| Consul |
Okay, I thought I'd start up a thread documenting my TABAQ build using the W3-593S drivers, which I bought on sale from Parts Express. I still have yet to do any real work, but I'm hoping to get the entire thing knocked out from here through the weekend. I've attached my first photo, which shows some of the parts. :D
This is my first loudspeaker DIY, and I'm quite thrilled. Thank you all for helping to make this possible. |
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| es44 |
You're a lucky guy :D I keep dreaming of doing what you do, but i'm not really a wood-working man.
I will follow this thread to see how you're doing.
Maybe you can inspire me to finally get going :clown:
Have a nice week-end
Ebbe |
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| Consul |
One of the reasons I picked this project is because I'd like to hear what a transmission line speaker sounds like. It was just luck that an appropriate driver came up for sale right when I decided to take the plunge.
Here's a pic of the first MDF board marked up. I bought 1/2" MDF in 2x4' sheets, one per side. I'll have plenty left over for something else. 1/2" is just a hair thicker than the 12mm called for in the plans, so I cut the top and bottom pieces just a little wide to compensate. I'll probably have to shave them down a bit to make them flush, but that's no big deal. |
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| Consul |
| Blargh! Wouldn't you know it! We have rain in the forecast for the entire weekend. Unfortunately, outside is the only place I have room to work, and cutting MDF in the rain seems like a bad idea. Hopefully, there'll be enough clear moments that I can get some of it done. |
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| gychang |
| quote: | Originally posted by Consul
Okay, I thought I'd start up a thread documenting my TABAQ build using the W3-593S drivers, which I bought on sale from Parts Express. I still have yet to do any real work, but I'm hoping to get the entire thing knocked out from here through the weekend. I've attached my first photo, which shows some of the parts. :D
This is my first loudspeaker DIY, and I'm quite thrilled. Thank you all for helping to make this possible. |
interesting thread will follow closely, what dimensions are u using? would appreciate lots of pics.
gychang |
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| Consul |
I'm just using Bjohannesen's stock TABAQ design:
http://coolcat.dk/bjoern/TABAQ_TL_for_TB.pdf
It's a simple and straightforward build, designed for the 3" TB full-rangers, so I think it'll suit a first-time speaker builder just fine. |
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| robertwstephens |
| Good luck with your speakers! Having just completed a speaker project with MDF, I would wear a respirator when working with it. It is nasty to work with and contains around 9% formaldehyde glue(unless something has changed that I don't know about). Peace. Robert |
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| loninappleton |
Of special interst to me is how you do up the crossover. Pics of that and the layout will be much appreciated if this is going to be a real detailed thread.
I have a TABAQ for WS 871s made but am real shy of doing XO work. Have been for years. |
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| Consul |
| It's not a crossover, but rather, a baffle-step compensation circuit. All it is is a coil and a resistor run in parallel, along the + connection to the speaker. I'll be sure to post some good pictures of how I solved the wiring and mounting problems. |
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| loninappleton |
I should get out my Speakerbuilding 201 book and refresh myself
on the difference.
Without electronic background but coming here to read about building, I get lost in the finer aspects of the hobby. It's been explained to me that connections in parallel are the component end wires twisted (or soldered) together on the plus line of the speaker.
Your tutorial will most helpful with the visual clues to construction.
After seeing many years of Speakerbuilder magazine, I've always
thought that construction articles should have three parts: picture, diagram and schematic to show those relationships. |
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| Consul |
I'm actually coming to speaker building from the electronics side of things, so I guess it's easy for me to say things like "all it is is a BSC circuit." ;)
I had tried to write out a long-winded explanation of baffle-step compensation, but I think Rod Elliot can explain it far better than I can:
http://sound.westhost.com/bafflestep.htm
Keep in mind, though, that his circuit as drawn in this article is for active baffle-step compensation (BSC), not passive, like I'm doing with the coil and resistor. |
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| Consul |
Hey, look! An Ikea flatpack! :D Just kidding...
I did all of these cuts using a circular saw and a fence which was held onto the board by clamps. It worked beautifully, and I am pleased with the straightness and accuracy of the cuts. There are still some bits that need trimmed off the ends of the front and back pieces for each speaker, but that's a job better suited for the power miter saw sitting in the garage. It's not a radial-arm saw by any stretch, but for this, it'll do.
The extra long piece in the front, cleverly marked "extra", is for the front panel of the false bottom I will be using to hold the BSC components. I don't know how big that'll need to be off-hand, so I'll measure and cut those pieces when I need them, which will be well after the speakers are operational. A couple of other pieces have been cut large as well, which I'll trim to fit when the time comes.
Progress has been made. Now comes cutting the driver hole, some gluing and screwing, and wiring. Fun stuff! |
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| gychang |
| quote: | Originally posted by Consul
Hey, look! An Ikea flatpack! :D Just kidding...
I did all of these cuts using a circular saw and a fence which was held onto the board by clamps. It worked beautifully, and I am pleased with the straightness and accuracy of the cuts. |
hope not cutting MDF in the bedroom...
looking for some more pics soon.
gychang |
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| peterbrorsson |
Good luck with your speakers! Having just completed a speaker project with MDF, I would wear a respirator when working with it. It is nasty to work with and contains around 9% formaldehyde glue(unless something has changed that I don't know about). Peace. Robert
Hi!
I would say all glued panels/boards have formaldehyde contents.
In my work as a stain/lacquer technician, I get questions constantly regarding this. Even certified board suppliers who claim to have formaldehyde free boards get stuck at tests done at independent testslabs.
Guess it comes down to if pine is used as raw material. Appears naturally in pine. (or cheating as formaldehyde glue is cheaper and actually better)The regulations for formaldehyde in an apartment is really low. If a bowl of strawberrys are standing in a room, the level of formaldehyde is exceeded by ten times or so. Apples are the same.
Not to mention to walk in a pine forrest in spring. It's lethal;)
Nevertheless, combination dust/formaldehyde are NOT good. The dust make the formaldehyde stick in the lungs and are far more dangerous than to inhale formaldehyde vapors.
OT maybe, nevertheless some info thou!
Be careful out there!
Peter |
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| Consul |
Sorry about the absence. My ADSL modem had died and it took five days to finally get the replacement.
I unfortunately have not made any further progress on this project, but I do want to say that I did indeed do the cutting outside, and I wore a facemask during the operation. |
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| Preowner |
The BSC circuit seems like a passive bass boost to me...
Which given baffle step or just the droopping bass output of the driver, it will most likely sound better in the end with it anyway.
Any Progress? |
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| Consul |
| No progress, I'm afraid. I took a sudden trip out to Colorado for my brother's wedding, which I wasn't originally planning on attending. Now that I'm back, I'm catching up on the contract work (the stuff that pays me), then I can get back to the speakers. Really, there's not that much left to do. A bit of trimming, wiring, gluing, and screwing, and then it's on to figuring out how to finish them. |
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| jackpipe |
Hi Consul,
Great thread, thanks.
I'm planning to build a pair of these as a first project too. I see you got an air coil inductor and ceramic resistor for the BSC circuit. Are you using L=1.0, R=3.9 as per Bjohannesen's design, and what diameter wire for the coil, watt rating for the resistor, etc? |
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