Coytee Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I've got a single LaScala that will be used for my center. I was going to wrap it in 3/4" plywood to beefen up the sidewalls and give me a clean motorboard to which I could attach a K510. Called a cabinet shop (which by the way, I'm anticipating spending several thousands of dollars for new cabinets) and asked if they could do this? In their defense, I did NOT tell them who I was nor that I had a pending order (my wife has been doing the cabinet stuff) Anyways, the lady said they "could not" cut panels like this. I sent her an email back asking for clarification... I mentioned that they were a cabinet shop and she was stating that they were 'unable' to cut some plywood rectangles essentially 2'x3'??? I digress.... Anyway.... I don't think that angle is moving too fast so I had another thought hit. What if I took some nice (solid) 3/4" 1x6 (or 8 or 10) walnut / oak / other... boards, join them together into panels and glue/screw a layer of 3/4" solid walnut to the outside of the LaScala instead of a layer of 3/4" walnut plywood. I know the plywood would have more strength but all I'm looking to do is beefen the sides to stop/slow them from resonating. Would attaching solid wood panels instead of plywood panels create a problem with the boards 'breathing' differently than the underlying plywood? I got the speaker for free so I don't have much to lose with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Be easier to brace inside and I do not think they resonate that much anyway. But you can do your idea you know how much walnut is ? They will end up real heavy for sure. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max2 Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I agree with Rick. Brace them. Make the cabinet guys fit them as they will be a little different side to side. I think you can order these straight from Volti and last I heard he is moving to Volunteer country, so he may end up just down the road from you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) Braces similar to those shown are the very best thing to do as they will stiffen both the cabinet side walls as well as the dog house walls. I would make the braces so they extend farther up the doghouse wall so they brace at least 2/3's of the dog house wall. I would make the braces 5/8" thick and I would use four braces per cabinet. Best regards Moray James. PS: the dog house walls are not that much smaller in dimension to the main cabinet walls. For maximum bass impact all these panels need to be rigid. Brace work will pay off if done right. Edited May 27, 2014 by moray james Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Compared to some on the forum, I have rudimentary wood working skills... might even pass as a beginner!! That said, I was also thinking on adding the wedge inside but left that unsaid. The outer wrap layer would help hide any screws that I used to attach the wedge. I have the understanding that the real offender in the LaScala comes from the sidewalls, not the doghouse. I don't want to say I'm not concerned about cost but for a single speaker, it won't matter. I've even thought about trying to find some exotic wood that I could use instead of walnut/oak/other. I have a couple of hand tools, couple of power tools, table saw (rudimentary) so I probably have enough tools at hand to cob the idea together.... I'm primarily wondering the differences of gluing/screwing a 3/4" panel of plywood to the outside verses gluing/screwing a 3/4" panel of solid dimensional wood to the outside. I know the solid wood will expand/contract more than the plywood so would that be an issue over time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) I wish someone would just market a LF section in 1" birch for sale that could be flat packed and mailed out to buyers just like these pictured here... I would buy a pair, or perhaps even three of them. we could ad our own drivers of choice and cross over of choice. Edited May 24, 2014 by Schu 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBPK402 Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 For my La Scalas... I went with some 3/4" birch plywood and I had it cut a little bigger than the La Scalas. I then glued and screwed it to the La Scalas. I then used a router with a flush cut bit on it to make them all match up I finished with some 1x3s to trim out the front.. I then got some Maple 1/4" finished plywood to glue over the 3/4" plywood, and used the router to trim it out again. I did the the 3/4" on the sides, top, bottom, and rear. The 1/4" I am only doing on the top, and sides. The 1/4" finished Maple that I purchased is veneered MDF so the ends don't look like plywood. For me this works because I am making the front edge black so I don't get the reflections from the projector. I still have not completed one yet, but you can easily do a pair in a weekend yourself if you have the router, clamps and glue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Yes, the plywood will be more stable. The wedges made a huge difference in sound! The resonance was horrible on my cabinets before I re-glued and installed the wedges. Securing them from the outside of the cabinet and from the inside of the doghouse really firms things up! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Well if you go with the hard wood panels you will need a thickness planer if you seal the wood movement should not be a problem. Making panels out of individual pieces of wood is harder than you think you have alternate the grain and should use a biscuit cutter to help glue them together . Rick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 wedges make a HUGE difference in the sound? really? what differences are they making in the sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk49 Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I agree with the bracing method, did it on my LS's and heard the difference. If your set on wrapping, use the plywood, the solid stock will be a nightmare keeping it flat and you're right the solid stock will move at a greater rate than the ply. I still have my patterns for the bracing and would be happy to make paper copies and mail them to you. Tom 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kg4guy Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I think I have some wood template's I used for my braces I would send them to you if you want. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBPK402 Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 If anyone has a set of templates for the braces I could use some too. If you have a paper template and can scan it would be easy to get to anyone. If you don't have a scanner, and you send me a template, I will scan it, and send you a copy of the scan back so you can give it to whoever you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 wedges make a HUGE difference in the sound? really? what differences are they making in the sound? I wish I was better at describing sound but for me it was a huge improvement. My LaScalas had spent their life in a choir loft as speakers for an organ and the cabinets were quite dry with some veneer peeling at the corners. It is safe to assume the panels had shrunken a bit. They resonated horribly and the bass was quite flabby... you might even say they were flatulent! I inserted the wedges for a few months and just fitting them by friction made a difference. When I finally glued/sealed the cabinets and installed screws from both sides of the wedges it made the bass - mid-bass MUCH tighter and more clear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Just lay a piece of construction paper along the bottom & side of the horn mouth & trace the pattern onto the sheet. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 With the wedges why couldn't you use pocket holes for the screws underneath will never see them plus the glue does most of the holding. You could also fill the pocket holes also there are pocket hole jigs to help drill them. Rick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 For those that have never heard them... what I was once told by Jim Hunter is if you can tame the sidewalls, they will sound as though they have another octave (perhaps an overstatement?) of bass in them, much like the LaScala II. He said they actually HAVE that sound already but the buzzing panels destroys it. Fixing the panels will make them sound much closer to the LaScala II in depth of bass. I'm game for a template. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 The 1inch thick bass bins makes the wedges obsolete. If you have vintage La Scalas add them..... http://www.itishifi.com/2010/12/pwks-lab-la-scala-with-braces.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk49 Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 PM me with address's and I will send paper patterns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khornukopia Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 I glued and screwed the extra wood to the sides. The internal braces are lighter and may be easier to install. The choice would depend on how you want the cabinet to look. I like the appearance of the thick wood sidewall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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