Who doesn't need more speakers?

[fuzz092888]

I'm coming into this thread late, but not too late to say nice looking work! There is more than one way to build a speaker cabinet, and I like how you integrated the hardwood trim into the two layer front baffle. Good photos.

That must have been nice watching as you put on that first coat of Danish Oil.

Your woodworking kung fu is strong.

Thanks Swerd, every build (speakers or not) I try to do get better at what I've done before, but also try something new. Putting on the first coat was like seeing the girl from high school who had glasses and braces 10 years later as a modelesque hotty. They went from a blah set of extremely light colored boxes to something that could pass as speaker cabinets. I never get tired of seeing the natural figuring in wood really pop out

 

[Adam]

Putting on the first coat was like seeing the girl from high school who had glasses and braces 10 years later as a modelesque hotty.

Not to insult the bare speakers, man, but I think that the transformation was far greater. It was like seeing the girl from high school with acne who weighed 300 pounds but still wore chartreuse spandex pants 10 years later as Jessica Biel. Those look gorgeous now.

 

[fuzz092888]

Not to insult the bare speakers, man, but I think that the transformation was far greater. It was like seeing the girl from high school with acne who weighed 300 pounds but still wore chartreuse spandex pants 10 years later as Jessica Biel. Those look gorgeous now.

No, I agree. When I started gluing the outer baffles and trim on, I had serious reservations about what they were going to look like when they were done. Now I'm happy I stuck with it and spent all those hours smoothing out the imperfections, filling cracks, and sanding the heck out of them. I can't wait to see the. With the poly coats on them. I just ordered lambswool polishing pads, meguires rubbing and polishing compound and 000 steel wool to get them as glossy as possible. Hopefully I don't ruin them in the process after getting them to this point.

 

[Alex2507]

Progressively sanded from 80-600, then two coats of Danish Oil. I'll let them sit for 24-48 hours then do another two coats.

Let me pretend that I'm a Maritime dwelling Canuck (GO-NAD! ) and ask you about the plywood end grain left showing after the most excellent rabbet used in your panel joint. Is that a tooling burn just to the right of the woofer?

Your work has gotten to a level where small detractions are all that separates you from the big leagues. Don't get me wrong, I could and would easily live with that level of finish and I know you're just starting out in this finishing madness. It will be interesting to see where evolving taste leads you. Light wood and Maple were also my starting points taste wise. It's like you're following in my footsteps but are a couple of light years ahead all at the same time.

Do I see a couple of EMP bookshelves for sale in the near future?
Am I ever glad to have my bookshelf solution firmly in place!
No more new gear!

 

[fuzz092888]

Let me pretend that I'm a Maritime dwelling Canuck (GO-NAD! ) and ask you about the plywood end grain left showing after the most excellent rabbet used in your panel joint. Is that a tooling burn just to the right of the woofer?

Your work has gotten to a level where small detractions are all that separates you from the big leagues. Don't get me wrong, I could and would easily live with that level of finish and I know you're just starting out in this finishing madness. It will be interesting to see where evolving taste leads you. Light wood and Maple were also my starting points taste wise. It's like you're following in my footsteps but are a couple of light years ahead all at the same time.

Do I see a couple of EMP bookshelves for sale in the near future?
Am I ever glad to have my bookshelf solution firmly in place!
No more new gear!

Haha thanks a lot.

Well at first I was planning on doing more hardwood trim, then I wasn't sure I had enough and ended up buying more so it was a whole fiasco. In the future I already know how I'm doing it differently so there should be zero end grain, at least until I break into veneering.

Yes that is a burn mark and there are more. I purposely left all burn marks and tried not to sand them all out. I might be super weird, but I kind of like how they look and add a bit of dark to all the light wood. As to the light wood, it has more to do with what's allowed into the house at this point. When I have my own dedicate space all bets are off

Everything is always for sale. Offers are always welcome. For sale for sale for sale

I'm already planning a new build. Shhhh don't tell anyone.

 

[Adam]

Everything is always for sale. Offers are always welcome.

PM sent.

- Rick

 

[Alex2507]

As to the light wood, it has more to do with what's allowed into the house at this point.

Ahhh ... that's a strange line to draw in the sand. Like 57 varieties of speaker are all okay but they have to be a certain color. That's cool though. I don't pretend to understand and I don't judge.

I think it's probably for the best that my access to a shop is limited by a distance of 40 miles. Between that and space constraints I'm about done messing with builds but I can't seem to break my habit of searching out deals. The things that are keeping me away from rnatali's Epik Legend and ADK's ATI amp are space constraints and the fact that that amp is worth more than my car.

... and I need a new car!

... not a new amp!

