# Giant Killer build



## PassingInterest

Danny Richie of GR Research fame sent me an X-LS kit pair really fast.
Here is a link to a recent sale he had for these. There is more info about the kits in that link.

I don't have a problem with the developmental name of King David or KD for short, but I really like the name Giant Killer--perhaps because I like a late 70s British Christian band called Giant Killer. Their Valley of Decision album was really good.

The kit really does include everything. All you see here.










I don't have much time to spare, so I need to move pretty fast on this build. Thankfully, this looks like a really fast build already. Danny provided some excellent documentation.


----------



## NBPk402

In for progress reports and pics.


----------



## PassingInterest

I'm already looking ahead to the final finishing touches and I think I'll start there.
That way, some panels can get glued and clamped and set aside before I start on the actual boxes themselves.

Joint a reference face.











The face.











Now joint an edge, keeping the reference face held firmly against the fence.


----------



## NBPk402

Man you have a ton of wood! Are you a professional woodworker? What kind of wood will you be using for this project? Are we to expect dovetail joints and other fancy assembly?


----------



## PassingInterest

Let me back up a moment.
A neighbor stopped by recently and said he had a landscaping business.
He and his crew had been asked to tear down and haul off an old wooden playset and he thought of me.
He had seen me work on some wood projects in my garage and driveway and he'd rather I put the wood to good use, instead of dumping it in the landfill.

I could see there was some good cedar in there, so of course I was interested.
Here's what he and his crew left me.


----------



## PassingInterest

ellisr63 said:


> Man you have a ton of wood! Are you a professional woodworker? What kind of wood will you be using for this project? Are we to expect dovetail joints and other fancy assembly?


I'm a retired old electronics technician, enjoying a little bit of a woodworking hobby.
I won't be doing any fancy joinery in this build, but hopefully the end result will have an appreciably high WAF.


----------



## NBPk402

Lucky you... free wood! So are you building the speakers out of Cedar?


----------



## PassingInterest

Okay, now that I have backed up a bit, let's run through this again.
You can see that this board is cupped and I want to flatten it on the jointer.
Feed it through the jointer with the crown up (peak up).
That way, it won't rock from side to side as you feed it though.











Remember to protect your eyes, ears and hands.











This will need a few more passes.











I'm only taking off 1/32" with each pass.











One more pass should do it.











And there it is. I thought some of you guys might like to see the transformation from junk wood to beauty. This is only the beginning.


----------



## PassingInterest

ellisr63 said:


> Lucky you... free wood! So are you building the speakers out of Cedar?


I know, I can't believe I had some Cedar delivered to my door for free. That was awfully decent of the guy.
The cabinets will be made with 3/4" plywood. The Cedar will be used for some finishing touches after the cab is done. I just jumped to the end before I even started on the cabs.


----------



## PassingInterest

Still excited about the transformation from junk to beauty, I thought I'd show you fine folks that some of this wood was pretty dirty. I will brush this off before jointing it.











Here is that same Cedar board after jointing the face and both edges.











I have some panels glued up. It's a start, even if I started at the end.


----------



## robbo266317

You are very lucky to have good friends that think of you when they have "scrap" wood and the equipment to make use of it. :T
It's a shame so much of it simply ends up as landfill.
I can't wait to see the end product.


----------



## erwinbel

It's hard for me to recognise Cedar in that wood. Anyway, do not leave the glued panels in the sun or they will cup again. 

Good luck.


----------



## Danny Richie

That looks real cool, but I have some bad news for you. Solid hardwood is very resonant and speakers built from it typically have a high level of coloration from it. 

That's why everyone uses MDF for speaker cabinets. 

However, you can use a layer of hardwood on MDF to good effect. You can even drop back on the MDF thickness a little. Just get some 1/2" thick MDF and glue it up with some 1/2" thick hardwood. 

You will want to keep the front baffle size as close to the same as possible. So to keep the same air space internally and the same size front baffle then you can make the boxes a little deeper to compensate.


----------



## PassingInterest

erwinbel said:


> It's hard for me to recognise Cedar in that wood.


The aeromatic scent is unmistakable.

The photo you provided looks RiftSawn to me. Mine looks PlainSawn.

Good tip about leaving the panels in the sun. We definitely want to avoid cupping.


----------



## PassingInterest

Danny, I plan on making the cabs from plywood and putting the Cedar panels on it in places for effect.
I can use MDF, but I prefer ply. I don't think plywood cabs will be a problem, do you? Speak quickly before I begin on the cabs.


----------



## PassingInterest

I'm surprised the glue is cured already, but it is 100 degrees in the shade and I type slow, so they had enough time already.

Let's plane those panels. 











Continuing with the beauty transformation.




















And to think this was headed for the landfill. I'm glad I was home when he stopped by.


----------



## sub_crazy

A PI build...........................:yay: arty:

It is the start of the school season, right in time for me to start learning.


----------



## Danny Richie

I like MDF better as it is less resonant than plywood, but plywood is not bad. 

That will work.


----------



## NBPk402

Klipsch used to make their speakers from 3/4" Birch... I thought that the reason for going MDF was less expensive and that it was easier to get a perfectly smooth finish. Am I mistaken?


----------



## Danny Richie

MDF is less expensive and has a smoother finish.


----------



## PassingInterest

Okay, thanks for the advice, Danny.
As it turns out, I got caught up in a cutting frenzy and only just now came up for air.
And supper.



sub_crazy said:


> It is the start of the school season, right in time for me to start learning.


