Foam Core Board Speaker Enclosures?

I'm moving to an island on the other side of the world for a couple of years soon and have been contemplating my options on bringing a decent sounding system with me. Shipping runs about $2.50 a pound, freight gets handled fairly roughly, and I'll have to pay to ship them back home or leave them behind, so a pair of 50 pound towers is out of the question.

I'm considering shipping a pair of TC9FDs with the intent of making a pair of mini-karls once I'm on the island. How long can I expect a pair of foam core "cabinets" to last? I hope to get a couple of years out of them and I'm toying with the idea of using a Gorilla Glue/construction adhesive to bolster the hot glue to help out with durability. Is this even necessary?

I'm in a Caribbean Island with horrible humidity, I have 3/8" Thk. foam core uFonken and other DIY's that I made as prototypes. It has been 2+ yrs. and I have never gotten to build the wood enclosures, as the prototypes have been working just fine, not problems with the enclosures. I don't remember which glue I used, but it was either Elmer's White Paste Glue (school glue), or good quality wood glue (I am almost sure it was wood glue the one I used).

I don't where you are moving to, but be advised that supply for foam core might be limited, and 1/2" might not be available. In my case, 3/8", which I lined with 3/8" wool felt, worked just fine.
 
Mine have lasted 2 years indoors. If humid island environment, maybe spray the foam core with art spray on protective lacquer. Make sure it is foam safe and doesn't melt foam. Another is water-based waterproof clear acrylic paint used for wood projects. Just paint on - or use colorful paint to make it any color you want.

Bring more than a pair of TC9FD's maybe 6, they are small and light. Bring a hot melt glue gun and 3 bags of glue sticks, that should last you.

Another great driver to bring is Faital Pro 3FE25. Kind of like TC9FD in smoothness but 6dB more sensitive.

Bring a couple of TPA3116D2 amp boards or TDA7492 amp boards and laptop bricks.

Bring some utility knives, a ruler, wire crimpers, crimp quick disconnects for speaker tabs, speaker wire, cheap binding posts or cheap $1 terminal cups with spring clips, you can have lots of fun. :)

Thanks for the heads up on the Faital Pro's. I'll give them a shot.

I was going to paint them anyway, and I hadn't thought of plain old paint being protective.

I was considering asking about amp boards in my post, but decided I should ask in a different subforum later. It's like you read my mind!

Between my basic tool kit and my soldering kit, I have most of the mentioned items already, except for terminal cups... gotta make sure I order some.

Again, thanks!
 
Mine have lasted 2 years indoors. If humid island environment, maybe spray the foam core with art spray on protective lacquer. Make sure it is foam safe and doesn't melt foam. Another is water-based waterproof clear acrylic paint used for wood projects. Just paint on - or use colorful paint to make it any color you want.

Bring more than a pair of TC9FD's maybe 6, they are small and light. Bring a hot melt glue gun and 3 bags of glue sticks, that should last you.

Another great driver to bring is Faital Pro 3FE25. Kind of like TC9FD in smoothness but 6dB more sensitive.

Bring a couple of TPA3116D2 amp boards or TDA7492 amp boards and laptop bricks.

Bring some utility knives, a ruler, wire crimpers, crimp quick disconnects for speaker tabs, speaker wire, cheap binding posts or cheap $1 terminal cups with spring clips, you can have lots of fun. :)

....which three things would xrk take to a desert island.....
 

Though they say it is for speakers, actually these are for chassis applications, like amps. I have used a very similar one, maybe the same, in the past and the opening between the plates is not wide enough as to comfortably sandwich 3/8" or 1/2" panels, so beware where you use it. Also, it does not have a gasket, so you would have to use some kind of sealant, like silicone, to make sure it properly seals. I wouldn't recommend it for speaker building.
 
Though they say it is for speakers, actually these are for chassis applications, like amps. I have used a very similar one, maybe the same, in the past and the opening between the plates is not wide enough as to comfortably sandwich 3/8" or 1/2" panels, so beware where you use it. Also, it does not have a gasket, so you would have to use some kind of sealant, like silicone, to make sure it properly seals. I wouldn't recommend it for speaker building.

