# $52 3D printed wooden speaker enclosure



## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

To quote Monty Python. "And Now For Something Completely Different"

A 3D printed speaker using wood, not plastic as the material. They even offer the printing plan free on their website!









The enclosure, without components, is roughly 650g, and is printed from one "Timberfill" roll costing aproximately $52 
The full article is here http://3dprint.com/5188/akemake-first-3d-printed-wood-speaker/


----------



## ajinfla (May 10, 2009)

Thought this was a joke, but now I see it's not...

A wee bit thin for my interests...but interesting.

cheers


----------



## dougc (Dec 19, 2009)

That is awesome!


----------



## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Sweet!


----------



## deepthought (Jun 5, 2013)

I have played with the timber-filament and evaluated it at the start of my design process on my current build. To be honest, the printed objects made from the wood filament I used were quite soft and didn't have the same properties as wood, MDF or plywood. I was concerned about longevity and resonances in the panels. I guess if you can get hold of printed sample then you can verify it for yourself. That's not to say that this particular product will not address these issues. Of course there is nothing to stop you using PLA or ABS (though ABS will warp if the printed part is too big). I would also look at modifying the design too. Creating a matrix of internal ribs or braces would certainly reduce flexing in the enclosure.
Not meaning to sound like a buzz-kill, but the other "hidden" cost is that you either have to get someone to print it (can be expensive if done commercially) or you need to buy a printer (also expensive and there is a steep learning curve). If you are lucky enough to be able to access a 3D printer (Uni student for example) or have a friend who has one and is happy to let you use it then happy days.
Something else - http://www.wired.com/2013/04/lumigeek/


----------



## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

All valid points Deepthought, I posted more for the possibilities that the medium has opened, AND it's still in it's infancy.
I visit wired.com almost daily for their "threatlevel" section and also saw those speakers... amazing!
Imagine in the 70's if you had the capability to create those speakers with their "musicolour" built in, You could have been a billionaire by now....


----------



## deepthought (Jun 5, 2013)

Yeah, sorry, I sounded like a total "anorak" there. They are beautiful speakers for sure. This sort of stuff was outside the scope of what 99% of people could do before 3D printing came along. Now all we need is imagination and access to a printer!


----------