What, no apple for the teacher? Your grades are already slipping, Mike.:rofl:


----------



## PassingInterest

From left to right, Sides, Fronts/Backs, Tops/Bottoms.











I've taken a slightly different approach from what's called out in the plans, so don't anybody get confused if things look a little different.

Now for some horizontal braces.
I used a top to set a stop-block on the miter saw.











It will make sense in a moment.











My Inner-Cheapskate talked me into making the horizontal braces from scraps.











I just added the glue and am reaching for the clamps.











Using the _Vertical _Braces as clamping blocks, temporarily.


----------



## sub_crazy

PassingInterest said:


> What, no apple for the teacher? Your grades are already slipping, Mike.:rofl:


Sorry teacher, here's an apple for ya


----------



## PassingInterest

Hey! You're my best student so far, Mike!

Glued the vertical braces to the horizontal braces.











Pin it, so it won't move while you apply the clamps.











Well, I meant to show the insides with the braces installed, but I got caught up in a gluing and clamping frenzy and forgot.










There it is.

I started this project after lunch today and I began by assembling some panels that will be used for some final decorative touches, which most people probably won't do. So, you can see how quick and easy this build project is and the price for the kit is hard to beat.


----------



## Danny Richie

Tip for the teacher.  Run a router around all of those braces and knock the edges off of them. This will allow the air flow to be a little smoother moving around them, especially since this is a ported box. 

And thanks for posting pics. 

*I REALLY like it when my customers make build threads. *


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks for the tip, Danny. I usually round-over the edges of the braces. But, this time I got in a hurry and forgot to do that. Too late now. They're already in the cab. I won't make that mistake again, though. I appreciate all the advice.


----------



## Anthony

Awesome work. I'm a woodworker myself and enjoyed the pics.


----------



## BeerParty

Danny Richie said:


> Tip for the teacher.  Run a router around all of those braces and knock the edges off of them. This will allow the air flow to be a little smoother moving around them, especially since this is a ported box.
> 
> And thanks for posting pics.
> 
> *I REALLY like it when my customers make build threads. *


Danny, you couldn't have asked for a better "customer builder". PassingInterest is a fairly well known builder/poster in some of the other forums (I know it's you PI, I'd recognize that garage workshop anywhere! :wave. His woodworking skills are top notch, and he always includes excellent pictures and build info in his threads. In fact, I just joined the HTS forum so I could post while I follow along (yes, he is that good).

----
Chris

"It hurts to admit when you make mistakes - but when they are big enough, the pain only lasts a second."
--Despair, Inc. "Regret"


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks, Anthony!
I can't believe how fast this build is. I'm not bragging on myself. It's just a really well planned project that is very quick and easy for _anyone _to build.


Clamps are off and the cabs are ready for sanding.











Sanded.


----------



## PassingInterest

BeerParty--Thanks, Chris! That's awfully kind of you to say so. But, there's no way I could live up to all that high praise. Thanks just the same, though. You're very kind. And hey, I'm glad to see you over here at the Shack, and this was your very first post here! I'm touched.

Too much warm feeling going on here. I need to use an angle grinder for a while, or at least a hammer drill. Okay, an impact driver at the very least.

Thanks again.


----------



## BeerParty

PassingInterest said:


> But, there's no way I could live up to all that high praise.


You and I obviously have a different definition of 'high praise' and whether you deserve it or not. After you are done, I'll ask the folks watching from the sidelines chime in on whether I overdid it. We'll let them decide. :heehee:



PassingInterest said:


> Too much warm feeling going on here. I need to use an angle grinder for a while, or at least a hammer drill. Okay, an impact driver at the very least.


I just recently borrowed a RamSet to attach some 2x4s to the floor of my basement, seems like the perfect solution to your current dilemma. :neener:

OK, it is Friday and I have had a miserable week. Seeing you start a new build has cheered me up. You'll have to forgive my ribbing.


----------



## PassingInterest

Haha! Thanks for the good laugh, Chris. Always a pleasure, my friend.

Now we drill 1/8" holes in the front.











Before anyone gets confused, this is not the final or outer front baffle, so I am just making feed-through holes for the two drivers.

For the tweeter feed-through hole on this inner baffle, I just used a hole saw. It was quick and easy.











I got good, clean holes. Not that it is important in this case, since you will never see them again once they are covered with the Cedar.


----------



## PassingInterest

Now for some deliberately _over-sized_ woofer feed through holes.
Over-sizing the inner woofer feed-through holes will help the woofer to _breathe _on the backside.

I use a 1/4" spiral up-cut bit.











I like to mark my pinning holes for repeat cuts (the black square on the 6" mark). The Red marks that you see are for mounting the jig to a Milwaukee router. DeNatured Alcohol on a paper towel will clean the marks off the plastic jig.











And so it begins.


----------



## sub_crazy

PassingInterest said:


> Too much warm feeling going on here. I need to use an angle grinder for a while, or at least a hammer drill. Okay, an impact driver at the very least.


I will bring ya down to earth..........your OK if your into quality build threads, I on the other hand pride my-self on useless banter and just plain annoying behavior in general :neener:

I passed by a farm earlier today and a Donkey was giving me the stink eye, I am going to pass by later on and see what his problem is :boxer:


----------



## PassingInterest

Let's back up a little for the benefit of new beginners who haven't used a Jasper Jig before.

Mark and drill the center of the circle you want to cut, using an 1/8" drill bit.











Stick the pin in the jig at the location marked for the size hole you want to cut.
Since this is just a feed-through hole, I won't be cutting any recess or rebate to flush mount the driver.
But, you would cut the recess first, then cut the through hole.











