"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."
I put a third coat of tuff cab in the horn mouth on Friday evening, to finally cover grain bleed; stuck the last side pieces on on Saturday, and fitted the NL4MPR's in the horn mouth; then yesterday check the driver compartment and mounting flange for leaks. Have to admit i didnt really expect any, and was pleasantly surprised, except there was the tiniest pfft pfft on the baffle mounting flange, where the speaker gasket was. I traced it afterwards to the thought that it can only be the tiniest of tracks/paths through some PL I'd applied to a tear out, on the top ply, that occured when drilling the baffle holes. It needs a little more PL smearing on and dressing back with the flat file. So, just about onto framing out the hatches. I can already feel with my fingers and the 2 frame pieces I've cut that there's gonna be some very slight steps and possibly blending needing doing - by step, I'm talking of the order of less than 1mm, probably much less than 1mm, but from the experience with the gasket and baffle flange air will track/bleed down the tiniest path. So, I'll keep going and yet to figure it out.
The plan is to run the access cover gasket and screws along the edge of the chamber reducer panels (I.e. for lab 12) and so the the overhang parts of the access cover will be unsealed and not fastened down. The only problem with this is that I cannot successfully leak test the edges of the reducer panel gasketed joint, but how does anyone test that sealed interface to KNOW its functioning. The only other option is cut the extra access cover pieces off and have 2 holes through the cab or seperately mount them and have 3 'access panels' each side of the cab. I should have cut the side panel (acces hatch) just to the shape of the lab 12 pattern, but it appears that evaded me initially.
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2xJ12L (3012HO) switchable/melded
2xT30
Words&graphics - Audio&Acoustics - Hardware&DSP; 3 different paradigms.
And that is the approach I'm going to take, i.e. not testing the blind gasket joints. I've done all i can to make the access hatch 1 1/4 strips to level through at the joins, apart from reading the plans enough in the first instance and going through the build sequence in my head to not be in this position, ...and to be honest i was expecting someone to have told me I should have read the plans more. There's time.
I've been busy this weekend. Got the second cab access hatch strips in, routed over all edges, filled and sanded twice, drilled and countersunk the access hatches. Ready to paint. Have decided, am not putting plastic corners on. Chris's cabs looked fine without them, and i think its actually more 'clean' looking. Plus 16 corners, x3 legs per corner with the 3/8 router bit slightly deeper doesn't fill me with joy. The only thing is I haven't taken pictures because these things are not that interesting. I may post some of the access hatch stripping and joint levelling. What say?
2xJ12L (3012HO) switchable/melded
2xT30
Words&graphics - Audio&Acoustics - Hardware&DSP; 3 different paradigms.
It's been a fairly long and sometimes arduous journey at times, in your builds to date.
You have done good, no great, stuff, presented your soul along the way, and deserve a smile or two.
In a few weeks, when all the dust has settled, and all you have to look at is your cabs, you will begin to wonder what the fuss was with your builds.
I sometimes look back through my build threads and think, wow, a lot of work went into those.
No wonder they sound great!
So, lap up the moment, enjoy it for what it is, and share...
Built:
DR 250: x 2 melded array, 2x CD horn, March 2012 plans.
T39's: 4 x 20" KL3010LF , 2 x 28" 3012LF.
WH8: x 6 with melded array wired series/parallel. Bunter's Audio and Lighting "like"s would be most appreciated...
Ok. Thank you Grant and Tom for the encouragement. I thought I'd do another brief video. More heart on the sleeve stuff here, ...if one has 3 mins 55 secs to spare that is, ...and totally rambling from one idea to the next.
They look great, Charles! Don't get down b/c there's so many steps to accomplish. We all know exactly how you feel. When you finally have a few hours to work on the cabs, you plan out 4 different things that you'll accomplish and then b/c of this or that, you wind up only getting 1 thing done. It's maddening at times, but rest assured that it happens to all of us. Except Leland and Harley, but we won't spite them for being far more skilled than we are.
These cabs are totally worth every ounce of sweat and every curse word you've uttered. Keep going! You're almost there!
You are nearing the finish line, mate! Nice work on the flanges. Smooth is good.
As for leakage into the "dead" spaces of the chamber reduction, you should be able to hear any leaks once the door is on, through the spaces between the access door than the flange-less dead space. You could nip off the corners of the door so it lines up with the flanges. This will leave 2 "tunnels", if you will, running through the cabinet. No worries!
I know money often seals the deal, but seriously, quality is an investment, not an expense... Grant Bunter
Accept the fact that airtight and well-braced are more important than pretty on the inside. Bill Fitzmaurice