Entertainment Center

[sawzalot]

It's actually in the house but the face is in the hall. Here's the pic's I snapped before I wore myself out ... this is my break.
I would like it better if I wasn't sweating like a pig and if the hallway wasn't crammed full of stuff that I gotta drag in here and if I didn't have to run that truck back and go to the market but all in all ... I'll take it.

Excellent use of ratchet straps, bungees and painters tape, looks like it arrived in a flawless manner. I can't wait to see the piece in it's dedicated space.

 

[brianedm]

Can't wait to see the finished product

 

[majorloser]

 

[Alex2507]

No we ain't there yet. What this thread needs is less talkin' and more rockin'.

I gotta empty out my closet to get to that stupid neutral up in the lid (ceiling) ... f^%&.

I've got a buyer on the hook for the BR-1s and another buyer on the hook for the Infinities.

... and of course I gotta get to work. It's like Ground Hog Day.

 

[Swerd]

No we ain't there yet. What this thread needs is less talkin' and more rockin'.

I gotta empty out my closet to get to that stupid neutral up in the lid (ceiling) ... f^%&.

I've got a buyer on the hook for the BR-1s and another buyer on the hook for the Infinities.

... and of course I gotta get to work. It's like Ground Hog Day.

I know what that's like. When I was building those MB27s, I spent a good part of my time just trying to figure out, "now where was I when I last worked on them?", and "what do I have to do next?"

More than once, I went ahead working on step Y only to realize I hadn't yet done step X. And, of course, the details of how step X came out changed the details of how you had to do step Y.

That's why I laughed so hard at someone's question about "how many man-hours did it take?" The actual steps that got photographed to show in the build thread were probably less than than the time I spent spinning my wheels and recovering from mistakes.

 

[slipperybidness]

I know what that's like. When I was building those MB27s, I spent a good part of my time just trying to figure out, "now where was I when I last worked on them?", and "what do I have to do next?"

More than once, I went ahead working on step Y only to realize I hadn't yet done step X. And, of course, the details of how step X came out changed the details of how you had to do step Y.

That's why I laughed so hard at someone's question about "how many man-hours did it take?" The actual steps that got photographed to show in the build thread were probably less than than the time I spent spinning my wheels and recovering from mistakes.

That was my man-hrs question.

Just a suggestion, take some notes and write yourself a note for the next work session as to where to begin.

 

[Swerd]

That was my man-hrs question.

Just a suggestion, take some notes and write yourself a note for the next work session as to where to begin.

I wish I could have directly answered your question. That would be in keeping with my original plan to show, in straight forward steps, how to go from a schematic diagram to an assembled crossover without a kit. I wanted to make it look easy and encourage others to try it. But the complexity of that crossover and the limited interior space in that cabinet made it more of a challenge.

The next time I build a speaker, I'll have a team of flunkies working for me, and I'll manage them from a distant office like those pain-in-the-butt project managers we have at work, who annoy the cr@p out of everyone with their silly MS Project software. I'll have the software estimate an imaginary total man-hours number for the project .

 

[slipperybidness]

I wish I could have directly answered your question. That would be in keeping with my original plan to show, in straight forward steps, how to go from a schematic diagram to an assembled crossover without a kit. I wanted to make it look easy and encourage others to try it. But the complexity of that crossover and the limited interior space in that cabinet made it more of a challenge.

The next time I build a speaker, I'll have a team of flunkies working for me, and I'll manage them from a distant office like those pain-in-the-butt project managers we have at work, who annoy the cr@p out of everyone with their silly MS Project software. I'll have the software estimate an imaginary total man-hours number for the project .

One of the big reasons I quit my old job years ago is they made everyone start tracking and charging hours to particular jobs. This was after the company was sold to a larger company. It was basically to the point of "quality work isn't good enough, now we need to see it on paper too". But, if you are good with cooking the books, then the worst slacker could cover his tracks on paper.

I am a scientist, not an accountant. It turned into having to be both, and I didn't see why I should be doing the accountants job and my job too. I didn't hang around too long after that (and some other changes).

OK, I'm off that soap box now

 

[Alex2507]

While snapping pic's of the new center I got a couple of the face sort of in place for dry fitting. The small Formica side has been glued up and the door is there too just for show. My hallway has a couple of sheets of half inch leaned up on the wall. My girl has been beyond patient. This is how I know she loves me but I often find myself thinking, "what's not to love?"

 

[GO-NAD!]

Looks perfect! Leave it like that.

 

[majorloser]

My girl has been beyond patient.

