Home theater setup - TLAH, Curved SLA, SLA, THT

[Yarz]

I bought the plans to make a home theater setup months ago (AKA January... I know, forever ago) The plan is to use TLAH fronts, SLA surrounds, curved SLA center, and THT. I'm starting this thread so that I have a record of what I've done, and hopefully some of you enjoy following along. This is my first major woodworking project, although I have done a few smaller projects in high school and helped my dad and brother with a few.

Anyways, on to the important stuff!

Last week, I had to do some math, because when I bought the drivers, the recommended ones were out of stock, so I got some 4.5" ones I saw others on here using, after making sure they fit the specs. This made it so I had to upsize the widths a bit. Tweeters are the recommended ones.

Checking the layout:


I just started making sawdust this weekend. On Saturday, I spent some quality time with my table saw and circular saw, cutting out the majority of the panels, except for a few backs and only did the baffle for the curved SLA.

Sunday I stopped at my dad's to use his drill press to drill the holes. The plan is to rear mount the speakers, since I fell in love with the look from other builds, so I wanted nice holes, without having to buy a router yet. And while I was there, he let me borrow his roto-zip, in which I used a 3/8 roundover to smooth the speaker holes.

And then Monday I started assembling!

[Yarz]

The TLAH's and the curved SLA have their final sides gluing, as I type this. I'll probably have pictures tomorrow.

For now, I can show my first screw up:

When deciding to rear mount the speakers, I tested the layout on the TLAH's, as seen above. However, I neglected to test it on the SLA's.. Well, I ended up with not enough width for them to mount, and be centered in the holes:


So, out comes the oscillating multitool, to channel out some material, like so:


And now it's like it never happened:

[caddylackn]

you can also take a fine tooth hand saw or hack saw and trim the plastic cover of the tweeter until it fits. A chop saw with a plywood blade and a stop block works good if you are careful and cut slow. The cut won't show if it is rear mount.

[Yarz]

you can also take a fine tooth hand saw or hack saw and trim the plastic cover of the tweeter until it fits.

I considered doing that as well, but figured that this would be a better option in the event that I have to replace a speaker in the future. This way, it's a simpler remove/replace. The saw was definitely a plan B, in case I couldn't remove enough material.


Update: Today I cut and installed all of the strips that the removable panels mount to. Next up is marking/drilling for the screws to mount the access panels, and rounding over the edges of the baffles and I think I'll also do the top and bottom of the center.

Here's how they sit as of tonight:


I'm still not 100% sure on how much detail I'll go into to finish them. I plan on a gloss black finish, and would absolutely love a piano finish, but I don't think I've got the patience for that. Plus I'm limited by the fact that I don't have a large enough air compressor for spraying yet.

[Yarz]

First coat of paint sprayed today


It's the first time I've ever sprayed this paint, and the first time I've used this compressor, and been a couple years since I used the gun. It turned out very rough. I'm going to wait for it to cure, sand and then try again. I think I'll try to reduce is some more so it will lay down better.

[Grant Bunter]

That looks like MDF you've used for the cab builds.

Adding paint has made the surfaces the paint has been added to "fluff" up.
Lightly sand (very lightly) with not greater than 240 grit (you're looking to sand off the "fluff", not the paint as such), apply more paint.
You might have to do this a couple of times.

Once it's smooth, you can add as many coats as you desire to get a nice finish..

[Yarz]

Yes, it is MDF.

Thanks for the input. The paint soaking in differently, aka fluffing some areas, is what I was thinking it was, initially. But then I had convinced myself it was my spray settings/viscosity/etc. since it had been so long since I'd painted.

I've never tried to paint MDF before, just carpeted sub boxes to go in vehicles. But I have heard that it takes paint beautifully. Of course, most of that was probably properly primed and then painted using a standard household interior paint.

Either way, the plan is now to sand and paint, probably repeatedly.

[Yarz]

Sanded the cabinets yesterday and got the second coat of paint on. I brushed this coat on, for a couple of reasons: The weather wasn't cooperative all day, I had vehicles parked where I was painting due to workers needing access around the house, and I figured that if it's still going to soak in, there's no use in going through the extra effort of spraying.

It turned out much smoother than the first coat, and if it was just the smooth faces of the boards, I think it would only take 1 or 2 more times of sanding and painting to make me happy. But the "end grain" is still soaking up paint real quick, and looks different from the rest, despite making sure they got thick coats. We'll see how many coats they need to become smooth.

While waiting for them to cure some, I started assembling crossovers. This is the first time I've built some. It's kind of hard to see in the picture, but they are on separate pieces of aluminum.

Anyone see anything wrong with these layouts before I start soldering?

[Grant Bunter]

Yes.
Using aluminium blocks underneath means you need to physically isolate all wiring (via heatshrink etc), and, at least equally important, positive and negative somehow.
Aluminium conducts electricity.

Honestly, if heat dissipation was a requirement for the crossovers, it would be in the plans...

[jimbo7]

Honestly, if heat dissipation was a requirement for the crossovers, it would be in the plans...

it's in the plansssssss

[Yarz]

Roger that..

Edit: I'm a moron, and had the term resistors in my head for the capacitors...

I'll go see what scrap wood I've got in the garage.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I don't know how hot the resistors will get in a crossover.

What resistors?

[caddylackn]

Yes, it is MDF.

The paint soaking in differently, aka fluffing some areas.

You should definitely use a sanding sealer with mdf. You brush or roll it on, and it dries fast. It soaks into the mdf and dries hard to prevent the paint from soaking in and expanding the surface. Lightly sand the sanding sealer with some 220 grit, then some 400 grit and it will make a hard surface like glass and will bond to the first coat of paint well. If you sand through the sealer, touch it up with more sealer. You will be amazed at the difference in finish you can get using sealer versus no sealer.

[Yarz]

What resistors?

Edited: I'm a moron! I just realized I was calling the capacitors resistors. I have no idea why that was stuck in my head

it will make a hard surface like glass and will bond to the first coat of paint well

That sounds like it would have been beneficial to use. I'll have to remember that for the future.
For the most part, I think the paint has served that role. But I'll have to look into whether that can still be used on the end grain areas, after paint has already been applied

[Yarz]

I had a pretty productive weekend on these builds. I got another coat of paint on the 5 speakers, and it's starting to look nicer. Just a couple more coats and they should be good to go. In addition, I started on the THT. Got all of the panels cut to rough sizes on Friday, and started assembly. Today I put on panel 6 and the 4/6 braces, and cut 7 and the 7/5 braces.