Well so far so good. I have completed one OB-5 speaker and I wanted to tell you about my experiences so far. First though let me explain why I didn't build both cabinets at the same time........ummmmm lack of confidence would best describe it I think. I've been kicking around the idea on how I wanted to finish them and although I've made some cabinets before I've never felt like I finished them off with that factory look. I guess you could say they all looked like DIY for one reason or another (AV-2's, AV center channel, AV-R's).
After getting information from Blaine, Al Wooley, Danny, etc. (Thanks to all by the way) I was pretty sure I was going to veneer them. I probably could have taken everyones advice on the paperback veneer, dyes, irons, etc. and, I think I could have handled it but I still wimped out. Then I saw photos of what Al had done in the past using Black textured bed-liner and I really liked the look as well as the comments he made on them being easy to do. But sometimes photos are misleading and I thought I would just do one first and see if I liked it. Also if I didn't like it I would only have to re-do one speaker instead of two (choosing this method allowed me to quarter round some things I wouldn't have done If I was preparing them to be veneered).
I have to tell you I love the way this enclosure turned out for me and it was very easy. I chose to build the cabinet(s) like Rocket-Ronney's and Daygloworange's speakers. Well sort of. I did leave off the top sides and back like theirs but unfortunately I'm not blessed with the skills or tools Dayglow has so no I don't have the rounded sides etc. or the beautiful black sides Ronney has. What I did do was quarter round the front baffles vertically on the front not the back. I also quartered the top of the front baffle on the backside as well as the top/back of the bottom of the cab that houses the woofers (I'll take photos and post them once I figure out how to do it). I also rounded the back of the tweeter opening but not the backs of the mid openings. Why you say, because I made a mistake.
Originally I made the front baffle one inch thick (two pieces of 1/2 mdf). I built the cabinet and decided to add an extra 1/2 inch board to the backside of the front baffle. This piece only goes down to where it meets the top of the bottom section. I'm glad I did because it just looks more substantial. Once I glued it down and sanded everything I realized I didn't quarter round the backside of the holes for the three drivers and it was too late to do the bottom midrange driver hole because there was not enough room to turn my router around that hole. It would have bumped into the top of the bottom section. I did have room for the tweeter hole and I chose to leave the top midrange hole not quartered to match the other hole of the bottom midrange. I could have also left the tweeter hole undone as well but I felt the less reflection out the back the better. To me it looks planned anyway by only doing the tweeter since it is the only one of course. It certainly would have looked odd IMO if I only did one of the mid holes just because I could get to it with the router. At least this way it matches and I don't think not routering out the backsides of the mids will adversely effect the sound. I hope not.
I spent MANY hours sanding and filling with Elmers wood putty. I also took the advice from Danny/Al on the Elmers glue and water mixture to fill the joins on the mdf boards. Using black primer over where the lines are glued you could see absolutely nothing. I also used this glue over the rounded areas which get more pourous. It worked to perfection. I made extra sure I had the cabinet perfect before I rushed into finishing them. I did run into one problem during in the build. I felt some give between the front baffle and the bottom section and sure enough I could see it starting to pull away if you put pressure on it. I guess the constant moving it around sanding it etc. developed a weak spot and I decided to put two screws through the front baffle for support. I just countersunk them filled the two holes and it was seamless.
Anyway I primed and texture coated the speaker on the same day. The results were perfect. It really looked factory. Even my wife was impressed. She was worried it would look plastic but admitted it looked great. Now I won't say it looks like a piece of art like Dayglows and Ronneys but no one would ever know you made them yourself. Using the bed-liner spray was so easy I couldn't believe it. I probably put on 6 or 7 light coats. It looks matte on the finish but not flat. It reflects light in different ways depending on the lighting. I would recommend this method to anyone especially for the unbrave like myself.
Oh by the way I couldn't help myself from test driving the one speaker with one of my Paradox 3's. Yes I know that is stupid but I wanted to make sure it was working-----------That isn't the easiest crossover network I've ever made. Well the sound coming out of the OB-5 was amazing for sure. I can't wait now to build the other one and I'm certainly going into that one with a lot more confidence.