Then you stick the pin in the hole in the box and with power off, gently plunge down and touch the surface to locate the _zero _depth position.











Then you rotate the stepper to its highest position and lower the depth stop until it touches the stepper and lock the depth stop in place.











With the power off, you rotate the stepper one or two notches, then power on and plunge down.
Never reach for the stepper with the power on. It only takes a moment to have a life-changing experience, so be safe, rather than lazy.











Now you rotate the jig around the pin until you have completed a circle and you have cut a groove.











Power off and rotate the stepper. Then power on and cut a deeper groove. You know the rest already.


----------



## PassingInterest

Sub_Crazy, you are so funny! Thanks for the good laugh.
I know that donkey has another black eye coming when he least expects it.
Just kidding, of course.


----------



## sub_crazy

I know this is too much praise but it has to be said. PI lending his skills and knowledge here at the HTS is great, I personally have learned a ton from his builds over the years. The only problem is I usually buy a couple of new tools after each PI build thread, so that's were all the money went :spend:


----------



## BD55

These are looking great! Subscribed. I think there is a lot to be said about re-purposing or recycling projects, and I'm glad to see one here.


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks, BD55! By the way, every piece of plywood used in this build was cutoffs from other projects, so this is an uber-frugal build. Not because I'm not taking the project seriously, but as long as I keep my inner-cheapskate happy, he lets me buy more power tools.

Sub_Crazy--I had to dodge your accountant for two months after my last build. Man, was that guy mad. :rofl2:


I just used hole saws to cut the openings in the back.
You can surface mount the terminal cup.
_But_, if you flush mount it, you can fool people into thinking that you're _cooler _than you really are!
I know that seems a little confusing, considering I did not cut a recess for it...yet. But, wait until later.


----------



## NBPk402

Wow...this is the most informative DIY I have ever read!! I am def learning a lot about the process. For one thing I never would have thought of using a cutting bit in a router! I usually use a drill and last time I used my Dremel. A router is a much better way to do it.


----------



## Danny Richie

One more important thing. And this is the reason I cut the front baffle before putting it on. You need a good 3/8" to 1/2" radius on the back side of the woofer hole.


----------



## NBPk402

Danny Richie said:


> One more important thing. And this is the reason I cut the front baffle before putting it on. You need a good 3/8" to 1/2" radius on the back side of the woofer hole.


I would have thought that could be done at anytime with a router bit, or would it be to dif to do afterwards?

tia,
Ron


----------



## PassingInterest

Ellisr63--Glad I could help.

Danny--I over-sized the hole enough to give good clearance. Remember, what you see so far is not the final outer baffle. That will be Cedar. Thanks for pointing out these things, so others will take note.

You guys _are _taking notes, right? This _will _be on the final exam.


----------



## NBPk402

PassingInterest said:


> Ellisr63--Glad I could help.
> 
> Danny--I over-sized the hole enough to give good clearance. Remember, what you see so far is not the final outer baffle. That will be Cedar. Thanks for pointing out these things, so others will take note.
> 
> You guys _are _taking notes, right? This _will _be on the final exam.


Taking notes? Ugh I was just going to refer to your pics and write up...


----------



## PassingInterest

45 degrees.











I did not like the way 45 degrees looked, so I set the miter saw to 60 degrees.











That looks better.











Now to begin on the fronts.


----------



## Danny Richie

ellisr63 said:


> I would have thought that could be done at anytime with a router bit, or would it be to dif to do afterwards?
> 
> tia,
> Ron


You can do it anytime if you have a reverse radius cutter. I have one in a 3/8" that I use often with upgrades that I do on various speakers. 

It is not real common though.


----------



## sub_crazy

PassingInterest said:


> You guys _are _taking notes, right? This _will _be on the final exam.


Awwww man, my dog ate um, oh wait, I don't have a dog, I mean they fell into a wood chipper :innocent:


----------



## Danny Richie

Just so you guys understand what's going on with this inside edge radius deal... 

When a woofer is mounted in a cabinet with a straight cut through hole and no radius on the back side, then there is a little different loading on the woofer and some diffraction effects that alter the response. 

Putting a radius on the back side lets the woofer breath better and allows the back wave to be absorbed into the damping material in the box. 

Here is an example. This is a measured response of a small woofer in a two way book shelf speaker. It did not have a radius on the back side of the woofer through hole and it lacked the proper amount of damping material behind the woofer. 

So I used a reverse set radius bit to knock off the inside edge and added damping material. 

Note the difference. The green line is the way it came to me and the red line is after the mod. 










Pretty cool huh.


----------



## NBPk402

Danny Richie said:


> Just so you guys understand what's going on with this inside edge radius deal...
> 
> When a woofer is mounted in a cabinet with a straight cut through hole and no radius on the back side, then there is a little different loading on the woofer and some diffraction effects that alter the response.
> 
> Putting a radius on the back side lets the woofer breath better and allows the back wave to be absorbed into the damping material in the box.
> 
> Here is an example. This is a measured response of a small woofer in a two way book shelf speaker. It did not have a radius on the back side of the woofer through hole and it lacked the proper amount of damping material behind the woofer.
> 
> So I used a reverse set radius bit to knock off the inside edge and added damping material.
> 
> Note the difference. The green line is the way it came to me and the red line is after the mod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pretty cool huh.


I can def see the dif... Did you test it before you added the proper dampening material too? Just asking since to the untrained (me) I can't tell if it was the combination that made the dif or not. BTW I def agree that it is better to radius, just not sure if that made the whole dif in measurement.


