TTLS To Help Out TT

[2Channon]

I am really enjoying watching your build. I am planning to build a TTLS and a TT with the TB W8Q-1071F 8x12s. I am going to place the TTLS behind my right front tower (like you plan) and the TT in the rear left corner as a table. I will def make some right angle clamps. Look forward to see the rest.

[NCDaveD]

2Channon, Thanks for stopping by to look at my build. Took yesterday off to "DeChristmas" the house. That is an odd driver, but if it works, more power to you!

Just to reiterate what Bill said....watch that driver depth. On my regular TT, getting the mounting screws started on the regular TB was difficult, and I ended up crossthreading one. Due to the epoxy, the t-nut didn't spin, but the bolt was jammed tight. On the new build, I will make the outer panel removable to have easier access.

Good luck!
NCDaveD

[2Channon]

Just to reiterate what Bill said....watch that driver depth

.

I been thinking about that and will make a mock up out of cardboard when I get the drivers to make sure. I think (hope) it will be OK.

getting the mounting screws started on the regular TB was difficult

The good thing about the 8"x12" is only 4 mounting holes at the corners so no reaching around corners.

I will make the outer panel removable to have easier access.

Are you planning on making panel 6 a little larger and mounting it on the end or placing it to spec and just use screws? I thought if I mounted it on the end it would give me and extra .5" to work with driver depth. It wouldn't change the horn just make the driiver area larger. Would that change the performance of the TTLS?

[NCDaveD]

Good idea on the mockup.

You would have to ask Bill F. (the designer) if there would be any change due to an increase in the backchamber size. I plan on putting in some supports kind of what I've seen in pictures of the THTLP and anchor the plate inside. If Bill comes back and says there isn't an issue, I may change my mind here.

NCDaveD

[NCDaveD]

Today I went to PL the speaker panel in place. Much to my surprise, when I lined up the panel, the speaker hole was in the wrong place!!!

The directions show the distance from the center of the hole to the end of the long side on the panel. For some reason, I pulled that distance from the short side of the panel instead of the long side.

So I'm off to Lowe's to pick up some more T-nuts and do this again....

I'm still trying to figure out how I didn't catch this sooner.

NCDaveD

[NCDaveD]

Time to shake off the goof and get back at it. Another panel 5 cut and measured from the CORRECT side. Set in place temporarily. Now that looks better!

NCDaveD

[NCDaveD]

Since there was just a little bumpout on the last panel I did, this one was done a bit different. I drilled holes to start and end the jigsaw cut for the speaker gasket ID, then freehanded the little round bumpout (bumpin?). The jigsaw was set at 90 degrees for a straightdown cut. Then I used a small drum sander and then sandpaper to smooth it all out. The holes for the Tnuts were drilled on my drill press to get a straight hole, and then the T-nuts were epoxied in. Tomorrow I'll double check the fit of the speaker and make any adjustments by opening up the mounting holes on the speaker basket to make sure the bolts go in easily.

Thanks for your patience in reading this journey of mine....

NCDaveD

[NCDaveD]

Today I was determined to get a little more done. So I put on the guide boards for panel 5 and dry fit it in. One thing I learned doing TT#1 was to dry fit the panel and brace BEFORE adding PL. Good thing I did as there was wayyyy too much room between panel 2 and 5 when trying to fit the brace. Turns out I put the second panel line on the WRONG side of the dimension line. Dodged a bullet there. I remarked the base panel and panel 1, and drew new lines on the back of panel one for the brad guide.

I dry fit it all, then PL'd the brace to panel 5. After removing panel 5, the PL was applied and the panel put back in place with clamps. Brads were shot as needed.

Since I wanted to make panel 6 removable, I made small spacers to support panel 6 and installed 4 of them on the sides as shown. The others will be installed as the panels go on.

Then it was time to put in panel 7 and the two braces. This turned out to be quite a battle. Panel 3 was warped a good almost 1/8" and resisted all attempts to straighten it out. About an hour fiddling with scrap pieces of ply and finetuning the braces (with LOTS of measuring) I finally got the warp to under 1/16" and said "Good enough". Panel 7 was PL'd, installed with the top guide boards, then bradded. The base guide boards were removed, but the top ones were left on. The 3-7 brace was installed first and bradded in place (after PL applied). Then the 1-7 brace was PL'd up, placed and bradded.

Before calling it an afternoon, I cut a hole in the base panel for the speaker posts and dry fit it in place.

I hope someone is learning from my mistakes here. Thanks for reading!

NCDaveD.

[NCDaveD]

I was measuring for panel 8 and it's brace when something just didn't look right on panel 1. Out came the carpenter square, tape measure and new 90 degree clamps I just made and sure enough, panel 1 was bowed out in the middle of the long length by 3/16". I measured where panel 7 and panel 3 were at the midway point (corresponding to the 30" on panel 1) and wrote down the distances from panel 1.

