# Speaker Grill Materials



## Ayreonaut

I'd like to cover my IB with a DIY _steel mesh_ speaker grill or something similar.

Parts Express describes their ready made round subwoofer grills as "heavy duty expanded steel mesh" in their product desciption, but it doesn't look like what I come up with if I google "expanded steel mesh." 

My opening is 14.5"x 21.5", and I'd like to get it in white if I can. Smaller perforations are preferable, and obviously it should not detract from the sub's performance.

Can you recommend a particular product or supplier?


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## Otto

Hi Naut,

Well, I'm going through pretty much the same thing, right? 'Cept mine's in the floor. Anyway, I'm working on getting a stamped steel or aluminum grate. This is a custom order product from a company called Kees. Click on "Standard Designs" and you will see that they have a variety of forms. These are pretty much just stamped plates with no "throat" to be inserted into the hole. There are screw holes around the perimeter of the plate that I will thread directly into my joists. This may make it a bit more of a pain to clean the inside of the IB when things inevitably fall into it, but I also like the idea that it's secure so a kid can't get in there (either accidentally or on purpose)... I may line the back of it with whatever grille cloth material I can get at the fabric store, if only to keep coins and spiders out.

The one I'm looking at is the larger of the two "school slot" configurations. It is indicated to be 67% open, which I think should be OK. I'm working with a distributor here in Colorado. I understand that their company generally works with bigger contracts than just individuals, but he did call me back from an online query I entered. I found them through the Kees "Find a Dealer" link, so you might be able to find someone near you. When I talk to this guy again, I may ask if he'd like to get a little business from people like us. I believe cost is going to be about $150 shipped to my home. My opening is 14.5" x 19.0". I think the end product will be very robust and good-looking, and you certainly can't find anything like it at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.

Good luck, and I'll post pics when I get it.


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## Ayreonaut

Well, I'm looking at perforated aluminum stock at some manufacturer websites but i don't know if they'll sell me one sheet, or if I'll get a decent price on one sheet. 

What percent open area do you think I should maintain?


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## Ayreonaut

I just got back my first quote from a wholesaler - $364 delivered!

Where can I buy a smaller piece?


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## Rodny Alvarez

Ayreonaut said:


> I'd like to cover my IB with a DIY _steel mesh_ speaker grill or something similar.
> 
> Parts Express describes their ready made round subwoofer grills as "heavy duty expanded steel mesh" in their product desciption, but it doesn't look like what I come up with if I google "expanded steel mesh."
> 
> My opening is 14.5"x 21.5", and I'd like to get it in white if I can. Smaller perforations are preferable, and obviously it should not detract from the sub's performance.
> 
> Can you recommend a particular product or supplier?


Check this out, we order some from this guy when we do custom grills, This work if your IB is on the wall or ceiling.
http://68.208.124.66/dealer/items.asp?CartId={91474EVERESTB75-6D2A-41FB-9E7E-560A69DCB201}&Cc=G%2DMETAL&Bc=


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## Josuah

Your URL doesn't seem to work.


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## Sonnie

Try this... http://68.208.124.66/dealer/items.asp?CartId={9F208EDE-499A-47B6-B8A5-79DEDA9EVERESTD3830}&Cc=G%2DMETAL&Bc=

If that don't work then try this and click on "Grille Metal" on the left menu.


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## Rodny Alvarez

Thanks Sonnie!! 
:duh: 
I'm going 2


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## Josuah

The URLs from that site are customized per session. So you can't link with them. Anyway, the photo makes the mesh look very fine. I don't know what sort of impact that would have low frequencies <120Hz, but it does seem a little too fine.

Rodny, you've used mesh that tightly woven and seen no diffraction artifacts?


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## Otto

Ayreonaut said:


> What percent open area do you think I should maintain?


Good question... I really don't know, but I'm going to give the 67% a shot.


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## woozy_one

I used a heavy mesh similar to what many people use when making a grill out of a 55 gallon drum. I found it locally at a metal supply shop and they cut it to size for me (24"x24"). For this piece and a few feet of 1/8"x1" steel stock (which I used to run from corner to corner under the mesh for strength) I paid ~$20. I have this over my floor IB and I plan on covering it all with stained trim and acoustic cloth. Right now I can easily walk across it and I've even hopped up and down a little (but I only weigh about a buck fifty ). I'll have to load some pics when I get home.


