Autotuba 19/10 gto1004d

[Ryan A]

Quick update on my progress...

Got everything but the side panel on now. Picked up some Bondo so i'll try that out on the knot and screw holes. Never used it before so it will be an experience.

I remembered to use the "A" side of the wood for the rest of the exterior panels luckily, minus the horn mouth.

[Ryan A]

Installed the last panel and tried out the Bondo on the spot. It's nice to use but starts to get solid much quicker than I thought, in about 5 minutes. I'm happy with the results of the patch up. I'm going to take the screws out and bondo the entire box.

[Grant Bunter]

Ryan,

Nice looking build so far!

5 minutes is pretty quick for your bondo to set.
If you put in slightly less of the red hardener, ending up with a final mix shade not quite as red, you will get more work time with your hole filling for the screw holes etc.

Mixing this way for me let me do a side, and perhaps top or bottom of a cab in one mix.

Use your leftover blob as a colour guide for your next mix.

Hope this helps...

[Ryan A]

Thanks for the advice, Grant. It probably took me about 4 or 5 mixes to get all the holes filled. I just got used to mixing really small batches at a time so as not to waste too much.

Since I don't have access to a router, I made mounting flanges for the access panels at 3/4" wide on one side, and only 1/4" wide on the other side, so as to make the driver just barely fit inside. The 1/4" is thin but works. I just had to angle the screws in at a 45 in some places so as to have adequate grip on the wood.

[Ryan A]

Here are some pictures that show how I attached the access panels, as well as a size comparison to T39 slim. Its actually very similar in size to T39 except for the extra 7 inches of height.

I used heavy threaded wood screws for attaching the access panels for simplicity, and since I didn't have enough space on the 1/4" access flange for hurricane nuts, etc.

[Grant Bunter]

Hey Ryan,
Wow, I didn't realise the AT was quite as big as it is. Your comparison to the T39 gives me a real sense of their size.
No wonder they go off in a car...

[miked]

Congrats on the successful build. I enjoyed the pics. Will you finish the outside or just throw it in the trunk as-is? I sort of miss my car audio days. With kids, you need a trunk for the stroller and the other 13,481 things that go with them.

[Ryan A]

Thanks Mike. I'm going to listen to it for a while before finishing. Its unseen mostly anyway so the finish isn't too important for me.