How do you fine tune a speaker box, with batting or fill, before sealing it up? My initial thought was to leave the back loose and use strap clamps to keep it temporarily tight while doing listening testing.
Are the drivers screwed or glued? Usually the woofer cutout can be large enough for accessing inside.
I’m trying Scott’s mastodon. The bottom will be sealed so no way to get to it unless one of the sides is removable.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...tb-dayton-seas-etc.323051/page-8#post-6689572
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...tb-dayton-seas-etc.323051/page-8#post-6689572
You can also use thin weather stripping to ensure a seal where the removable panel mates with the box.
I always ensure a small leak in sealed boxes to allow the equalising of atmospheric pressure. It isn't a problem as long as it doesn't chuff.
Yeah, I wish I'd saved a long ago (long) thread to link where I was a 'broken record' that he had a pinhole leak while others kept coming up with other reasons for poor bass response, but to the OP's credit he kept plugging along till he found that his threaded inserts/matching machine screws summed leaks amounted to ~ a pinhole, the very first thing I had mentioned since I'd 2x 'been there/done that' with 'T' nuts when they first came out, which also leaked around the baffle holes in some cases. 
Once he added/~properly torqued* them with the appropriate flat, split lock washers they both performed as predicted.
In short, yes, even teeny tiny leaks can ruin a reflex alignment if near/at the driver and/or vent and/or any box seams.
* This too can/has been 🙁 another source since most folks way over tighten hardware, even IME most who believe they have 'calibrated wrists and/or elbows', so short of a properly calibrated torque wrench, split lock washers are a good plan as you can watch them flatten and at the point of flatness/evenness of split joint, it's plenty close enough properly torqued.
Once he added/~properly torqued* them with the appropriate flat, split lock washers they both performed as predicted.
In short, yes, even teeny tiny leaks can ruin a reflex alignment if near/at the driver and/or vent and/or any box seams.
* This too can/has been 🙁 another source since most folks way over tighten hardware, even IME most who believe they have 'calibrated wrists and/or elbows', so short of a properly calibrated torque wrench, split lock washers are a good plan as you can watch them flatten and at the point of flatness/evenness of split joint, it's plenty close enough properly torqued.
Quite often this question is asked in the context that if a sealed box is called for, then sealing must be absolute for it to work. This of course isn't the case.
I'm thinking my previous post sounded exclusive, but it's reasonable to say there can be exceptions for other reasons. My two cents is that leaks around the driver in a horn system can cause considerable variation in their operation.
I'm thinking my previous post sounded exclusive, but it's reasonable to say there can be exceptions for other reasons. My two cents is that leaks around the driver in a horn system can cause considerable variation in their operation.
Being a DCR, it's a slightly tricky task. Providing it's done properly, blu-tak can work well. Assuming the main box is built & only one panel left, e.g. the back, roll said into a moderate sausage and apply all around the periphery & the internal dividing panel, being careful to ensure no gaps. Press rear panel in place, preferably with some heavy weights distributing their mass through a spare flat piece of wood. You should find, if you do it right, you've a reasonable temporary seal -to the point where it can be difficult to get the panel off again.
Would the "click test" allow Mulburg to know the box has the correct damping before he seals it?
Yes, & always worth doing. So long as the damping follows that specified (and the drivers are close to spec. 😉 ), it should be quite well-damped on the low end as-is, so hopefully won't need much juggling.
With the bottom section sealed except for the ports, would it be ok to install the binding posts down there and run the wire up through the vertical port to the speaker? Or would it be better to install the post above the lower section?
Wherever you like / find most convenient, although I wouldn't run wire through the internal duct as it's not the largest cross section & there's a good chance of some vibration kicking in. Through a small hole drilled through & then [well 😉 ] sealed is fine though.