first speaker project

[abiedoodles]

hi, im planning to build a medium size floorstander speaker and i want to ask if gluing the board together is enough than using with a screws. need your advise...thanks









http://hifiview.com/category/speakers/

[Willitwork]

The purpose of screws is to prevent glued boards from shifting while the glue is drying. Some DIY'ers, myself included, prefer this method to using a large number of clamps to secure the boards together. To avoid splitting the boards it's recommended to use relatively small wood screws and to pre-drill small holes before boring them in. Once the glue has dried you should remove the screws and plug the holes with wood filler.

[Cal Weldon]

You can use:
glue with clamps or
glue with screws or
glue with biscuits and clamps / screws or
inside cleats with nails / screws

I prefer the inside cleats with nails (air nailer) as there are no exposed fasteners (except the rear panel) and you can install the cleats first to allow for proper board alignment. It also gives you a rugged joint and is relatively quick.

If you choose to use external screws as Willitwork suggests, I like the idea of removing the screws and filling the holes once the glue is dry. Remember to drill pass and pilot holes and to countersink the pass holes. Use flathead screws.

[Tenson]

What are inside cleats? I have used pin nails before to stop the side panels from shifting and help line them up if I take them off and on, but I just drill a pilot hole and whack them in - nothing done from the inside.

[Cal Weldon]

Full inside corner blocking. 3/4" square. All nails through the blocking into the wood from the inside.

EDIT: if the boards are not true, you might need the occasional bar clamp to assist. (suck it in)

[Kinnja]

Originally posted by Cal Weldon
...inside cleats with nails / screws...

Originally posted by Tenson
What are inside cleats?...

Originally posted by Cal Weldon
Full inside corner blocking. 3/4" square. All nails through the blocking into the wood from the inside...

I'm building my first speaker cabinets now using the glue, cleat and nail method. A nail gun would make the job easier.

I'm also using 90 deg corner clamps to keep things square.

If you use screws, a cordless drill with a magnetic bit to hold the screws would be very handy.

[Willitwork]

Originally posted by Kinnja
I'm building my first speaker cabinets now using the glue, cleat and nail method. A nail gun would make the job easier.

I can't imagine someone doing this using a hammer? Do you have room to swing it inside the cabinet?

[abiedoodles]

thanks, i have glue and clamps ready so i dont need a screw, putting screws is a long process i think so i go for glue and clamps.
How many minutes the white glue dries before i remove the clamps?....

[Shim]

Although I'm still a newbie mabe I can help some. I used 3/4 mdf to make bookshelves and made 3/8" rabbit joints for all corners with my router then used an 18ga brad nailer to hold them together until the gallon of glue dried.

[Kinnja]

Originally posted by Kinnja
I'm building my first speaker cabinets now using the glue, cleat and nail method. A nail gun would make the job easier.

Originally posted by Willitwork
I can't imagine someone doing this using a hammer? Do you have room to swing it inside the cabinet?

Small 5 oz. Tack Hammer, and small 3d 1-1/4" nails. I also have to plan ahead to make sure the order in which I build will allow room to swing the hammer. But you are right, with small enough cabinets there would be no room for a hammer.

I'm putting the nails on the inside because I don't plan on using veneer on these. Since these are my first, I consider this to be as much a learning experience as anything else.