BillFitzmaurice.info

Hello - I'm new here and have been chipping away at a pair of David speakers for my home since December. I finally have most of the fabrication complete and wanted to share the progress. Open to comments/questions/critique/praise ..

I purchased the crossover components and drivers from Parts Express and used 1/2" baltic birch ply from my local lumber yard (in Providence, RI).
This is my most ambitious speaker build yet (and my first time making crossovers, so needless to say I've learned a lot and have a lot to learn.
I can't wait to hear them! For now I'll be powering them with my Sansui 8080.

Drivers
Tweeters: Morel CAT 378
Midbass: FaitalPRO 5FE120
Woofer: Dayton DCS205-4
I use Fusion 360 to design and model my own fabrication projects and wanted to use it for this build as well. I started with the plans I purchased from Bill and build a new 3D model to generate fabrication drawings based on the actual thickness of the ply and other parameters I could change. I cut everything out in advance (with the exception of a few panels) and was very happy how it all went together. After cutting the recesses for the MTM drivers. First parts getting glued together. Interior panels glued-up with old brake rotors for extra 'clamping'. Side panel getting glued and clamped. Bottom view showing bracing.

To be continued in the next post..

Front panel fitment prior to glue. Fully assembled and getting trimmed/sanded. Crossover assembled and woofer cut-out. Wired up for sound-test.

MTM installed with gaskets. Woofer access panel. Almost there...

Looks fantastic. Good job!

Very nice build! It's quite apparent that you have done some wood-working before. LOL.

I like the way you have the 2nd cab in the background. Cool.

What year is the LeMans? Looks like you do mechanical work as well.

Hello and welcome to the forum

Fantastic build!
Your attention to detail is inspiring.

You have lots of inductors on one board, all aligned in much the same orientation.
Look up inductor crosstalk, see if you can't change orientation of some of them.

Looking forward to your review as well...

Loving the shop space you have, Jealousy!!

Looking really nice!
Are you planning on veneering them, or what’s the finish going to be?

Tom Smit wrote: ↑Fri Aug 12, 2022 10:06 pm Very nice build! It's quite apparent that you have done some wood-working before. LOL.

I like the way you have the 2nd cab in the background. Cool.

What year is the LeMans? Looks like you do mechanical work as well.

Thanks, yeah I do woodwork! I'd never used PL as much as in this build but I was very happy with it and surprised at how well it holds.

It's a 1965. My dad and I started restoring it when I was 15 (23 years ago). It's been on the road for about 20 years now. It's a hoot!

Grant Bunter wrote: ↑Fri Aug 12, 2022 10:49 pm Hello and welcome tot he forum

Fantastic build!
Your attention to detail is inspiring.

You have lots of inductors on one board, all aligned in much the same orientation.
Look up inductor crosstalk, see if you can't change orientation of some of them.

Looking forward to your review as well...

Thanks for the feedback! The board is pretty large, about 12" across, and I thought I had them spaced far enough apart to avoid crosstalk (I thought 20mm was a rule of thumb), but I really have no experience with crossovers. I'll sketch out another orientation of some of the coils and see if it would be better.

J_Dunavin wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:48 am Looking really nice!
Are you planning on veneering them, or what’s the finish going to be?

I'm going to keep them true to the material and use a clear water based finish.

Nice! That’ll look good, your build is so good that it’ll look really nice au natural.
My joints don’t look that nice so I always have to cover that up

jammer wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:03 pm

J_Dunavin wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:48 am Looking really nice!
Are you planning on veneering them, or what’s the finish going to be?

I'm going to keep them true to the material and use a clear water based finish.

It looks like you are using Baltic Birch. Did you know that it would be useful to use a conditioner to help avoid blotching?

Tom Smit wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 12:00 am

jammer wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:03 pm

J_Dunavin wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:48 am Looking really nice!
Are you planning on veneering them, or what’s the finish going to be?

I'm going to keep them true to the material and use a clear water based finish.

It looks like you are using Baltic Birch. Did you know that it would be useful to use a conditioner to help avoid blotching?

I've never heard of 'blotching' with clear finish ... Please elaborate.

Erm, maybe I was thinking of when BB is being stained.