But the rest of us are dying over here

 

[Alex2507]

Looks perfect! Leave it like that.

... but then it would look like some Eastern European lives here.

Gentlemen, I have made some progress be it however modest.
Since I am a known bullsh!tter pictures must bear me witness.

Leveled up w/ escape hatch closed.

Hatch open ...

May as well start with the good looking pic of the living room side ...

But the doors closed looks better in real life. All the reflections screw up the esthetics.

This one is with the back door closed. Just different reflections screwing things up.

One door slid back ...

The view from afar ...
It starts looking like crap again but that's because somebody hasn't finished up yet.

In the above pic the TV has been raised 4 inches because I thought I would need the space for the center and MoPads which I still need to order. Now I'm not sure I need all that space but at least now I can check. I can also fine tune the doors and figure out where I need to drill holes for wires.

I know this seems drawn out but that's only because it is. Normally I install drywall. If I did this for a living it would be moving along better and my name might be something like ... oh, I don't know ... BMXTRIX ?!?

... and if you think this is slow, wait till I start hooking up electronics.

 

[fuzz092888]

The mopads look interesting, however I'd hate to go through all that work and see a giant pad underneath the center. Plus they look like they add some height.

I just received 4 square fat dots from herbie's audio lab and they seem like they do exactly what they're supposed to, while being invisible. It almost looks like the speaker is floating about a 1/4" above the stand.

Just a thought.

 

[Rickster71]

Looks very nice!
Are the selves adjustable?
How is it vented?

 

[Alex2507]

The mopads look interesting, however I'd hate to go through all that work and see a giant pad underneath the center. Plus they look like they add some height.

I just received 4 square fat dots from herbie's audio lab and they seem like they do exactly what they're supposed to, while being invisible. It almost looks like the speaker is floating about a 1/4" above the stand.

Just a thought.

I appreciate that but I don't mind the look nor the height. I'm thinking more about the decoupling aspect of the MoPads and how that will affect sound. This would be a good time for MoPad owners to chime in.

I'm not going to say anything about giant pads ... lol.

 

[Alex2507]

Looks very nice!
Are the selves adjustable?
How is it vented?

Oh thanks and sorry I missed this.

Adjustable shelves: nope.

Venting is the two brass floor drains you can see in the pic's above on the ManTown side with the hatch and in this pic you can see a little Chinese looking vent hole that I cut out by hand with a coping saw. That's the side the rec'r will be on.

Between all that and the back door having an 1/8" gap all around and the front more than likely being open during viewing I should be good. If I have to get fans YAA has reccomendations for that IIRC.

 

[fuzz092888]

Anything you want, LED's, no LED's, fan controllers, temp controlled, 80mm, 120mm, 200mm, USB, 120V, kits, DIY, ohhhh the possibilities.

 

[Alex2507]

Anything you want, LED's, no LED's, fan controllers, temp controlled, 80mm, 120mm, 200mm, USB, 120V, kits, DIY, ohhhh the possibilities.

LOL! Okay, good. You are the guy. I'm pretty good about remembering who's good for what. The emboldened stuff would be for me IF I need anything.

 

[fuzz092888]

Hmm ok, I have a few things in mind off the top of my head.

On another note I found these and I'm seriously considering adding a bunch of them to my entertainment stand. Not right now, because they're not exactly cheap, but maybe one by Christmas (or for Christmas) to see if they would work. Since I don't have that rear end entrance (everyone contain yourselves ) these would make my life a lot easier.

http://www.wayfair.com/Middle-Atlantic-REB-Series-Low-Profile-Rotating-Slide-Out-Equipment-Base-REBXX-DF3486.html?refid=FR49-DF3486_2132285&PiID[]=2132285

 

[Swerd]

I like it . I had to wait this long just to understand what it would look like.

The sliding glass doors disappear into the side pockets. How cool is that? Will the fronts of those pockets be covered by something?

The rear hatch opens to make cable connections simple. Excellent! I wish I could have something like that. How do the speaker wires for the fronts go from the receiver/amp to the speakers?

I noticed the vents on top and on the side. You cut that free hand with a coping saw? Looks nice, but you may find you need larger openings depending on how hot things get inside. I'm always in favor of passive ventilation instead of using fans. With the sliding glass doors and the rear hatch open, you should never need fans. If you can't keep the rear hatch open, you could always cut some holes in it to allow passive ventilation.

The shelves look very wide without supports in the middle. What can you do if they sag under the weight of stuff?

I don't get the part about the mopads. Where is the center speaker going?