Yet Another Statements Build!

[jinjuku]

Just out of curiosity, I haven't assembled the crossovers for these yet and was planning on placing them in the base of the cabinet. I realize that by putting them here if something were to ever go wrong w/ them I would be SOL!

Put in three sets of binding posts (tweets/mids/woofers) and put the x-overs in an external box...

 

[mattsk8]

Put in three sets of binding posts (tweets/mids/woofers) and put the x-overs in an external box...

I think I might either build an external box on the back of the cabinet for the crossovers, or go w/ the hatch on the bottom to access it. Just got to decide...

I think I've decided, just got to dumby the xovers together to see just how big they are. I'll build a box on the outside back of the cabinets that's as narrow and shallow as possible for the xover; something that won't grab your attention when you're looking at em untill you look toward the back (if that's even possible, a couple of the caps are pretty big).

 

[jinjuku]

I think I might either build an external box on the back of the cabinet for the crossovers, or go w/ the hatch on the bottom to access it. Just got to decide...

I think I've decided, just got to dumby the xovers together to see just how big they are. I'll build a box on the outside back of the cabinets that's as narrow and shallow as possible for the xover; something that won't grab your attention when you're looking at em untill you look toward the back (if that's even possible, a couple of the caps are pretty big).

The mid and woofer X-over will take up the bottom of the cabinet easily. I placed the tweeter circuit on the mid-tunnel behind the tweeter and it's purposefully narrow enough to remove the tweeter and pull out.

 

[mattsk8]

The mid and woofer X-over will take up the bottom of the cabinet easily. I placed the tweeter circuit on the mid-tunnel behind the tweeter and it's purposefully narrow enough to remove the tweeter and pull out.

I think my next step is to just mock the cabinets and the xovers together (got a couple more things to dado), cut the speaker holes in the front baffle and figure it out when I have a good visual. Probably the best way for me to quit over thinking it!

 

[mattsk8]

Got to work on these babys some more yesterday. Got all my dados done plus I got the mid tunnels put together. I also got to mock the cabinets together just to make sure everything fit after altering the dimensions of the wood for the dados.

Today I'm going to cut in the speaker holes and do all the roundovers and cut holes in the bracing.

As far as crossover mounting I've decided to put them in the base of the cabs (Jim Holtz said it was a good spot). First question I have is, do I fasten them to the sides of the cabs w/ some 3/4" screws? I'd imagine fishing your hands through the speaker hole, then down through the bracing hole, then screwing those screws in would be pretty tricky. Just curious what others here have run into as far as that goes.

Another question I have is, I purchased the wedge foam to line the inner cabinet walls w/. Should I just use hollow fill (white cabinet stuffing) in the base (under the lower brace) instead of the wedge foam? I won't be able to put the wedge foam on the walls where the crossovers are mounted. Also, what do you put around the mid tunnels? More hollow fill? Then I guess I'd just line the woofer cabinet walls w/ the wedge foam, correct?

 

[mattsk8]

Where'd everybody go? [crickets chirping]

 

[jinjuku]

Got to work on these babys some more yesterday. Got all my dados done plus I got the mid tunnels put together. I also got to mock the cabinets together just to make sure everything fit after altering the dimensions of the wood for the dados.

Today I'm going to cut in the speaker holes and do all the roundovers and cut holes in the bracing.

As far as crossover mounting I've decided to put them in the base of the cabs (Jim Holtz said it was a good spot). First question I have is, do I fasten them to the sides of the cabs w/ some 3/4" screws? I'd imagine fishing your hands through the speaker hole, then down through the bracing hole, then screwing those screws in would be pretty tricky. Just curious what others here have run into as far as that goes.

Another question I have is, I purchased the wedge foam to line the inner cabinet walls w/. Should I just use hollow fill (white cabinet stuffing) in the base (under the lower brace) instead of the wedge foam? I won't be able to put the wedge foam on the walls where the crossovers are mounted. Also, what do you put around the mid tunnels? More hollow fill? Then I guess I'd just line the woofer cabinet walls w/ the wedge foam, correct?

I didn't line the actual tunnel on the outside's. Just the cabinet wall. You could use a 1lb or 2 of poly fill in the bottom but you have to be willing to play with the amount to get the amount of damping you want. That or some pink fiberglass wrapped in cloth with a stitch or two.

