Anikun's THT LS Build

[Bruce Weldy]

I paid $33/sheet, I think. I saw it was on sale for $30/sheet this week at Menards.

Thanks! That's a pretty reasonable price.

Where are you located? We can buy baltic birch for around $30 a sheet here in Texas.

[anikun07]

I'm in Illinois. I don't know who supplies Baltic Birch, but what's the size? Bill made it seem like it comes in 5x5 sheets. For the THT LS, three of the panels are over 60".

[Bruce Weldy]

I'm in Illinois. I don't know who supplies Baltic Birch, but what's the size? Bill made it seem like it comes in 5x5 sheets. For the THT LS, three of the panels are over 60".

5x5s are around 30 bucks. The last time I bought 4x8, they were 43-46 bucks. But, it seems like we have really good prices down here.

[Rich4349]

Woodworkersshop.com
Pekin / Peoria

It'd be a bit of a drive for you, but I've driven 2 hrs to get their HIGH QUALITY 60"x60" 11 or 13 ply 1/2" cabinet maker's grade Baltic Birch. And it wasn't that expensive- really cheaper than Lowe's 4x8 mid grade BB, per sq ft. About $35 per sheet, and they cut it on the line I measured out to make it fit in my wagon.

[anikun07]

Thanks Rich, I wasn't sure if Baltic Birch is available at either Menards, Lowe's, or Home Depot? I thought it probably had to come from a lumber yard, which I may have a couple in my area. Peoria is about 2 1/2 hours each way, but it's good to know that it's there.

Tonight I cut and glued panels 3, 4, and 5. Tomorrow I will have to pull out the driver from my THT standard for panel 6. I'll need to pick up some T-Nuts to mount the driver, too.

[Triticum Agricolam]

Where are you located? We can buy baltic birch for around $30 a sheet here in Texas.

I'm in Eastern Washington state. I can get 5'x5' 1/2" baltic birch for about $35 a sheet.

[anikun07]

Tonight was getting the baffle ready for installation. I pulled the 15" Dayton driver from my THT "Standard" last night. Today I picked up some T-Nuts for the baffle mount. The instructions were slightly different than those when I made the THT, so I basically worked from memory, looking at the "new" plans for additional guidance.

I started by centering the driver on the panel and marked where the mounting holes would go by punching them with a nail and mallet. I traced the driver on the panel, then used a scroll saw to cut the circle out. A bit of sanding was needed to smooth out the "lumps." I must say, a scroll saw is much easier than a jigsaw for cutting that out, but I think the last two baffles I cut were at 45 degrees than 90 degrees. After drilling 1/4" holes for the T-Nuts I hammered them into place.



There were a few nuts that stuck out over the edge of the cut so I used a Dremel to grind the edges back and smooth them out.
(Product placement picture, think I can get a check? )



Then I used the Gorilla Glue recommended in past builds to glue the T-Nuts in place. I found that side-cutters worked really good for removing the nuts from the panel to apply the glue. After gluing them I mounted the driver to apply extra pressure to the nuts while the glue dries.
(I should have taken a picture of the glue, too.)



With the driver mounted, the opening was pretty well spaced from the driver surround.



I tested out some tones and the surround doesn't even come close to touching the opening. I think the built in gasket helps a lot since it's probably about 1/2" thick. Next will be to glue the baffle into the cab.

[Bruce Weldy]

Glue isn't enough for the t-nuts. Put a little screw in 'em too.

Harley showed us that a few years back....

[anikun07]

Is the purpose to prevent spinning when tightening the bolts? Oh! Your picture is probably with the flat base. I used the kind with the teeth. Sorry, it's not possible to tell in the picture. Thanks for the comment, if I ever use those in the future I will remember to get little screws.

[abrockey]

use a dab of gorilla glue and wet the surface. no screws necessary.

[anikun07]

use a dab of gorilla glue and wet the surface. no screws necessary.

That's what I did. I forget such kind of glue it is, but it's the small bottle. I suspect the non-toothed nuts would need that screw though.

[Grant Bunter]

Is the purpose to prevent spinning when tightening the bolts?

Tightening, or loosening, if that ever needs to happen.
Nothing worse than having to remove a driver and the nuts start spinning, not letting you undo the bolts.

That's why, by and large, it's now recommended to mount drivers with screws...

[jimbo7]

I do believe the quality of auraco that Menards sells now-a-days is getting crappy. I had to sort through the whole pile to find 2 half-sheets that were ok and had a few knots holes missing from the outer ply. Too many separated plys and defects to bother anymore.

[Bruce Weldy]

use a dab of gorilla glue and wet the surface. no screws necessary.

That's what I did. I forget such kind of glue it is, but it's the small bottle. I suspect the non-toothed nuts would need that screw though.

I would do it with either type of nut. A Tee-nut can back out of the wood when loosening if there is some side pressure on the bolt. The bolt stays where it is, but it pushes the t-nut out.

For the time involved, it's really good insurance.

[escapemcp]

I would do it with either type of nut. A Tee-nut can back out of the wood when loosening if there is some side pressure on the bolt. The bolt stays where it is, but it pushes the t-nut out.

For the time involved, it's really good insurance.

+1 I've seen it happen to my mates... took 'em half a day (& a f**k load of swearing) to get 2 bolts out and they also had to damage the baffle in the process.