fEARful suggestion needed

[dukeorock]

That is the most frequently asked question

The thing is, Baltic Birch is reasonably light, void free, and super stiff and straight. It's also easy to work with and affordable. A 15/6 with BB should come out at roughly 58lbs...for a cab that does what a 15/6 does, that's pretty darn light! There are lighter woods that are good to work with. The best being, Italian Poplar and Okoume, but IT is 3x the price and Okoume is even more than that. Italian Poplar also dings very easily...there are ways to get the outer shell stronger, but it adds to the labor. We have sourced a newer, somewhat affordable ply that can take the weight down to roughly 50-52 lbs with no added expense, material-wise, and not much added labor. Hardware coices and grill materials make a difference, obviously

[Foz]

I see almost everyone goes with baltic birch.. What is the lighter but sensible altenative?

As you can see from the informative replies above - the answer might well be - "there aint".

There is a reason BB is ubiquitous - it is a very good compromise of price/availability/weight/workability/and strength. There are other ways to skin the cat but I don't see anything out there that is not acutely sensitive to the meaning of the term "sensible" in your question.

[dukeorock]

Originally Posted by Foz

As you can see from the informative replies above - the answer might well be - "there aint".

There is a reason BB is ubiquitous - it is a very good compromise of price/availability/weight/workability/and strength. There are other ways to skin the cat but I don't see anything out there that is not acutely sensitive to the meaning of the term "sensible" in your question.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And Foz...pick up yer phone once in awhile!

[::::BASSIST::::]

Italian Poplar is expensive and does ding easily. However, buy once, cry once? Besides its only $100 vs about $30 up here in Canada. $70 is definitely worth it to me for a 15LB weight savings.

As to the softness, if you are super concerned about dings or are a bit rough on your gear, touring etc, it could be a concern. I know enough about the build process now that I feel confident I could patch anything if it were a problem. I've had my 15/6 for about 8 months now and its still in like new shape. One of these days I would like to get a cover for it, especially since its coming up to the rainy season in Vancouver and that won't end til May.

As mentioned, hardware choice is definitely a concern when trying to go light.

Anyway, I guess I am not your typical user as I definitely had the goal of building a light cab. I am very satisfied and I guess not that "sensible".

[Foz]

I think you are - at least for certain values of sensible. My point is simply there are compromises and BB is a very popular one.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by rpsands

I put my 66 wheels on the side and find it super easy to move up stairs with the wheels and big grab bar on the side

+1
Basically turning the box into a dolly, like the Ampeg 8x10. Also installing cab rails would help.

IMO, I'd investigate this idea first because it'll cost way less than doing what you're thinking of doing.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by Foz

I think you are - at least for certain values of sensible. My point is simply there are compromises and BB is a very popular one.

Yeah, if weight weren't an issue and cost was, BB would be my choice.

Aside from Okoume and IP, BB is the only other option I'd be interested in.

Also, aside from the drivers and perhaps the crossover components, wood choice is very important and central to the overall quality of the cab.

[Mike Arnopol]

I posted this in another thread. I've been usig Poplar for a bit now. It's $60/sheet. Shipping is high (not so bad for me--$100 for 10 panels or less by truck) but they'll cut it into subpanels which makes the shipping reasonable. I roll a coat of epoxy over the box. 5 minutes. I then sand it down (10 minutes). Maybe adds 3 ounces to the weight. And the surface is harder than BB.

[mbelue]

Originally Posted by Mike Arnopol

I posted this in another thread. I've been usig Poplar for a bit now. It's $60/sheet. Shipping is high (not so bad for me--$100 for 10 panels or less by truck) but they'll cut it into subpanels which makes the shipping reasonable. I roll a coat of epoxy over the box. 5 minutes. I then sand it down (10 minutes). Maybe adds 3 ounces to the weight. And the surface is harder than BB.

Care to comment on the type of epoxy?

[Mike Arnopol]

Sure. You need the type that you would use to wet out fiberglass. I use medium set epoxy from US Composites. It's half the price of other sources and works great.

[dhomer]

Although okoume is a pricey option, the majority of my customers order it. There is a MI source for okoume, just have to take a drive into the Lansing area.. PM me for info..

[lburton2]

awesome homer. I could definitely make the drive out to LA