Curiosity makes me ask, why don't more DIY speaker builders use a leather front baffle?
Ala Sonus Faber...
Ala Sonus Faber...
I have seen these attempts by DIYers and they tend to look amateur-ish. It is difficult to get leather or any relatively non-stretchable material to look good at the corners and edges of the baffle when there is chamfer or roundover (which there usually is). The middle of the baffle can look OK. But again, how do you make the leather look good if the drivers are recessed?
I am not sure what you are thinking of exactly (with the Sonus Faber speaker you mentioned). Maybe you can show a picture or post a link?
I am working on a baffle right now that I am wrapping with some 2mm thick textured foam material, since it is made out of MDF and I am crappy at woodworking and finishing (e.g. veneering). I have to to surface mount the drivers, and may need to use some additional trim along the edges where the material wraps around.
I am not sure what you are thinking of exactly (with the Sonus Faber speaker you mentioned). Maybe you can show a picture or post a link?
I am working on a baffle right now that I am wrapping with some 2mm thick textured foam material, since it is made out of MDF and I am crappy at woodworking and finishing (e.g. veneering). I have to to surface mount the drivers, and may need to use some additional trim along the edges where the material wraps around.
Additional trim? I routed a small 1/8 groove around the wood and tucked the leather inside the groove with glue.
Not sure what you mean by issues with recessed drivers ...
Not sure what you mean by issues with recessed drivers ...
I thought that this thread was going to be about using 3/8 thick ox hide sole leather for it's deadness.
If you want to use thin (pigs belly ?) leather to cover wood baffles, you could try steaming it - a domestic electric kettle is sufficient for this, as this makes it more compliant.
If you want to use thin (pigs belly ?) leather to cover wood baffles, you could try steaming it - a domestic electric kettle is sufficient for this, as this makes it more compliant.
I made these years ago and was quite pleased with them. One of my favorite builds. Not leather, just faux lizard, but the idea is the same.
I think originally they used the leather as a gasket (driver directly attached to the leather), but have subsequently gone to using extra frame-mounts that then attach to the leather baffle (at least for the tweeter):
Tricks of the trade makes anything easier while obtaining a professional looking end result.
I seen a guy shave the inside of leather to make it more workable or at folds to hide them and during more difficult steps, and also use a steam gun other times. And mallet to beat it to submission while maintaining its beautiful complexion.
Mech things I can figure out, upholstery is a mystery. I can barely wrap a present even on a lucky day.
Wow, this took off. How cool.
I started installing IASCA competition cars in 1984. Installing at that level teaches you ALL of the tricks you can imagine.
But you can now learn this on YouTube! Cutting the groove to tuck your material ends is easy. Choosing a correct materials is KEY over technique. You can start with non permanent spray adhesive, and high quality 4-way stretch vinyl. This allows you to PRACTICE over and over. Learning the stretching and tucking techniques. You then progress to supple, stretchable leathers. Thin is key! These are used to make cowboy boots ... so they can be very fine indeed.
Most of your time will be learning corners. It takes practice and knowledge you can get from YouTube. One technique is the 45 degree cut groove top corner. When you begin pulling your material over the top corner, you carefully cut each side and match tuck them into that top groove. They make a small tight seam.
Working with stiff thicker leather makes pulled corners impossible. But glued and gently clamped leather works, IF you use a tool and wax for edge treating the leather prior to gluing. This makes the cut edges smooth and uniform in color.
And I've routed an 1/8" deep rectangle in the front baffles twice. Right to where the corner roundovers begin, and to 3/4" from both top and bottom of the baffle.
On one pair the recess was filled flush with stiff 1/8" leather. The other pair was filled with 1/8" aged copper plates.
It isn't that difficult to learn with a test box/baffle ... non-permanent spray adhesive, and stretch vinyl.
Tricks are a heat gun on low CAREFULLY used. Leather softener solution for soaking. MUST poly raw enclosures first, if stretching while still damp. Narrow blade cut channels for match tucking edges together at corners.
Driver cutouts. First test your material by rolling the material over the edge of a 90 degree corner. If it rolls tightly, allow JUST enough extra cutout around the driver mounting cutouts, for the leather all the way around. As small as 1/16"...
Carefully cut the extra material to just long enough to make that hard edge, and about 1/4" extra to go downwards into the mounting hole.
When you center the driver's frame and slowly push down, the frame will tightly tuck the extra 1/4" of material into the hole. Making a clean mount. See my above photo.
HTH
I started installing IASCA competition cars in 1984. Installing at that level teaches you ALL of the tricks you can imagine.
But you can now learn this on YouTube! Cutting the groove to tuck your material ends is easy. Choosing a correct materials is KEY over technique. You can start with non permanent spray adhesive, and high quality 4-way stretch vinyl. This allows you to PRACTICE over and over. Learning the stretching and tucking techniques. You then progress to supple, stretchable leathers. Thin is key! These are used to make cowboy boots ... so they can be very fine indeed.
Most of your time will be learning corners. It takes practice and knowledge you can get from YouTube. One technique is the 45 degree cut groove top corner. When you begin pulling your material over the top corner, you carefully cut each side and match tuck them into that top groove. They make a small tight seam.
Working with stiff thicker leather makes pulled corners impossible. But glued and gently clamped leather works, IF you use a tool and wax for edge treating the leather prior to gluing. This makes the cut edges smooth and uniform in color.
And I've routed an 1/8" deep rectangle in the front baffles twice. Right to where the corner roundovers begin, and to 3/4" from both top and bottom of the baffle.
On one pair the recess was filled flush with stiff 1/8" leather. The other pair was filled with 1/8" aged copper plates.
It isn't that difficult to learn with a test box/baffle ... non-permanent spray adhesive, and stretch vinyl.
Tricks are a heat gun on low CAREFULLY used. Leather softener solution for soaking. MUST poly raw enclosures first, if stretching while still damp. Narrow blade cut channels for match tucking edges together at corners.
Driver cutouts. First test your material by rolling the material over the edge of a 90 degree corner. If it rolls tightly, allow JUST enough extra cutout around the driver mounting cutouts, for the leather all the way around. As small as 1/16"...
Carefully cut the extra material to just long enough to make that hard edge, and about 1/4" extra to go downwards into the mounting hole.
When you center the driver's frame and slowly push down, the frame will tightly tuck the extra 1/4" of material into the hole. Making a clean mount. See my above photo.
HTH
You asked why leather is not used more often in DIY speakers... you answered your own question... because it is hard, it requires a lot of practice to become good at it, and it requires a specialized knowledge of the materials.
I have a lot of respect for craftsman who can work with leather. For me, I will stick with what I know (wood)...
These have a leather "faceplate". I didn't love the way the fake leather (vinyl) looked when done, but Sonus Faber are my favorite looking commercial speakers and these were my first ever speakers and they sound good so they have a lot of sentimental value. I think a smoother/more simple vinyl would have looked more elegant.
