Roboklipsch's DIYSG 4cft ported build using Legacy EF 15" Driver

[RoboKlipsch 473]

Thank you!

 

There's some blur as i was holding the camera in one hand.  Ill take some sharp ones.

[Scrappydue 2100]

4 hours ago, RoboKlipsch said:

 I can't remember a day without working on the subs lol....

this happens really easily once you get involved. i dont know what to do once I'm done with a project. i immediately start thinking of the next. 

 

4 hours ago, RoboKlipsch said:

Well now that you mention it, the idea of building a really big nice center channel from DIYSG again....

dont do it! once you do this you will end up building a whole theater. what model you eyeballing?

 

5 hours ago, RoboKlipsch said:

I only have a few decent shots as I was holding a light and the camera, but will take more soon.  

yeah we need a couple good quality pics. your whole process is different than mine but its hard to see ay of it. all your shots since you left raw veneer just look like orange boxes. 

[RoboKlipsch 473]

LOL there you go encouraging me.  I'm not going to even say what center I thought about

 

The lighting in the garage is actually pretty bad.  Plenty good to see what I'm doing, and I have worklights for nighttime or when I need bright lighting.

But for taking pictures it's been a quick snap after each step.  

 

I'm putting on the SealCoat now  not missing a day lol.

Once complete tomorrow I'll take some shots and see if I can get the color to come out right.

 

The wood itself is a light brown slightly pink wood.  

With the dye added it became a really bright cherryish red.

Sealed it darkened to a slightly more brown/orange color.

Wood filler and stain made the big difference, turning it to a rich brown color.

Sealing that is darkening it.

 

With this finish it looks like the lighting has a huge impact on what you will see.

But I know I can get some good shots.  By the end I'll be sure to get shots in the sunlight where you'll get the true color, and then in a well-lit room.

 

 

[Scrappydue 2100]

36 minutes ago, RoboKlipsch said:

LOL there you go encouraging me.  I'm not going to even say what center I thought about

 

spill the beans!

[CECAA850 24937]

11 hours ago, RoboKlipsch said:

By the end I'll be sure to get shots in the sunlight where you'll get the true color,

Best pictures are when it's cloudy.

[RoboKlipsch 473]

Update:  Having applied the SealCoat with a brush in the early stages (to seal the mdf after gluing the box together), I remembered that it did leave a nice thick coat but also left brush marks (which were sanded).  After having applied a few things with a pad (cotton rag soaked in a particular chemical), I decided to seal the dye/wood filler/stain finish using a pad instead.

 

Since the pad leaves a thinner coat, but a much nicer/smoother finish imo, I am using 4 coats instead of 3.  Application of the 1st and 4th coats are a bit more careful.  Coat 1 even though it is over dried wood pore filler/stain, could still lift a bit, so I am careful to put down a thin, even coat.  Coats 2 and 3 are a bit thicker with less concern for perfection.  Then coat 4 tries to get a nice even finish overall.  Approximately 4 hours per side of the box total....coat, wait and hour...coat, wait and hour, coat, wait an hour, coat, wait an hour, then do another side.  By doing 3 sides in a day, over roughly 12 hours, all sides are able to dry for a day or more before potentially being turned over where dryness is important.  This is slower than necessary -- you could seal 5 of the sides at once, wait, and seal again.  But with a flat surface I am finding it's much easier to get an even coat.  I'd rather go slower and get a better finish than rush this step and potentially leave it less than the best a rookie can do in his first outing. 

 

So the pictures.   I have a few below.  Garage open on a cloudy day, lights on in the garage, side door open.  Just not easy to get a perfect picture in there as the light by the edge of the garage is bright, but back by the windows where I'm working it's a lot darker.  Anyway, I think these came out better and certainly sharper at least.  A big benefit of wiping on the sealer is that sanding may not be necessary.  The coats on top of each other melt into one another when applied within a few hours of each other, so dust and bugs are the enemy.  So far there hasn't been any problem with either, so things are moving along nicely.  If all goes well, the boxes will be sealed by the end of the evening.  Tomorrow I will lacquer the bottom, which was actually sealed on Wednesday, giving it plenty of time to dry fully.  It will get a few days to cure and then the boxes will be turned over, and I will lacquer all the rest at once.  Using a spray can lacquer I think it will go just fine....hopefully

 

In the pictures below, the two sides were finished last night, the baffles were just coated with their 3rd of 4 coats, so they are a bit shiny and wet still potentially.  

 

 

[RoboKlipsch 473]

On 9/21/2016 at 9:41 PM, Scrappydue said:

spill the beans!

I'm not actually sure.  I was so focused on the subs I didn't spend a lot of time on the center options, but maybe the Cinema 8 or the like.  Suggestions if I ever go down that road?

[CECAA850 24937]

Too late to paint the port black?  Maybe mask everything else off.  That would look cool.

[CECAA850 24937]

I like contrast.

[derrickdj1 8217]

It's been  a fun ride watching this project from start to finish.

[CECAA850 24937]

2 minutes ago, derrickdj1 said:

It's been  a fun ride watch this project from start to finish.

His subs look fantastic.  I'm a sucker for build threads as well.

[babadono 4717]

On 9/19/2016 at 11:59 AM, CECAA850 said:

Let's see if Murphy can answer you.

 

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but there is always enough time to do it over.

The first 90% of a project takes 90% of the time, the last 10% takes the other 90% of the time.

Once a job is fouled up, anything done to improve it only makes it worse.

