4x T48 and 4x OT12 build

[Seth]

I love that you're geeking out with the OCD details. I do the same thing. Takes way more time than just following the plans. I've found sometimes it's worth it. However, many times it's not. The plans are pretty comprehensive.

I appreciate the recessed SpeakOn's with the Forstner bit. Nice 'n clean looking.

I put 5 SpeakOn jacks in my T39. Two in the middle of the back, pretty central for access in any orientation, whether it's upright, upside down, or on either side. I put two in the mouth (panel 6 on a T48) to easily hide and protect connections when corner loading, wall loading, or stacked and V-Plated. And I put one on top next to a Top Hat as a signal passthrough for the occasions I want to use one upright with a pole mounted speaker above.

I've always used a 1/4" roundover bit and cut a little shy. 3/16" roundover bit sounds like the ticket. Looks great. FWIW, I did two different handles, the one in the plans on the bottom back and a commercially produced one in the top. By far, I prefer the hand hold outlined in the plans over the store bought option and I really wish I'd had put that one on the top instead. The one in the plans just feels much better in the hand. It's more comfortable to use, and IMO looks better too. You're doing a great job on yours and I think you're really going to like and appreciate them every time you use it.

I'm loving the questions, shared thought process, photos, and build details. Thanks for sharing the adventure and allowing us the pleasure of contributing to your success.

[dlv]

Greatly appreciate your input Seth. I've been thinking about alternative locations for the NL4s. Your comment about corner/wall loading and access to the back has me thinking for sure. I'm hoping to put grills on so I'm not entirely sure about the panel 6 location.

The flexibility of the jack locations you did makes a lot of sense. A couple questions about that. How did you secure the wire in routing it all over like that? Stick it in a bead of PL? I doubt speaker wire can make much of a rattle but also doesn't seem right to leave it just flopping around.

Given the tight fit with my handles I might consider putting the jack's lower than panel 9, more to the center of the back. Then I don't have to worry about impinging on the handle openings, people sticking their fingers in there when lifting the cabs, etc.

Even in the middle of the back the jacks and whatever I do to secure the wire still be hidden by panel 5. Of course any grill will pretty much conceal it too. It would be really easy to put one in the top, in the enclosure where the driver is (between 2 and 3). I am not planning a top hat however so the main reason for the top jack would be access when corner or wall loading. But I really like that idea.

Yes I'm a engineer by background with strong OCD tendencies. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes not.

-Dave

[Seth]

...How did you secure the wire in routing it all over like that? Stick it in a bead of PL? I doubt speaker wire can make much of a rattle but also doesn't seem right to leave it just flopping around...

I didn't route wire around it the cab like it may seem. For the ones in the back I drilled a hole in panels 5 and 3, a direct shot into the driver chamber, no excess wire to flop around. And yes, just sealed the holes up with PL. I did the same thing with the jacks I put in the mouth, just drilled through the panel directly behind the jacks and pushed the wire through into the driver chamber and combined the wiring within the chamber itself. One thing I did was tie a knot in the individual wire pairs inside the chamber as a strain relief, gooped the wires up with PL where they'd be passing through, forced a little PL into the holes, then pulled the wires outward, forcing the knots against the inside of the driver chamber, putting tension on them and the wires while the PL cured. I didn't think far enough ahead and almost shot myself in the foot with this move. I very nearly didn't have enough slack left hanging out of the holes to wire the jacks up. Ended up having to play Operation, using tweezers and needle nose pliers to connect the spade terminals before securing the jacks in place. Make sure you have more than you need hanging out of the jack location.

[dlv]

Make sure you have more than you need hanging out of the jack location.

Very good advice!

[dlv]

Have a question for Bill (or anyone) on the driver anchor for panel #2, the baffle.

Is there any reason the corners need to be cut on the 45's on the driver anchor? I'm looking at the plan and sketch up and seems like the corners could be left. That would give a lot more surface of the anchor glued to the baffle and seems like that would stiffen it some more.

Thought I'd ask before I glue the anchor.

Thanks!