----------



## Danny Richie

See the peak in the 850Hz range and the dipped area on either side of it? That is caused from the sharp edge on the back side of the woofer.


----------



## Danny Richie

Here is the exact same before and after on a Behringer B2031P monitor. 










The green line was the response after a radius was put on the back side and nothing else changed.


----------



## NBPk402

Danny Richie said:


> Here is the exact same before and after on a Behringer B2031P monitor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The green line was the response after a radius was put on the back side and nothing else changed.


Gotcha. That is exactly what I wanted to see... I believed the radius work made a dif I just didn't know how much. Thanks for clarifying it for me.


----------



## BeerParty

Danny Richie said:


> One more important thing. And this is the reason I cut the front baffle before putting it on. You need a good 3/8" to 1/2" radius on the back side of the woofer hole.


I think you mean chamfer or round-over, right?

Here is an example of the chamfer I put on the back of the baffle of a speaker I built a while ago:









Here is what it looks like with the driver attached to the baffle (before the baffle was attached to the cabinet):


----------



## NBPk402

BeerParty said:


> I think you mean chamfer or round-over, right?
> 
> Here is an example of the chamfer I put on the back of the baffle of a speaker I built a while ago:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is what it looks like with the driver attached to the baffle (before the baffle was attached to the cabinet):


Strange your pics are not showing up but I see the links when I quote them, and they are in my post.:dontknow:


----------



## Danny Richie

> I think you mean chamfer or round-over, right?


Yep, you can call it that too. It always helps to do that.


----------



## BeerParty

ellisr63 said:


> Strange your pics are not showing up but I see the links when I quote them, and they are in my post.:dontknow:


It probably has something to do with my forgetfulness, since I forgot that I needed 5 posts before I could include pictures. :rubeyes:


----------



## TheLaw612

Sweeeeet another PI build thread! So helpful and informative as well as entertaining!


----------



## PassingInterest

Great graphs, Danny. That really drives the point home. Keep me on my toes!

In my case, as I said, I over-sized the through hole--it is 6" in diameter. Hopefully it will make sense soon.
But if that is not enough clearance, I can back-cut a chamfer inside the hole after I get the final outer baffle installed, if I need to. I will know for sure tomorrow. I am out of time today.

TheLaw612--Great to see you here!


----------



## PassingInterest

I'm preparing to cut the tweeter recess.
Here's a quick, easy way to set the recess depth--you don't even have to measure anything.











For the beginners--when you cut the recess depth, the cut depth stays the same and the circle diameter keeps getting smaller, until you reach the through-hole diameter.



















Then you can plunge (in steps) until you are through.
I chose to just use the hole saw for the through cut.
Note: I still have to cut some notches for the terminal connectors. I'll do that tomorrow.

I drew the outer diameter of the woofer on the baffle, then experimented with the Jasper Jig (power off) until I liked what I saw.











Here I am checking the side clearance.











Here I am checking the lower edge clearance. The knot worries me a little, but not overly so.











Now you see where I am going with this.











It's beginning to take shape. The baffle is not attached. It is just propped up for the photo.
I still have to do some round-overs and chamfer the back of the woofer hole on these baffles.
I hoped to spray today, but I'm out of time. At least I'm off to a pretty good start.


----------



## sub_crazy

I always like the "ah ha" moment in your build threads PI. I sit there scrolling through your pics and see the outcome, I like were this is going.


----------



## sub_crazy

Danny Richie said:


> Here is the exact same before and after on a Behringer B2031P monitor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The green line was the response after a radius was put on the back side and nothing else changed.


Now I finally understand why the radius is applied on the back. Does it make a difference for subwoofers as well?


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks, Mike!

I know it can be hard for you advanced guys to sit through all the pictures, but I always try to gear my build threads for beginners. Sometimes, even you advanced guys might pick up a useful tip or two, if not from me, then from another contributor to the thread. And, always keep me on my toes, guys. I can mess-up too.

I'm very thankful that Danny provided so many tips and guidance in this thread, because I know a lot of people will learn from it.

Guys, this is a really easy build. If you've never done one yourself, but wanted to, this one is _so _easy. I don't think you'll find an easier build project.


----------



## PassingInterest

sub_crazy said:


> Now I finally understand why the radius is applied on the back. Does it make a difference for subwoofers as well?


I'd give a qualified _no_, because of the wavelengths involved with a sub.
However, if you do something completely unreasonable, as I am inclined to do and end up mounting the driver to 2 1/2" for the baffle, you might need to open up the through-hole with a chamfer. (I went pretty thick on my Howitzer subs, mostly for appearances).

But then again, I'm no expert. It will be interesting to get an authoritative answer to that.


----------



## tuxedocivic

Danny Richie said:


> Here is the exact same before and after on a Behringer B2031P monitor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The green line was the response after a radius was put on the back side and nothing else changed.


So what happened in the top octave? Mic moved a bit?


----------



## mtg90

Whew almost missed out on a PI build thread.

You sure are moving quick on this one.

I have a pile of old playset wood stacked up that had been waiting for a build like this. Don't you make me buy a jointer now.


----------



## Danny Richie

> I'd give a qualified no, because of the wavelengths involved with a sub.


This is correct. Those low frequency wavelengths are just too long. 




> So what happened in the top octave? Mic moved a bit?


It might have.


----------



## PassingInterest

Okay, thanks Danny.

TuxedoCivic and MTG90--Great to see you guys here at the Shack! Thanks for dropping by my build thread.

MTG90--It is possible to joint on your router table. Just thought I'd mention it. I like having a jointer, though. It is easy to set up each time. I hope you do put the old wood to good use.


