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Post by sponge on Apr 4, 2021 10:18:01 GMT -5
Pardon the old pics if you've seen them before. Just moving over to this forum. I thought it'd be a shame to document first half of the build on one forum, and second half on another. This was my (lifetime) first CAD drawing. My friend that cut the cabinets had to make a lot of changes, as I don't understand how the drawing relates to tool paths. Got my crossovers updated by DHS speaker. We cut 'em! We glued & clamped 'em! Now we have to finish 'em. Taking this weekend off for listening to a new turntable, and Easter. Maybe we'll make some progress next weekend with sanding and drilling for drivers.
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F1nut
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Post by F1nut on Apr 4, 2021 11:40:12 GMT -5
Have you added internal bracing?
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Post by sponge on Apr 4, 2021 11:52:04 GMT -5
Forgot to post that one! Went with the same bracing as the stock cabinets.
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F1nut
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Post by F1nut on Apr 4, 2021 12:53:42 GMT -5
Excellent
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Post by xschop on Apr 5, 2021 4:26:40 GMT -5
There you are. Subscription renewed. Thanks for posting here as I won't be hanging out at the former matrix.
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Post by sponge on May 23, 2021 20:23:05 GMT -5
I sprayed them with polyurethane water based rattle cans today, and got the hurricane nuts, drivers and crossovers installed on the right speaker. I just have to come up with grill attachments and thread inserts for the bottom. If I were to do this again, I would use a real air sprayer. It'd do a nicer job, and save my right index finger. I accidentally made the hole for the crossover/binding post plate four inches lower than the originals! Luckily there was enough wiring, and there was no clearance issues. I'm glad I got the baffles right. Another snafu was gluing the MW half rings. They didn't stick to the rings with powergrab, so I just went fishin' in the polyfill and held the rings while threading in the screws. Maybe I should've cleaned the the rings, or maybe the powergrab went bad or expired. It seemed separated, like toothpaste in water. Other than that, very happy tonight! Can't wait to finish the job and listen to them.
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Post by sponge on May 23, 2021 20:26:21 GMT -5
Thinking of using these in the bottom for the feet. Any thoughts?
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F1nut
Member
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Post by F1nut on May 23, 2021 21:59:26 GMT -5
They'll work although they don't take lateral stress too well.
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Post by gardenstater on May 24, 2021 6:38:50 GMT -5
Nice work. Are the front baffle and back panels butt joined? Any corner blocks?
I haven't used those particular ones but I used some brass ones of a slightly different design and even though the threads were very sharp I had to drill the wood out to a much larger dia. than the root diameter of the insert. You should practice on some baltic birch scrap to find out the right dia. and maybe use some epoxy adhesive for the final installation too.
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Post by xschop on May 24, 2021 15:42:22 GMT -5
Very Nice build here. What did you wind up coating the billet RDO plates with? Good Powergrab will stick to and dry nicely to the rings after they've been wiped down with rubbing alcohol or acetone. I shipped them with the cutting oil sheen to prevent any kind of rust, even if USPS kept them in transit during the entire plandemic.
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Post by sponge on May 24, 2021 18:34:59 GMT -5
Thanks guys. F1nut, what do you think about going with T-nuts like these?: I used furniture t nuts like these on my stock cabinets, but would like to get the feet closer to the sides for more stability: gardenstater, here are some pics of the joints for the front baffle (back is the same style) and sides (top and bottom are the same style) No corner blocks were used. xschop, The RDO plates are still bare aluminum, but they have vr3 pads on them in those pics. I'll try to get some better photos with a real camera. The lighting is terrible, and so is my iphone 6. I used loctite gel superglue on the left speaker today, and they held fine. I think I had bad powergrab. I have them both up and running now, but I can't really judge them yet because they are plopped on top of books.
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F1nut
Member
Posts: 1,027
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Post by F1nut on May 24, 2021 19:23:12 GMT -5
The last type with the 3 screw holes would be my choice.
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Post by gardenstater on May 24, 2021 20:41:54 GMT -5
Thanks for the pics of the joinery detail. I see that the method you guys went with gives a little better glue area than if you went with simply rabbeting the side, top and bottom panels.
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Post by westmassguy on May 26, 2021 14:08:00 GMT -5
Looking good
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Post by sponge on May 27, 2021 5:12:18 GMT -5
Wound up using the furniture t-nuts with wood screws and got them a little closer to the edge. On the stock cabinets I used machine screws with nuts, which was probably excessive. On the bottom left hole I ripped off a pretty big piece of the veneer when drilling... DOH! Hopefully I wont be looking at the bottom much anyway.
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Post by sponge on May 29, 2021 12:19:53 GMT -5
I've had some time to listen to them more, and really like what I hear. They sound much cleaner with the new cabs, but maybe because I haven't been using grills? I'm also using home made spikes in favor of the isoacoustic gaia feet. I'll try the isoacoustics again once I get to know the spikes a little better.
Anyone use their speakers without grills long term? Are they just there to protect from children, animals, and dust? I really like them without. (looks and sound wise)
One mod I forgot to do while assembling is the 4" vertical strips of sonic barrier behind the drivers, so they may sound even better some day.
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F1nut
Member
Posts: 1,027
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Post by F1nut on May 29, 2021 13:20:53 GMT -5
Speakers are generally voiced with the grills on. Removing them may result in a brighter presentation. Grills do protect the drivers from dust, fingers, sunlight, pets and they generally make the speakers look nicer.
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Post by xschop on Jun 16, 2021 19:37:14 GMT -5
Any updates? How are they sounding with the new crossovers burned in?
Ive always wondered how the 2A's sound in relation to 2B's, assuming all upgrades were the same between the two.
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Post by sponge on Jun 22, 2021 9:57:22 GMT -5
Really enjoying the new, very different sound. The speakers seem oddly more efficient. Except when my next door neighbors decide to use the two-cycle hedge trimmers, I've been listening at much lower volumes, and enjoying the music more. My amp and girlfriend are probably happy. The added enjoyment may be partly psychological, because even walking by and looking at them makes me happy that I started and finished this project. I'm gonna make some new cabs for some smaller vintage polks next... maybe mom's 5Bs.
I got the sonic barrier installed behind the woofers, but didn't notice a huge change.
I wish I could enjoy them today. I've got the house to myself, a day off from work, but also have a serious case of vertigo from a week long sailing trip. If I close my eyes it feels like the world is rocking with the motion of the ocean.
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Post by xschop on Jun 22, 2021 14:45:07 GMT -5
5B's are worthy of all upgrades.
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Post by sponge on Jun 27, 2021 10:47:34 GMT -5
Had the stereo going almost all weekend, and really digging the sound.
If anyone wants to build new SDA 2A (maybe B if they're the same?) cabinets, let me know. I could send the CAD drawings over, or maybe cut and flat pack the panels. I was originally planning to do a pair MDF and a pair baltic birch, but I'm happy with the BB for now.
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