I'm going to start building a subwoofer enclosure soon and am deciding on how to make the outer part of it. I plan on making it with some MDF 3/4'' I have but want to cover it with 1/2'' birch/oak ply so I can stain it and give it some extra support. I was wondering what the best way to do this would be. Someone recommended that I glue them together before building the rest and then put it on when I'm building the rest of it. My issue with this is making sure that the pieces overlap correctly so that it fits together nicely. I feel that it may be better to glue the non-mdf wood on after I build the rest of the enclosure but someone else said that is a strange way to do it and that it may cause air bubbles in between the wood. Can I get some input on how to do this the easiest way and what I would be able to do to prevent air pockets in the wood. Thanks
I am a professional Carpenter (25 years experience). Also am a college trained recording/sound engineer. Just build it out of some good cabinet/stain grade 11-ply plywood, brace it as you usually would and be done with it. People like mdf because it is cheap, better than particle board, easy to machine for paint, paint ready and marketing. Professional speakers are built out of cabinet/stain grade Plywood exclusively. It is lighter and stronger, and hey you can make some furniture with your subwoofer. I would use 45 degree corners and biscuit joints so you can rabbet out 1/4" for some solid hardwood edges that can be rounded over. with a 1/4-1/2" rabbet you still have room to nail it up with brads (from a gun). You can still clamp it..... Plywood is strong and light because of the cross grain lamination and the inherent strength of the natural wood.
PS: Leave the screws for the drywall installers and their drywall. Not needed here !
You are using a table saw right?, edger, sub contracting panel cutting to a shop?
If you insist on an MDF box you can laminate it with 5mm birch ply and super77 or super90 or your favorite contact cement after you trim and sand your joints.....But I would just buy some 19mm 11ply birch @ $50 a sheet at my favorite orange box.
PS: Leave the screws for the drywall installers and their drywall. Not needed here !
You are using a table saw right?, edger, sub contracting panel cutting to a shop?
If you insist on an MDF box you can laminate it with 5mm birch ply and super77 or super90 or your favorite contact cement after you trim and sand your joints.....But I would just buy some 19mm 11ply birch @ $50 a sheet at my favorite orange box.
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Erick, I couldn't agree more, unfortunately the availability of what we'd agree on as suitable quality plywood for speaker enclosures ( I personally use "Baltic Birch" exclusively) is not as universal as one would hope.
Chris,
I have not noticed "Baltic Birch" locally, however I have not looked for it. I know where I could find it (a professional lumber yard). I bought this lovely 11 ply Birch faced hardwood ply for my current sub woofer project. Impressive material, excellent quality.
Mitch that 5mm birch I referenced is "Tri-Ply" brand w/ Birch face, Poplar core and Luan back. rated to be zero void for underlayment, cabinet backs and drawer bottoms. You can router "trimmer" bit the ends and deal with the exposed ends as you see fit. Or take our advice and go with a plywood cabinet. The material is a standard 3/4"-19mm. I do not recall seeing stain grade 1/2"-( I am not saying it does not exist). You may be mistaking "fir sheathing" for suitable plywood and it is not. Subfloor grade fir can be/is strong and has small voids but you will find voids when you cut it. My current project uses a 30lb 15" driver (Pyle-Pro RCF knock off- or OEM ? ? ? ). I will fearlessly use 19mm plywood ....(you don't need 1-1/4" of cabinet with proper bracing)
Good luck
post some pics when you are done.
I have not noticed "Baltic Birch" locally, however I have not looked for it. I know where I could find it (a professional lumber yard). I bought this lovely 11 ply Birch faced hardwood ply for my current sub woofer project. Impressive material, excellent quality.
Mitch that 5mm birch I referenced is "Tri-Ply" brand w/ Birch face, Poplar core and Luan back. rated to be zero void for underlayment, cabinet backs and drawer bottoms. You can router "trimmer" bit the ends and deal with the exposed ends as you see fit. Or take our advice and go with a plywood cabinet. The material is a standard 3/4"-19mm. I do not recall seeing stain grade 1/2"-( I am not saying it does not exist). You may be mistaking "fir sheathing" for suitable plywood and it is not. Subfloor grade fir can be/is strong and has small voids but you will find voids when you cut it. My current project uses a 30lb 15" driver (Pyle-Pro RCF knock off- or OEM ? ? ? ). I will fearlessly use 19mm plywood ....(you don't need 1-1/4" of cabinet with proper bracing)
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Good luck
post some pics when you are done.
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Thanks Eric and Chris. The reason I wanted to use MDF (besides that it's commonly suggested for cabinets) is that my brother who does a lot of woodworking (he made almost all of the furniture in his house by hand) said he has quite a few sheets that he doesn't plan on using. He also has some walnut plywood that he said I could use so what do you both think about that for the cabinets instead of birch? And I'll make sure to post some pictures once it is completed, whenever that is. Thanks for the help.
The walnut will be a face veneer, and it's the ply cores / substrate that really matter.
It sounds like Erick has built his own fair share of cabinets and speaker enclosures over the years, and while we might differ on approach to finishing details - I prefer to post veneer with thinner paper sheets- I think we're on the same page with regards to the carcass. Unless you want to build up layers for aesthetic touches such as big bevels or radii, a single layer of "3/4" inch ply, well braced is plenty. For very compact sealed boxes for high SPL car subs, I'll sometimes go 2 @15mm and interlocking bracing - the customers read somewhere on the Internet that's important, and it's easier to just say "yes, but it will cost more, you know"
MDF has its uses, but even in commercial millwork, we're starting to use a lot more shop grade veneer core sheet goods - so much easier to deliver and install.
It sounds like Erick has built his own fair share of cabinets and speaker enclosures over the years, and while we might differ on approach to finishing details - I prefer to post veneer with thinner paper sheets- I think we're on the same page with regards to the carcass. Unless you want to build up layers for aesthetic touches such as big bevels or radii, a single layer of "3/4" inch ply, well braced is plenty. For very compact sealed boxes for high SPL car subs, I'll sometimes go 2 @15mm and interlocking bracing - the customers read somewhere on the Internet that's important, and it's easier to just say "yes, but it will cost more, you know"
MDF has its uses, but even in commercial millwork, we're starting to use a lot more shop grade veneer core sheet goods - so much easier to deliver and install.
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Traditional thin veneer (post construction) is great and easy to finish. I just pointed out the tri-ply cause it is only $12 a sheet.( I would not veneer with it- I use it for underlayment with engineered maple floors- interesting stuff though)Cross bracing is great and effective if we are thinking of the same thing:
I built an 8"-30liter sub with 3"x3/4" sticks terminated with cleats and glued together when they crossed in the middle of the cabinet. fantastic, efficient cabinet. Coupling the opposing panels is important for efficiency and it will allow an uncommon material like 1/2" ply to be used. also panel Coupling/bracing will effectively double your material size. 1/2" becoming 1"
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