Speaker Stands

[MrBoat]

Or more aptly named, "risers?" They only need to lift the speakers 6" so that they are just above the ends of the sofas. I was contemplating full length stands but it's easier to vacuum and mop under the end tables and without moving the speakers. Right now they are on cardboard boxes full of Styrofoam all ghetto/dorm like.

I aim to try and turn this pile of aluminum into stands. Picture a simple, four poster design, with the rounds at the 45 degree position off of the corners of the speakers with the part that cradles the speaker an inch below the tops. The plasti-caps are for the tops of the rounds, and I will add black rubber chair/crutch tips on the bottoms. They will be black to match the speaker grilles and faces.

Weather and ambitions willing, I will be firing up the welder tomorrow. If I don't like them, can always change my mind if a better idea occurs to me. I could certainly build something more ornate, but I think this fits the semi-industrial theme of the grilles for now.

Chair tips something like this.

 

[Swerd]

Hollow pipes as risers in speaker stands can ring or resonate. To minimize that, fill them with something like builder's sand, bird shot, bbs, concrete, etc. Sand absorbs moisture from humid air. You are in Florida, so put sand in long narrow plastic bags.

 

[MrBoat]

Hollow pipes as risers in speaker stands can ring or resonate. To minimize that, fill them with something like builder's sand, bird shot, bbs, concrete, etc. Sand absorbs moisture from humid air. You are in Florida, so put sand in long narrow plastic bags.

I was going to fill them with hydraulic cement 'if' they make noise. But being so short, and with soft rubber feet, and being the tubes will be welded and with a decent amount of weight on them, they may not need it. Not much resonates from the cabinets of the Tempests, even at relatively loud volume.

That was my concern with the aluminum grilles too. I thought, tuning forks. But they don't vibrate at all. I think the fact that they are actually fit to the rubber gaskets, with no mechanical connection to the cabinet itself mitigates a lot of that.

 

[Swerd]

I was going to fill them with hydraulic cement 'if' they make noise. But being so short, and with soft rubber feet, and being the tubes will be welded and with a decent amount of weight on them, they may not need it.

As usual, you've already thought of this possibility . I guess filling the pipes might be needed more with longer pipes on taller stands.

 

[MrBoat]

As usual, you've already thought of this possibility . I guess filling the pipes might be needed more with longer pipes on taller stands.

Good catch on your part either way. I appreciate the sentiment because you just never know what details slip by and I am not impervious to f'n up. lol

Either way, I got a good day in on it.

Always seems like a lot when you're just starting and you still have a pile of parts in front of you as you gradually gain momentum. Starting to tack things together. Have the order of assembly in my head, broken down into sub assemblies.

 

[MrBoat]

Forgot to mention that I re-measured the height, found I was an inch higher than I really wanted to be, still wanting the same reveals on top, I had to recut the tubes to get rid of an inch. I had forgotten the 1/2" that the chair tips will add too. Had to pre-sand all the parts as well so it will be better for paint.

Got the leg sections built and started bring it 3D. Set up usng my 2ft level clamped across the stretchers to keep everything flush. If you note the little bevel cut where the top of the tubes intersect, this is so that the welds will sink flush and not make bumps for the speakers to sit on, and so I won't have to grind them flush after.

Here you can see one set welded together, and the other sub assembly waiting behind it. It was really starting to go together fast at this point.

 

[MrBoat]

Here they are, all done. Ordered the chair tips so I will have to wait for those a few days. Will probably paint these tomorrow. Already tweaked everything plumb and racked everything back to square after the welding distorts things the way it does.

Welds came out nice.

 

[MrBoat]

I should add weather strip to the inside edges to give a little cushion between the speakers and the stands, once painted.

 

[MrBoat]

Picture makes it look a little wonky for the close-up angle, and because I suck at taking photos, but you can still tell what's going on. Still waiting on the chair tips.

Thought about insetting a piece of 3/4" plywood and still may but I didn't have any flat stock to make tabs with so this will work for now.

 

[MrBoat]

Speaker stands are 99.9% complete. Will add some weather strip to the bearing surfaces. Chair tips are installed.

 

[MrBoat]

I'll have to do some adjusting but they're at least under the speakers. These Tempests are chunks!

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Nice job MrBoat. Looks good.

 

[MrBoat]

Nice job MrBoat. Looks good.

They're practical and stealthy enough. The rubber chair tips work great and the whole works stays put. If there was any wobble factor, it could be alleviated by simply adding extra fender washers as shims inside the tips.

 

[MrBoat]

TV/component stand is next.

 

[slipperybidness]

TV/component stand is next.

What type of paint did you use on these?

In the pics, it almost looks like powder coated, but not quite.

Have you ever done any powder coating? Is it worth it for a hobbyist to try to do that at home? Or just too much mess and hassle?

When are you gonna post a link so we can start placing orders?

 

[MrBoat]

What type of paint did you use on these?

In the pics, it almost looks like powder coated, but not quite.

Have you ever done any powder coating? Is it worth it for a hobbyist to try to do that at home? Or just too much mess and hassle?

When are you gonna post a link so we can start placing orders?

I used an etch primer for aluminum and rustoleum matte black spray paint. The primer is important, especially with aluminum. Rustoleum is oil based so, the way it flows being that it takes longer to dry gives it that sort of powder coat look. The primer on the other hand, dries quickly so it tends to hold more of whatever orange peel texture it sprays as.

We have a company that powder coats a LOT of parts we build. With powder coating, parts should be both acid cleaned and sand blasted or sanded at least. I just sand any painted parts before I assemble/weld them with an RO sander, or the whole piece before I even cut it. For me, powder coating at home is not really practical. It takes a 400F oven and a relatively clean environment.

At one point, I was doing a lot of welding/fabricating here at home on the side beside my reg job. My reputation grew quickly and I was coming home to parts at my front door with sticky notes stuck allover. A lot of which were parts for the pro racing industry so schedules were tight. Bright light was coming from my back yard into the wee hours sometimes and often times I was awake 20+ hrs/day.

My sons are grown now so I have more time. I have offered to weld things for other regular forum members free of charge if they need something. They just either ship me what they want welded, or pay for the materials/consumables. Within reason of course and I now only work in aluminum.

Here is a powder coated part. This is what I typically build every day for almost 30 years. Other than powder coat, I work with anodized parts. Mostly brushed or polished (read mirror) finish. This part is powder coated black with an additional clear coat. It s a special marine powder for obvious reasons.

 

[Diesel57]

Speaker stands are 99.9% complete. Will add some weather strip to the bearing surfaces. Chair tips are installed.

Really nice work Mr. Boat...Quality craftsmanship, simply great...

 

[Pogre]

Very nice Boat! Your builds look awesome.

 

[MrBoat]

Very nice Boat! Your builds look awesome.

Whenever my sons start digging for an excuse of what they can, or cannot afford or find, I give them that 'look' and it is amusing to watch their excuses run out of gas before they even finish it. lol