Is it simple to upgrade to bi-amped after I build them? ( One 2 channel F5m for each speaker ) I'm building 2 amps and may convert them to monoblocks. ( or dual block )
Is there a suggested type of plywood I should get from Home Depot? The plywood in some of those pictures looks very nice and smooth. ( marine plywood or something similar? ) I would not veneer them. I would paint them white like the pics in the thread.
Baltic Birch plywood seems to be the preferred material for many DIY builders, and what you see in builds above.
Agree with Soren. Although my Monkey Coffins have a long way to go, I can attest to the Baltic birch. It’s great stuff. No voids. May need to call around to some specialty shops to find it. Usually comes in 5 x 5 sheets.
Will the home depot baltic birch be ok do you think? It comes in 2'x4'. I can call around if there is higher grade Baltic Birch than home depot.
Oh, I see from the cabinet drawing I'm getting 1" plywood and not 3/4". ( 22mm ) And For the front, I use 3/4"? ( 20mm )
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/al...-x-4-feet-baltic-birch-handy-panel/1000127324
Oh, I see from the cabinet drawing I'm getting 1" plywood and not 3/4". ( 22mm ) And For the front, I use 3/4"? ( 20mm )
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/al...-x-4-feet-baltic-birch-handy-panel/1000127324
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I used 3/4" for my build and but I am not a wood worker/expert. Before purchasing multiples of those sheets, I would recommend getting a quote from Ocooch (mentioned above). Not only were their prices competitive, but they offer panels accurately cut to your specs, which is handy if you don't have a workshop. I paid $255 for the BB plywood for my speakers, including shipping.
Just need to make sure the home depot baltic birch 3/4" plywood is high grade/smooth and has not air pockets etc. It all seems to come from Russia but not sure how to ensure the grade of home depot Baltic Birch is high enough for speakers and if there are varying grades. ( even if they all originate from Russia, could be differences in grade I guess ) I'm guessing building the cabinet is most of the work?
I can’t believe birch ply in Canada is not from Canada. So what is that country’s huge forestry industry good for?
Any good quality hardwood ply will do provided it is hardwood throughout and not only in the face layers.
So the front panel is 20mm and the rest of the sides are 22mm. The brace is 16mm. None of those thicknesses match up to 1/2", 3/4" plywood. Do I need to plane down the boards? Will using different thickness potentially mess up the math/specs of the sound?
@maximax77 apparently the baltic birch has no knots, and is higher grade. There are complaints in the review section of home depot birch plywood from Canada including holes that go 2 or 3 layers deep and knots.
We have Ply-Supply in canada and I'll get a quote from them. They seem to have the good stuff. They call it 'cabinet grade baltic birch' and they all 5/8" which is 16mm.
@maximax77 apparently the baltic birch has no knots, and is higher grade. There are complaints in the review section of home depot birch plywood from Canada including holes that go 2 or 3 layers deep and knots.
We have Ply-Supply in canada and I'll get a quote from them. They seem to have the good stuff. They call it 'cabinet grade baltic birch' and they all 5/8" which is 16mm.
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No:
- I would see these thicknesses as the minimum. No harm to go over.
- What needs to be kept as per the original are the baffle dimensions and driver placements, and the internal volume. The internal volume, taking into account the braces but not the drivers or anything else, is around 75 litres.
- So you adjust the depth of the enclosure to keep the volume constant as you change thicknesses, add a brace etc
- The complication is the volt driver which needs a 20mm thick baffle. I used a router to reduce the back of my 24mm baffle to 20mm. The drivers are closely spaced so a router, or cnc, is your only option.
- You can laminate several layers of ply if you wish.
Sounds like a good start but no way 16mm is the only thickness. Keep looking for suppliers. Usually the diy stores don’t have high grade materials, more like construction grade.
Just curious; If I build the cabinets, is it possible to swap to other drivers in the future if I want ( or use cheaper ones for example )? Will I be able to make adjustments to the cabinet to accommodate drivers with similar specs, considering all but 1 side will be glued? Just trying to get an idea of how 'versatile' the cabinet is. ( I plan on using the recommended drivers for my first build though )
I was able to find Baltic Birch in 1/4", 5/8", 1/2" and 1" near me. The 1" is 5'x5' and others are 4'x8'.
Any advice on how many of each sheet I should get to be on the safe side?
Any advice on how many of each sheet I should get to be on the safe side?
In this case, a removable front baffle could be a solution.
You could look at Troel's website for inspiration.
At this point, one of the experienced builders usually chime in: "don't overthink it...just do it" 😆
You could look at Troel's website for inspiration.
At this point, one of the experienced builders usually chime in: "don't overthink it...just do it" 😆
I’ll wind up using the majority of 2 full 5x5 sheets. I think I have enough to build crossover plinths below from that stock. Interior supports I used MDF, not sure if have had enough Baltic birch for them.