Otop 112's Melded Array 2512 Downunder

[Grant Bunter]

Great news

If you can find and "Oldfields" fine grade texture roller that looks very pro, pretty spiffy...

[Titanium Hand]

Hmmmm, OLDFIELDS I'm certain I've seen that brand somewhere around here!

Whilst waiting for my OTOP gear, I really want to get stuck into removing the beautiful 'un-functional' gloss black from my titans, routing the edges to prepare for the corners, and laying down duratex, however I'm just not game to attack them with the router yet until my corners arrive

I'm going to 'tex my v-plate tonight so will search out a swanky roller tomorrow. Thanks for the tip Grant

[Titanium Hand]

Ooooh yeah

My equipment is on its way! Has anybody had any experience using TNT express shipping? I'm going to give them a try.... Unless anybody can convince me otherwise?

Thanks guys

[Grant Bunter]

Check with TNT.

I talked to them a while back and they won't deliver such parcels unless you have an account.

DHL Express is best!

[Titanium Hand]

I pre-selected TNT in my Shipito mail box, must be they have an account. There rates are great. I've only had good experiences with DHL so I might take a second look.

Ta

[Titanium Hand]

My Build finally begun after a chaotic week!

I got to bed last night around 3am, fingers peppered with PL, a head full of sawdust - BLISS

I tried building away from home in my jobs equipped workshop but discovered 2 flaws....

It took around 3 1/2 Hours to pack my van, drive to the shed, unpack the van, setup, then pack the van, clean up the shed and get home.

I can make as much noise as I like throughout the night ( A flaw because I could pretty much forget about life and continue on building throughout the weekend until its done!)

So for the first 6 1/2 hours only 3 hours were spent actively building in which I cut;
The horn braces using correct width blanks and a drop saw - very handy.
The horn panels - cutting the angles on the table saw.
Throat reflectors - with the patented BFM Saw Sled. It was much easier to comprehend these fancy angles opposed to using the slightly dicy compound mitre drop saw)
Measured each pre cut panel, ticked them off and labelled them.
Built two additional sleds in the process.
Glued the horn braces onto the baffle, this as straightforward as it seemed on the plans actually proved somewhat challenging for my tired eyes.

i was feeling a bit behind the 8 ball hoping I would have got more done. Its underway now the first panels were always the hardest from memory anyway.

[Grant Bunter]

It's all progress TH

Keep at it mate...

[Titanium Hand]

I got the baffles fastened on yesterday between working and going out for dinner. Pretty straightforward. I used some cowls I made out of 190 x 45 to ensure they were square and they worked out perfectly I'm really pleased.

This morning MY FIANCE helped me

We got the horn panels attached onto both cabs. I learnt from the titans, that if the panels are cut a wee bit off, one must resist the temptation to pull them up flush as its more important to be square and plumb.
I exercised my self control and realised that a little gap 1/32 or 1/16 is fine due to PL's magic spanning abilities.

Is anybody familiar with "Flap Discs" used generally in metal fabrication? They go onto 4 and 5 inch angle grinders and are made up of many flaps of garnet paper. Designed more for metal use (I think) I've bought a 60 grit one and its BRILLIANT. Going to come in very handy for making adjustments to the horn braces and reflectors. I surmise that it will be much more efficient in sanding back rogue blobs of PL.

I've got quite the collection of PL now so decided to apply it, how do I put this - "Liberally" I'm pumping it on, just in case.

Has anyone had voids in their ply or lifting ply in small sections on angle cuts? I had to load a few components up with PL before sandwhiching them in between a bench vice. A rattle on a finished cab would be devestating

[Grant Bunter]

Nice to have some help from the missus and good bonding time

I have found over time that flap discs are very handy for wood, but run them over a metal plate fairly regularly to unclogg them. I found you start to burn wood rather than trim it if you don't.
The 60 grit one is medium for a 4" angle grinder, in metal I use them to tidy up welds and then an 80 grit to "polish". Makes for a very neat weld. I find the 80 grit to fine for use on wood though. Clogs up very quickly, to the point of being unuseable on anything.

Yes I found voids in some ply, void free ply just costs too much here I reckon. I did the same, PL and clamp. I only worried about it on my subs though, my reasoning being the vibration is more intense, so less of a concern on tops...

[Harley]

This morning MY FIANCE helped me

Make the most of it before you slip that ring on !

[Titanium Hand]

Nice to have some help from the missus and good bonding time

Pun intended? Bonded - Adhesive, well put! It was excellent to get help, you can always do with an extra clamp. . . I mean hand! A lovely one at that

Make the most of it before you slip that ring on !

The missus has always been a good hand, however after a trip to our jeweller to discuss the design of her wedding band and 'upsizing' the diamonds she's taken it #Next Level. I've been getting meals delivered and cold drinks during build time! I'm a lucky man. Enough of the missus.

So this afternoon after work I progressed further.

Installed the bottoms on both cabs and the throat reflectors. Had a hand again for the bases which made it such an easy task.
For the throat reflectors my cutting was pretty darn good so they slipped on in beautifully. To avoid using any screws on them I cut 4 pieces of scrap ply per cab that wedged perfectly into the 'spokes' wrapped in baking paper, then cut a 2 by 4 so it sat half way up the reflectors.
Once I applied the PL, the scrap jigs stopped the reflectors sliding into the throat - perfect
They are curing overnight with 45lbs on each pair.
I've marked out the spacers whilst watching TV so tomorrow evenings build should be progressive

[Titanium Hand]

Had a pretty mammoth manic monday at work today. By the time it was BFM build o'clock I was stuffed.

My progress today was small.

I stripped the straightening boards and alignment jigs off both cabs, all worked well.

Trimmed the spacers into the required Hexagon shapes.

Trimmed the Horn panels flush with sides, using the sled. A task made very simple with this sled of Bill's.

Marked a wee bit of overhang off the baffle brackets and sanded down for flush fit of sides.
I left my 4' grinder at work so couldn't use any flap disc love for that task

Marked out the Port holes, Punched the centres, pilot drilled, then used the trusty hole saw and jigsaw + sled to tidy up the ports.

Miserable rainy weather had me heading indoors early so that was it.

Tomorrow evening should bear much fruit I reckons.

Any body got any advice regarding position of jack other than base of cab?

[Bas Gooiker]

You took your time in the preparation to starting with your cabs. Im looking forward to seeing some pictures of the build so far...

[Titanium Hand]

You took your time in the preparation to starting with your cabs

I had almost as much fun 'Pondering' the build as I've had actually building it!

Once I started I've not played around. . . With the time I have available of course

I've not taken any photos on this build - will take a few before I finish though.

Tonight I was knackered, worked 12 hours out in the hot sun for my job. Progress was minimal today. Stripped off the clamps and guideboards from yestarday, shaved off a bit of glue, cut four 1 inch strips for the mounting flanges on the back..... Then pondered futher! The construction aspect is just a few easy steps to go. Its my opinion that the finishing off of the cabs takes much more time and effort than the actual build itself. My bucks is this weekend so I don't think the new cabs will be making any real noise until mid next week Sooo close

[Grant Bunter]

Any body got any advice regarding position of jack other than base of cab?

How about in the access panel? Down low, left and right side if you're running mono on one cab and a single in the other cab.
Or left and right side, down low, towards the rear.