[texneus]

After seeing all this advanced wood working going on this will probably seem boring!  A year and a half in the making (yes you read that right...after reading "Fred's Home Theater Project" it's nice to see that I'm not the only one with a gazillion things going on simultaniously) and the first two of five AV1's are done...if you consider done to be bare MDF with wood filler accents.  After all if you close your eye's it's only how they sound that's important (and they do sound wonderful!!!).  I do intend to finish these in Koa over the winter.

One question - I bought Danny's pre-cut front baffles, and I noticed the tweeter does not sit flush in the recess, meaning the woofer does not sit flat.  Also the tweeter bazzill becomes slightly wavey if I tighten the screws down completely.  See below picture.  Is this typical???




Also, for anyone still reading, there are no butt joints in these speakers.  For the front baffle I did a 'reverse rabbit' so the full joint strength would be retained after the round over.  All the remaining are spline joints.  These are solid cabinets!!!

[RAW]

After seeing all this advanced wood working going on this will probably seem boring!  A year and a half in the making (yes you read that right...after reading "Fred's Home Theater Project" it's nice to see that I'm not the only one with a gazillion things going on simultaniously) and the first two of five AV1's are done...if you consider done to be bare MDF with wood filler accents.  After all if you close your eye's it's only how they sound that's important (and they do sound wonderful!!!).  I do intend to finish these in Koa over the winter.

One question - I bought Danny's pre-cut front baffles, and I noticed the tweeter does not sit flush in the recess, meaning the woofer does not sit flat.  Also the tweeter bazzill becomes slightly wavey if I tighten the screws down completely.  See below picture.  Is this typical???

Looks great.
Just a note on your comment of the tweeter not sitting flat.
Well the cut depth of these baffles is done this way so when you allpy veneer ( got it he says) yes the driver sits flush and smooth. Yes when not veneering this can be a issue for some but a simple cut with a raser knife any one can cut out a little MDF to make the tweeters flush.

Personally know the CNC baffles very well.

You will find once veneered you are sitting flush, well maybe not if you use a peel and stick paper photo impression simulation product.But to use paper backed veneer or raw slices you will be sitting flush.

Again nice work

[EARGASM]

Removed by member.

[low.pfile]

Big props (kudos, if you will) for going DIY!

[texneus]

Looks great.
Just a note on your comment of the tweeter not sitting flat.
Well the cut depth of these baffles is done this way so when you allpy veneer ( got it he says) yes the driver sits flush and smooth.

Nice to know the veneer will remedy the situation.  I will probably use 20mil paper backed veneer unless somebody wants to convince me otherwise...

Slick, nice joinery. No school like the old school!
The tweeter flange looks to be deforming due to being over-tightened. When you remove the screws, does it lie flat?

Yes, tweeter flange is flat when it's not installed.  But when installed the tweeter flange starts to become wavy well before the screws are tight.  Once tight I have to back off on them about 1 turn.  I wasn't sure if the tweeters are not sitting down all the way or if this was by design (is this the gasket compressing perhaps?  Hadn't thought of that...).

Update:  The remaining three cabinets are completed and ready to accept veneer.  With luck I'll have this pair in the same state before Christmas (I think I have something going on both days of every weekend through New Years -- on the woodworking front I have my son's Boy Scout troop next weekend to build pinewood derby cars), but it's going to be somewhat hard to take them apart.    I've played them for a couple freinds and they are amazed too!

Appreciate the compliments all!

[Danny Richie]

(is this the gasket compressing perhaps?  Hadn't thought of that...).

Yea, it should kind of float on the gasket. You won't need to tighten it until it quits moving.

The average veneer should get you close to flush. If not a couple of laps around the inside of it with some rough sand paper will knock it down a little.

[texneus]

I know everyone has been waiting patiently while my AV-1's are assembled in slow motion.  I ended up listening to them for about 6 months before taking them down to veneer then.  It was a very hard thing to do.  I'm most pleased with the sound of these little guys.

Anyway, I've spent the last 3 months veneering them as time permits.  I chose to go with figured Koa.  Very expensive stuff but it looks amazing and has a figure that just has to be seen in person to really appreciate it.  Here is an AV1 fully wrapped in veneer.  Just have to punch the holes back out...



Here is a different cabinet after the driver holes have been cut back out.  I put one coat of Tung Oil Finish on it because I simply couldn't wait.  In terms of grain and figure, this is "calmest" of the bunch.  This will be hidden behind a grill so I used my "statement" peices of veneer on the other speakers.   Now, before I am lectured about Tung Oil Finish, yes, I am very aware of what it is.  I ran a test board of several finished before I went with it.  Perhaps because Koa is a very soft and open poured wood, Tung Oil Finish worked better than a true oil finish.  Usually it is the other way around.



Here is the rest of the family.  The subwoofer is an ACI Titan kit I got five years before I got the AV1's (don't ask), otherwise I'd likely have Danny's servos.

[Danny Richie]

Wow, those look really good. Nice job!

[srb]

I was just typing "Let me be the first to congratulate......." but another post came in while typing.
 
Let me be the second to congratulate you on a job well done.  Really beautiful.
 
And I'm sure you were simply waiting for the MDF, glue and filler to super-cure and super-stabilize before you veneered them.  You have a set of speakers you can be truly proud of.
 
Steve

[Ron]

 Very nice looking speakers. I like the Koa veneer. Good job. I recently built a pair of the AV-1's. They are wonderful sounding speakers. Very clean and open sounding with excellent transient snap. I too have a ACI Titan subwoofer that was built a few years back from a kit. It is an excellent sounding subwoofer and works very well with the AV-1's.

[nascar03]

TEXNUES.      Very nice boxes.....I think they were worth the wait.
You have done an excellent job.
I'm building some A/V-1's as well but I ain't showin' them to you guys.....
Mine are still in primer and I may paint them to match the room.
I want to try veneer on the next pair so I'm always encouraged by quality work like yours that appears on this site.
                                                                                                         graham

[texneus]

I really appreciate the compliments, it helps me believe it will all be worth it!  Yes, I indeed was making sure the glue was well cured and the wood good and dry.  Speakers are like fine wine...you just can't rush the good ones. (why didn't I think of that one ).  I agree the ACI is a great sub for the AV1s.  Crossed over at 50Hz the combo is amazing and seemless.  Everyone who I've demod the set to is most impressed.

Lets see, it looks like the rest of the summer I'm away more than I'm home.  I'll post another update in six months?