----------



## maxmercy

Better late than never, I pride myself on not missing PI builds. The construction is great, but the finish-work is AWESOME.

JSS


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks Max! You're very kind. Great to see you here and thanks for stopping by.

It was 70 degrees on my morning run today and it is expected to only get to 85 today, which is much nicer than yesterday's 104. I'll have to check the relative humidity later, just before I spray the shellac on the Cedar panels. Too much humidity can cause a milky hazing in the finish if you use shellac or lacquer.


----------



## TheLaw612

It amazes me how fast you move through these builds while still providing amazing pictures for reference. When I finally get around to building my Encores I'll be coming back to this thread for sure.


----------



## PassingInterest

*TheLaw612*--Thanks, man! I know my build thread has value if you and others find it useful for your own projects. I look forward to following your build. I'm sure your Encores will not disappoint. An excellent choice!


----------



## PassingInterest

Now to cut some notches for the tweeter terminals.











Buenos Notches.











Oops! I grabbed the wrong hole saw and undersized the hole. I must have been tired.
Thankfully, the corresponding hole in the cabinet is the correct size.











Since I don't have to remove much material, the sander will do just fine.
The sanding operation took about a minute and a half for each baffle.











That's better.











Align and mark the screw holes.











Pilot the screw holes.


----------



## PassingInterest

TheLaw612 said:


> It amazes me how fast you move through these builds while still providing amazing pictures for reference.


I'm actually in the middle of a bathroom remodel project, but my wife is out of town and I was feeling a little lonely, so I thought I would cheer myself up with a nice relaxing speaker build project. That's how this project came about.











I did not build these bathroom sinks. My wife just decided she wanted a cherry look instead, so I sprayed them.


----------



## PassingInterest

Now to chamfer the back side of the woofer opening.
Set the bit height.











Stop blocks are not strictly necessary for this operation.
I just feel better knowing they are there, because approximation and guess-work is completely removed during the routing operation.











Let's take a closer look, so you can see how simple they are.











And, here's where they began.











The bit stops when the bearing hits the stop block.
You just push in one direction until you hit a stop block, then you push in the other direction until you hit the other stop block.
Then you move out of that section and into the next and do it again. The routing operation goes really fast this way.











Again, it is not necessary to use the stop blocks, but I prefer them and I consider it worth the time to make a few from scraps.











A slow feed rate caused a little scorching of the wood, but I don't care about that.











Now to check the cabinet opening. I did not over-size the hole enough.











I can easily enlarge the opening with a template, or I can notch out some areas. Either way, it's no big deal. I'll decide after lunch.


----------



## PassingInterest

I decided to just notch it out by free-hand routing.
I think that opened it up enough to not be a problem.
The woofers should have plenty of breathing room, I think.
On to some round-overs next.


----------



## pharoah

just noticed this thread.thats a really cool build so far.i cant wait to see the final product.


----------



## PassingInterest

*Pharaoh*--Thanks, man! I hope you enjoy the show.

Here's a trick to avoid tear-out at the ends of the cut--just clamp some scrap stock on the ends.











1/2" Radius Round-Over.











1/4" Radius Round-Over for the side panels.


----------



## PassingInterest

Here's a chance to fool people into thinking that you're cooler than you really are.

Hang in there. It will make sense in a moment.




















Cut them apart and trim some waste.




















Be safe.











Wait for it.











See what I mean?
If you don't use any Design Elements--You won't _fool _anyone.


----------



## Danny Richie

Man, those are going to look really good.


----------



## PassingInterest

Danny Richie said:


> Man, those are going to look really good.


Thanks, Danny! I appreciate that.


I'm done spraying black. It only needed one coat. I want the wood grain texture to show.











I used this one-part epoxy garage floor paint on some Stentorians I built last CHRISTmas, because it is tough enough for you to park your car on. It worked really well on the Stentorians, so I used it again here. I think it has been discontinued, though. 











Guys, please don't coat your lungs with your finish.


----------



## PassingInterest

I am spraying a tinted Shellac on the Cedar accent pieces, using a $9.99 Harbor Freight spray gun.











I mixed Red Mahogany Trans-Tint with the Shellac, to spray a tint coat.











A turntable makes this task easier.











One side panel tinted.




















That's it for today. Tomorrow, I will spray several clearcoats, to protect the tint coat.


----------



## sub_crazy

PassingInterest said:


> I'm actually in the middle of a bathroom remodel project, but my wife is out of town and I was feeling a little lonely, so I thought I would cheer myself up with a nice relaxing speaker build project. That's how this project came about.


That tile is crazy, it's like an optical illusion, I really like it.


----------



## Ezcl

PassingInterest said:


> MTG90--It is possible to joint on your router table. Just thought I'd mention it. I like having a jointer, though. It is easy to set up each time. I hope you do put the old wood to good use.


You can? Do tell... :O

Another awesome build thread, keep up the great work PI!


----------



## TheLaw612

LOL every time I see that Toyota T100 I think of when you used it as a veneer press a while back. 

Looking amazing as usual!


----------



## PassingInterest

sub_crazy said:


> That tile is crazy, it's like an optical illusion, I really like it.


Thanks, Mike.




TheLaw612 said:


> LOL every time I see that Toyota T100 I think of when you used it as a veneer press a while back.
> 
> Looking amazing as usual!


Thanks, man! I'm surprised you remember the T-100 Veneer Press experiment. I guess it made an impression. I get a lot of use out of that truck.




Ezcl said:


> You can? Do tell... :O
> 
> Another awesome build thread, keep up the great work PI!


