ElipTrac-400 2-way Mike's build thread

[ZombieWoof]

Actually the way I show on the instructions still works well, bu t I have changed the way I do it.

I no longer assemble the horn in sections, I now fully assemble the horn then sand.

I dont use a rat tail file anymore, now I use a piece of 2 inch pcv pipe with a sheet of adhesive back 36 grit automotive longboard sandpaper attached. This sands much quicker than the rat tail, and lets me get down the throat more easily.

The finish sanding is still all done by hand and and is very time consuming.

Dave

So Dave,

do you now start with laying the largest horn section face down & then start gluing ? Do you do one layer at a a time, working your way from larger to smaller > ? Seems that would be the most stable , glue one the layer to the next,aline then brad nail .

Repeating as you move to the next smaller layer section .

I would think that this process would be quick to do . How far are the nailed brads away from each other ( the spacing ? ) I figure that as the sections get smaller the less nails per layer.

so you can tell I'm really wanting to get started, once I get the DIY kits I'll not be such a PIA with questions ..... L O L

[djk]

Stanly surform file handle with flat, round, and half-round blades. A plane handle is also available.

[Guest David H]

do you now start with laying the largest horn section face down & then start gluing ? Do you do one layer at a a time, working your way from larger to smaller > ? Seems that would be the most stable , glue one the layer to the next,aline then brad nail .

Actually its the oposite, I already have the mount and the first layer assembled, so you will start from the small end and build from there.

As for the brad nails, I use 6 on the first layer because it is small and has less glue and material then the larger layers, each additional layer will need 2 brads to hold in place til the glue dries.

I use a jig with a piece of all thread through the center to hold the horns while they dry.

[ZombieWoof]

..... 2" driver proN

[ZombieWoof]

1st pair showed up Today ..Very Well Packed !!!!!

Three more horn kits to come

Dave called & said that this should keep me buzi till he gets the other 3 done ...

5 ElipTrac-400's going into 9 channel system

Time to get the Glue out [<)]

[ZombieWoof]

A ElipTrac-400 is born

I did the assembly in stages and did sanding in between stages makes doing the throat area Much Easier !

[Guest David H]

Looks like you got it.

It's coming along perfectly.

Dave

[ZombieWoof]

I've been doing 2 horn at once , 4 layers at a pop

let them set over night then sand down 3 of the layers making sure not to cut into the last ring cuts on the 4 th layer then repeat till the horn is done . then all that left is simple touch up sanding to make everything even .

I did learn that making sure I cleaned up the excess glue that squits off/out the rings is Super important as if left to set-up in the ring cuts it really is hard to sand out as it's 5X's harder than the MDF.

you can do this assy without a nail gun , I'm using 1 & 1/4 " finish nails spaced a inch apart with pre-drilled 1/16" inch holes they are about half the size of the nails , so with a nail setter I can get huge amount of pressure on the glue between layers .

YEAH it's a bunch more work,

but I didn't want to buy a cheap nail gun & cheap compressor just for this build . I'd much rather throw the $ into drivers.horns,XO's .

so the xtra work is just my sweat time. If I was going to have to buy compressor/nail gun then I'd would have just bought the finished horns from Dave any way

I've used the electric brad nailers & they recoil to much for me , I didn't want to have problems with miss set brads

The diagram that Dave gave of the jig to clamp the horns with the threaded rod ,works really well , I have 2 of them set-up on a work table

[ZombieWoof]

I don't use a rat tail file anymore, now I use a piece of 2 inch pcv pipe with a sheet of adhesive back 36 grit automotive longboard sandpaper attached. This sands much quicker than the rat tail, and lets me get down the throat more easily / Dave

Yeah a rat tail & even a half round file is useless . I have a 1 & 1/2 " wood dowel that I had in the garage & some good quality sand paper is important for sure . I had some of the 32 grit Gator brand paper & with in seconds I had more sand than sawdust in the horn , the paper was soon bald in minutes . I now have some 40 grit that's self cleaning on a 2 foot dowel lets me get some great downward pressure to the surface & cuts really well .

It's amazing what the difference in quality of paper does in saving time & effort

[tigerwoodKhorns]

So what needs to be sanded? Are the pieces already beveled in the throat of the horns and just need some sanding to get everything perfectly smooth and lined up or are the pieces cut straight and each needs to be sanded down to make the throat (meaning sand down a "triangle" from each piece to line it up with the previous piece)?

[ZombieWoof]

So what needs to be sanded? Are the pieces already beveled in the throat of the horns and just need some sanding to get everything perfectly smooth and lined up or are the pieces cut straight and each needs to be sanded down to make the throat (meaning sand down a "triangle" from each piece to line it up with the previous piece)?

they are cut by C N C so they are ring cuts about a 3/16 " deep or so depending on where on the flare of horn it's at

each ring cut goes out a littler further so each piece has about 8 or 9 ring steps that needs to be sanded off to make a flat surface

so bunch of small triangles to be sanded down ... it's not that hard to do but is time consuming .

A Hand Made Horn is really a accurate description of these horns they truly are hand made , the C N C does the outline cuts but it's all handcrafted from that point on .

you can't really use power tools like a sander or a burr as if you go to deep then the piece is ruined

you sand until the rings disappear & then do a finish sanding in a smaller grit sand paper .

It is a really Cool feeling you get once a horn is done sanded as it pretty nice to see & feel what you have done .

pictures do not do the Horn any justice they are very beautiful when done

I'm gonna finish mine with a hammered look gloss black lacquer .

Mike

[ZombieWoof]

.....still sanding .... ...........

[<)]

[ZombieWoof]

seven horns assembled & all sanded out ,I start on the filling of nail holes in the morning

I will start the primer & painting when all 9 horns are fully done with assembly

[ZombieWoof]

WoW ! ! !

Dave's new center CornScala motorboard

That he designed for me arrived Today from UPS

Very Well packed by Dave BTW

here's the pix

[ZombieWoof]

here's a pix of the ElipTrac-400 horn in the Motorboard

Cool HuH ! ! !

[Guest David H]

Nice, arrived safely.

The ports are coming with the last horn kit tomorrow.

Dave

[peshewah]

That center channel is going to be cool. Can't wait to read your review on it

[ZombieWoof]

ALK has designed me a new network for my new speakers ,

(the CS-1.5 replacements)I was gona re-do them but I thought it best to start all over

it's a 2-way using Dave's from Fastrac Audio's ElipTrac-400 , B&C DE750TN-16 HF driver & Bob Crites 12" woofer in a ported cabinet

I have 2 configurations a short squat/fat Vertical design & a Horizontal .

these are to be the Heights & Wides in my 9 channel set-up here's a pix of the new network

[ZombieWoof]

the plots for the above network.

[ZombieWoof]

all 9 ElipTrac-400 horns are fully assembled & fine sanded out .

I'm now on to appling primer to them , after many experiments on the best way primer end cut MDF ,

I have settled on a great primer that will seal well ,

goes on without soaking in much at all , dries fast ,covers well in 2 easy coats

BEST of all ,it does not cause the fibers to swell at all ,

there by not raising any grain issues that have to be sanded out before the top coats go on

very easy to fine sand as well

I'll post some PiX tomorrow