fEARful 12/6 Flatpack Deluxe Kit From Speaker Hardware Build Thread & Review

[::::BASSIST::::]

Thanks,

I found the link, but what's included in the kit?

fEARful 12/6/1 Flat Pack Driver Kit

fEARful 12/6 driver kit. All the drivers and crossover components. Eminence 3012lf and 18Sound 6NM410 midrange or Eminence Alpha6/Alphalite.

As found here: Invalid Link Removed

 

[thudfromafar]

There's also a flat pack without drivers. Just click the links

 

[wcriley]

A deadline at work got extended, so I had time to work on the cab tonight.

I started by dry-fitting the panels to come up with the best assembly sequence.

Hmm...seems I put the back spline on upside down and it doesn't clear the port divider, nor does it reach the top panel. <insert cuss word of choice> That's what I get for working on the cab while BSing with guests.
So...I dug out a saw and wood chisel and shortened it at the bottom. I'll glue a spacer in when I put the back on.

Both side panels are now warped. One's bowed and the other is twisted. Guess I need to keep the heat turned on 24/7 in my office/work/play room until this project is finished.

I had to pull the sides in with a clamp to get the biscuits for the top to line up. This confirms my opinion that, even if I owned one, a brad nailer wouldn't be of much use. I'll use screws for the final assembly.

Here's the full mockup (w/o back):

After dry-fitting a few times, I've decided on the following sequence:
1. Glue the port shelf to one of the side panels
2. Glue this assembly to the bottom (I've already glued the port divider to the bottom)
3. Glue the baffle to the shelf and side
4. Glue the other side
5. Glue the top panel on
6. Screw it all together

I won't glue/screw the back on until after I'm done with the wiring, but I think I'll put it in dry and use clamps to get the warped side panels aligned at the back while the PL is curing. (Note to self: Remember to use waxpaper to keep the PL from gluing it in place.)

Not sure if I'm going to do the gluing and screwing tonight. Been a tough day. Maybe I'll pour a glass of bourbon instead.

 

[wcriley]

Decided the bourbon could wait. I glued and screwed the bulk of the cab.

I didn't time it, but I'm guessing it took me about 45 minutes to glue and screw the shelf, baffle, sides and top.

Because of the warping, I spent at least 1/2 hour trying to get the back square. Finally gave up trying to do it myself and had one of my sons help me.

One side is still bowed inward about 3/16". When the time comes, I'll screw the back to the straighter side and then (hopefully) brace the other side out by reaching through the driver opening.

The cheap 6-for-$2 disposable gloves I bought ripped to shreds. I'll be sitting in meetings tomorrow with black spots on my fingers.

...it's time for a glass of Makers Mark...

 

[wcriley]

I don't think the problem is the Auroco plywood.

On the day it was delivered, the temp here started in the teens. Maybe 30 at the time of delivery.
I scattered the wood pieces in my basement over night (temp probably 50) then moved everything into my work/play room, which is also in the basement. I only heat that room when I'm in it, so the temp fluctuated from around 50 to 70 degrees. It would be asking a lot for wood not to warp under those conditions.

What I should have done was keep the wood shrink wrapped on a flat surface with a lot of weight on top until it aclimated. Then I should have kept a constant temperature in the room.

 

[Big John66]

Ahhh, Maker's Mark. Good choice. Oh, nice cab too.

 

[lelandcrooks]

More biscuits in the auraco cabs. You can force warped panels straight with enough biscuits and a few clamps. I did the biscuit slots with bbirch in mind. I'll add 2 more for 4 on each large panel on any auraco cab. I did not biscuit the back as I didn't think it would need it, but I'll add biscuits to it also.

Assembly order I envisioned:
side to bottom
port divider
shelf
baffle to shelf and side
Other side.
This way it all assembles around the baffle, which should force the side panels square. Screws or pipe clamps to pull it in if necessary.
Put on the top.
assemble the side braces through the back.
Install the back, assemble it's braces through the baffle.

I know I did a dry fit of that box and had it ready for the back in about 15 minutes. It must have warped pretty badly fairly quickly. It wasn't perfect when it shipped, but nothing like Bill's describing.

 

[bassjam]

More biscuits in the auraco cabs. You can force warped panels straight with enough biscuits and a few clamps. I did the biscuit slots with bbirch in mind. I'll add 2 more for 4 on each large panel on any auraco cab. I did not biscuit the back as I didn't think it would need it, but I'll add biscuits to it also.

Assembly order I envisioned:
side to bottom
port divider
shelf
baffle to shelf and side
Other side.
This way it all assembles around the baffle, which should force the side panels square. Screws or pipe clamps to pull it in if necessary.
Put on the top.
assemble the side braces through the back.
Install the back, assemble it's braces through the baffle.

I know I did a dry fit of that box and had it ready for the back in about 15 minutes. It must have warped pretty badly fairly quickly. It wasn't perfect when it shipped, but nothing like Bill's describing.

Hey Leland,how did your day go today????????

 

[lelandcrooks]

Thanks,

I found the link, but what's included in the kit?

Driver kit is speakers and crossovers.
Deluxe kit is speakers, crossovers, screws, corners, jack plates, handles screws, glue everything to build the cab but the wood and duratex.
Deluxe flat pack is everything in the deluxe kit plus the wood and acoustic foam liner.

