IF you get someone else to cut everything out,you might as well buy a ready made cabinet.The whole idea is the challenge to do it your self.There is so much information on this website, there is no reason you cant build your speaker from scratch.This is half the reward and at the same time you will get better at it and learn something too.If you have a few of the the basic tools,go for it.Spend your money on other things like clamps ect.Ninety percent of all your diy cabinets are made up of squares and rectangles, pretty basic stuff.I have a saying.If your capable of doing it your self, go for it.Know one else will do it better.Regards Chris.
A person could also build his own panel saw. It doesn't take up too much space in the garage, and is fairly cheap.
http://www.woodsmithstore.com/panelsawkit.html
Cheers,
Davey.
http://www.woodsmithstore.com/panelsawkit.html
Cheers,
Davey.
Well, I suppose a "purist" would grow his own trees and cut them up to make his own MDF and veneer. 😀
You know,the way logging is heading,that may be are only alternative.I'll be lucky to retire in this industry.Maybe with all the composites there making to replace wood, we will have some interesting material for speaker building.
Umm... Why not use fibre glass?? anyone know of anyone who has used it? or reasons why not to use it?? Make spherical speaker boxes.. get a largeish beachball, inflate it, then start adding layers of fibreglass sheeting... once it is thinck enough cut a hole on one side bigger than teh speaker, then.. ahh, dang, I forget.. my friend and I were talking about it in physics last year, he has done fibre glassing before, so he knew the best way... ohh well.. 🙂
Hello all,
Thanks for all the good suggestions. I think that I have been persuaded that this is, after all, a DIY site so I'll take another crack at doing my own MDF cutting, and just work on improving my technique.
Bill,
I think what you described about my right hand dominant problem is right on. (forgive the pun.)
1) Do you have any other technique suggestions for getting good cuts on the table saw?
2) I'm going to build an outfeed table. Can you elaborate on your suggested design? I'll take all the help I can get.
3) Where do I find the plastic laminate for the top? HD doesn't seem to carry any. Or I'm looking in the wrong place.
Chris,
I do have a router with a laminate trimming bit. Can you elaborate on your method for getting _square_ cuts with it? I've used the router to trim veneer on already square MDF, but never used the router to make the MDF panels square.
Thanks all!
alphaGeek (Pete)
Thanks for all the good suggestions. I think that I have been persuaded that this is, after all, a DIY site so I'll take another crack at doing my own MDF cutting, and just work on improving my technique.
Bill,
I think what you described about my right hand dominant problem is right on. (forgive the pun.)
1) Do you have any other technique suggestions for getting good cuts on the table saw?
2) I'm going to build an outfeed table. Can you elaborate on your suggested design? I'll take all the help I can get.
3) Where do I find the plastic laminate for the top? HD doesn't seem to carry any. Or I'm looking in the wrong place.
Chris,
I do have a router with a laminate trimming bit. Can you elaborate on your method for getting _square_ cuts with it? I've used the router to trim veneer on already square MDF, but never used the router to make the MDF panels square.
Thanks all!
alphaGeek (Pete)
For a outfeed table, 2x4's on edge covered in plywood. Half a sheet will give you a good sized table. A 2x4 leg at each corner held by 2 carriage bolts per leg will make knock-down easy enough. Make sure the outfeed table is either exactly the height of the saw table or a hair less. Consider using the other half of the sheet for a table to the left of the saw. The surface should be very smooth which is why I recommended laminate. They also make a spray which will protect and lubricate the table saw surface. It's hard enought to cut a whole panel alone without having to contend unnecessary friction. I'm sure Home Depot has laminate.
Use a really good blade. Carbide for sure and with 80 or 100 teeth. And, keep it very sharp. Feed the piece smooth and steady and don't stop in mid-feed. The suggestion to pre-cut to a rough size is certainly a good one and will give you much better control of your feed. Depending on how good your pre-cut is, the leftover piece may not have a straight, even edge. Keep that in mind when you go to use it.
Make sure your fence is EXACTLY parallel to the blade.
Check the measurement guide on your fence. I have the same fence as yours and the tape is not very accurate. I do love that fence though.
Use a really good blade. Carbide for sure and with 80 or 100 teeth. And, keep it very sharp. Feed the piece smooth and steady and don't stop in mid-feed. The suggestion to pre-cut to a rough size is certainly a good one and will give you much better control of your feed. Depending on how good your pre-cut is, the leftover piece may not have a straight, even edge. Keep that in mind when you go to use it.
Make sure your fence is EXACTLY parallel to the blade.
Check the measurement guide on your fence. I have the same fence as yours and the tape is not very accurate. I do love that fence though.