Where did I go wrong? Well, back to the computer and Bill's sketchup drawings. Evidently I pushed too hard when installing the braces, trying to get panel 3 UNBOWED, and didn't check panel 1 before bradding it into place. I saw that I was about 3/32" off on each dimension, so out came to jig saw and I cut the two braces lengthwise, put clamps on it and remeasured. That should do it!. Unclamp, PL, reclamp and remeasure. Hopefully this will fix that problem. If not, I hate the thought of scrapping what I've done so far.....

NCDaveD

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I was measuring for panel 8 and it's brace when something just didn't look right on panel 1. Out came the carpenter square, tape measure and new 90 degree clamps I just made and sure enough, panel 1 was bowed out in the middle of the long length by 3/16".

That's why the plans recommend 2x2 guide boards clamped or screwed to warped panels. Worst case after you take the warp out and install the brace you have to let the adhesive set before removing the guide boards and continuing with the build.

[NCDaveD]

Right you are, Bill. Unfortunately, I did not have any decently flat 2X2's and tried to get by without them and paid the price.

Time to get panel 8 on. I measure and cut panel 8 only to find it warping a bit (no longer a surprise). Since I don't have any 2X2's I used scrap ply to flatten the panel. Worked well. Set guide boards, measured and all looked good. Cut the brace for panel 8 to drawing dimensions. PL'd panel 8, reset top guidboards and bradded it into place. Removed the bottom guide boards, PL'd and set in the brace for panel 8 and bradded it in as well after measuring top dimension to make sure top panel would fit correctly. I reset the top front guideboard and am leaving it to set up.

NCDaveD

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Right you are, Bill. Unfortunately, I did not have any decently flat 2X2's and tried to get by without them and paid the price.

I make my own from laminated plywood. It's in the panel jig plans.

[NCDaveD]

Ah Ha! It has been a while since I looked at those, so will do so now.

Thanks Bill!

NCDaveD

[NCDaveD]

Wow what a temperature change. Was in the 50's and 60's before. Now mid 30's with 25mph winds. Makes for cold hands while working!

So panel 9 is a short one and is made from a piece I had left over. Cut the angle on the 17" side, fit it up, marked it to length and then cut it. Guide board installed, and number 9 PL'd and put back on. 90 degree angle brace set in place and the brads were installed. Pulled the bottome guide board off and cleaned up joint.

Panel 10 and it's brace is next. The panel was cut to length, checked for square and surprise, it's warped . With lots of clamps, guide boards and measuring, I locked it in place temporarily, making sure everything was flat and true. The brace was cut and fit in it's place and the panel 3 was marked to show where the brace went. I pulled off panel 10, PL's one side of the brace and toenailed it to panel 3.

PL was applied to the edges of panels 9, 5, the base panel, and the brace. All guide boards, clamps and temporary screws were put in and panel 10 was bradded to panels 9 and 5. I rotated the assembly and put clamps to make sure panel 10 was tight to the base panel, then brads were inserted to lock it together. An aluminum level was used to keep panel 10 flat while the PL cures.

Getting close now. Got to warm up a bit.

Thanks for looking!

NCDaveD

[NCDaveD]

In the 20's this AM, so heater is going wide open....

I am going to use the same method to locate and install the top that I used on TT#1. Basically it is lining up the top with clamps to make sure everything is flat and square and using nails as guide pins. Since I did not have enough clamps to do both sides of the top at the same time, I did one side at a time.

The first side was lined up and made sure the boards lined up and the measurements were correct. I drilled 3/32" holes (same size as the nails) along that one side. The holes went all the way through the top and about 1/2" into the ends of the matching panel. The nails were installed with 3/4" or so still showing above the top, but firmly anchored in the end of the side panel.

The clamps were removed and repositioned to hold the other side of the top in position. More holes were drilled and nails inserted to hold this side of the top. Using a dremel tool, the tops of the nails were cut off and tapered.

The top was removed, and any nails that came up with it were removed and reinstalled into their respective holes. There always seem to be at least one that I didn't pound securely enough into the end panel.

I bondo'd all the other holes on the edges of the other panels, let it dry and sanded them smooth. To make sure the panels were where they belonged, I reinstalled the top and using a 1/16" drill bit, redrilled through the holes that were made when the top was marked at the beginning of this project. I also drilled a hole halfway down the length of the panel to make sure I was close to the center of the panel thickness.

The top was removed again and thankfully only one panel was a tiny bit off, about 1/16" or less. For this panel, I redrew the line on the top offset by this same amount. I wanted to make sure I was as close as possible to the center of the panels when installing the screws to draw down the top.

Family obligations made me call it a day at this point, so tomorrow back to Lowe's to pick up some paint. Since this will be in the "family/train room" which is white walls and ceiling, I'll be painting the mouth and outside of the TT whilte. I'll be painting the inside of the throat before putting the top on for good.

Again, thanks for reading about my projet!

NCDaveD