Tempest Build

[annunaki]

Serious work going into some grilles my friend!!

Nice job! Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[MrBoat]

Serious work going into some grilles my friend!!

Nice job! Can't wait to see the finished product!

I imagine it's going overboard a bit. These speakers provide very little real estate for cloth grills and I like the look of the big woofer being that the horn and the ports are so big too so I'd like to see it. I may do multiple grille options until I find something I really like. I do like the looks of these, just need to take some of the height out by my eye. But then, sometimes absurd works too over time and paint can change it entirely.

 

[ski2xblack]

Yeah, those are looking quite impressive. Given the lack of real-estate on the cab fronts, I've thought of going with something like these old JBL style grills:

Yours are looking so cool that they may actually attract the grand kids attention!

 

[Bucknekked]

I imagine it's going overboard a bit. These speakers provide very little real estate for cloth grills and I like the look of the big woofer being that the horn and the ports are so big too so I'd like to see it. I may do multiple grille options until I find something I really like. I do like the looks of these, just need to take some of the height out by my eye. But then, sometimes absurd works too over time and paint can change it entirely.

you have a mastery of lots of cool toys. keep up the pictures and the stream of work. it is inspiring to see

 

[MrBoat]

Yeah, those are looking quite impressive. Given the lack of real-estate on the cab fronts, I've thought of going with something like these old JBL style grills:

Yours are looking so cool that they may actually attract the grand kids attention!

The round-over front panels on the Tempests add a degree of visual difficulty with the transition from that detail to typical cloth grills, by my eye. Could have sworn I chose the baffles without the rounds being's I have a full router op here at home and at work. I was considering using solid wood edges for round-overs so that I would have the option to veneer the fronts as well.

Initially, with the grills, I was (still might) going to use an aluminum ring that was cut out in the shape of a sprocket/gear for more of a steam-punk design. With the two rails following that concept, which would have given the grills some 'tooth', adding to the deterrent factor, being that one of our parts associates has that machining capability. The owner of which, always has an interest in my projects somehow.

I intend to make dust covers for the whole speaker which should help disguise everything.

 

[MrBoat]

you have a mastery of lots of cool toys. keep up the pictures and the stream of work. it is inspiring to see

Thank you, Buck

This is my day job as well most days too. You would think I'd have had enough of this by now.

There's an old welder joke that goes along the lines of; "Couldn't you just buy that?"

 

[lovinthehd]

Thank you, Buck

This is my day job as well most days too. You would think I'd have had enough of this by now.

There's an old welder joke that goes along the lines of; "Couldn't you just buy that?"

But your dayjob is quite evident...port hole grills! Love it, tho. With your woodwork on the cabinets this can only enhance not only the value to you and protection from wandering fingers (I think?) but just look damn good in the meantime!

 

[MrBoat]

But your dayjob is quite evident...port hole grills! Love it, tho. With your woodwork on the cabinets this can only enhance not only the value to you and protection from wandering fingers (I think?) but just look damn good in the meantime!

I didn't see a lot of options for grilles that didn't look like a cheap hubcap from J.C. Whitney catalog and not much in the DIY realm.

In the mean time, if any of you folks ever need some small parts welded for your DIY/hobby stuff, ship it here and I'll hook you up free of charge if it isn't too involved. Especially decorative aluminum welds. I have a pro welding op set up here at home. I can also weld anodized parts. So any piece of custom hardware, say to mount a tweeter on the outside of a cabinet or something or even speaker stands that you just can't buy anywhere.

 

[Bucknekked]

I didn't see a lot of options for grilles that didn't look like a cheap hubcap from J.C. Whitney catalog and not much in the DIY realm.

In the mean time, if any of you folks ever need some small parts welded for your DIY/hobby stuff, ship it here and I'll hook you up free of charge if it isn't too involved. Especially decorative aluminum welds. I have a pro welding op set up here at home. I can also weld anodized parts. So any piece of custom hardware, say to mount a tweeter on the outside of a cabinet or something or even speaker stands that you just can't buy anywhere.

Wow. That's a gracious offer. Now I need to get busy and think something up.

 

[MrBoat]

I managed to make the other, lower profile rings for the grills today, plus built the router table in which to make the recesses for the metal grilles. These fit much better by my eye. I used to have a much nicer router table, but it was liberated with the rest of my power tools some years ago.

This photo shows how far the thinned epoxy soaks into the MDF. This way, any subsequent sanding needed does not fuzz up the MDF. I'll also coat any bald areas where I did the machining. I can use 5 minute epoxy thinned with denatured alcohol for those parts, or any body work for any subsequent machining processes.

