fEarful 12/6 kit : a total noob build diary

[mambo4]

I ordered the final parts last night:

- 2ft of 2 1/2 inch acoustic foam USD $34.79 (speaker hardware)
- black grill cloth 2x2 feet , white duratex, pc boards for crossovers $79.05 (parts express)
- Penn Elcom H1008 Leather Style Replacement Strap Handle $10.81 (amazon)

My total investment is now $ 725.54, which is less than the ~$1000 these things can be ordered for, but more than I paid for my current workhorse, a Bergantino AE 112. We shall see how the performance stacks up, assuming I don't botch the job.

 

[Doufuss]

the Invalid Link Removed come in 3.5 x 5 " or 5x7 ". Can anyone tell me the rough footprint of an assembled crossover? Assuming I need 3 since I'll have the tweeter...

I can't speak to that. Your link goes to a page where there are a whole bunch of boards, so I'm not sure which one you're looking at.

I used one of these - Link Removed and one of these Link Removed . On these pages there is a clearly defined wiring diagram.

Here's how that worked out in a cab I'm experimenting on -

I also used a terminal strip to manage my wiring.

 

[flatwound251]

So I have some questions about the order or operations between the gluing and the assembly of the interior pieces - foam, crossovers, wiring etc. Presumably I won't be gluing the whole assembly before taking care of that stuff. Do builders typically leave the top ( or top and back? ) until after the foam and crossovers are attached?

There are different ways to do it. I left the top and back of my 12/6 off until the crossovers were installed. Attached for reference is a mid-build look at the inside from the back as I was doing the crossover/wiring installation.

 

[Foz]

I find those printed boards kinda silly - I'll usually just arrange the parts on a separate thin scrap panel and fix em down with screws / zip ties / hot glue.

 

[Doufuss]

There's more than one way to do it.

Here's one. Finish your cab, including your foam/stuffing, install your completed crossovers, run all your wiring and last, install your 12.

It's tight but there's enough room to do it.

Keep the updates coming!

 

[Roxbororob]

There's more than one way to do it.

Here's one. Finish your cab, including your foam/stuffing, install your completed crossovers, run all your wiring and last, install your 12.

It's tight but there's enough room to do it.

Keep the updates coming!

This.

 

[singlemalt]

I think this one came assembled on the plywood. Sitting on the shelf of a 12/6 cube. I remember buying the drivers and crossover from a T B member who never got around to building the cab.

I usually just strap, screw, or glue components to a scrap of plywood.

I’ve got a jack plate cut out and one scoop handle opening, so plenty of space to work on insulation and wiring. Inside got sprayed black because I had a whole can of paint to spray inside the port area.

I bought a gallon of Duratex many years and many cabs ago, and I’ve still got half of it. I love the stuff. Rolls on easy, cleans up with water, no smell. You can use it indoors.

 

[mambo4]

update 5/30 /2020

Not much action last weekend. I received my Parts express order of duratex,grill cloth, and pc boards. Primarily, I am still waiting for the PL to arrive before I can glue / sand / paint with duratex. I decided to tear down my 'all screw, no glue' build to begin painting some interior parts black (not duratex).

I stumbled on a silly "hack" while trying to clamp as I removed screws, as the clamps were not individually long enough:

I doodled and artist's impression of the finished cab...

My current stumbling point is the need to cut a good 2 1/4" hole in the back for the tweeter l-pad control. The largest bit I have access to (from a buddy) is 2". How does one generally cut these kinds of holes?

 

[JRA]

How does one generally cut these kinds of holes?

a hole saw: the one pictured is from home depot...lots of varying diameters.

nice job on your 12/6 kit build!

 

[Redbrangus]

My current stumbling point is the need to cut a good 2 1/4" hole in the back for the tweeter l-pad control. The largest bit I have access to (from a buddy) is 2". How does one generally cut these kinds of holes?

A 2-1/4" hole saw can be had for not much, especially if the 2" one you have is of the detachable-arbor type. I wouldn't bother with it though, if what you have laid out there in pencil is the shape of a square escutcheon that would cover up the hole -- it looks like that would cover some pretty rough work. The cheap and dirty way is to use a handheld jig saw ('saber saw'); I use a router and a template or circle-guide to make round holes that need to look nice.

 

[Passinwind]

My current stumbling point is the need to cut a good 2 1/4" hole in the back for the tweeter l-pad control. The largest bit I have access to (from a buddy) is 2". How does one generally cut these kinds of holes?

