Beginning of some DIY speakers

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For my wood shop summative, I've decided to make some DIY bookshelf speakers. Normally, MDF would be use, but to cut that during class time would require having respirators and goggles for all 24 guys. So no MDF. :( BUT I have scrounged up some 3/4" Baltic Birch/Russian Plywood as a substitute, which will get here on Monday. I plan to duplicate a set of Zaph's Bargain Mini's, although with a few tweaks of my own.

1) Recess the baffle into the 4 sides
2) Do a 3/4" roundover on the front of the sides
3) Have a recessed back

Preliminary side sketch:

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Front drawing (from Zaph's page):

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Baffle detail (also from Zaph's page):

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Dimensions are 9 1/4" deep, 10" tall, and 6 1/4" wide

Crossover Components:
-2x Bennic wirewound 4ohm resistors
-2x Bennic wirewound 5ohm resistors
-2x 10uF Solen/SCR/Bennic/Clarity Caps Poly capacitors
-2x 2.7uF Solen/SCR/Bennic/Clarity Caps Poly capacitors
-2x 3.3uF Solen/SCR/Bennic/Clarity Caps Poly capacitors
-2x 1.5mH Solen/other brand 18-20ga inductors
-2x 0.25mH (or close to) Solen/other brand 18-20ga inductors
-2x 0.1mH Solen/other brand 18-20ga inductors
-Speaker wire as ICs between the Xover & woofers/tweeters/binding posts
-63/37 0.20-0.32" dia. solder

Vendors: Solen, Madisound, PartsExpress, any other reliable DIY place

Cabinet Parts:
-5' x 5' 3/4" Baltic Birch/Russian Plywood (this is the size it comes in, you only need half of that for a pair, with lots to spare)
-1" dia. x 4" Port tube (I couldn't find any 1" dia. PVC tubing at Home Depot or Rona, so I had to buy special port tubes)
-2x MCM 4'' Shielded Aluminum Cone Woofer (Part #: 55-1853)
***Remember to get the source code on the flyer (here), as it'll get you a discount (only if the woofer is on sale)***
-2x Aurasound NT1-204-8D 3/4" Titanium Dome Tweeter
***DO NOT TOUCH THE DOME***
It is out of stock with a lead time of at least 4 weeks, a substitute (same size & mounting method), BUT IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED, is below
-2x Dayton ND20FB-4 Rear-Mount 3/4" Neodymium Dome Tweeter
-1/2" Sonic Barrier Dampening
-1 1/4" Sonic Barrier Dampening
OR
-1/2" Chopped foam carpet padding doubled (or tripled) up
***To judge whether chopped foam is good or not, hold it up to the light. There shouldn't be many pinpricks of light shining through. This type of material is pretty much the only cost-effective damping material for speakers. It's really not that bad.***
-5/16" OR 1/4", 1 1/2" long socket cap screws (black)
-5/16" OR 1/4" Tee nuts
-4x Binding posts
-Various sizes of heatshrink

LOG

March 10, 2008
-Ordered parts

March 15, 2008
-Some parts arrived :rock::

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March 17, 2008
-My plywood arrived, except it was the wrong thickness...:(

March 18, 2008
-Some crappy pics of my workspace:

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Brendan
 
March 19, 2008
-PE order arrived, along with my wood!

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Hmmm, whats in the PE box?...

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Some books and...

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MY TWEETERS...

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Close-up of the protective cap & tweeter

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Along with my 18mm (sigh...they don't make it exactly 3/4") Baltic Birch

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Dramatic angle shot showing all 13 plies

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March 26, 2008
-My Mini-RCA IC parts arrived (Canare Star-Quad, Switchcraft connectors)

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Brendan
 
Wood working skills

Looks like you are pretty handy with the woodwork and will produce an outstanding cabinet. I can't

If I were you I will spend more money on buying better drivers that way you will produce a pair of outstanding speakers better than any commercial pair at certain price point specified by the price of the drivers the company uses, ie the better the drivers the better the sound quality.

There are so many designs to pick(so very high quality ones as well) from on the net, just take your pick.

cheers, happy building.
 
The last of my parts arrived, some perfect lay inductors and wirewound resistors from Solen, and I did all the soldering to the speakers, which will make it easier in the long run when it comes time to assemble it.

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OOOH A BOX! What's inside it????

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Parts

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More parts...

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More parts....

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Speaker and tweeter tabs are a b!tch to solder and thread stranded wire through...I HATE THEM ALL.

Some pics of my home workshop (ie, the dining room table and kitchen counter):

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Brendan

BTW, someone hinted to me that I should be careful when soldering tweeters, something to do with the voice coils. Are they easily damaged?
 
You don't normally solder to speaker connector tabs (well, I never do, and most speakers I've looked at don't either).

They are made to accept Faston connectors, you know, these guys:

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Of course, they are also available in the gold plated variety.

What's this about respirators to cut MDF? Never have I seen anyone wear a respirator when working with MDF. I didn't either...
 
You take great pics. Makes for an easy walkthrough for a n00b :)


TheMG said:
You don't normally solder to speaker connector tabs (well, I never do, and most speakers I've looked at don't either).

Then you haven't had any rattle loose. Unless one is a chronic tinkerer, solder is best.



What's this about respirators to cut MDF? Never have I seen anyone wear a respirator when working with MDF. I didn't either...

I do, as do others experienced in it. At least one local cabinet shop has mandnatory mask-on rules with it too.

MDF dust is toxic (mostly from the binder) and really, really fine (makes great "ooops" putty"). Stuff gets into everything.

Cheers!
 
Not to be a downer, but....

Wearing protection against particulate matter of all kinds is a very good idea. Head and Neck cancers typically effect smokers and drinkers. Only 5% of people with head and neck cancers never smoked or drank. However, that percentage is rising, that rise being attributed to airbourne particulates. Specifically, those individuals that work around wood dust or other manufacturing dust. Head and neck cancers can be particularlly terminal, with less than 65% of those diagnosed stage four, surviving out to five years(post diagnosis). Symptoms can be few if any, so many H&N cancers are detected stage four. My dad used to say, "A word to the wise, should be sufficient.", let this be that word. Have fun, but be smart. -discreteouts
 
TheMG said:
You don't normally solder to speaker connector tabs (well, I never do, and most speakers I've looked at don't either).

They are made to accept Faston connectors, you know, these guys:

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


Of course, they are also available in the gold plated variety.

What's this about respirators to cut MDF? Never have I seen anyone wear a respirator when working with MDF. I didn't either...

They cost $$$ :D

Thanks for the compliments guys!

MJL21193 said:
Just like Christmas morning! I love getting new things, especially when it's delivered to the door.

The order from PE, don't they ship UPS? Get dinged with the "customs brokerage fee"? :dead:

Nice project. :up: :)

I had to pick up 2 of my packages from the post office, so not to my door per se. BTW, PE only charges brokerage when it's $15 and above, so I've managed to stay below $15 by not ordering the Sonic Barrier and using carpet padding instead.
 
April Fool's Day
-OK, next update. First up, some better pictures of my workshop, and then some pics of the completed side and tip panels. Will get a new soldering iron tomorrow, wish me luck :)

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An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


Brendan
 
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