Dunavin’s OTop 8 build

[J_Dunavin]

Woofer spacers

I set these down and put some 5 lbs weights on them, but they slid PL works really good
Nothing a little belt sander can't fix

Could not be happier with the progress tonight! I test fit the pieces and everything fits reaaal nice!
Actually fit so good, i was able to pick it up as seen here.
I will have to do a bit of clean up on the edges were the woofer holes meets the horn. Nothing a Dremel tool can do.
Should look like a could of speaker boxes tomorrow.

[J_Dunavin]

A few more photos.
Test fit all the driver hardware, before glueing the top and bottoms, glued top, bottom and horn sides. I did the horn to side braces after the fact, so I could trim to fit.
Tacked on the skill saw guide and trimmed off the horn sides, not as smooth as I was hoping for, should if used a better blade, nothing some wood filer and black paint can’t fix. And finally test fit the sides! Starting to look like something!

[ACUA]

I enjoy the pictures, looks really good. Wish I had a table saw with a sled.

[Seth]

Awwwwww heck yeahhhhhh!!!

Coming together with a swiftness

[J_Dunavin]

I enjoy the pictures, looks really good. Wish I had a table saw with a sled.

Thanks!
You should make your own sled! There are a ton of how to videos out there. Those rails are just “T slot” rails from McMaster Carr, and some 1/4 -20 bolts with plastic knobs that have a 1/4-20 insert, so I can hold stuff down.
It was really cheap to make and it’s getting pretty beat up, so I don’t feel bad about making a new one… mostly from scraps I already have.

[J_Dunavin]

Awwwwww heck yeahhhhhh!!!

Coming together with a swiftness

Ugh, nothing like a deadline to kick things into high gear.
I have a minimum amount of Birch though so I really have to measure like three times and make sure I’m making the right cuts.
Now is not the time for a mistake

Edit.. I also had played with cut list to make sure I was maximizing T39 width for the four sheets of 5’x 5’ birch I bought. With the scraps I have plus the full sheets, I should be able to get two 20” cabs. Was previously planning on two 18” wide. Not sure if that’s a audible difference, but every inch counts I suppose.

[Bruce Weldy]

Excellent work! Looking good.

[J_Dunavin]

Thanks Bruce!

[Tom Smit]

Memory is failing. Is this the first Otop8 build thread?

[Seth]

I know there were some other threads and people who built them. However, I don't recall whether there was an actual build thread that went along with any of them. It may be you're right! (my memory is failing too LOL)

Edit to add: Just did a more thorough search and didn't find a single one. Joe! You're the first! By the way, did you decide to take on using the adjustable top hat's?

[J_Dunavin]

I wish I was the 1st, but this guy built a pair along with some T48s. I messaged him and he’s loving them.
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=25234&start=45

I really wanted to go for the fatal pro drivers, but that would have been some serious cash.

Seth, I thought about the adjustable top hats, they would have been cool, but they are actually hard to find now and I figured it was one more thing to break.

Anyway thanks for the comments! These are lots easier than DR200s

[Tom Smit]

Memory is failing. Is this the first Otop8 build thread?

I wish I was the 1st, but this guy built a pair along with some T48s. I messaged him and he’s loving them.
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=25234&start=45

I just read that thread! Thanks Grey Owl for commenting on it! That thread became first for reading when I logged in.

[J_Dunavin]

Practiced cutting out the throat reflectors tonight, not fun but I think I have a decent path for cutting the 65 deg angle.
Also glued the sides on! Looks like a box now… all down hill after these throat pieces.

[J_Dunavin]

Don't try this at home kids! I made the large angle cut by flipping the piece up 90deg and then tilting the blade over 25 deg. I made the pieces larger than i needed and made this cut first as i had to make several passes. Then i came back, measured the distance to the other cut and made it since it can easily be made with the fence.
I also cleaned up the inside corners where the back plate doublers are going.

back panel set back.jpg (10.39 KiB) Viewed 134017 times

65deg cut.jpg (15.6 KiB) Viewed 134017 times

horn throat.jpg (8.95 KiB) Viewed 134017 times

horn throat up close.jpg (6.92 KiB) Viewed 134017 times

[Seth]

Real nice fit. Looks great