Started my first Titan 48 and need tips and guidance

[djslik]

I just started out on my first Titan 48 and I know I will be asking for tips and advice as I go along. Right now I just finished cutting out Panel 1 and laying out all of the lines. I should be finishing up the hand hold cutouts and the the baffle tomorrow. I do have a couple of questions:

1. Should I go ahead and counter sink both of the 24X48 pieces now or should I counter sink as I assemble. I think it would be much easier now with no pieces attached.

2. When attaching the anchor to the baffle do you guys screw them together or just use PL?

3. Leland provided some hurricane nuts and I was wondering if you guys have any tips on installing them. I used T-nuts on my AutoTuba and I had to pound on those things pretty good.

4. Has anyone used corner handles instead of cutouts on the Titan. Is it even worth it going that route?

That's pretty much it for now, but I'll have plenty of questions as I go.

[Grant Bunter]

I just started out on my first Titan 48 and I know I will be asking for tips and advice as I go along. Right now I just finished cutting out Panel 1 and laying out all of the lines. I should be finishing up the hand hold cutouts and the the baffle tomorrow. I do have a couple of questions:

1. Should I go ahead and counter sink both of the 24X48 pieces now or should I counter sink as I assemble. I think it would be much easier now with no pieces attached.

2. When attaching the anchor to the baffle do you guys screw them together or just use PL?

3. Leland provided some hurricane nuts and I was wondering if you guys have any tips on installing them. I used T-nuts on my AutoTuba and I had to pound on those things pretty good.

4. Has anyone used corner handles instead of cutouts on the Titan. Is it even worth it going that route?

That's pretty much it for now, but I'll have plenty of questions as I go.

1. No. Dry place your panels after panel 1 and before PL/screws, just to make sure everything is as it should be. If you countersink straight up, and somethings out of whack, you just have holes to fill and make airtight.
Use the method in the plans to make you lines on the second side.. When you get to that last side, dry fit, line it up, clamp it on, then get a pencil and scribe all the panel positions you can reach. Remove, check how the lines you scribed match up with your initial lines. This is just in case your interior panels aren't right for some reason again.

2. I used both. PL is slippery and the screws hold it in place to set. The PL makes it airtight.

I used T nuts in Arauco, and they wound in with a bolt and washers. No bashing whatsoever.

I just made the hand holds as per plans...

Hope this helps.

[djslik]

1. No. Dry place your panels after panel 1 and before PL/screws, just to make sure everything is as it should be. If you countersink straight up, and somethings out of whack, you just have holes to fill and make airtight.
Use the method in the plans to make you lines on the second side.. When you get to that last side, dry fit, line it up, clamp it on, then get a pencil and scribe all the panel positions you can reach. Remove, check how the lines you scribed match up with your initial lines. This is just in case your interior panels aren't right for some reason again.

Because this is all layed out with the panels being attached in a vertical orientation, how do you handle screwing and countersinking the screws. Do you turn the whole assembly on it's side or do you get underneath the assembly while it's on saw horses? On my AutoTuba build I set my work on saw horses and drilled/nail gunned up from underneath. I'm hoping there is an easier way.

[Grant Bunter]

I did mine from the side, so that I could see I was holding the drill at the correct angle to the panel. It wasn't overly difficult that way. But I did it without PL, then back the screws out, put PL on, sink the screws.
Others do it from underneath.

Countersinking alone still doesn't drill the panel you're trying to attach...

[el_ingeniero]

Meh, don't be afraid of screw holes. I've found that avoiding extra screw holes is more work than filling them.

My method:

Dry fit the panel, using a scrap ply caul screwed into the side along the outside of the joint..

Remove the panel, and drill pilot holes from the inside out.

Clamp the panel to the caul, countersink using the pilot holes from the outside, and put the screws through. You want at least one hole every foot or so, a minimum of 2.

Unclamp the panel from the caul. Unscrew and remove the caul. Back out the screws pushing in hard, and you should see the panel separate from the side. Get the panel about 3/16" away from the side, run a nice bead of PL into the joints, and screw everything down nice and tight. Grab your glue gun and fill in the holes in the side from screw holes for the caul with a dab of PL.

[djslik]

Do you guys use bondo on the outside of the cabinet as a final sealant/filler?

[el_ingeniero]

Do you guys use bondo on the outside of the cabinet as a final sealant/filler?

Yep, but filler more than sealant. Be fairly liberal with the PL when gluing things up and don't let the joints slide about and leaks will be rare.