 

[lelandcrooks]

Well, pretty good until I got to this thread. I had hoped this would just fall together.

It's why bb is my wood of choice.

You get started tomorrow.

 

[bassjam]

Well, pretty good until I got to this thread. I had hoped this would just fall together.

It's why bb is my wood of choice.

You get started tomorrow.

Sounds great!!Cant wait.

 

[wcriley]

Assembly order I envisioned:
side to bottom
port divider
shelf
baffle to shelf and side
Other side.
This way it all assembles around the baffle, which should force the side panels square. Screws or pipe clamps to pull it in if necessary.
Put on the top.
assemble the side braces through the back.
Install the back, assemble it's braces through the baffle.

I know I did a dry fit of that box and had it ready for the back in about 15 minutes. It must have warped pretty badly fairly quickly. It wasn't perfect when it shipped, but nothing like Bill's describing.

That's the order I came up with, too. Except I glued all the braces on first. (If I'd put the back brace on last, I wouldn't have screwed it up, though!)

Two panels had barely noticeable bow when I took them out of the box. The first dry-fit went smoothly. But over the next couple days the constantly changing humidity and temperature in my basement work/play room caused the problem. The shelf bowed up, one side bowed in, and the other side twisted.

I have everything under control, now. Sorry to have ruined your day, buddy.

 

[lelandcrooks]

It's a first shot. Live and learn. A few minor revisions and a couple of additional pages in the instructions (when I write them) will help a lot. Dealing with warped plywood is never fun, but manageable with clamps, screws and some muscle.

The shelf warping is crazy. and would have been hard. I can see the sides and baffle doing it, they're pretty large. But it's such a small piece to warp and twist.

I think I'll also revise my packing to use the braces as braces, like they are in the cab. With tight shrink wrap it should hold everything flat during shipping.

 

[jlepre]

Driver kit is speakers and crossovers.
Deluxe kit is speakers, crossovers, screws, corners, jack plates, handles screws, glue everything to build the cab but the wood and duratex.
Deluxe flat pack is everything in the deluxe kit plus the wood and acoustic foam liner.

Thanks!

 

[philter25]

. But over the next couple days the constantly changing humidity and temperature in my basement work/play room caused the problem. The shelf bowed up, one side bowed in, and the other side twisted.

Ive built a few pieces of furniture, and built a few bookshelfs out of plywood. It happens. Wood bows. Unless you are able to pick up a perfectly straight piece of plywood from the store, come home and cut it, and put it together the same day with the same temperature and humidity, bowing is something that might happen..... unless you have a climate controlled room in your basement/woodshop to control temp and humidity, which Im guessing almost no one does.

Ive found that with wood that bowed, the easiest way for me to use it was to clamp a piece to the bowed piece of wood to help straighten it out. I would clamp the wood grain end to the face of the piece that bowed to straighten it out. Then I would attach the piece with the clamp on it to other pieces and glue and screw it and let it set over night. Then the following day I would take the clamp off and as long as I glued it and screwed it perfectly, it would correct itself naturally.

 

[Sundogue]

The flatpack Deluxe kits are a steal!!!!! Think about it...you are basically buying one of the most kickass bass cabinets ever designed for that price. All you have to do is put the cab itself together and you don't even have to cut the wood!!!

A killler DIY bass cab, so easy to build even a cave man could do it!!!

 

[mikeddd]

Very nice! With the arrival of the flat packs and everything cut on jigs and biscuited to boot, I see no need to cut my own wood at all. I'll be in a house again with all my tools in the next 6 weeks or so. I will be ordering a 15/6 kit...or maybe a 15/6/1 kit...haven't decided yet. I play classic rock/metal/motown (interesting combo, I know) mostly. Don't think I would use the tweet much...probably have it padded way down most of the time.

Anyway, congrats on the kits, Leland! You've got another sale coming in a month or so.

 

[wcriley]

Just to be clear:
I volunteered to get the first flatpack, knowing that it would be a prototype and there could be "growing pains".
Leland was hesitant to build the flatpacks out of anything other than Baltic Birch. I offered to be the test subject.

Even with the bowing and the other mistakes I made, I put the cab together in less time than it would've taken me just to cut the wood without a table saw.
Leland's cuts are very precise.
The biscuits saved a lot of measuring and marking.
I'm happy with the kit.

 

[5StringPocket]

Originally Posted by lelandcrooks >
Driver kit is speakers and crossovers.
Deluxe kit is speakers, crossovers, screws, corners, jack plates, handles screws, glue everything to build the cab but the wood and duratex.
Deluxe flat pack is everything in the deluxe kit plus the wood and acoustic foam liner.

How much would a deluxe flat pack kit for a 1212/6/1 weigh in auraco and in baltic birch?

 

[lelandcrooks]

Don't know. They 1212 is next on the drawing board, but it will be a bit. I need to refine some on the existing kits, write up some real assembly instructions w pics, catch up on the builds I have going with Bill and GB's cabs, plus about a dozen other things.

These weigh in the neighborhood of 45-60lbs depending on the plywood and drivers.