Building Solo

Helpful hints on how to build 'em, and where to get the stuff you need.
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Richmoney
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:38 pm
Location: Waco, Texas

Building Solo

#1 Post by Richmoney »

Hey Guys. Quick question. I've been building some T30's and I still need help when it comes to installing the panels. I can do it fine when I have someone to hold them up while I screw them in from underneath. But I'd really like to be able to do everything by myself.

Thanks
Rich

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Rune Bivrin
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Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:42 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Re: Building Solo

#2 Post by Rune Bivrin »

And the question is? :slap:

The answer is clamps, jigs and large, flat surfaces.





And a brad nailer.
In build order:
O12 with no tweeter.
3 x WedgeHorns.
2 x Jack 10 without tweeters.
2 x DR250.
2 x 16" T39
1 x Tuba 24
2 x SLA Pro (sort of...)

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Michael Ewald Hansen
Posts: 638
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:43 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Building Solo

#3 Post by Michael Ewald Hansen »

Rune Bivrin wrote:(...)
The answer is lots of clamps, jigs and large, flat surfaces.


And a brad nailer.
There, fixed :lol:
Authorized Builder - Denmark
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doncolga
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Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2010 3:01 pm
Location: Statesboro, GA
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Re: Building Solo

#4 Post by doncolga »

Richmoney wrote:Hey Guys. Quick question. I've been building some T30's and I still need help when it comes to installing the panels. I can do it fine when I have someone to hold them up while I screw them in from underneath. But I'd really like to be able to do everything by myself.

Thanks
Rich
Hey,

I did all my building solo. I made use of scrap wood screwed into the top edges of panels to prop them in place. Be sure you've drawn out the location for all the panels and drill holes through all those for your screws. I'd cut the panel, then screw or clamp down guide boards with wax paper wrapped around them (to keep from gluing the guide board to the panel). Then place the panel with no adhesive and clamp it down. Going through the holes already along your panel lines, drill into the edges of the panels themselves. Remove the panel, apply adhesive, clamp it down again and screw in place into your pre-drilled holes. After 24 hours I'd remove the clamps and guide boards. Someone else may have something more efficient, but I got great end results.

My 26" T30's used three panels per brace and the brad nailer was a huge help for that.
Donny Collins
Built:
Two 18" Tuba 30's 3012 LF
Two 26" Tuba 30's Lab 12
Two OmniTop 12's DL 2512 (Melded Array)
Presonus Studio One DAW
Harrison Consoles MixBus 32C DAW

Frederic Gelinas
Posts: 566
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:03 am
Location: Saint-Pie, Quebec, Canada

Re: Building Solo

#5 Post by Frederic Gelinas »

I build everything alone in the shop. The answer is: jigs and clamps. I also use a headless pin nailer with 1" pins to hold some guides made of scrap plywood pieces.
Frédéric Gélinas, HF Audio
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HFAudio.ca
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Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada

Bruce Weldy
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Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:37 am
Location: New Braunfels, TX

Re: Building Solo

#6 Post by Bruce Weldy »

You just have to hang 'em off the side of the work table and clamp 'em down. Then keep moving 'em around to get in the right position....
T39 2013 017 small.JPG

6 - T39 3012LF
4 - OT12 2512
1 - T24
1 - SLA Pro
2 - XF210


"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."

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escapemcp
Posts: 1219
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:57 pm
Location: Bristol, UK

Re: Building Solo

#7 Post by escapemcp »

doncolga wrote:I did all my building solo. I made use of scrap wood screwed into the top edges of panels to prop them in place. Be sure you've drawn out the location for all the panels and drill holes through all those for your screws. I'd cut the panel, then screw or clamp down guide boards with wax paper wrapped around them (to keep from gluing the guide board to the panel). Then place the panel with no adhesive and clamp it down. Going through the holes already along your panel lines, drill into the edges of the panels themselves. Remove the panel, apply adhesive, clamp it down again and screw in place into your pre-drilled holes. After 24 hours I'd remove the clamps and guide boards. Someone else may have something more efficient, but I got great end results.
+1 - Just built 1 24" T30 and half way through the next one. Haven't even used that many clamps - despite having about 10! I just used 2 quick release ones (the yellow ones), but mainly held everything in place with screws whilst the PL set. Only time I have needed help has been when I have moved the sub once it was fully built.

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Bill Fitzmaurice
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Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 5:59 pm

Re: Building Solo

#8 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

Richmoney wrote:Hey Guys. Quick question. I've been building some T30's and I still need help when it comes to installing the panels. I can do it fine when I have someone to hold them up while I screw them in from underneath. But I'd really like to be able to do everything by myself.
So why don't you use the techniques shown in the plans? :confused:

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DJ Higgumz
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Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:13 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Building Solo

#9 Post by DJ Higgumz »

I've built my t60s alone! (insert forever alone meme here) I have the cab on the table, then I slide the surface that needs to be nailed over the edge of the table, slop the pl on, and squish the panel into it. then, while holding it upright, I sit down on the floor, grab the nailer, and shoot a couple nails up from underneath. then I get up and mate the vertical edge with the other panels. most times I don't use guides and clamps
Before Fitzmaurice, big bass could only be had with just a hook and a nightcrawler.
Building
4 30" T60s
Built
2 19" T60s
1 30" T39
3 Autotubas with GTO804
Bought
2 Dr250s

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bitSmasher
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Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 2:55 am
Location: Sydney, Aus.

Re: Building Solo

#10 Post by bitSmasher »

Clamps, straps, jigs and... weights! I have a stack of old batteries laying around, hefting 30-50kg on panels/boxes can be of great use to keep it all in place

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