Usually with a jigsaw in my case. A router would be my preferred tool if I had to do it often though.

 

[Roxbororob]

Cut it a little undersize first pass with the jigsaw. Then go back and fine tune by cutting slivers.

Edit: or cut first pass with the hole saw and finish up with the jig saw (jigsaw will respond and turn better with thinner cuts).

 

[Doufuss]

A guy's gotta have a jigsaw.

 

[flatwound251]

Ditto with the jigsaw crowd. Would probably use your hole saw first, and then use the jig saw. Might need a bit of sanding, but will make a perfectly acceptable 2 1/4" hole.

 

[singlemalt]

I’d use a hole saw as my first choice, router second choice and jig saw last.

First two will give you square edges and a nice clean cut. You would make a simple jig for the router. Jig saw will wander a bit, it’s hard to get square edges because the blade deflects as you push it around the curve. Still a good option.

If non of that fits the budget, I’d use a small bit in the drill, say 1/8”, and drill holes around the circle you laid out. Until it’s easy to knock it out. Then clean it up with sandpaper or a curved rasp.

If the control has a good size bezel, it’ll hide the rough stuff.

 

[Doufuss]

I’d use a hole saw as my first choice, router second choice and jig saw last.

First two will give you square edges and a nice clean cut. You would make a simple jig for the router. Jig saw will wander a bit, it’s hard to get square edges because the blade deflects as you push it around the curve. Still a good option.

If non of that fits the budget, I’d use a small bit in the drill, say 1/8”, and drill holes around the circle you laid out. Until it’s easy to knock it out. Then clean it up with sandpaper or a curved rasp.

If the control has a good size bezel, it’ll hide the rough stuff.

The drill a million little holes and knock it out technique works good. To clean it up, take a piece of dowel or pipe that's a little smaller than the hole, wrap it with coarse sandpaper (40 - 60 grit) and give it a rub. You might find a rasp will tear up your plywood.

 

[mambo4]

Today's update: Insufficient clamping disaster

The remaining parts have arrived, and I deiced to get started gluing. I began with the braces and port divider and things seemed to be going well. PL is messy stuff, for sure. Had to get into a rhythm of drawing a bead, plugging the glue, switching to the driver, and screwing parts together.



I felt good about progress and deiced to move on to gluing the panels together. I had screwed together the box a few weeks ago, and it all fit nice and snug. So I figured I could rely on the screws repeating their success while gluing. But somehow something slipped in the process today and the left and right panels are not aligned. Plus there is a noticeable slant in the port divider. there( is a gap between the right and back panels ( its filling with the PL)

So things are not looking pretty. I'm very disappointed at myself at this point, I hope the PL will do the job of filling in the cracks. I wish I had invested in more clamps and actual corner jigs. From today's disaster I would say they are and absolute necessity for doing this accurately.

I just hope this doesn't ruin the final result

 

[singlemalt]

Don’t sweat the small stuff. This is all part of the DIY process. It’s part of learning any new skill set.

You’ll do some sanding to fudge the corners and cover them with corner trim, it’s all going to be black, and it’ll sound awesome.

I live by the motto, “Putty and paint makes a carpenter what he ain’t.” And I’m a carpenter. I tell the painter to make us both look good.

Keep on keeping on, and you’ll soon be enjoying the fEarful grin.

 

[Doufuss]

That sucks, but only a little. Let that PL cure then scrape it off with a wood chisel. Any big gaps left after the glue cures are not a problem. Put a bead of latex caulk in all your joints on the inside of the box and schmear it in with some saliva and your finger tip. That's like the kitchen and bath stuff. It has no odor and cleans up with water, whereas silicone stanks and off gases for quite a while after you put it on. The caulk will get the box airtight. Any other problems like singlemalt says you can fudge.

You're learning a ton here and I doubt you'll make any of those same mistakes again. You still got all your fingers, so this a success.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I ordered the final parts last night:

- 2ft of 2 1/2 inch acoustic foam USD $34.79 (speaker hardware)
- black grill cloth 2x2 feet , white duratex, pc boards for crossovers $79.05 (parts express)
- Penn Elcom H1008 Leather Style Replacement Strap Handle $10.81 (amazon)

My total investment is now $ 725.54, which is less than the ~$1000 these things can be ordered for, but more than I paid for my current workhorse, a Bergantino AE 112. We shall see how the performance stacks up, assuming I don't botch the job.

Problems?