I like using different woods on each different project. MDF with paint is forgiving, but sometimes boring.
Here is a mini boombox project using Vifa NE123 FR with a 6.5" PR on rear.
Cabinets were made with white ash and teak.
Panels can shrink, warp, and especially cup if they have moisture content when cut and then dried to room conditions. If you can't get kiln dried wood, then joining the box soon after cutting will help keep the panels straighter and prevent cupping.
I cut the speaker holes before the white ash was dried -- and checked that the drivers fit at the time. A few weeks later, the panels dried and the cutout had shrunk almost 1/10th of an inch and the driver would not fit. Some careful router work with the right bushing was needed to enlarge the hole enough.
Another issue to be concerned with is finishing. Without thinking, I applied polyurethane to the whole box. The teak is waxy or oily, and the polyurethane was still tacky on it after 2 weeks. I ended up stripping and sanding it down to bare wood again. I ended up masking off the teak and only applying the polyurethane to the white ash. There are probably other materials and processes that would work better with that combination.
Lessons learned:
Moisture in the wood, and humidity, will affect the dimensions of the wood.
Finishing can depend on the kind of wood used.
The advantage of using solid wood vs. plywood is that you can sand much deeper than the top ply.
Here is a mini boombox project using Vifa NE123 FR with a 6.5" PR on rear.
Cabinets were made with white ash and teak.
Panels can shrink, warp, and especially cup if they have moisture content when cut and then dried to room conditions. If you can't get kiln dried wood, then joining the box soon after cutting will help keep the panels straighter and prevent cupping.
I cut the speaker holes before the white ash was dried -- and checked that the drivers fit at the time. A few weeks later, the panels dried and the cutout had shrunk almost 1/10th of an inch and the driver would not fit. Some careful router work with the right bushing was needed to enlarge the hole enough.
Another issue to be concerned with is finishing. Without thinking, I applied polyurethane to the whole box. The teak is waxy or oily, and the polyurethane was still tacky on it after 2 weeks. I ended up stripping and sanding it down to bare wood again. I ended up masking off the teak and only applying the polyurethane to the white ash. There are probably other materials and processes that would work better with that combination.
Lessons learned:
Moisture in the wood, and humidity, will affect the dimensions of the wood.
Finishing can depend on the kind of wood used.
The advantage of using solid wood vs. plywood is that you can sand much deeper than the top ply.
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Certainly moisture content and wood movement have to be deal with in any project using solid wood. But it really is worth it for the final result you achieve.
Those speaker cabinets have great visual appeal. Particularly with the contrast between the two different woods. And you can easily imagine how boring they would be if built with painted MDF instead. Blah.
I continue to believe that the visual element can significantly add to the music content and enhance the entire listening experience.
Using real wood is a lot more work, but certainly has its rewards.
Those speaker cabinets have great visual appeal. Particularly with the contrast between the two different woods. And you can easily imagine how boring they would be if built with painted MDF instead. Blah.
I continue to believe that the visual element can significantly add to the music content and enhance the entire listening experience.
Using real wood is a lot more work, but certainly has its rewards.
Indeed - a Planet10 door prize!
The boxes are 3.5 liters (IIRC), and the PR on the rear is a Dayton 6.5 aluminum cone.
There is also a contour circuit to tame the FR, laid out on the bottom of the box, inside. The sound is really quite good.
The setup was given to my wife's cousin for a housewarming gift. The center unit has a bluetooth amplifier with rechargeable batteries, features that they liked a lot.
Thanks again.
The boxes are 3.5 liters (IIRC), and the PR on the rear is a Dayton 6.5 aluminum cone.
There is also a contour circuit to tame the FR, laid out on the bottom of the box, inside. The sound is really quite good.
The setup was given to my wife's cousin for a housewarming gift. The center unit has a bluetooth amplifier with rechargeable batteries, features that they liked a lot.
Thanks again.
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Definitely agree. I looked at lots of different woods before deciding on that combination. Yes, more work -- and more care.
Some woods are quite spendy (e.g. teak), but using small pieces for accent or along edges can complement or contrast with the wood used for the main sides, while keeping the cost down a bit. The final result often brings a smile.
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