-Dave

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Weight. Leaving it square wouldn't make it any stronger, just heavier. Sure, it's only a few ounces, but a few ounces here and a few more there and it all adds up to pounds.

[dlv]

Ok. Got it. I'll carry on with gluing it then! Appreciate the guidance.

[dlv]

Well figured I'd post some kind of update. It's been slow. Definitely a good thing I'm building one cabinet first to work out the nitty gritty details. The plans are great, but there's still a lot of figuring out just how best to go about it with the tools you've got. I'm also obsessive about square and fit. So I do a lot of dry fitting to see what clamp & brace setup is going to work as well as checking alignment & fit.

Didn't help I made a mistake with the baffle cutout. I wasn't careful and cut the baffle hole 14" (the anchor hole size). So did some head scratching how to fix that, cut a new panel? I already had the angles cut perfect so to salvage it I got the bright idea to cut the baffle panel for the 2nd cab, cut it's hole correctly and then align it on the first baffle panel and use it as a template with a template router bit to re-cut the first panel's hole to size. That worked so well that I also cut the 2nd cab anchor panel and it's hole so I've got both to use for templates on cab #3 and #4 as well. Honestly I can't say enough about templates and template router bits. IMO even for 4 cabs it's worth taking a moment to cut a template for things like these holes, handles, etc. I got a new template router bit, my old one was dull. Now it cuts like butter and leaves a nice sharp edge.

Had a lot of fun getting the anchor hole lined up with the baffle cutout. I cut to just fit the driver so it was super tight. Even using the driver to align it took quite a few retries yesterday to get it just right so there's a bunch of screw holes to fill. An extra 1/8" of clearance on the anchor hole wouldn't have hurt at all. Especially since I'm using backers behind it. Good thing nobody will ever see in there!

But first baffle is done and glued in. Panel #3 and #4 are curing. I am assembling on my cutting table so for today that's about all I can do until this sets solid. Hmm a second table for assembly would have been smart.

Btw, this little gadget is worth every penny of the $20 bucks or so I spent on it. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Digit ... /306093322. I meticulously laid out the interior panels on the side panel per the measurements in Bill's plans. Then using this I got the exact angle and transferred that to my table saw. The angles weren't always exactly what was in the plan, close but as Bill says, always cut to fit. So far, my joints are dry fitting perfectly and that's helping maintaining square nicely. Makes the glue up much easier. We'll see when this cab is done but it should come out pretty square.

-Dave

[Tom Smit]

Good recovery on the baffle hole!

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

We'll see when this cab is done but it should come out pretty square.

If it's not square it won't change the sound. It would just cause it to rock on the floor, which you'd fix by shimming the feet.

[dlv]

If it's not square it won't change the sound.

Fair point. I'm crazy OCD about precision, even if not significant. I guess that's the luxury of retirement hobbies, I'm not on a time crunch. My shop has AC, I've got tunes playing in there, I can hide out in there all day. I'd never make a living as a builder!

[Keryn O'Shea]

Excellent build thread mate!

Honestly I can't say enough about templates and template router bits. IMO even for 4 cabs it's worth taking a moment to cut a template for things like these holes, handles, etc.

Make them for a single cab build,
and make them for everything
I'll create a master template, and then cut a slave to use on the work, that way if you damage the slave, you can just rip off another one from the master. The less you use the ruler and pen, less chance of error. I even make templates for the braces..

I guess that's the luxury of retirement hobbies, I'm not on a time crunch. My shop has AC, I've got tunes playing in there, I can hide out in there all day.

That sounds like heaven

[dlv]

Was away from the shop for a few days on a short trip out of town. Back at it this week.

Here's cutting 3/5 panel braces and finally getting to use my micro jig clamps. Handy stuff. The angle and stop made them come out exactly the same.

Testing out an idea for some spacing jigs for the braces to hold them straight while the glue sets. Maybe not critical, but OCD kicking in again.

[Seth]

Loving it. Thanks for the update!

[Tom Smit]

I've done something similar numerous times, in regards to the temporary brace spacers.