Sorry to dig up an old thread, and I may start a new one if this question doesn't get any hits:
What size brad nails were you guys talking about? I got some more hands on with a nail gun, and have 2" brad nails for doing molding around the house. I will be building another box, and going for speed. Piloting screw holes takes a long time...
PS: I replaced the driver in the above project with a SDX 12. Damn thing weighs 45 lbs!
What size brad nails were you guys talking about? I got some more hands on with a nail gun, and have 2" brad nails for doing molding around the house. I will be building another box, and going for speed. Piloting screw holes takes a long time...
PS: I replaced the driver in the above project with a SDX 12. Damn thing weighs 45 lbs!
That will work fine. Invest in a biscuit jointer. Makes strong, fast joints. Biscuit jointer, glue, and brads.
Buy a box of 1 1/4 brads for cleat nailing. And Jorgensen spring clamps to supplement the standard clamps for some of these tasks. Avoid the plastic frame spring clamps with flexy jaws; they don't work as well as the old school orange plastic tipped ones. And expect things to slide around when you don't want them to after glue has been applied. This is why some of us predrill for at least a couple of screws per cleat since we've seen how far that miserable stick can scoot just at the moment of nailing it. Insurance.
Actually I prefer staples for cleats but then I have accumulated a bunch of pneumatic fastening tools over the decades. Being a tradesman has its payoffs, though a villa in Tuscany isn't part of the standard package.
Actually I prefer staples for cleats but then I have accumulated a bunch of pneumatic fastening tools over the decades. Being a tradesman has its payoffs, though a villa in Tuscany isn't part of the standard package.
I'm building subwoofers. I want to use the best materials available so I would like to know what members feel is the best wood glue to use on Baltic Birch plywood. Right now I have a fresh tube of Gorilla wood glue but from what I have read elsewhere this may not be the best glue for my use.
I just use a DIY store wood glue.
I tested two small pieces of glued wood and the wood split before the glue did on test.
Just use a medium amount of glue, using too much has the panels sliding all over the place. I glued two pieces, clamped them and left them for an hour. When I came back the panels had moved and I had to scrap both pieces.
Once all the panels are glued and set solid I go along the seams with a bead of glue to finish off.
This is a folded horn speaker I glued. The white glue dries clear so it dries better than it looks here.
I tested two small pieces of glued wood and the wood split before the glue did on test.
Just use a medium amount of glue, using too much has the panels sliding all over the place. I glued two pieces, clamped them and left them for an hour. When I came back the panels had moved and I had to scrap both pieces.
Once all the panels are glued and set solid I go along the seams with a bead of glue to finish off.
This is a folded horn speaker I glued. The white glue dries clear so it dries better than it looks here.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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Thanks for the reply. Sorry I wasn't more specific with my question. I had a much more technical post written up explaining exactly what I am building and addressing various issues I am dealing with but I wasn't allowed to create a dedicated a thread for it. So I'm stuck digging up old threads and asking dumbed down questions.
This is what I am building.
http://www.eighteensound.com/Portals/0/EnclosuresKits/18sound_double 21 kit.pdf
As you can see this isn't going to be a run of the mill MDF or particle board cabinet. I need something that is capable of withstanding both the stresses of very high power handling and the rigors of being moved around town regularly ("touring"). I've seen a Dynacord Cobra sub cabinet separate at the joint of the driver panel and front panel, it's not something I want to repeat with my own build.
I found this comparative test of several glues here, that I learned some useful info from. It is what made me question if the Gorilla Wood Glue that I recently is going to be the best choice. I noticed that gorilla now has a clear non-foaming urethane that I was wondering if anyone had any experience with.
Glue strength testing
This is what I am building.
http://www.eighteensound.com/Portals/0/EnclosuresKits/18sound_double 21 kit.pdf
As you can see this isn't going to be a run of the mill MDF or particle board cabinet. I need something that is capable of withstanding both the stresses of very high power handling and the rigors of being moved around town regularly ("touring"). I've seen a Dynacord Cobra sub cabinet separate at the joint of the driver panel and front panel, it's not something I want to repeat with my own build.
I found this comparative test of several glues here, that I learned some useful info from. It is what made me question if the Gorilla Wood Glue that I recently is going to be the best choice. I noticed that gorilla now has a clear non-foaming urethane that I was wondering if anyone had any experience with.
Glue strength testing
I've always been happy with Titebond II, and if worried about glue bond alone not being sufficient for high stress loads, then a "few" #8 lo-root wood screws should do the trick. Go ahead and snigger, but not all screws are created equal
Some brands, such as Canadian Robertson make these with a variety of head types, including nibbed for self -countersinking.
