Building a Lightweight TL-606

[doctec]

I built a couple TL-606 boxes a few years ago and have been quite happy with them, using Eminence 3015 drivers. Now that I'm 'getting older' I'm looking for ways to reduce the weight of the gear I carry to gigs.

I'm thinking of building another TL-606, but using 1/2" plywood instead of 3/4" and adding more internal bracing.

What should I do about the baffle? Should I keep it 3/4" or maybe use 1/2" with some front-to-back 1x2 braces? Other ideas?

Has anybody on TB been down this road before? Thanks!

[Jim C]

I spoke with Don @ LDS
He is making this exact box and can adjust tuning to your specs with a 3015; I bleieve these are in the mid 40 lb range (unlike the 60 something lb box I stupidly built out of 3/4" scrap oak plywood (back when I was young and weight didn't matter).
I'm thinking about one of these with a 2 or 3 space rack built at the top of the cabinet for use with a lightweight head.

[bgavin]

I use 3/8" baltic birch. It is very sturdy and works easier than the lesser ply grades.

3/8" BB weighs about the same as 1/2" arauco.
Don't be afraid to use 1/4" BB for bracing, etc.
The extra labor is a small price to pay for years of light weight use.

[Petebass]

I recently built 2 identical 1x12 cabs except one was 1/2" ply, the other was a fiberglass composite. The composite cab was much lighter - 28 pounds Vs 21 pounds. Not only that they sound pretty much the same. The only difference is was the fiberglass cab having a slight bump at 500Hz and 2K. They're exactly the same in the lows (to the ears, and measured).

Is fiberglass composites something you think you could wrap your head around? There's more than one thread on here which show step by step instructions.

[will33]

You can do the baffle out of 1/2" as well. I make the cutouts for the speaker/ports and whatever else and then run perpendicular bracing strips in between all the cutouts or wherever they are close together. Wherever they need to be to make it so it doesn't flex, or at least has a super strong resistance to flexing. If you're using wood screws to mount the speaker(s) I use little 1" square or round pieces to make it double thick wherever a screw will be. If you use T-nuts/bolts you don't have to do that. If you're using neo/lightweight drivers you may not have to do that either but I tend to over-engineer/over-build a little bit.

[GregC]

I've been thinking about this concept lately (but I'll have to get someone to build it for me). Subscribed.