The epoxy is a good treatment for any screw holes after the fact as well. It hardens the holes so that the screw heads don't pull through it easily when tightening them. Another trick is, drill holes larger than needed for fasteners, fill the holes with epoxy putty, then predrill that for the actual threads to grab onto. I use fumed silica powder to make a sandable putty with epoxy, but talcum (baby) powder or even baking flour works a treat.

 

[Bucknekked]

Another trick is, drill holes larger than needed for fasteners, fill the holes with epoxy putty, then predrill that for the actual threads to grab onto. I use fumed silica powder to make a sandable putty with epoxy, but talcum (baby) powder or even baking flour works a treat.

MrBoat: I have seen all the lawyer/lawsuit commercials about baby powder causing cancer.
Aren't you concerned about giving your speakers a terminal illness by putting baby powder in them?

(for those of you slow on the uptake, no, I am not serious.)

 

[MrBoat]

My speakers have binding posts. No terminals will be harmed in the application of these materials.

As far as I am concerned, it will have to get past all the asbestos and glass fibers, fluoride and gypsum dust first.

 

[MrBoat]

Definitely need to be black. It just goes to show how honking big the Tempest woofers are. It's a snug fit so far. I have it jamming while this photo was taken and they stay there by themselves without any fasteners. I need to twist the little ell's a little more true to square on one side.

I have so much more to do. Still need to build speaker stands, a TV/component (if I even keep the tv since I rarely watch it) stand, another pair of speakers on their way, veneer/paint the sub. . . . This DIY stuff can really evolve!

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah that speaker is definitely outclassing the box now Nice job!

 

[MrBoat]

Yeah that speaker is definitely outclassing the box now Nice job!

Watch, that cardboard box will start an interior fashion trend. The problem being, other's attempts will look too obvious

 

[Swerd]

MrBoat: I have seen all the lawyer/lawsuit commercials about baby powder causing cancer.
Aren't you concerned about giving your speakers a terminal illness by putting baby powder in them?

Unless I misjudge them, those speakers cannot get ovarian cancer – with or without those giant welded aluminum 'chastity' grills.

It was a lawsuit where the jury stunned everyone by finding for the plaintiff who apparently had for many years put baby powder up her hoo-hah. She had died of ovarian cancer. No one in cancer research knows what causes ovarian cancer, but that didn't stop those lawyers.

 

[lovinthehd]

Unless I misjudge them, those speakers cannot get ovarian cancer – with or without those giant welded aluminum 'chastity' grills.

It was a lawsuit where the jury stunned everyone by finding for the plaintiff who apparently had for many years put baby powder up her hoo-hah. She had died of ovarian cancer. No one in cancer research knows what causes ovarian cancer, but that didn't stop those lawyers.

I've seen the commercials...and searching a bit seems there's a bit more to the background....http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/28/jury-awards-more-than-70-million-to-woman-in-baby-powder-lawsuit.html

 

[MrBoat]

Unless I misjudge them, those speakers cannot get ovarian cancer – with or without those giant welded aluminum 'chastity' grills.

It was a lawsuit where the jury stunned everyone by finding for the plaintiff who apparently had for many years put baby powder up her hoo-hah. She had died of ovarian cancer. No one in cancer research knows what causes ovarian cancer, but that didn't stop those lawyers.

They should stop a soccer ball, or a daredevil Barbie doll. I actually like the speakers with noting on them at all but I just know how these things end up when I least expect it.

 

[MrBoat]

I've seen the commercials...and searching a bit seems there's a bit more to the background....http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/28/jury-awards-more-than-70-million-to-woman-in-baby-powder-lawsuit.html

I remember reading about it briefly. I guess I am providing a service by encapsulating as much of it as I can in plastic.

 

[MrBoat]

I am often my worst critic and I was willing to scrap this idea if it were indeed, hideous, but I am ultimately pleased with the result. I will not need fasteners to affix these to the speakers. I have managed a twist on fit to the gaskets and the gaskets bottom out perfectly in the recesses of the rings. Nothing about the Tempests is aesthetically subtle. I think these face masks fit the speakers personality, or at least mine, anyway.

The stands won't take as long. I am just unsure if I want to make stands, or to build a component/tv stand and get rid of the end tables altogether to where I won't need stands. It has me in kind of a snag with the television because I need to put it on something regardless and I have no other place to put it for the time being.