You do realize that this is a thread about making speaker enclosures out of the same thing I made my elementary school science fair displays from, right? ;)

All joking aside; if I weren't in downsizing mode, this seems like something I'd foolishly stock up on if someone had not said something, so thanks for the warning. Though these might be just the ticket for foam core projects (you've already got your glue gun out and hot, after all). Too bad ship time is a month, or more.
 
You do realize that this is a thread about making speaker enclosures out of the same thing I made my elementary school science fair displays from, right? ;)...

Yes! And that is what makes it a fun project, go back to your childhood...:rolleyes:

The thing is that these foam core enclosures are long lasting, so it would be a pain to buy something to use on them and then realize it will not work properly, and not being able to find it locally.

The silver lining is, if those posts don't work, you can always start building amps!
 
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Though they say it is for speakers, actually these are for chassis applications, like amps. I have used a very similar one, maybe the same, in the past and the opening between the plates is not wide enough as to comfortably sandwich 3/8" or 1/2" panels, so beware where you use it. Also, it does not have a gasket, so you would have to use some kind of sealant, like silicone, to make sure it properly seals. I wouldn't recommend it for speaker building.

I use these for both amp cases and speakers. It has a gasket and sometimes I just use hot glue. Works with soldered wires or crimp terminals internally and externally accepts wires, split spades, or banana plugs. $2.37 ea.

Parts Express Banana 5-Way Speaker Wire Binding Post Terminal
 
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....which three things would xrk take to a desert island.....

1. Akabak software (and laptop it resides on)
2. TPA3116D2 or other 50w class D amp like TDA7492 (and 19v SMPS)
3. UMM-6 mic and REW software

----
4. Drivers such as TC9FD (and speaker wire and crimp terminals, drywall screws)
5. Tools: Glue gun and sticks, utility knife, Klein Tools wire cutter/crimper, Philips screwdriver
6. DATS speaker impedance tester
 
I'm in a Caribbean Island with horrible humidity, I have 3/8" Thk. foam core uFonken and other DIY's that I made as prototypes. It has been 2+ yrs. and I have never gotten to build the wood enclosures, as the prototypes have been working just fine, not problems with the enclosures. I don't remember which glue I used, but it was either Elmer's White Paste Glue (school glue), or good quality wood glue (I am almost sure it was wood glue the one I used).

I don't where you are moving to, but be advised that supply for foam core might be limited, and 1/2" might not be available. In my case, 3/8", which I lined with 3/8" wool felt, worked just fine.


I'm moving to Palau, which is in Micronesia and is roughly 7 degrees south of the equator. Humidity averages 75 to 95, and rarely drops below 70, so roughly what most of the Caribbean sees (you guys do get a tiny bit of a reprieve during the cooler season, which Palau really doesn't have). It's good to know your enclosures have held up so long. Mine will definitely be my "permanent" enclosures as long as I live there, or as permanent as I want them to be. I know deep in my heart that I'll end up making several enclosures, even if the first pair are perfect.

It's occurred to me that foam core, in the thickness that I want, may or may not be available. I'm not limiting myself to foam core construction, but if foam core is available, I'll certainly be going that route. I have no idea what the island has to offer (so exciting)!!! If it's not available, this thread has been enlightening, none the less, and will certainly help spur unconventional construction techniques and thinking outside of the MDF box.

The silver lining is, if those posts don't work, you can always start building amps!

Oh no, don't give me any new ideas!
 
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Idiocy on my behalf: instead of chancing the availability (and price)of foam core on the island, I can just cut foam board here and ship it as a flat pack.

If one had a CNC laser cutter, they could make a scalable pattern with tab and slot assembly. Glue would only be necessary to seal it all up and hold it together. You could even make kerf cuts with PWM.
 
Triple wall cardboard works very well too. You can find that anywhere they throw away packaging boxes.


Gaylord boxes are some of the best donors of triple wall cardboard. Easy to find at industrial complex, factories, plastic manufacturers, and in companies that ship or receive heavy shipments (Victaulic is one of those).


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No they won't do that - we are lucky it is free and I don't blame them for not porting it as there is no financial incentive. The ABEC3 3d has an Akabak solver included so you could buy or use the academic version in 64bit. Easiest thing is find an old XP laptop (we all have those lying around in a closet?). Or install a virtual 32bit machine in 64bit.