New Project - Compact 215 under 50lbs

cool, im building a 215 cab too. its huge though i think its going to weigh alot, i still havent got the speakers in it and its pretty heavy.

 

Two 1x15 weigh less individually, and are easier to move around.

 

Most definitely. Eden, for one, has long been using 5/8" ply for all of their cabs, even the 410 and 215. Well-thought-out bracing makes them very rigid. The baffles are 3/4", though.

Likewise, if you go with a lighter density ply such as Italian Poplar, then there's a few more pounds of weight saved there.

 

Gabu, 5/8 would be a good choice. Goliath IIs are made of 5/8 and they're plenty solid.

Since so much material is removed from the baffle, I'd probably keep it 3/4.

My Home Depot doesn't carry 5/8...just 1/2 and 3/4. In fact, I had a heck of a time when looking for 5/8 and never did come up with any... Then I had a change in plans and bought a couple emptly Avatar cabinets.

Another weight savings technique would be to do what Avatar does...dado and rabbet every joint so you don't have to use cleats...

 

The cab is pretty short for a towel bar handle, unless the mover is of small stature...

You could get one of those extending handles from Parts Express and use that...

Don't worry about not getting the angled panels perfect...a belt sander can fix a multitude of woodworking sins

 

I agree that there's something special about a 2x15...perhaps it's because my first real bass cabinet was a 2x15 (actually it was a homebuilt 4x10 made with hi-fi woofers (BIC Venturi) but no ported box or tweeter...it was '75 and "I" could have started the 4x10 revolution).

Speaking of 2x15s...this auction is killing me...especially because I live about 1000 miles from Rhode Island and can't pick them up...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10171&item=3717439891&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Gabu, if you built another small 2x15, you could locate the port in the center like the Acoustic 406 and use 5/8 for the baffle too...

 

Ply is wierd stuff. It's not especially stiff for the weight, nor especially strong--it's just uniform, that's all.

I have occasionally thought that if you had a good workshop (better than most of us own) you could make a REALLY great box. You would edge glue 3 or 4" wide 1/4 or 5/16 boards of something strong and light--spruce would be great, pine would be OK, oak, would be good though pricy. taht would make up a panel. then you would do the same at 90 degrees on top of it. you'd end up with 2 layer plywood, stronger and lighter than anything you can buy.

 

Make that cab sound even better by adding a little front-to-back and side-to-side bracing. The front-to-back will add the most benefit. Just screw and glue a 1" dowel in. It will make a HUGE difference because those magnets are just turning your large side-surfaces into big radiators, creating all kinds of weird resonances and phase issues (and it will add very little weight).

Also don't forget to add padding/insulation to the inside. I just re-padded my two GenzBenz bins and it was astounding how tight those boxes sound now. Damn, I should have done it sooner!

Oh, yes, the 3/4 inch ply will definitely sound better than the 5/8. Congratulations on a nice project!

 

I was a talented toddler Actually, my first cabinets were built in '72 when I was in 7th grade...but those were stereo speakers...I hadn't yet discovered the electric bass or embarked on a now 30+ year obsession with musical instrument amplifiers and speakers.

 

The 4x12 I built some months ago has the same dimensions except with a 48" height and came in around 70 pounds (2" slot vent along the bottom as well). While I couldn't hope to break 50, I was aiming to stay under 75. 70lbs + tiltback castors make it very easy to move.

Looks good so far, keep up w/ the pix!

 

I didn't think you'd get it under 50lbs, but 70lbs is an acheivment for a 2x15, my 2x10 weighs 70lbs and only handles 175watts, I envy you

 

I didn't realize there was such a thing as roll-on truck bed liner, so I went to www.herculiner.com and read up on it. Wow, it's only about $30 a quart for black, $40 a quart for grey or red. Not too bad. Bondo also makes one called Truck Guard. For both of them, the xylene will kill or maim you in short order so you'll have to do it outside.

I'm guessing you will need to prime the wood, or the solvents will soak in and it will not cure. Were you figuring on priming it?

 

I found the instructions... looks like you're good to go!

WOOD
If wood texture is rough, it may not require special preparation. For best results, lightly sand wood surface before applying HERCULINER. Some pressure-treated woods may need priming. If in doubt, make a small test application first. HERCULINER will bond to wolmanized treated wood without priming.

ROLLER APPLICATION

Apply HERCULINER with special, open foam stipple roller included in the kit. Extra roller covers are available at your local home supply outlet (i.e. foamPro textured paint roller #58).

Apply first coat as a thin coat to cover. When tacky or touch dry (usually within1-4 hours - slightly longer for red and gray HERCULINER), apply second coat. Extreme climate conditions of heat, cold and humidity can shorten or lengthen this period. NOTE: Failure to apply two complete uniform coats will compromise the durability and reduce the longevity of the HERCULINER truck bed coating. Roll gently to extend the life of the roller cover.

COVERAGE (2 COATS)
One quart covers a flat area of about 15 square feet. One gallon covers 55 to 60 square feet, with a final dry coat thickness of 1/16 - 1/32 of an inch.