 

[mattsk8]

Got all the speaker holes cut in the front baffles. Going to work on routing the backs out tonight plus cutting holes in the lower braces. I still don't see how these crossovers are going to fit in the base of these under the lower brace. Especially getting them in around the port. I might build a base that'll hold em which will end up making their finished height about 62" instead of 60", or cut an access panel in the lower back. Guess I'll map out the crossovers and see where I end up...

 

[mattsk8]

I do have another question. I'm going to use 8-32 screws w/ threaded inserts to hold the mids and tweets in. I know these are the right size cuz I had some left over from the Tritrix build and they work well for mids and tweets. They're a bit small for the woofers and I'm thinking 10-24 screws for these but just wanted to double check. Is that what you used Jinjuku??

 

[Swerd]

I do have another question. I'm going to use 8-32 screws w/ threaded inserts to hold the mids and tweets in. I know these are the right size cuz I had some left over from the Tritrix build and they work well for mids and tweets. They're a bit small for the woofers and I'm thinking 10-24 screws for these but just wanted to double check. Is that what you used Jinjuku??

I don't use threaded inserts for any driver smaller than 8". It requires a drill press, which I don't have, to get all the holes aligned. If just one is off, you can't tighten all the screws.

What kind of threaded insert are you using? T-nut, hurricane nut, or other? There are various tricks to install them that help keep them aligned better. Never hammer in a T-nut or hurricane nut!

With drivers smaller than 8", and a hand-held drill, I find it easier to use pan head deep thread screws like this #8 × ¾" from Parts Express.

If you pre-drill a smaller diameter hole before driving in the screw, they hold in MDF front baffles and I can't screw it up like I can with threaded inserts. I also prefer the square drive screws over the phillips head screws. With a square drive you cannot slip and poke a hole in your woofer or tweeter .

 

[jinjuku]

I do have another question. I'm going to use 8-32 screws w/ threaded inserts to hold the mids and tweets in. I know these are the right size cuz I had some left over from the Tritrix build and they work well for mids and tweets. They're a bit small for the woofers and I'm thinking 10-24 screws for these but just wanted to double check. Is that what you used Jinjuku??

I just used screws meant for MDF... You can get them a PE. I have decided T-Nuts are more effort than they're worth.

 

[mattsk8]

I don't use threaded inserts for any driver smaller than 8". It requires a drill press, which I don't have, to get all the holes aligned. If just one is off, you can't tighten all the screws.

What kind of threaded insert are you using? T-nut, hurricane nut, or other? There are various tricks to install them that help keep them aligned better. Never hammer in a T-nut or hurricane nut!

With drivers smaller than 8", and a hand-held drill, I find it easier to use pan head deep thread screws like this #8 × ¾" from Parts Express.

If you pre-drill a smaller diameter hole before driving in the screw, they hold in MDF front baffles and I can't screw it up like I can with threaded inserts. I also prefer the square drive screws over the phillips head screws. With a square drive you cannot slip and poke a hole in your woofer or tweeter .

I've been there twice where I ruined a woofer w/ a phillips head! Sucks! One was fortunately just thru the surround a sub, but the other just anihilated the woofer on a fairly expensive, brand new set of components. I could've cried !

Far as the screws go, for the woofers and tweeters I'm using something like this: Buy 10-24 Brass Threaded Inserts (10) at Woodcraft
The ones I'm using actually came from a place called Fastenal and they're 3/4" deep instead of 3/8". Unfortunately, I already drilled and mounted the t-nuts for the mids and I want all the hardware to match- using allen drive screws; 8-32 for the mids and tweets and 10-24 for the woofers. I can't use t-nuts for the tweets cuz the mid tunnels are right where they'd need to mount; that's why I chose the threaded inserts. I do have a drill press for drilling the holes for these but it will still be tricky just because the panels are so big and its just a standard drill press. I would just use T nuts for the woofers but they're just so cheesy and I'm afraid of potential air leaks from them. Not worried on the mids cuz they wont move as much plus the backs are wide open anyhow.

I just used screws meant for MDF... You can get them a PE. I have decided T-Nuts are more effort than they're worth.

The t-nuts are a bit of a PIA. I'll let ya know how the threaded inserts work out. Should've just used some of square drive wood screws and saved all this hassle, I'm sure they work fine. Just had the T-nuts already and mounted them in the mids already so I'm committed now!