 

[fuzz092888]

Ahhh ... that's a strange line to draw in the sand. Like 57 varieties of speaker are all okay but they have to be a certain color. That's cool though. I don't pretend to understand and I don't judge.

I think it's probably for the best that my access to a shop is limited by a distance of 40 miles. Between that and space constraints I'm about done messing with builds but I can't seem to break my habit of searching out deals. The things that are keeping me away from rnatali's Epik Legend and ADK's ATI amp are space constraints and the fact that that amp is worth more than my car.

... and I need a new car!

... not a new amp!

Well, I think this pair of bookshelves will be the last I'm going to be allowed for awhile.

You're right you don't need an amp. You need a front ported center channel

 

[Bryceo]

Wow fuzz grate work!

 

[fuzz092888]

Almost ready to start the last leg of the finishing process. Just giving the Danish Oil a few more days to dry since its been so humid here lately.

 

[Swerd]

After using the steel wool, be sure to vacuum out the cabinet well, inside and out. If you have a hand-held magnet, cover it with a thin cloth and rub it all around the cabinet, inside and out, before you mount the drivers.

It's amazing to me how those tiny steel wool bits accumulate everywhere – and eventually find their way to the woofer magnet!

Steel wool bits have also been known to get stuck in brushed on varnish finishes, and rust with time. I don't think this will happen with a thin finish like Danish Oil, but it never hurts to look out for that. Rust stains wouldn't look good on your light maple finish.

 

[lsiberian]

Well done. I think I'll be painting. We shall see how that goes when we get there.

 

[fuzz092888]

Well done. I think I'll be painting. We shall see how that goes when we get there.

I definitely want to try doing a spray paint. I have the guns and my old man has an air compressor, I just want to get a cheap tent with sidewalls to have a spot I can do easily setup and take down.

 

[Whitey80]

Looks good. Next set you build, try some pure tung oil. I build a lot of furniture and my go to mixture for a deep, high-pop, long lasting finish is a mixture of tung, poly and mineral spirits. (33% each)..as many coats (1 per 24hrs) as the wood will take.
If you're looking for a truly high gloss finish, I start with a couple of coatings with an oil poly, thinned with mineral spirits, wiped on with tack cloth, then hit it with the sprayer, get it good and thick on there, then a quick over with 2000g wetsanding and some buffing.

 

[fuzz092888]

Looks good. Next set you build, try some pure tung oil. I build a lot of furniture and my go to mixture for a deep, high-pop, long lasting finish is a mixture of tung, poly and mineral spirits. (33% each)..as many coats (1 per 24hrs) as the wood will take.
If you're looking for a truly high gloss finish, I start with a couple of coatings with an oil poly, thinned with mineral spirits, wiped on with tack cloth, then hit it with the sprayer, get it good and thick on there, then a quick over with 2000g wetsanding and some buffing.

Isn't that basically what Danish Oil is? I thought I read somewhere that Danish Oil is more or less thinned tung/poly mix. Is there a difference between Danish Oil and doing the mix yourself?

 

[Whitey80]

Isn't that basically what Danish Oil is? I thought I read somewhere that Danish Oil is more or less thinned tung/poly mix. Is there a difference between Danish Oil and doing the mix yourself?

Most all shelf-available Danish oil is 2/3 linseed, as it is far cheaper than tung oil. The remaining 1/3 is most often an oil poly.

Starting with a real, pure tung,(which can be somewhat expensive) instead of linseed, will provide a noticeably higher contrast in the grain. Mixing with mineral spirits just thins it for deeper, more consistent penetration.

 

[fuzz092888]

Most all shelf-available Danish oil is 2/3 linseed, as it is far cheaper than tung oil. The remaining 1/3 is most often an oil poly.

Starting with a real, pure tung,(which can be somewhat expensive) instead of linseed, will provide a noticeably higher contrast in the grain. Mixing with mineral spirits just thins it for deeper, more consistent penetration.

Thanks a lot. I'll definitely be doing that from now on.

 

[fuzz092888]

My least favorite part, not because of the work, but because of the waiting. Anywho, first coat of poly. Now I just need to leave them alone for a few days.

 

[fuzz092888]

After using the steel wool, be sure to vacuum out the cabinet well, inside and out. If you have a hand-held magnet, cover it with a thin cloth and rub it all around the cabinet, inside and out, before you mount the drivers.

It's amazing to me how those tiny steel wool bits accumulate everywhere – and eventually find their way to the woofer magnet!

Steel wool bits have also been known to get stuck in brushed on varnish finishes, and rust with time. I don't think this will happen with a thin finish like Danish Oil, but it never hurts to look out for that. Rust stains wouldn't look good on your light maple finish.

You weren't kidding. There are so many steel wool bits, it's like the pad is just disintegrating, but darn it that cab is squeaky smooth afterwards.

 

[fuzz092888]