[djslik]

Things are moving along slowly but surely and I will post some updated pics here soon. I just got the baffle finished up yesterday and installed. I didn't think it was going to take me so long to get to that point, but I spent most of my time measuring, sizing, and making sure my circles and spacing was perfect. I also installed the speaker into the baffle and made sure the hurricane nuts were lined up before attaching the baffle to the cabinet. I think I might go with the EZ Lok nuts for the access panel though.

Now I do have a couple of questions:

1. When it comes time to make the access panel section how do you position the lower horizontal brace? Is it just partially sticking out and partially behind the panel 6 extension?
2. If for some reason some of the panels don't line up 100% across the top horizontal plane which the second side will be attached to is it okay to use a planar to make sure everything is level before assembly?

[Grant Bunter]

Now I do have a couple of questions:

1. When it comes time to make the access panel section how do you position the lower horizontal brace? Is it just partially sticking out and partially behind the panel 6 extension?
2. If for some reason some of the panels don't line up 100% across the top horizontal plane which the second side will be attached to is it okay to use a planar to make sure everything is level before assembly?

1. What do you mean "lower horizontal brace"? Do you mean the bottom access panel flange attached to the panel 6 extension? If so, measure half it's width and mark it. Also measure half it's length and mark that (to centre it). The half of the width (the non angle cut side) shows above the panel six extension.

2. How much of a difference is there? If it's under 1/16" proud, don't get to excited about it just yet. Remember to look at it again when you get panel 8 on. Also keep an eye on the accuracy of your cuts if it's more, and make sure your panels (particularly the side you're attaching the rest of the panels to) aren't warped.

[djslik]

Yea it's less than 1/16th and I think I was just a bit off when squaring everything and screwing things in so I'll be sure to use a scrap piece on top of every panel moving forward to keep everything in line.

[Grant Bunter]

I should have said, for the bottom access panel flange, to mark half it's width on the widest side.
However, that is the back of the flange, so carry the half width line to the "front" and above the line should show above the panel six extension...
Hope that makes sense

[djslik]

I'm at the point where I will be making the horizontal and vertical bracing for the access panel. So more questions:

1. Can I make the width of the vertical strips larger so I can have more meat for panel 7? It would also allow me more room to install the hurricane nuts and then I can cut to fit the closing panel.

2. Does the speaker hit the access panel brace?

3. What should I use to seal my dual speakon mounting plate?

4. Is there a way to screw the large front braces to panel 6 and panel 10 directly or will scrap jigs be good enough. If I am to use these as handles I would feel better having some screws sharing the stress and not just the PL.

[djslik]

Also I just measured where panel 9 should go and unfortunately when I put the hand grips in panel 1 I was off by 1/4 of an inch so I'll need to move panel 9 out a smidge. Will this affect the sound? And since I'm moving panel 9 out anyway can I get corner handles installed?

[Grant Bunter]

I'm at the point where I will be making the horizontal and vertical bracing for the access panel. So more questions:

1. Can I make the width of the vertical strips larger so I can have more meat for panel 7? It would also allow me more room to install the hurricane nuts and then I can cut to fit the closing panel.

2. Does the speaker hit the access panel brace?

3. What should I use to seal my dual speakon mounting plate?

4. Is there a way to screw the large front braces to panel 6 and panel 10 directly or will scrap jigs be good enough. If I am to use these as handles I would feel better having some screws sharing the stress and not just the PL.

1. I guess so. Only just as wide as you need to get the hurricane nuts in. Perhaps Bill will confirm.

2. It may. Follow the plans carefully about centering the brace on the driver center. Get some chalk and rub it over the brace, put the access panel on and run up to 10 volts. Take the access cover off. If chalk is evident on the driver, trim the access panel brace in the appropriate place. Repeat as necessary. Also check when all done, run up to full power, before painting.

3. Depends on where you are putting it. If it's behind panel 8 and 9 corner or panel 8 and 11 corner, no need to worry. If it's going in panel 6, use gasket tape under the plate.

4. Yes there is. Screws can be put in from the bottom of panel 10 to hold the lower edge. 1 screw can be put in say 2" from the top edge. Start with your drill perpendicular to the brace, make a tiny hole, then change the angle of your drill (while the drill bit is in your starter hole) to be perpendicular to panel six and drill into panel six then insert screw.
It may make you feel better, but once the PL is set there is no way those braces will come away from what they are glued to. Screws can also be put in from each side to hold the horizontal brace.