Creations from my warped brain

Bill Baker · « **Reply #80 on:** 7 Oct 2009, 10:11 pm »

Very interesting Hammer,
I didn't think anybody else worked with cloth and fiberglass together. I started doing this about 20 years ago when I was builoding fiberglass remote control racing boats. Believe it or not, I was using denim at the time as it could be pulled tight and I didn't need it to stretch like the fleece will.

Quote

but it would be cool to have everything in the signal path built by me to were everything has a theme/flow. Even if it means making the shells for amps/preamps and having a partnering mfg to do the internals.. as that is over my head...

aa

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #81 on:** 7 Oct 2009, 11:44 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio link=topic=71581.msg677831#msg677831

I didn't think anybody else worked with cloth and fiberglass together.

Ahem... (says the quiet voice in the back of the room)

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #82 on:** 8 Oct 2009, 12:13 am »

yeah Bob is a fellow audio art brother'n

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 7 Oct 2009, 11:44 pm

Quote from: Response Audio link=topic=71581.msg677831#msg677831
I didn't think anybody else worked with cloth and fiberglass together.
Ahem... (says the quiet voice in the back of the room)

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #83 on:** 8 Oct 2009, 12:15 am »

talk about another expensive hobby.. remote control anything is insane..

Quote from: Response Audio on 7 Oct 2009, 10:11 pm

Very interesting Hammer,
I didn't think anybody else worked with cloth and fiberglass together. I started doing this about 20 years ago when I was builoding fiberglass remote control racing boats. Beleive it or not, I was using denim at the time as it could be pulled tight and I didn't need it to stretch like the fleece will.

Quote
but it would be cool to have everything in the signal path built by me to were everything has a theme/flow. Even if it means making the shells for amps/preamps and having a partnering mfg to do the internals.. as that is over my head...

aa

all I need to know is size of things and how much space needed in the body of the pieces.. if you got some spare parts to use for moc-up I wouldn't say no

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #84 on:** 11 Oct 2009, 11:17 pm »

Got a little work done today.. 1 of them is entirely fiberlassed.. 3 layers of mat along with fiberglass repair paste to build up the transitions..

I did a brief once over with the angle grinder to knock down some high spots and rough areas and will start to shape it once I get the other one glassed...

Then duraglass.. spot putty.. then 2K fill primer..

DAMN THESE THINGS WEIGH A METRIC TON!!!!

Bill Baker · « **Reply #85 on:** 22 Oct 2009, 01:27 pm »

Looking good so far. Need more updates

Not done yet

c'mon...what are you doing all day

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #86 on:** 29 Oct 2009, 02:55 pm »

OK.. so had to take off these past 2 weeks due to some family health issues.. but FINALLY.. I get to work

So, what you see here is them being on the 5 yard line and almost to the point of filling/smoothing in preparation for painting.. As you can see.. fiberglass has been added to make all the transitions better and smoother. Also the side inserts that will be veneered to match the stands were also flushed in with fiberglass and will be removable for veneering.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #87 on:** 29 Oct 2009, 03:15 pm »

Alright, if you are crazy enough to build these things, bring 'em down to my studio and I'll do some nice photos for you.

But, I get to listen to them for, oh, I don't know, a month or two.

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #88 on:** 29 Oct 2009, 03:25 pm »

hehehe

hell yeah!!

Quote from: thunderbrick on 29 Oct 2009, 03:15 pm

Alright, if you are crazy enough to build these things, bring 'em down to my studio and I'll do some nice photos for you.

But, I get to listen to them for, oh, I don't know, a month or two.

turkey · « **Reply #89 on:** 29 Oct 2009, 05:32 pm »

I really like the Elise speakers. You did a nice job with blending the basic shapes (circles, ellipses, rectangles) with very organic, fluid shapes. The end result is really pleasing.

I hope you'll post a picture of the Marek set when they're done. I'll be interested to see what final touches you add to them.

I was wondering whether you've ever considered doing things with grille cloth like you do with fleece and fiberglass? For instance, if the front of the Pops were covered with a sculpted grille cloth that tied in with the flowing shapes on the rest of the cabinet/stands? Or maybe for a future design?

I understand that you want to stick to one-off designs, but I think that there might be quite a few people out there who would be interested in having something as arresting looking as the Elise in their living rooms. I hope at some point you'll consider doing reproductions of your original works.

sts9fan · « **Reply #90 on:** 29 Oct 2009, 05:48 pm »

Could you post details on your techniques and materials for the fiberglassing? I would be very interested in a bit of a tutorial.
Thanks
Kris

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #91 on:** 29 Oct 2009, 06:09 pm »

First off... thank you!!!!

The Marek's will be next.. then after that I need to build a pair for Bill at Response/Bella for his show room..

In regards to grill cloth.. are you wanting to see grills incorporated into future pieces? Or suggest that I use grill cloth instead of fleece for shaping?