I'm not Chris, but I do and told you to do the same thing Chris told you.
You only need to worry about one dimension this way. Say you want a box about 40" tall. Cut your MDF to 40" x whatever don't worry cutting just glue the pieces where you want and trim with your router bit. Usually people say leave the piece of wood 2 or 3 mm more than you need and then trim with router. Actually if you want something perfect it almost has to be done this way. Unless you're the almightly Norm Abrum or some other wood working guy with his own T.V. show. I seen one guy, on one of these shows, cut his own perfect fitting dove tail joints with nothing but a hand saw and maybe a chissel or something.😱
You only need to worry about one dimension this way. Say you want a box about 40" tall. Cut your MDF to 40" x whatever don't worry cutting just glue the pieces where you want and trim with your router bit. Usually people say leave the piece of wood 2 or 3 mm more than you need and then trim with router. Actually if you want something perfect it almost has to be done this way. Unless you're the almightly Norm Abrum or some other wood working guy with his own T.V. show. I seen one guy, on one of these shows, cut his own perfect fitting dove tail joints with nothing but a hand saw and maybe a chissel or something.😱
I'm not Chris, but I do and told you to do the same thing Chris told you.
You only need to worry about one dimension this way. Say you want a box about 40" tall. Cut your MDF to 40" x whatever don't worry cutting just glue the pieces where you want and trim with your router bit. Usually people say leave the piece of wood 2 or 3 mm more than you need and then trim with router. Actually if you want something perfect it almost has to be done this way. In your case I would say it absolutely has to be done this way 😉
You only need to worry about one dimension this way. Say you want a box about 40" tall. Cut your MDF to 40" x whatever don't worry cutting just glue the pieces where you want and trim with your router bit. Usually people say leave the piece of wood 2 or 3 mm more than you need and then trim with router. Actually if you want something perfect it almost has to be done this way. In your case I would say it absolutely has to be done this way 😉
I'm not Chris, but I do and told you to do the same thing Chris told you.
You only need to worry about one dimension this way. Say you want a box about 40" tall. Cut your MDF to 40" x whatever don't worry cutting just glue the pieces where you want and trim with your router bit. Usually people say leave the piece of wood 2 or 3 mm overlap more than you need and then trim with router. Actually if you want something perfect and flush, and you're not Norm Abrum or some other carpenter type, it almost has to be done this way. In your case I would say it definately has to be done this way 😉
You only need to worry about one dimension this way. Say you want a box about 40" tall. Cut your MDF to 40" x whatever don't worry cutting just glue the pieces where you want and trim with your router bit. Usually people say leave the piece of wood 2 or 3 mm overlap more than you need and then trim with router. Actually if you want something perfect and flush, and you're not Norm Abrum or some other carpenter type, it almost has to be done this way. In your case I would say it definately has to be done this way 😉
I did it.
At the risk of being redundant from another thread, I wanted to thank everyone on this thread for all your help.
I did all the panel cutting myself, and it turned out great.
My sub page
At the risk of being redundant from another thread, I wanted to thank everyone on this thread for all your help.
I did all the panel cutting myself, and it turned out great.
My sub page
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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To Alphageek, I can't stand hand saws,because i've got a poor grip.And because of that i've broke too many blades.
I find electric jigsaws and especially electric Routers the best for cutting MDF and plywood.I can't bear partial board,because slip or a blunt saw,a chunk flakes off.
MDF is kind of dangerous,because of the very fine particles when cutting can get in your eyes,and your lungs;so I cut MDF outside wearing a mask and goggles.
18mm 15 ply Plywood is my favourite type for making speaker enclousures,very strong and also water resistant.
Birch,Baltic and Marine baltic birch plywood is very expensive,and I only bought Marine baltic birch plywood once, to make some professional pa 18 inch bass bins,which used Eminence Kilomax 18, 1250w rms[an expensive driver cost £250 each inc vat].
To Alphageek, I can't stand hand saws,because i've got a poor grip.And because of that i've broke too many blades.
I find electric jigsaws and especially electric Routers the best for cutting MDF and plywood.I can't bear partial board,because slip or a blunt saw,a chunk flakes off.
MDF is kind of dangerous,because of the very fine particles when cutting can get in your eyes,and your lungs;so I cut MDF outside wearing a mask and goggles.18mm 15 ply Plywood is my favourite type for making speaker enclousures,very strong and also water resistant.
Birch,Baltic and Marine baltic birch plywood is very expensive,and I only bought Marine baltic birch plywood once, to make some professional pa 18 inch bass bins,which used Eminence Kilomax 18, 1250w rms[an expensive driver cost £250 each inc vat].
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