OK, but don't overthink this - it will make zero difference to sound or functionality.
Hard to fathom that 'screwing a flat piece of wood to a box' it's already on its second page...
Hope this makes page 3 😀
I personally would leave the end grain of the walls of a finished cab alone. Allow me to recommend a ring of battens glued and screwed into the opening to the inside walls, and bolt or screw the plinth to that. Again, leave the end grain free of holes and fasteners. If you want a proper removable setup, use alloy bar as battens and tap some threaded holes into them to bolt the plinth on. Don't worry about sheet gaskets. Just paint the end grain with some silicone and let dry before bolting the plinth on
Again thanks. Unlike the cabinet spec'd in your files, the one actually supplied by Madisound is constructed of 3/4" (vs 1") MDF. Making it much less suitable for the threaded inserts. Notable that they suggest "foam tape" between base and box. That might be what I do.
Otherwise, despite what I said, the boxes assembled from the Madisound kit do have a sort of bottom, but it's recessed up into the cabinet, with crossover on its underside. Files attached including excerpts from Madisound's "Instructions," which conform to the actual cabinet. Interestingly the dimensions also vary a bit from those in weltersys's files (which are still posted at Madisound as "Enclosure Plan"). The "Instructions" in full are at this link:
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/pdf/Thor Instructions.pdf
I also didn't realize that the bottom was empty to make room for the crossover.
However, after seeing the photo of the bottom of the box, I think that if if the speakers were mine I probably wouldn't choose wood as the material for the plinth, but an iron plate of considerable thickness (and weight) screwed with many screws and well painted with 4 adjustable spikes in the corners (when I can I always use 3, but in this case would be rather unsafe because it is more unstable) of which I would round off the four sharp corners.
They would probably be beautiful too.
There are many commercial similar ones, but this artisanal (and made to measure) one would be a completely different thing. IMO
Thanks so much, ulogon. What you say above makes sense; concerning 1 mm in particular. And thanks for your other post suggesting a steel/iron plinth. A good idea that I've considered during my 20 years of owning these speakers and wondering what to do about their lacking a base. I do plan to use spikes...
I did not realize that the end grain was being drilled into! No way would I take that chance. Whether MDF or plywood, you are going to have issues. A ring of battens as Randy suggests here is by far the best idea that has been proposed. The battens will be attached to the panel in a way that has much greater chance of success. Even better, you can work with either inserts or screws with little trouble of them failing. Personally, I am still in favor of the correct type screw being used here, or at least a T nut that can't be pulled out with as much tension as you dare to use.
Get a plate joiner...aka biscuit joiner. Creates excellent alignment accuracy... less sanding ! and suburb joint strength.
Just get one, you'll never look back..
Just get one, you'll never look back..
Mark100 -- thanks for this great idea. To be clear, are you suggesting that I create, from below, a joint straight into the MDF wall (3'4") of the speaker?
Battens idea is a good one, I agree. So when you speak of "correct type screw being used here, or at least a T nut that can't be pulled out," I guess you mean going into the batten? The smallest T-nuts I'm finding have a diameter of 3/4". Thanks.
Ecaroh, the exact batten setup will depend on whether you want to do a permanent or removable setup. I have done a number of plinths for folks and also used to be an instructor for training furniture removalists with an antiques reproductions manufacturer, so my personal use would always be a removable setup
Battens are glued and screwed to the inside surface of the cab on the face grain. If going removable, use alloy bar as battens and drill holes and tap threads into them for the bolts from the plinths. Saves a lot of messing around with nuts and things. The alloy bars and thread tools are only a few dollars on Ali. Use something like a rectangular cross-section and use the wider side on the face grain inside the box. Use a spring washer under the bolt head and even Loctite
One option is to model the battens and CNC at home or an online shop like PCBway
Battens are glued and screwed to the inside surface of the cab on the face grain. If going removable, use alloy bar as battens and drill holes and tap threads into them for the bolts from the plinths. Saves a lot of messing around with nuts and things. The alloy bars and thread tools are only a few dollars on Ali. Use something like a rectangular cross-section and use the wider side on the face grain inside the box. Use a spring washer under the bolt head and even Loctite
One option is to model the battens and CNC at home or an online shop like PCBway
Holy crap Randy, you and I think way too much alike! Yup, that is pretty much the epitome of doing this the right way and be done with it! Sure it seems like extra work, but nothing compared to getting wrong the first time and then having the base separate from the speaker (weak design using screws going 'up' into the MDF instead of battens) just because the speaker was being tilted putting a big load because of leverage/weight on the base, or something like that. Sh*t happens and then you have a new BIG problem to deal with.
Now I am just going to that extra 'out there' and say, wouldn't it be something if the (steel) base and (steel) battens were perfectly welded together and then attached to the cabinet? Sorry, yes, that is too much. It has to stop somewhere.
Now I am just going to that extra 'out there' and say, wouldn't it be something if the (steel) base and (steel) battens were perfectly welded together and then attached to the cabinet? Sorry, yes, that is too much. It has to stop somewhere.
Yes, where the biscuit makes a 'T" joint....or rather an upside down T in this case...🙂
Since I find both of your ideas very interesting even though I wasn't able to exactly view your descriptions in my mind, could you both please post a rough sketch that shows what you two mean?
A warm thank you to both of you! 👍👍
P. S.: I would also like to reach out (and fill) page 3. 😉
My welding ability is still in beginner mode, but if you can, then sounds good. I have a pair of steel stands in storage that use 5mm plate for base and three pipe legs. The base is a triangle and the top is rectangular. I had to retire them due to kids as they could be pushed over fairly easily. They can do with a larger base
Battens can be welded into a ring, but welding to the plate will create issues with fastening to the cab. How are you thinking of attaching it?
Randy, Since I think that you and I are on the same page, would you be able to sketch something for us here? I do not have the capability to do it. In my head it is simple but a drawing would clear things up.
Randy, thanks so much for breaking out the method with alloy bar. Working out of a more modest skill-set and shop, I think I'll end up doing battens out of 1"x2" or 1"x3" lumber, trying to get an actual 1" rather than 3/4". Battens glued and screwed into the inner face of the MDF, then screwing the plinth straight into the battens. I don't expect to have to remove plinths more than once, and I think this construction will be adequate for that.