Recex Lo-Root Screws
I'd also highly recommend the use of a quality Baltic Birch plywood for all speaker construction, and particularly for something that's likely to be moved around a lot on tour.
Some brands, such as Canadian Robertson make these with a variety of head types, including nibbed for self -countersinking.
Recex Lo-Root Screws
I'd also highly recommend the use of a quality Baltic Birch plywood for all speaker construction, and particularly for something that's likely to be moved around a lot on tour.
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I've always been happy with Titebond II, and if worried about glue bond alone not being sufficient for high stress loads, then a "few" #8 lo-root wood screws should do the trick. Go ahead and snigger, but not all screws are created equal
Some brands, such as Canadian Robertson make these with a variety of head types, including nibbed for self -countersinking.
Recex Lo-Root Screws
I'd also highly recommend the use of a quality Baltic Birch plywood for all speaker construction, and particularly for something that's likely to be moved around a lot on tour.
Thank you for the information.
This is what I am building. I'm using 13 ply 18mm marine grade Russian birch. It's birch core but a lot cheaper than the Finnish Baltic Birch. I'm going to be powering each sub with a 9600 watt amp, and they are going to be moving a lot. That is why I want the cabinets to be rugged
http://www.eighteensound.com/Portals/0/EnclosuresKits/18sound_double 21 kit.pdf
From what I learned from the glue strength test I posted earlier I am leaning towards using Titebond 3, at least where the board surfaces are really precise and mate up well.
I used a Bora saw guide with saw plate on my saw to cut as precisely as possible, but even so, I do have a problem with one or two pieces where the saw didn't maintain a precise right angle. I am debating whether an epoxy would a better option for those pieces as it would fill any gaps better.
Thanks for the tip on the screws I will definitely look into those. In my research I found this German brand of cabinet screws that looks like it might also work well, GRK. I like how the head has a built in washer which should spread out the force over a larger area, although I would have to route a recess for each one to hide in then cover them with putty. It's a little more work but I don't mind if the end result is stronger.
Cabinet
Gorilla glue is best for laminating, is really bad for typical joints.
My Dad tried it when it was new, assembled a clothes drying rack with it.
He came back to check on it and it was a pile of parts again...
We used it to make some curved walls from individual plies, using a form, worked pretty good since it had a longer open time than traditional white glue.
I would try to find something like this;
inch Double Angle Aluminum Extrusions
My Dad tried it when it was new, assembled a clothes drying rack with it.
He came back to check on it and it was a pile of parts again...
We used it to make some curved walls from individual plies, using a form, worked pretty good since it had a longer open time than traditional white glue.
I would try to find something like this;
inch Double Angle Aluminum Extrusions
Glue is stronger than wood.
Glue joints can be far weaker due to gaps or end-grain.
With *tight* side-grain joints, yellow "TiteBond" is all you need.
IMHO, end-grain should have blocking so everything is side-grain.
Plywood has the added issue that you can bond to the face ply then pull the face off the sub-ply. If plywood is used, screws couple the forces all the way through.
An alternative to yellow glue, especially on road-boxes, may be Liquid Nails. It will fill large gaps fairly effectively, and is pretty tenacious, and dampy. Framing carpenters like it, finish carpenters don't. The ooze-out is not pretty.
For any road box, pay careful attention to handles and wheels or dollies. If it can be man-handled without roughness it is less liable to be broken.
Screws, goo, and drill should travel with any such act for pre-show repairs.
Glue joints can be far weaker due to gaps or end-grain.
With *tight* side-grain joints, yellow "TiteBond" is all you need.
IMHO, end-grain should have blocking so everything is side-grain.
Plywood has the added issue that you can bond to the face ply then pull the face off the sub-ply. If plywood is used, screws couple the forces all the way through.
An alternative to yellow glue, especially on road-boxes, may be Liquid Nails. It will fill large gaps fairly effectively, and is pretty tenacious, and dampy. Framing carpenters like it, finish carpenters don't. The ooze-out is not pretty.
For any road box, pay careful attention to handles and wheels or dollies. If it can be man-handled without roughness it is less liable to be broken.
Screws, goo, and drill should travel with any such act for pre-show repairs.
Biscuit jointing solves the end-grain issue and the de-lamination issue. (It sort of solves the gaps issue, except that if you stuff fits poorly together then the biscuits might not line up either.)
Stick to Titebond. The polyurethane glues are just a mess to use. I only use them where I must prevent water ingress.
Stick to Titebond. The polyurethane glues are just a mess to use. I only use them where I must prevent water ingress.
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