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Input Plates and Wood for DIY cab?

A

AfroMan Skeeter

Dec 12, 2007
125
0
#1
Well I've made a few DIY cabs, and now someone has asked me to make 2 4x10's for them.

Since they aren't mine I'm going to make sure I don't cheap out where I shouldn't.

So when I'm installing the 1/4 input's on each cab, well I need a input plate that will accept a 1/4 input thing. Where can I find one of these? The best thing I could find was for a guitarvvvvv
http://cgi.ebay.com/Input-Jack-Plat...ryZ47076QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Would that work for me?

Next, I used eithe 1" or 3/4" MDF for my cabs, I'm going to use something lighter and more sturdy for these cabs. Any recomendations?

Last Carpeting doesn't seem way to hard, but if you have any links on hand of how to do it could you please post them?

Thanx


EDIT!!!! Grillssss, any place I can buy them either? I also assume these would be fairly easy to install. If not grills, cloth stores/websites?
 
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#2
I would think the plate on eBay would work for you but, personally, I would use flat-head screws rather than the screws in the photo, since the holes in the plate are counter-sunk. Here are a few places you may want to check out for the parts/materials you are looking for: Mojo Musical Supply, Parts Express, Antique Electronic Supply. Also, another option for the jack other than a plate would be an Electrosocket, depending on the look you are going for. It just installs in a 7/8" hole. I have used them on a couple of cabinets I've made. They are actually meant to replace the jack cup on Telecaster guitars but they work well in cabinets, too.

Mark
 

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#4
Vintage-Blue said:
I would think the plate on eBay would work for you but, personally, I would use flat-head screws rather than the screws in the photo, since the holes in the plate are counter-sunk. Here are a few places you may want to check out for the parts/materials you are looking for: Mojo Musical Supply, Parts Express, Antique Electronic Supply. Also, another option for the jack other than a plate would be an Electrosocket, depending on the look you are going for. It just installs in a 7/8" hole. I have used them on a couple of cabinets I've made. They are actually meant to replace the jack cup on Telecaster guitars but they work well in cabinets, too.

Mark
Click to expand...

That Electrosocket would be perfect to, I just want a clean finish for the input going into each cabinet.

As for those links I will check them out as see what the prices on parts are. Thanks
 
#6
AfroMan Skeeter said:
That's why I asked, I used MDF before because I have an actual sub woofer for my low end and I've used MDF for sub boxes before. I don't plan on using it again as it makes things very heavy.
Click to expand...

Yup. That's one of the peculiarities of music speakers. Mainstream cabs are made from 3/4 plywood, but along with the migration to neo drivers, people are turning towards 1/2 plywood with internal shelf bracing to lighten the load.
 
#8
You can build a very sturdy box from 1/2" genuine Baltic birch. This comes in 5x5 (feet) sheets, and is a bit troublesome to get home from the yard. Occaisionally my yard carried 1/2 BB in 4x8 sheets, but not all the time.

I have measured various woods for cubic foot weight:
BB is 39.8 pounds
MDF is 49 pounds
Spruce ply is 27 pounds

A sheet of 4 x 8 x 3/4" material is two cubic feet.

1/2" BB is fine if it is braced. No more than 8" of panel should be unbraced, otherwise it will buzz. I run a rib down the panel at 8" intervals, and use a cross brace to connect ribs on opposing walls. This cancels the panel movement, (walls out, walls in) between opposing walls.

You can get jack dishes from Parts Express. I prefer Speakon because they are always air tight.

Use PL Premium Polyurethane adhesive. It expands to seal all leaks, is strong as hell, and cheap at $3.80 per tube. It is used in a caulking gun and is MESSY AS HELL. You can get it off your skin with mineral spirits when the PL is wet. After it dries, you wear it off.

PL will make iron clad butt joints. No need for any fancy joinery. Screw it together with drywall screws (do a dry run first), then apply the PL and screw it down. Remove the screws when cured, fill in the holes with Bondo. Credit to Bill Fitzmaurice for turning me on to PL and simple Bondo for hole filling... much cheaper and more effective than wood filler. Faster setting, also.
 
#9
if you are planning on sticking a tweeter in there, and will be running less than 400 watts, this should do the trick: Link Removed
they make one rated for 800 watts as well, but its a 3 way instead of 2.
 

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