Mass producing goes against everything I believe in as an artist and for me seeing/making more than a pair takes the magic away.. not saying that I won't in the future but right now I have so many designs crudely drawn on paper or in my head it's out of control.. this IMO is what sets me apart from everybody else... I view myself as an artist not a MFG.. and when I get a few pieces sold and can dedicate more time as a revenue stream can justify time away from my family.. more and more pieces will be created.. When I get a dedicated shop.. I can fly as something like the POP's or the Mareks can be made/finished in a few weeks..

Quote from: turkey on 29 Oct 2009, 05:32 pm

I really like the Elise speakers. You did a nice job with blending the basic shapes (circles, ellipses, rectangles) with very organic, fluid shapes. The end result is really pleasing.

I hope you'll post a picture of the Marek set when they're done. I'll be interested to see what final touches you add to them.

I was wondering whether you've ever considered doing things with grille cloth like you do with fleece and fiberglass? For instance, if the front of the Pops were covered with a sculpted grille cloth that tied in with the flowing shapes on the rest of the cabinet/stands? Or maybe for a future design?

I understand that you want to stick to one-off designs, but I think that there might be quite a few people out there who would be interested in having something as arresting looking as the Elise in their living rooms. I hope at some point you'll consider doing reproductions of your original works.

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #92 on:** 29 Oct 2009, 07:07 pm »

No problem Kris..

There are a million ways to skin a cat.. I typically like to use as much wood as possible and really only use the fiberglass as aesthetics.. but it does allow me to create unusual baffle shapes that do help in baffle step issues..

so.. I like to make my frame out of MDF.. 1/4 or 1/2 is fine.. treat the frame as the outer most dimensions or general shape creator.. I typically use lycra or fleece as a pull material for creating shapes.. you want something with a 4 way stretch as this allows you pull cleanly. On all the edges that you need to pull to, it is a good idea to run a rabbet bit across it as this allow the staples to sit at a lower depth and run run less of a chance to sand down to while smoothing for paint..

from that point, really saturate the cloth with resin and allow to cure.. once dry do a minimum of three layers of chop mat.. do a quick bush over with a 90 degree grinder using 40grit paper to knock down high spots and to do some small shaping. Then toss on a layer of duraglass and sand to perfection.

Finally spay some high build polyester primer and let sit for a day or two.. then guide coat and block away.. I stop at 200/220 and let my painter do the rest which isn't much

Quote from: sts9fan on 29 Oct 2009, 05:48 pm

Could you post details on your techniques and materials for the fiberglassing? I would be very interested in a bit of a tutorial.
Thanks
Kris

turkey · « **Reply #93 on:** 30 Oct 2009, 02:23 pm »

Quote from: Hebrew Hammer on 29 Oct 2009, 06:09 pm

In regards to grill cloth.. are you wanting to see grills incorporated into future pieces?

Correct. I'm not saying you _need_ to do it. After all, it's your muse and not mine.

I just thought it would be interesting to see what you can come up with if you no longer have to have drivers visible.

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #94 on:** 30 Oct 2009, 02:26 pm »

Damn you!!!!!!!!

I'll be sketching now all day at work...lol

Quote from: turkey on 30 Oct 2009, 02:23 pm

Quote from: Hebrew Hammer on 29 Oct 2009, 06:09 pm
In regards to grill cloth.. are you wanting to see grills incorporated into future pieces?

Correct. I'm not saying you _need_ to do it. After all, it's your muse and not mine. I just thought it would be interesting to see what you can come up with if you no longer have to have drivers visible.

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #95 on:** 5 Nov 2009, 03:54 pm »

got some work done last night.. all the fiberfilling is complete on both pieces.. this means all the inlays and baffle contours are done. To me, this is a better solution then using duraglass only to build contours..

I did add duraglass to one of the loudspeakers and they will shape up better than expected..

Bill Baker · « **Reply #96 on:** 5 Nov 2009, 06:05 pm »

Very Nice,
How do you keep the two speakers uniform? Ar eyou using some type of patern or are your eyes really that good

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #97 on:** 5 Nov 2009, 06:26 pm »

He hopes and prays the end user will never have the two units close enough to tell a difference.

Making a "negative" template in cases like this seems like a guaranteed way to frustrate one's self (imho of course). Been there, done that. Didn't work for me.

Nice job dude. Damn nice.
Bob

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #98 on:** 5 Nov 2009, 06:30 pm »

Thank you sir Bill.

all of it is done by eye.. I do have some small pieces of card stock that I will use to make sure that the shapes are similar.. but I won't use that until I get to the next stage...

Quote from: Response Audio on 5 Nov 2009, 06:05 pm

Very Nice,
How do you keep the two speakers uniform? Ar eyou using some type of patern or are your eyes really that good

Bill Baker · « **Reply #99 on:** 5 Nov 2009, 06:32 pm »

I figered there would some type of patern used for the final details. How many hours do you figure you will have in these when all said and done? Looking sharp so far. Maybe I missed it but what colors are your considering for this pair.