DR250 Build, Perth Australia

[SimonD]

Tubes are glued into the HF module, no issues but fiddly and messy. I'll sand them down tonight and post some pictures tomorrow.

[SimonD]

Happy to announce success with the timber tube nacelle alternative

I trimmed back most of the eccess tube and glue with a linisher and cleaned them up with a small hand sander.



I am pretty happy with the results. I just need to clean up the insides of the tubes with a dremmel.



The tubes are positioned just next to the braces





They are ready for priming today

[SimonD]

Now it's back to the main cabs. I trimmed the back halves of cabinet 2 and marked and routed the sides ready for mounting the handles/Speakons.

[escapemcp]

Nice... and that driverack was a steal - $230-odd delivered to Oz - wow!!

[SimonD]

Hi Folks, Lots of progress this weekend, I'll post pics tomorrow. Does anyone know how to setup to route the handle recesses please? I have routed the main holes now just need to recess them. I was hoping there was some method of using the handles themselves to create a template but can't find anything on the net that seems to cover this problem.
Cheers S

[kekani]

If you don't have an inlay routing set, you can make an outside template and use a pattern routing bit.

If I were to do it, I'd just make an "L" jig and route two sides, move the jig, and finish the other two.

Actually, I'd just lay a straight edge of ply as a "fence" for the router, and route one side at a time.

Honestly, I just placed the handle in the opening, scribed the outside with a larger Xacto knife, and hand routed. Easier if you duratex first so you can really see the scribe line. Personally, this is just a larger inlay job using a router instead of a Foredom.

[SimonD]

If you don't have an inlay routing set, you can make an outside template and use a pattern routing bit.

If I were to do it, I'd just make an "L" jig and route two sides, move the jig, and finish the other two.

Actually, I'd just lay a straight edge of ply as a "fence" for the router, and route one side at a time.

Honestly, I just placed the handle in the opening, scribed the outside with a larger Xacto knife, and hand routed. Easier if you duratex first so you can really see the scribe line. Personally, this is just a larger inlay job using a router instead of a Foredom.

Thanks Kekani, I will probably hand route them.

[SimonD]

Thankfully the HF modules are pretty much complete. After many coats of undercoat and a lot of sanding I am ready for the final paint. The only problem is that I can’t make up my mind as to the colour
My current thinking is paint it red with a black dowel, what do you guys think (bright yellow has been done already I believe )

[SimonD]

Back to the boxes, I made a routing jig for the handles.



Marked and drilled the side panels



Roughed them out with the jig saw



And routed them with a following bit



A nice clean hole. Now I just have to route the recesses.



Glued and ready for the side panel, yes I know!, I should have left the section of the centre brace where the handle cut-out is without glue



Side panel positioned and clamped





The first of the filler pieces glued in position





At this stage you may have noticed the cable poking out of the back halves and thought "Hold on, wasn't he supposed to be putting the Speakons in the handles?" Yep, I had a change of mind again Primarily because I couldn’t think of a way of cutting the required slots in the centre braces. There is no room for a router or jig saw. Also they have such a beautiful finish on them I couldn’t bear to cut into them and ruin it. Secondly I heard voices saying “Stick to the plans… stick to the plans…”

So the sides and fillers are all fitted and trimmed, I just need a bit more filling and sanding then the back panels.







Getting dangerously close to the end now

[SimonD]

My "Artist's impression" of the proposed colour scheme

[SimonD]

HF modules have recieved their first coat af colour but I'm not sure, It's a bit orange for my liking, I was thinking more a blood red. Might be back to the paint shop this afternoon



I made another template for the Speakon mounts, ready for routing the back panels that I'll do tonight.

[SimonD]

The cabinets and HF modules are complete, internal painting and finishing is done, just the outsides to coat.





I mounted the crossovers witn some double sided tape and a few wood screws.



Speakon jack plate wiring is ready to plug in. I am not a big fan of the spade connectors but I'll see how they go and solder them if I have any problems later. The crimps are done with a decent crimper so I should be ok. Wiring is simple, incomming positive and negative go to both Speakons +1 & -1 as well as the two jack plugs (just a backup) and the Speakon +2 & -2 are jumpered between Speakons for a possible sub feed passthrough. I still have a few questions regarding the ideal layout for the mains and subs in a band situation but I'll start a new thread for that.



The Driverack arrived but unfortunately the voltage selection is done via a toroidial transformer so I will have to start looking for a replacement 240V transformer. I was hoping that there would be a jumper selector or something . The existing transformer is model number TT-S-058-040-025W and what I apparently need is a TT-A-058-040-025W. It is a reasonably common part used in some Digitech stuff as well so I just have to start searching the web. I suppose I could simply order a replacement from Dbx but I'm geussing that will cost more than the unit its self.
No great rush as I found a stepdown transformer, with a housing, in a dark corner of the shed . All I had to do was cut an appliance connector cable and wire it in. The trasnsformer is only 80va, probably a bit on the small side, but I fired it up with the Dbx and no problems so far



Lights work

[bitSmasher]

Off topic a bit, but in searching for your tranny - do you know what the secondary windings output?
And, have you seen a service manual or schematic for the power supply section? I ask as I am considering a driverack in the distant future, but wonder if it can be modded to run on 12V DC...

[SimonD]

Off topic a bit, but in searching for your tranny - do you know what the secondary windings output?
And, have you seen a service manual or schematic for the power supply section? I ask as I am considering a driverack in the distant future, but wonder if it can be modded to run on 12V DC...

The Secodary has two windings:

17V - 0 - 17V~ @ 0.45 A, 15W (blue-white-blue)
0 - 10V~ @ 1A, 10W (red-red)

I am considering a few options if I cant find the original part. Put another 240/110 toroidial inside the enclosure or put two seperate transformers in for the two voltages. When I run it up with both signals, mains & subs, I'll measure the actual current so will have a better idea of the real current requirements. The stock transformer is rated at 250W but considering that I ran it up on an 80W transformer I think there is room for downsizing. 250W seems a lot of power for a signal processor?

[CoronaOperator]

I ask as I am considering a driverack in the distant future, but wonder if it can be modded to run on 12V DC...

I've ran a DCX2496 for a few years in my car off of a cheap $40 inverter. Works fine, had to ground the DCX chassis to vehicle ground to eliminate alternator hum.