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## Sonnie

Josuah said:


> Rodny, you've used mesh that tightly woven and seen no diffraction artifacts?


Okay Josuah... this phrase is not in our very comprehensive Glossary. YOU CAN'T USE IT! heehee ... obviously j/k. :R If you will give us a definition I will add it to the Glossary.

I'm gonna suggest that this would be okay to use since it is specifically made to be used as speaker grille.


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## Sonnie

Okay... try this link: http://68.208.124.66/dealer/default.asp

Rodny cannot post right now but did call and find out the following:

Heavy Duty = 63% air flow
Fidelity = 50%
Premium = 43%


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## Josuah

Aw, come on.  Diffraction!

Anyway, in simplistic terms, it basically means the little openings act as little point sources of the wave. As each point source radiates outward, the the waves roll over each other creating areas of constructive and deconstructive interference.

This is also the phenomenon that implies pure energy (light) is a wave, which implies particle characteristics (if I'm remembering that in the right order) even though it is not matter.

I very much doubt this is happening at such low frequencies, but I didn't feel like doing the math yesterday or today.  Reflection might be occuring, blocking some output, if the mesh is fine. I can't really tell what the real size is just from the photo but I didn't see any large holes.

But yeah, diffraction combined with reflection is why some people prefer speakers with the grilles off, and why a perforated screen is a problem.


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## Ayreonaut

Thanks for the suggestions guys. The heavy duty looks like the one I am interested in. I may check into some other materials as well and I'll post if I find anything interesting.


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## Sonnie

Josuah said:


> Aw, come on.


I understand "diffraction". You through me off with the phrase... "diffraction artifacts". I associate artifacts with something you see, not hear. But my normal disclaimer stands... I don't get out much.


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## Rodny Alvarez

Found some more.... 
Maybe something here will work 4 you! 
I :dontknow: if they sale 2 the public, just give them a call.

http://www.qualityperf.com/appl3.htm
http://www.perf-plus.com/comp1.htm
http://www.accurateperforating.com/applications.php


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## Owen Bartley

Don't know if it's too late for you guys, but one of the projects over at the Cult inspired me to look on ebay and if you just search for "grate" there are a lot of really nice antique style ones. Now, you'll be lucky to find the right size, and they are probably best used in the floor or a wall, but it might be worth a look.


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## woozy_one

woozy_one said:


> I used a heavy mesh similar to what many people use when making a grill out of a 55 gallon drum. I found it locally at a metal supply shop and they cut it to size for me (24"x24"). For this piece and a few feet of 1/8"x1" steel stock (which I used to run from corner to corner under the mesh for strength) I paid ~$20. I have this over my floor IB and I plan on covering it all with stained trim and acoustic cloth. Right now I can easily walk across it and I've even hopped up and down a little (but I only weigh about a buck fifty ). I'll have to load some pics when I get home.


Well, I'm a little late, but here are some pics of my set-up:









Here is the mesh I was talking about. If you ever go to a large bbq where they're using a homemade looking grill, this is probably what they use as the cooking rack.










Here is the flat stock. I cut halfway through the width of each piece halfway down the length then slid them together and welded them.









For the ends I cut small sections of angle iron, drilled screw holes, and welded them to each end of the flat stock.









I screwed the flat stock piece into each corner of the 'abyss'. Then, I stuck thick foam along the top of it and layed the grill material over the hole. The grill is actually a little larger than the hole, so I ran screws through it and into the floor board underneath the carpet.









And the finishing touch. I made a frame out of some trim from Home Depot with some metal angle brackets and I stapled some acoustic cloth from Michaels to the back. I originally had the trim stained, but we couldn't get it to match the original (and kinda ugly) woodwork, so I just painted it black.


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## Owen Bartley

I like it. Looks pretty sturdy. And you don't get any rattles at high volume?


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## woozy_one

Owen Bartley said:


> I like it. Looks pretty sturdy. And you don't get any rattles at high volume?




Thanks.

Oh, I get rattles...just not from the grill  I nailed the frame down so it's tight and rattle-free. The heavy foam inbetween the grill and the flat stock keeps it from rattling. It is pretty sturdy, but if I did it over I would have used 1/4" steel rather than the 1/8" that I used for the cross pieces.


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