newbie-ish plywood question

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dyermaker8
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newbie-ish plywood question

#1 Post by dyermaker8 »

Howdy,. long time lurker here looking for some real world advice. I purchased a few plans a while back and am ready to build a few. Baltic birch, I get it, whats been said here in the forum makes sense. I've called all the area cabinet shops,. lumber stores, hardware stores, no go. I'm in relatively rural central KY. None of the big box stores around here (Lowes, HD) even carry the aruca pine. I kinda get the feeling there's not a big market for this stuff. Seems like hobbist and cabinet builders both are loving the veneered ply and everything else is construction grade,. While I could probably make a 3-4 hour round trip to find the BB the time/gas=$ part of the equation kinda makes me twitch.

I'd like to just start building. I'm probably gonna start with either SLA pro's or jack 10's. Otop 12's, and a t39 or two are also on my to do list. What kinda problems am I going to run into using the inexpensive 15/32 pine ply available at Lowes. What are the limitations and possible solutions.

Thanks! -Daniel

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Bill Fitzmaurice
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#2 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

dyermaker8 wrote: I'm probably gonna start with either SLA pro's or jack 10's. Otop 12'sl
Those are small enough to order BB and have it shipped. Construction grade 1/2" is OK but it must be 5 ply, less is NG.

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Tom Smit
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#3 Post by Tom Smit »

First: welcome to the forum!

Second: perhaps a local hardware could order in a few sheets for you, from one of their suppliers. (I asked my local store , and the do stock various sizes now).
TomS

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DJPhatman
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#4 Post by DJPhatman »

dyermaker8, welcome to the forum! :hyper:

It really would help if you put a city and state in your profile. There might be someone near you that knows of a source. Steer clear of Home Depot and Lowe's plywood, unless they can get you 1/2" (12mm) Arauco brand Radiata pine plywood. Lowe's used to, but I believe they now require you to order a full skid, 72 sheets.

I would highly recommend you locate a source for Baltic birch, also called Russian or Finnish birch. It is distinguished easily by its odd size, typically 5' (60") x 5', but it does come in 4'x8' and 5'x10'. Especially for a first build, Baltic birch is well worth the expense, drive, weight, and all the other "excuses" that can be given. If you can't find BB, you are not looking in the right places, or asking the right questions.
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

dyermaker8
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#5 Post by dyermaker8 »

updated,. 42718 if anybodys got a source I'd be thankful.

dyermaker8
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#6 Post by dyermaker8 »

case closed,. found a very reasonable priced source 1.5hrs away.

Can any live sound usable bfm subs (t39, simplex,.) be built from one 5x5 sheet? I hav't ordered any sub plans yet so just trying to plan a little,.

Bruce Weldy
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#7 Post by Bruce Weldy »

dyermaker8 wrote:case closed,. found a very reasonable priced source 1.5hrs away.

Can any live sound usable bfm subs (t39, simplex,.) be built from one 5x5 sheet? I hav't ordered any sub plans yet so just trying to plan a little,.
As long as any panel is under 60 inches, then yes. So, that would cover all of the live sound subs T24, T30, T39, T45, T48, T60.

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."

Rich4349
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#8 Post by Rich4349 »

Bruce Weldy wrote:
dyermaker8 wrote: Can any live sound usable bfm subs (t39, simplex,.) be built from one 5x5 sheet?
As long as any panel is under 60 inches, then yes. So, that would cover all of the live sound subs T24, T30, T39, T45, T48, T60.
Bruce, I think you may have misunderstood dyer's question. I don't think he meant "are 5x5 sheets usable for any designs", but rather "can I build one *complete* cabinet from a single 5x5 sheet". The two sides of a T-60 alone will take a complete sheet themselves. So, no, you cannot build a T-60 from A sheet of 5x5. Assuming most of the rest are the same, possibly excluding the T24 or T30??
2 DR250s, 2 27" Lab15 T-60s, 2 30" Neo Titan 39s, 1 Autotuba...and looking for more!

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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#9 Post by Bruce Weldy »

Rich4349 wrote:
Bruce Weldy wrote:
dyermaker8 wrote: Can any live sound usable bfm subs (t39, simplex,.) be built from one 5x5 sheet?
As long as any panel is under 60 inches, then yes. So, that would cover all of the live sound subs T24, T30, T39, T45, T48, T60.
Bruce, I think you may have misunderstood dyer's question. I don't think he meant "are 5x5 sheets usable for any designs", but rather "can I build one *complete* cabinet from a single 5x5 sheet". The two sides of a T-60 alone will take a complete sheet themselves. So, no, you cannot build a T-60 from A sheet of 5x5. Assuming most of the rest are the same, possibly excluding the T24 or T30??
Now that I re-read it, you are absolutely correct. I can't think of a single horn that could be built from a single sheet .... maybe a 4x8 on one of the smaller ones like a T24.

Thanks for the correction.

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."

Grant Bunter
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#10 Post by Grant Bunter »

Bruce Weldy wrote: Now that I re-read it, you are absolutely correct. I can't think of a single horn that could be built from a single sheet .... maybe a 4x8 on one of the smaller ones like a T24.
Even with an 8 x 4 I think you may struggle to build a T24.
The T24 side panels dimensions don't allow for 2 sides to be cut off the first pass due to saw blade width.
So you're tetrising from the start.
Slightly different for a 5 x 5, but you've got less stock in the first place.
It would come back to cab width.
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...

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whines
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#11 Post by whines »

I think I got two t39 slims out of three 5x5 sheets, if I remember right? Definitely use cutlist to check that.
2xJ15, THT, 4xT39 3012 (2x15", 2x20"), 2xSLA Pro, 2x short SLA Pro (Dayton), W6

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DJPhatman
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#12 Post by DJPhatman »

Plus you have to add in all the "extra" that you will need for braces and the small, "fiddly" bits.

The answer is no, you cannot build a pro-sound sub with just 1 sheet.
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

dyermaker8
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#13 Post by dyermaker8 »

whines wrote:I think I got two t39 slims out of three 5x5 sheets, if I remember right? Definitely use cutlist to check that.
That sounds nice and efficient. How wide?

David Raehn
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#14 Post by David Raehn »

I did 4 24" T48s with 12 sheets of 5x5. If that helps....
BFM rig:
6 OT12
4 T48
4 WH8
Other:
56 box Electrotec LabQ rig
Way too many cables
:noob:

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whines
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Re: newbie-ish plywood question

#15 Post by whines »

dyermaker8 wrote:
whines wrote:I think I got two t39 slims out of three 5x5 sheets, if I remember right? Definitely use cutlist to check that.
That sounds nice and efficient. How wide?

Actually no, I did the slims at different times so I don't have an exact number. (they were 15" wide, the minimum width for a 12" driver T39)

The two 20" ones I built together using 4 sheets.
2xJ15, THT, 4xT39 3012 (2x15", 2x20"), 2xSLA Pro, 2x short SLA Pro (Dayton), W6

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