Thanks!
Here is an article on how to set up your router table for edge jointing. Obviously, _face _jointing would require another approach, because of the bit length limitations. The article also has a video at the end of it.

Here is a video on jointing on a router table.

Hope this helps.

Oh, by the way, I just noticed this was your first post here, Ezcl! Welcome to the Shack and I hope you enjoy the show!


----------



## PassingInterest

sub_crazy said:


> That tile is crazy, it's like an optical illusion, I really like it.


It's supposed to be hypnotic, so I can slip in _subliminal messages _while people look at it.
Here's another look at it from a different angle.

If _*you want to*_ know the truth, I didn't even _*wax*_ them yet and I laid them out in _*my truck *_bed to dry after each cut.


----------



## sub_crazy

PassingInterest said:


> It's supposed to be hypnotic, so I can slip in _subliminal messages _while people look at it.
> Here's another look at it from a different angle.
> 
> If _*you want to*_ know the truth, I didn't even _*wax*_ them yet and I laid them out in _*my truck *_bed to dry after each cut.


Carnuba or one of those new high tech waxes............ohhhhhh, I see, your good :bigsmile:


----------



## PassingInterest

sub_crazy said:


> Carnuba or one of those new high tech waxes............ohhhhhh, I see, your good :bigsmile:


Dang, you saw through that. Looks like I'll have to wax my truck myself. Well, it was worth a try. I'll get the hang of the subliminal messages yet.

Hope you folks don't mind a little humor tossed into this thread.


----------



## PassingInterest

I'll spray a couple more protective clear topcoats today and tomorrow I'll begin assembly.











I like this product. I think it comes close to an oil-based poly in appearance. It also sands easily, without loading your sandpaper.


----------



## TheLaw612

I know from previous threads that you've bought a few tools/items from Harbor Freight. How do you like them and how are they holding up? I thought about grabbing a few things from there that aren't as heavily needed/used but I have heard mixed things.


----------



## BD55

PassingInterest said:


> You can surface mount the terminal cup.
> _But_, if you flush mount it, you can fool people into thinking that you're _cooler _than you really are!
> I know that seems a little confusing, considering I did not cut a recess for it...yet. But, wait until later.


Hey man, that ain't no foolin'. That _is_ cool. :nerd: For what really is not much effort, I think flush mounting most things ramps the aesthetics level up quite a few notches, and I look forward to seeing the results or your workmanship! Keep up the great pics, they speak volumes!


----------



## PassingInterest

TheLaw612 said:


> I know from previous threads that you've bought a few tools/items from Harbor Freight. How do you like them and how are they holding up? I thought about grabbing a few things from there that aren't as heavily needed/used but I have heard mixed things.


The things I've gotten from Harbor Freight have not been great, but some are useful.
The HF spray gun I mentioned earlier is not the best performer I have, but I still use it sometimes and when I do, I try to make a point of mentioning it, so others can get started on spraying with a very affordable gun.

I also had some uber-affordable clamps that would slip and not hold pressure, but I found a remedy and now I can't get them to slip. I got them years ago and I still use them.



















I think it's pretty much hit or miss with the HF products.


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks, BD55! That's very kind of you. I enjoy the builds and I enjoy sharing tips and tricks to help others with their projects. Having said all that, I ended up not cutting a recess for the terminal cup after all. I didn't think it needed it this time, but I may have been wrong. We'll see how it turns out.


----------



## mtg90

Are you going to use the HF gun to spray the Minwax water based poly? If so do you have any tips, I have one of the HF guns and have been thinking about using that stuff on project I am working on right now.


----------



## PassingInterest

*MTG90*--I'll let you be the judge as to how well the finish turned out with the HF gun. If you like what you see tomorrow, you'll _know _that you can achieve the same results with the same HF gun.

I did a setup demo of sorts in my Howitzer build thread on another (unmentioned) forum that might help you get the best performance from this or any gun. I think you've seen it, but I mentioned it here for others who may not have.

How I do a gun setup is--I put a gun-mounted pressure regulator/gauge on the gun* and I mount an air filter onto that.

I set the pressure a little high at the tank and dial it in on the gun, with the gun dry and trigger pulled--because that is the spraying pressure.

After I get the air pressure dialed in to what the gun manufacturer calls for, I use the solvent for what I am about to spray to fine-tune tweak the air pressure and liquid flow, by spraying test patches on some cardboard. So, for water based poly, I just use water to do my gun's final tweaking. Well, I still do a test patch with the actual finish before I spray the project or workpiece and I might tweak again, but not much.

I use a liquid filtor _in _the gun and a paper cone paint filtor (medium mesh, available at Home Depot or Lowe's) when I pour the finish into the gun.

I hope this helps. For more info on how I do my gun setup, search for my Howitzer build thread on another forum. The HF gun setup is buried deep inside that build thread somewhere.

One last thing about the HF gun--if you use water based with it, after you clean it out, take out the needle and blow some compressed air through it and through the cup mount (with the cup off) to dry it out or it will rust.

* An automotive finishing pro like Jason (JstSlmd) prefers not to add any air restrictions onto the gun, prefering to dial it in by site and sound. Mostly sound, I think. But, a weekend warrier like myself needs a gauge on the gun, still. I just don't spray often enough to confidently adjust the gun without a gauge like a true pro does. I can't do it _quickly _without a gauge on the gun, let's put it that way. I admire the people like Jason who can.


----------



## mtg90

Good stuff, thanks PI


----------



## PassingInterest

*The Feet*

Same approach I've used in other builds.

