Belle Plan Changes Required for "current" Plywood

[BryceJ]

I have been looking at several plans for Belle speakers. All of them are based on using 3/4" plywood. In my area, other than marine plywood, 3/4" is not really 3/4" anymore. Furniture grade plywood, Baltic Birch plywood are all 11/16" or less. When using thinner plywood what changes have to be made to the Belle plans? What area of the base bin/dog house are critical? Is it the inner dimension of the dog house, or the width of the motor board, etc? If you follow the plans exactly, things will just not match with the thinner plywood.

 

I would love to know what others have done with their Belle and La Scala builds.

 

 

 

[avguytx]

The plans are more of a guideline than anything. When I built my Belle clones about 4.5 years ago using Baltic birch, I went off of the plans and added a little in spots. It's mainly the bass bins you have to watch. If you get the height right, and cut all of those panels at the same time, you run into less issues.  I had no problems. 

[Seadoc]

I made it easy on myself.  I 3D modeled my La Scala's from 1963 mm prints and converted current 21/32" (or less for 3/4" plywood) to mm.  And adjusted accordingly.  No problem.   

[BryceJ]

22 hours ago, avguytx said:

The plans are more of a guideline than anything. When I built my Belle clones about 4.5 years ago using Baltic birch, I went off of the plans and added a little in spots. It's mainly the bass bins you have to watch. If you get the height right, and cut all of those panels at the same time, you run into less issues.  I had no problems. 

I really like the look of your Belles. That mahogany looks really nice. 

 

It is the width of the bass bins that concerns me the most. I was trying maintain the original width, but don't feel confident making changes. I drew up plans with a wider motor board, and left everything else the same. Not sure that is the right way to do it. Should the 2 3/4" opening on each side of the dog house be  made larger if the motor board is enlarged? Anyway, lots to think about. 

 

The other option is just to keep major parts the same size, the bass loose an 1/8" in width. The depth I have figured out. 

[avguytx]

Don't overthink the build too much.  If the size is a tad off on the bass bins,  you're not really going to miss any bass that they already don't really have.  

[BryceJ]

On 6/19/2022 at 6:32 PM, avguytx said:

you're not really going to miss any bass that they already don't really have.  

That line is too funny, but I get your point.

[avguytx]

15 hours ago, BryceJ said:

That line is too funny, but I get your point.

 

Use this program to help you with the cuts and to minimize waste and also put in the thickness of the wood.   You can always make the initial cuts on certain panels a little longer and cut down....but you can't do that in reverse.  Get the dog house right and then everything else will come together.

 

https://www.maxcutsoftware.com/

 

Matter of fact, here is the actual cut sheet I made using the above program and is set for 11/16" wood.  Download the program I linked and install it, and you should be able to just open this right up and print it out.  The only part I did not build was the grills as I had bought those from someone along with the K-500 horns.  Do you have the horns already or are you doing something different for the HF?  If I were do ever build a set again, I would make them a 2-way and NOT a 3-way, personally.

Belle Cut List 9.15.17.mc3

[BryceJ]

Thanks very much for your help.