 

[mattsk8]

Here's progress so far. I still have to make the crossovers; hope to get those done over the long weekend. The cabinet is just mocked together in the pic, no glue or anything. Just making sure everything fit one last time. After I took that pic I got the horizontal braces for the mid tunnels glued and clamped to the side panels so those are ready to rock now as well. One more trial fit then it's go time!!

 

[Swerd]

Here's progress so far. I still have to make the crossovers; hope to get those done over the long weekend. The cabinet is just mocked together in the pic, no glue or anything. Just making sure everything fit one last time. After I took that pic I got the horizontal braces for the mid tunnels glued and clamped to the side panels so those are ready to rock now as well. One more trial fit then it's go time!!

Looking good.

I've never tried those threaded brass inserts. If you've used them before, use a drill press, and know how to mount them straight, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work. Don't listen to anyone who says they work on solid or plywood but not MDF. Each of your woofers uses 6 of them. One may not hold well in MDF, but 6 can't fail.

 

[mattsk8]

Looking good.

I've never tried those threaded brass inserts. If you've used them before, use a drill press, and know how to mount them straight, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work. Don't listen to anyone who says they work on solid or plywood but not MDF. Each of your woofers uses 6 of them. One may not hold well in MDF, but 6 can't fail.

For someone to say they won't work on MDF doesn't make sense anyhow. If a #6 screw works (recommended for those subs) then surely those threaded inserts will. Especially the ones I got because as opposed to 3/8" deep (the norm for threaded inserts), these are 3/4" deep w/ some fairly beefy threads.

 

[mattsk8]

Progress so far. Coming along slowly but surely. Far as the cabinets go, all I have left before assembly is to bevel the backs of the woofer cutouts in the front baffles. Then it's on to the crossovers! Hope I can get some help here w/ those cuz they're over my head!

As far as fasteners in MDF go, I'm still in the air on what seems to be best. I prefer hurricane nuts to T-nuts. I think I prefer threaded inserts to all of them though. The only thing I'm kinda on the fence about is whether or not I prefer just a standard wood screw to the threaded inserts. The inserts are for sure better for repeated use, but honestly how often are pulling out the woofers? The threaded inserts take forever to install (so do the hurricane and t-nuts) and if you're not spot on w/ the threaded inserts you could really screw things up. Fortunately everything seemed to fit well.

As far as installing the threaded inserts go, I've read up quite a bit on different peoples opinions on how to do it. I read to use a drill press to actually install the inserts which is just absurd. There's no way that would work; you'd spin the insert right through the board unless you had a variable speed drill press w/ a break on it somehow. What worked best for me wasn't the drive handle you can get for them, but to thread the allen head screw into the insert but put 2 washers in between the screw head and the insert. That'll give it a good seat when it tightens plus leave a bit of a buffer so the screw will release from the insert better after you get it threaded into the MDF. Start the threaded insert w/ an allen wrench to make sure it goes in straight, then finish w/ a decent cordless drill that has an allen bit in it. W/ the drill you'll be able to control the speed and still make sure it goes in straight. I also used Tightbond II on the insert's threads before I screwed them in. Made for a nice speaker install but it did take me about 2 1/2 hours just to do the tweets and woofers !!

 

[jinjuku]

Did you champher the back of the woofer holes?

 

[mattsk8]

Did you champher the back of the woofer holes?

I actually did last night. It was recommended to me to take more out of the mids. Tonight I'll play w/ that but it'll be tricky w/ the hurricane nuts already mounted to do that w/out annihilating my bevel bit ! We'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll take a straight 1/2" bit and just take the baffle down to 3/4 or even 5/8" thickness all the way around the mids up to where the mid tunnels mount except where the hurricane nuts are mounted. Bad idea? Or should I just go a bit deeper w/ the bevel bit?

 

[mattsk8]

Got the mids rerouted out and didn't ruin my bit...

 

[mattsk8]

Now I need some help w/ the xovers!! Can someone look at these and let me know if the components seem to be in the right order? I know the pics are kinda crappy, I took them w/ my droid. I know I have the right parts based on the map on Curt Campbell's site, just want to be sure they're in the right order. Thanks for any help on this!!! Once I'm fairly certain they're in the right order I'll clean and tighten things up, just wanted to dumby them together for a good look first.