Repair MDF speaker cabinet hole

[Big Hoss]

I have my opinions of MDF, and not a single one is kind, My manner of repair for your situation would avoid re-daaging the cab in the long run, by avoiding the MDF as much as possible....

Simply cut out a base plate from at least 1/2" cabinet grade plywood, preferrably hardwood. Round over the edges to match the cab, and round over the edge that will face DOWN so there are no sharp edges except where the plate will meet the cab.

Paint the plate matte black, use Truck bed liner stuff if you can. Attach your casters.
Attach the plate to the bottom of the cab with construction adhesive and screws.

 

[micguy]

MDF is not what cabinets should be made out of, assuming you want to travel with them. The tradeoff for it being a lot weaker than plywood is...it's also heavier.

I second the PL adhering (with some screws) of a baltic birch ply bottom onto the existing cabinet. Yes, it'll add weight, but you'll have some part of the cabinet that is solid, and you can bolt yor casters to that with a good chance they'll survive for a while.

 

[waveman]

Several ways to go about it.
1. I would just get a couple of 1x6s and cut them to fit the bottom of the cab, cover existing points where the casters are, then attach the 1x6's to the cab (after painting them black) and attach all casters. I would probably go side-to-side, rather than front-to-back so that is appears contiguous in the front.

2. You could also use the approach to fix a hole in your roof, and put larger board than the hole inside the cab, attach a cutout to even things up so it looks smooth externally. Use screws and wood glue to secure everything.

3. Or, just get a 3/4" piece of plywood, painted black, and attach that to the bottom of the existing cab, then attach casters to that.

 

[muddycreek]

A REAL TB'er would measure the cabinet, calculate the internal volume, calculate what the volume SHOULD be (with neo's), buy enough 1/2" poplar plywood, buy the neo's (probably 12's instead of whatever your other cabinet had, plus a mid driver), build a crossover, build THAT cabinet, splurge on new hardware, and call it a simple, solid repair.

The good news is now you have cutoffs to plug and back the caster on your now-#2 cabinet. Except it doesn't need them, because you're leaving that one in the rehearsal space.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

A REAL TB'er would measure the cabinet, calculate the internal volume, calculate what the volume SHOULD be (with neo's), buy enough 1/2" poplar plywood, buy the neo's (probably 12's instead of whatever your other cabinet had, plus a mid driver), build a crossover, build THAT cabinet, splurge on new hardware, and call it a simple, solid repair.

...... or buy a new cab made out of plywood.

 

[BadExample]

piece of wood glued on the inside, puddy in hole . and long screws like a sandwich

You put screws in yer sammiches? Daaaaayam. Remind me not to mess with you!

 

[InhumanResource]

Bondo. Used to repair arcade game cabinets like this all the time.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I second the PL adhering (with some screws) of a baltic birch ply bottom onto the existing cabinet. Yes, it'll add weight, but you'll have some part of the cabinet that is solid, and you can bolt yor casters to that with a good chance they'll survive for a while.

Yep, and the rest of the MDF cabinet will just fall apart around the repair.

 

[micguy]

Yep, and the rest of the MDF cabinet will just fall apart around the repair.

Of course it will. If I really liked how the cabinet worked, and the drivers were in good shape, I'd build a Baltic Birch box and move everything over. But I'm a bit unusual - I build my own cabinets.