Murphy was an optimist

[RoboKlipsch 473]

54 minutes ago, CECAA850 said:

Too late to paint the port black?  Maybe mask everything else off.  That would look cool.

Never too late and I'm considering it 

 

If I had the finishes when building the boxes I would have used just the dye.  In this case I did the same after they were built but didn't spend enough time sanding it to really get the dye down deeply.  Building the boxes I focused entirely on having really good glue bonds without leaks.  With more sanding and removal of some of the glue it would dye better.  I think there's enough dye on the bottoms of the ports that they will look matching as is when the subs are upright.  But black paint might be a really nice feature there. 

[RoboKlipsch 473]

54 minutes ago, CECAA850 said:

I like contrast.

Epic see-through window to watch the action

[CECAA850 24937]

25 minutes ago, RoboKlipsch said:

Epic see-through window to watch the action

That's actually screen.  That particular sub sits outside on my back patio.  It's a covered area but open on 2 sides.  The screens are to keep the mud daubers (or any other bug) from building nests in there

[Scrappydue 2100]

6 hours ago, RoboKlipsch said:

I'm not actually sure.  I was so focused on the subs I didn't spend a lot of time on the center options, but maybe the Cinema 8 or the like.  Suggestions if I ever go down that road?

well the fusion 8 would be the center. the cinema 8 would be like a vertical lcr type speaker. 

 

I've built the fusion 8 and the 893 centers. both are incredible. depending on application would determine model i would recommend. if you want to know much past that we would have to take it to a PM

[RoboKlipsch 473]

On 9/23/2016 at 7:52 PM, Scrappydue said:

well the fusion 8 would be the center. the cinema 8 would be like a vertical lcr type speaker. 

 

I've built the fusion 8 and the 893 centers. both are incredible. depending on application would determine model i would recommend. if you want to know much past that we would have to take it to a PM

Hi Scrappy --

 

yes that looks right.  I hadn't gone through in enough detail, it looks like that's the one center option offered.  It also happens to look pretty awesome, mirroring some of what maybe a C7 could do?  Or more?  I'm a home theater guy, I'd be looking to improve my RC52 if I make a change.  

[RoboKlipsch 473]

Update:  Well today as far as the subwoofer build is concerned....I'm just about done.  All the hard work is complete, I just have to wait for dry time to expire and then put in the T-nuts, the wiring and the binding posts....and it should be ready to go   

 

Process:  So the final step in finishing is spray lacquer.  Using rattle cans, although the Deft Gloss ones don't have the rattles in them for some specific reason.  I got 3 cans, which was plenty....on Amazon about $6 a piece.  

 

I sprayed the bottoms first, put on 3 coats with about a half hour between, and then let them sit 2 days to dry.  Application occured during about 70 degrees, but humidity rising and approaching 80%+.  It seemed to go pretty well.  I had a few pool spots from a previous finish (I think the sealcoat) on one of the bottoms, but am not worrying about the bottom.  They provided a good testing platform for using the lacquer.   Held about 6 inches away, spray back and forth not stopping and moving quickly.  First coat very light to give the others something to adhere to.  Make sure to apply with lots of ventilation -- the thinner in the cans will kill you, literally, if you don't and build enough in a closed room.  Never do in a closed space without ventilation.  Allow to dry approx 30 minutes between coats, although the last 2 coats I allowed a bit longer as it was humid.  Also extermely flammable, do not smoke, do not start a car, don't even turn on a light switch while applying (according to the experts).  I was very careful, garage door mostly open when applying.  Winds were very strong - 20 to 30, so I did not open the door all the way as it wasn't necessary and would blow to hard.  

 

I put on 6 coats onto the other 5 sides yesterday.  6 coats.  I planned for 3, but it went on so easily, and I had enough left to easily do 6.  So i did.  Temps were about 65 and humidity was a ridiculously low 20-30%.  So low, it dries before hitting the surface!  You have to hold it even closer in those conditions, but drying time is amazing.  Dry most likely in 5 minutes, but I gave about 30 between coats, and more like 45 on the last few.  

 

Dust and bugs are a problem, but I did very well and had little of either.  I noticed some dust on the tops, as the lacquer was actually drying on the way to hitting the tops.  So I held it a bit closer and made passes that stuck beautifully.  Why do 6 coats?  Thin coats are important, as drying time becomes longer with thicker coats...and if a coat isn't really fully dry, drying time can go to weeks or months or never.  If you missed a spot, the next coat covers it.  They blend together chemically and cover each other well.  Easiest step was the lacquer imo of everything, although it still has a few pitfalls.

 

So that's it.  I am letting them dry at least a few more days, no rush.  Then the T-nuts, wiring, drivers, and on to placement and testing   

 

Pictures...as usual, lighting tells many different stories.  Same boxes with same finish.  A few may be taken while the lacquer is wet, but all are the same boxes and finish.  Lighting varies depending upon night, day, door open, etc.  Once totally complete, I know the pics will come out great outside and indoors with better lighting.  

 

 

[derrickdj1 8217]

The t-nuts are easier to put in before mounting and gluing the baffle.  Use a dab of Gorilla glue on the t-nut and they should fit fairly eay into the hole.  Vice grips work well to squeez them into place.

[RoboKlipsch 473]

It was too hard to try and lineup the precut baffles.  One had different dimensions to fit over the entire front....so after the build was necessary unfortunately.  I was thinking of using the bolt and washer method...have u done that?