Cut the feet.











Plunge and...











Sand the feet.











Tint the feet.











Hurry-up-and-dry the feet.


----------



## PassingInterest

*Here are some additional tips on spraying.*

*Practice on some scraps.* Not just little pieces, but sizable enough to simulate a real project piece. Adopt the attitude that the piece matters and you want to make it look good, so you take it seriously during practice.

*Check your clearance.* Move your spray gun across your work piece without pulling the trigger and see if the hose or anything else catches on something. I often use some cardboard under a project piece and a corner can stop the spray gun movement unexpectedly if I am not careful. This will guarantee drips and runs in your finish. So, make sure in advance that nothing will interfere with the movement when you spray.

*Do some test patches on some cardboard.* Proper gun setup can make a night-and-day difference in your coat. Shoot a test patch and tweak until your gun is adjusted right. You will get a good feel for it with experience.

*Freeze it in place.* If you're having trouble with runs on vertical surfaces, you're probably spraying too thick, trying to get the look you want. But, if you prepare in advance and are ready, you can use a hand-held hair dryer immediately after spraying a vertical surface to freeze a water-based coating in place before it runs. Or, if a hair dryer seems a little too unmanly, you can go with a Flame-Thrower, instead. That's what I use. (Joking). The hair dryer trick really can work, but don't get any area too hot or it will bubble.


----------



## BD55

I hope that hair dryer has been re-purposed for garage duty only... my wife would kill me for sure for using her super deluxe (and pink) behemoth. "What dear, noooo, that's just hairspray all over it......" I don't know how many times I've gotten busted for "misappropriating" household items in the garage. :shh:


----------



## Danny Richie

BD55 said:


> I hope that hair dryer has been re-purposed for garage duty only... my wife would kill me for sure for using her super deluxe (and pink) behemoth. "What dear, noooo, that's just hairspray all over it......" I don't know how many times I've gotten busted for "misappropriating" household items in the garage. :shh:


Mine caught me using her iron to apply veneer. Not only was she not happy about seeing her iron out in the shop area but no she thinks I know how to iron. :dontknow:


----------



## PassingInterest

Danny Richie said:


> Mine caught me using her iron to apply veneer. Not only was she not happy about seeing her iron out in the shop area but no she thinks I know how to iron. :dontknow:


Oh no! Busted big time! Very important tip there. No clothes irons in the shop _ever_! haha.

I think I will be buying my wife a new hair dryer soon. That's okay though, it _is _handy in the shop sometimes.


----------



## PassingInterest

Preparing to attach the side panels.

Oh, and I saw that I hadn't sprayed the black on the sides far enough.
When I did the hasty touch-up, I got some runs, but since they will be covered by the side panels, I just left them alone.











As an added precaution, I used some waxed paper to make sure nothing tries to stick to the clamping boards and no glue squeeze-out glues the cab to the workbench.


----------



## Anthony

I have an old travel iron I use for veneer (that the wife doesn't know about  )

As to HF tools -- I have a short list of rules:

Never buy a HF tool that plugs in.
If it has 2 moving parts or fewer, it is usually okay.
Else, if you only need to use it once -- it's usually a good deal.


----------



## PassingInterest

Clamps added. I'll continue after lunch.


----------



## PassingInterest

I thought that might happen.
The finish was still soft enough to be..._impressionable_.

Still, you can see how reflective it is. The bed-liner is reflected pretty nicely.
I will have to touch up a few black areas and re-spray a final topcoat on the side panels.











System Three 5 minute epoxy.











I just pressed them firmly into place and gave the epoxy time to set.











Again with the epoxy.











Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I used a small brush to apply some black paint on the tweeter's recess walls to match the faceplate, in case any part of the wall shows after the tweeter is installed. I also carried the black paint out across the recessed area for no logical reason.





























I smeared some water-based caulk in the driver openings, to insure an air-tight seal between the inner and outer baffles.


----------



## sub_crazy

That looks really cool, I like the contrasting finishes :TT


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks, Mike!


Secure the feet and put peel-and-stick felt pads on them.











I'm out of time today and my wife and I have other plans for the next couple of days, so I won't finish these until next week.


----------



## BeerParty

PassingInterest said:


> I'm out of time today and my wife and I have other plans for the next couple of days, so I won't finish these until next week.


We will be waiting on pins and needles, won't we guys?


----------



## sub_crazy

BeerParty said:


> We will be waiting on pins and needles, won't we guys?


It's like a cliff hanger, were all anxious to see the final product.


----------



## pharoah

those box's have turned out quite well.i to cant wait to see the finished product.its been very interesting following this build.:T


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks guys!
I just got back in town. I should be back on them tomorrow.


----------



## PassingInterest

I sprayed two more coats of clear poly on the side panels, to cover and smooth out the clamping dents.











It seems pretty reflective.











Now to touch-up the black areas.











I probably won't begin the final assembly until tomorrow.


----------



## mtg90

I guess I'm going to pick up some of that clear and try it out.


----------



## PassingInterest

mtg90 said:


> I guess I'm going to pick up some of that clear and try it out.


I think you will like it. I know I do. I like the way it looks and I like the way it sands--it doesn't load your sandpaper like some other water-based polys do.


----------



## PassingInterest

Wires added to the crossovers.











A flexible drive shaft can help in tight spaces. If you don't have one, a 1/4" socket and a ratchet can drive a Phillips bit. In this case, you can just use the screws provided in the kit and an Allen Wrench. Of course, it helps if you pre-drill some pilot holes for the crossover boards before assembling the box. I had a photo of that, but I don't think I posted it, because it was hard to see the 4 small pilot holes.











