It started with a coffee can

[Neoprodigy]

Hey everyone. I'm not usually interested in buliding things myself, nor playing around with technology and things like that.

But a coffee can and a garage sale changed that.

Last year I came upon the "fostex fe127" drivers at a garage sale. I didnt know what they were, but they cost 15 dollars for a pair so I went for it. After mounting them inside a coffe can, I was somewhat satisfied with their sound. But after stumbling upon the site "planet 10", I now see their potential as great speakers.

Since im a total noob, I'll be attempting to construct the "floorstander mkII", which I've heard to be one of the easiest to build and are great souding.

I havent stepped into the lumber section of home depot in many years, so im very unsure of the lumber sizes and whatnot.

It is for this reason I ask. For those of you who have experience with this particular model and speaker building in general, What woods and lumber sizes should I look for in order to maximize the most out of each piece?

Thank you in advance.


Just for your information, my skill with wood on the other hand is very good, due to having mandatory woodshop for 2 years in high school.

[MJL21193]

Originally posted by Neoprodigy
Hey everyone. I'm not usually interested in buliding things myself, nor playing around with technology and things like that.

It is for this reason I ask. For those of you who have experience with this particular model and speaker building in general,

Hi,
You are in luck, as Planet 10 is a member here. I'm sure he'll help out.

Now, calling the FE127 technology...

[planet10]

$15 for a pair of FE127 (are they 127e?) is a pretty good score.

After quite a few people building the FS we figured we better too (they started out as a commission from a fellow in Singapore)... i just loaded the damping into 2 pair of them today -- one with rear port, 1 with front port.

Recommended material is void free plywood. We use baltic Birch which comes in 5'x5' sheets. You can probably get 2 pair of these out of a single sheet. Chris?

dave

[Neoprodigy]

okay, thanks for the info. I might head down to home depot tomorrow and get started.

Just one more question......Is it okay if the dimensions vary slightly? (by like half an inch)

[Scottmoose]

No. That's a bit like the panel beaters at the Bristol Car Company saying 'this door's a bit off. Will that do?'

Unfortunately, the dimensions have to be exact or you're destroy the tuning / alignment.

[planet10]

Originally posted by Neoprodigy
Just one more question......Is it okay if the dimensions vary slightly? (by like half an inch)

Port dimensions need to be exact. Other dimensions can grow a bit only if you compensate with some solid fill that brings the volume back to 13 litres.

I'd also like to know if you scored the current FE127e, or if you got an older FE127 wiith the cyclops eye as i'd have to have a look to see if that would fit in the same cabinet.

dave

[Neoprodigy]

Originally posted by Scottmoose
No. That's a bit like the panel beaters at the Bristol Car Company saying 'this door's a bit off. Will that do?'

Unfortunately, the dimensions have to be exact or you're destroy the tuning / alignment.

Wow, I never would've thought. thats good to know; ill be very careful while cutting.

And after some googling, I see that I have the newer fe127.

Thanks for everyone's help.

[Scottmoose]

Well, effectively we're dealing with helmholtz resonance here (with some QW thrown in for good measure). Such resonance depends on the volume of air trapped in an enclosure, and also that in the vent. Any changes to these will mean that it will resonate at a frequency other than that intended you see.

[DAVOhorn]

Ahhhhh a man with taste Bristol Cars quietly building 200 cars per year since about 1947/8.

And for those in the know Bristol aero engines,Bristol aeroplanes, Bristol omnibus's and where i used to work years ago Bristol plastics or Bristol Composite Matrerials Engineering . They built the Mk 2 Lotus Elite body shells in the 60's.

Oh for a 411 series 3,4 or 5.

LJK Setright had taste apart from his tobacco habit.

regards David