to make a template - route a hole in a large piece of MDF and use a bit with a bearing.  Make that hole larger than the tweeter recess O.D. - how much larger depends on your router bit diameter.  My advice is to scrape and sand until you sink the recess sufficiently. Take a piece of say, 3/4" diameter dowel, glue a disc of 60- or 80- grit sandpaper to the end, then go round and round the bottom of the recess.  Replace the sandpaper disc, and keep going until you've got your depth correct.  A bit tedious, but it will work.

Daygloworange

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #9 on: 22 Nov 2006, 05:20 pm »
How much material are we talking about? How much does he need to recess the tweeter to make it flush?

Cheers

S Clark

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #10 on: 22 Nov 2006, 05:29 pm »
I agree that a freehand router is a disaster waiting to happen.  This is not hard to do with a sharp knife. Simply use the outer edge of the cut out as the guide and use a sharp pocket knife to score down another 1/16-1/8" ( or however much you need). Then whittle the remainder out with the pocket knife.  If you get too deep or irregular, don't worry.  Get a bit of windshield caulking to seal the tweeter and fill the gap.

Daygloworange

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #11 on: 22 Nov 2006, 05:32 pm »
Quote
I agree that a freehand router is a disaster waiting to happen.

Ditto. I don't think it's a good option.

Cheers

Danny Richie

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #12 on: 22 Nov 2006, 05:39 pm »
Yea those guys are probably right about the router. I'm quick to use it knowing I am pretty good with it, and that  if I nick into a side I can easily fill it with wood fill or something. I'd go with Hank's advice.

Daygloworange

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #13 on: 22 Nov 2006, 05:50 pm »
Any chance it's a QC thing Danny? It just doesn't sound right that he should be having this issue.

Cheers

RAW

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #14 on: 22 Nov 2006, 07:58 pm »
I know what Danny does.
The CNC baffles come with enough depth on the tweeter that they sit proud above the baffle to allow veneer thickness for a flush fit.
But if you paint the baffles as we have as well you will need to do a little work to the tweeter area for the tweeter to sit flush(only if you paint).
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-SANDING-DISK-FITS-SNAP-ON-MAC-SNAP-ON-MATCO-TOOLS_W0QQitemZ290049978079QQihZ019QQcategoryZ303QQcmdZViewItem

IF you can locate one of these the work will take you all of 1 minute at the most and that will include chucking up the disk.


Hank

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Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #15 on: 30 Nov 2006, 06:31 pm »
Just make sure it's 3M abrasive you use  :wink:

PaulHilgeman

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #16 on: 30 Nov 2006, 06:41 pm »
Do not use a free-hand router, even if you have a ton of experience, free-hand cutting with a bit like this is not going to be fun, and should be reserved for templates etc.

If you do have a router already, maybe consider picking up a rabbeting bit.  I am not sure what the cabinets look like, if the 'ears' for the tweeter terminals have been cut out of the recess or not, but if they haven't, you can measure the size of the recess and get a similarly sized rabbeting bit.  First set the depth to equal the rabbet and then go down a 16th or less at a time until the tweeter sits perfectly.

This is personally my favorite way of getting a tweeter flush. 

-Paul

RAW

Re: Tweeter doesn't sit flush with baffle...
« Reply #17 on: 30 Nov 2006, 06:48 pm »
Paul
Danny's baffles have ears cut in to the inside.
This allows for the terminals from the tweeters to fit into the opening plus as the CNC does the baffles the ID and OD are not compatible with a bit even if the ears were not cut