Solder some connections.











The tweeter area has been stuffed, making sure I don't get too close to the ports.
Oh, and twisty-ties were used to secure the wires, to avoid buzzing or rattling.











Woofer area stuffed.


----------



## Danny Richie

Hey man, 

In the kit wire was included. It was 99.98% high purity OFC in polyethylene jacketing. It was some of the best internal wire money can buy. So you don't have to use something left over from a car audio install. Buy doing that you just lost a noticeable amount of resolution. Use the wire that came in the kit and you'll be glad that you did.


----------



## PassingInterest

I'll let you guys know later on if my wife approves of the appearance of these cabs--WAF is always a priority here.





























The backs look a little funny, because I had just wiped them down with a furniture polish and the cabs will need a little time before they look right again. For now, you just see my wiping strokes. That will fade before long.


----------



## PassingInterest

Danny Richie said:


> Hey man,
> 
> In the kit wire was included. It was 99.98% high purity OFC in polyethylene jacketing. It was some of the best internal wire money can buy. So you don't have to use something left over from a car audio install. Buy doing that you just lost a noticeable amount of resolution. Use the wire that came in the kit and you'll be glad that you did.


Doh! My bad.


----------



## NBPk402

They turned out AWESOME!!


----------



## TheLaw612

Those are beautiful! As always, well done man.


----------



## sub_crazy

Those look sweet! 

I also always enjoy the T100 cameos, excellent speakers next to an excellent truck :TT


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.
You'll be glad to know that my wife has given her approval, so the Wife Acceptance Factor is pretty high on this speaker pair.

Now to work on the Danny Richie Acceptance Factor.
I goofed. When I saw the _solid _wire included in the kit, I set it aside and went with some _stranded_ that I had on hand--not realizing that Danny had included the good quality oxygen free wire with the kit.

I'm heading out to the garage to replace my _affordable _stranded wire with the good stuff.


----------



## BD55

Wow! They turned out great! The gloss is really cool, and I really like your overall design. I think a high WAF was inevitable the way they turned out, nice job. :T


----------



## PassingInterest

BD55--Thanks! I really appreciate it. 

Folks, I like the way they sound. 
I don't have a lot of listening time on them yet, but I am pleased with the sound.

I only listened for about 30 seconds yesterday and shut it down quickly, because I had a dead tweeter.
I didn't mention this yesterday, because I wanted a chance to investigate the problem first.
I found that it really was the actual tweeter that was dead.
Please don't anyone take that as an indication that there is a problem with Danny Richie's products.
I'm certain that this was an extreme rarity.
I'm also certain that Danny would have provided a replacement quickly, if I had asked him to.
But I didn't. I just fixed it instead.

What I found was a cold solder joint where the tweeter's voice coil lead connects to its solder tab.
The lead is so thin that I doubt that you can see it in this photo, but here it is before I touched up the solder joint.











How I found the problem was by using an ohmmeter. If I touched the probe to the solder tab, I read an open. But if I touched the probe to the fine lead, I read 7 ohms--the same as the other tweeter.

I flowed some solder on it and discovered that the other tab had the same problem.











Before anyone starts thinking that I caused the problem myself, I can solder. I let my ISO 9000 Solder Certification lapse after I retired, which wasn't all that long ago.

Here is the open-circuit I read on my meter before I re-soldered the tweeter's lead wires.











And here is the 7 ohms I now read on both tweeters.


----------



## PassingInterest

Here is an age-old de-soldering trick.
After you remove the wire, poke a toothpick into the hole and let the solder cool.
Solder won't stick to the wooden toothpick, so the hole will be open to accept the new wire.











Add a little heat-shrink to the wire pairs (provided in the kit).











Reassemble and enjoy the excellent sound. Seriously, they sound great. I'm very pleased.











Looks like I need to use a comb.


----------



## pharoah

If your wife decides she doesn't like em.you can always send em to me.


----------



## PassingInterest

pharoah said:


> If your wife decides she doesn't like em.you can always send em to me.


Haha! Thanks man. You're very kind.


----------



## PassingInterest

I forgot to ask--what is the recommended amplifier power for these?


----------



## Danny Richie

These look really good, BTW.


----------



## TagUrToast

I just read through the whole build instead of going to sleep at a reasonable hour :\ 
Wow, they turned out really nice in the end.


----------



## PassingInterest

TagUrToast said:


> I just read through the whole build instead of going to sleep at a reasonable hour :\
> Wow, they turned out really nice in the end.


Who needs sleep anyway!
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the kind words.


----------



## rockdrummer

Those look great. Craftsmanship and imagination. Love it.

I have an xls encore kit in my house right now that I'm actually going to build for my brother. I'm finishing a set of Danny's AV 1 mini monitors for my parents. (saving for myself)

I'm going to go home today and look at the tweeters to see if there is a way to tell if they may have that same problem. I'm new to soldering so I am not sure what a "cold" solder joint is. Can you tell by looking or do you need to hook up a meter to it? I don't have a meter that's why I ask.

Anyway, great build and I know they sound as good as they look!

Ben


----------



## PassingInterest

Thanks, Ben!

I doubt that your tweeters have the same problem. I'm sure it's pretty rare.
A meter helps and they are cheap.
But, you can just connect them to your crossover board and hook up to an amp and see if they make any sound.

A cold solder joint is where the solder did not flow well onto one or both mating surfaces, producing a poor or unreliable electrical connection.

I'm looking forward to hearing about how you like the sound of your upcoming builds.


----------

