How to make slant risers for Heresy's?

[greg928gts]

Can anyone tell me what the dimensions are for a slant riser on a Heresy? I'm making new risers for Gary's (garymd) Heresy's and I'm changing them to slant instead of straight. I just need to know how much taller the front of the riser is than the back.

Thanks,

Greg

[sheltie dave]

Greg,

looks like 3/4" to 2.5", back-front. 14" front and rear by 12.5" sides for lengths.

[dbflash]

HDBRbuilder posted this awhile back.

When building a factory-style riser base for the Heresy, you must do the following:

1. Measure the Heresy's bottom outside dimensions(this is necessary due to the differing OUTSIDE dimensions between the models over the years)

2. Since the riser base is approximately 3/4"(1.9cm) inside the outer dimensions of the Heresy bottom, it is necessary to SUBTRACT 1.5" (3.8cm) from the dimensions you got when you measured the bottom of your particular Heresy. You now have the OUTSIDE dimensions for the riser base.

3. The width of these pieces is 1" (2.6cm) as they come from the factory...this gives the height of the risers at 1" (2.6cm). NOTE...Cornwall risers are 2" high.

4. After ripping out the 1" wide pieces, you can now cut them to length using a 45 degree miter.

5. After cutting them out, you will need some good wood glue, some string(plain old kite string works just fine!!), and four 1" long 3/4"x 3/4" glue blocks(per each riser base), and either a staple gun with 1" to 1 1/8th" long staples, Or some 1" long small finishing nails.

6. Glue up the mitered edges of the pieces, put the pieces together, and wrap them tightly around the outside perimeter with the string(using AT LEAST three complete wraps of the string around the outside perimeter...the string acts as the clamp while the glue sets up). Ensure the edges are flush with each other at the corners. Pull TIGHTLY on the ends of the string, and tie them in a knot ( you may want to insert a pencil or something into the string along one side by the knot after this and twist it like on a tourniquet, in order to increase the tightness of the string, then use the running ends from the knot to secure it in place). Wipe out any squeeze-out of glue to the inside of the joints...this is important, because you will be putting glue blocks in those inside corners, and they need to be clean for a tight fit of the glue blocks!! Let the glue completely set-up, then remove the string.

7. Once you have removed the string, glue up your glue blocks and place them INSIDE the joints of the risers...find a solid surface and use the staples or finishing nails to attach the glue blocks. Be careful that while you are attaching the glue blocks, you don't break the bond of the glue in the miters!!!!!! Wipe up any excess glue from the glue blocks with a wet paper towel...Neatness counts!!

8. After the glue blocks have set-up, then drill the mounting holes for the screws...use a countersunk bit to achieve the desired depth for the head of the screws into the risers, ensuring that the screws will have enough length to grip the bottom of the Heresy well, WITHOUT GOING COMPLETELY through the bottom of the Heresy!!!

9, Now sand the risers and apply the finish of your choice, ensuring to remove ALL the glue that squeezed out of the outside of the miter joints BEFORE applying the finish!!(This is necessary because if any glue residue remains on the wood where you intend to apply stain and/or finish, it will show up when you put on the stain/finish).

10. After the finish has dried, attach the risers to the bottom of the Heresy with the screws, ensuring that the riser is mounted the proper distance in from the bottom edges of the speaker(3/4" all around).

11. If you have NON-carpeted floors(wood, tile, etc.), I would suggest that you apply one of those small peel-and-stick neoprene dots (about 3/4" in diameter)to each corner of the BOTTOM of the risers...this will keep the speaker where you want it and not mar the floor(these dots can be found at any Wal-mart). If you have carpeted floors, you can add some of those little round metal gliders to the bottom edge of each corner of the riser...or spikes...or whatever!!

If you want to make slant risers, then the best method to get the slant where you want it is to take the speakers, put them where you intend to listen to them. Then add magazines under ONLY THE FRONT EDGE of the speaker, until it is angled to where you want it to be aimed. See how tall that stack of magazines is, and add that much height to the front dimension of the riser. sketch out the front height, which will be 1" PLUS the added height of the magazines, and the rear height will be 1"...make this sketch full size...use the sketch as a template to determine the cuts you need to make to the parts so that the risers end up at that angle. NOTE: I would suggest the front of the riser NOT be over 2" tall!!...if the rear is only 1" tall!!!

If you don't want to make holes in the bottom of your speaker cabinet, then build your risers, screw them to a shelf that is about 1/16th" wider and deeper than the bottom outside dimensions of the speaker, and then build a lip around the edges of the shelf to support the bottom outside edges of the speaker. Line this lip and the top of the shelf with something soft like felt cloth, so that the bottom of the speakers FIT SNUGLY and won't get scratched!!

If you INSIST on making the front of the slant riser HIGHER than 1" OVER the height of the rear of the riser(total of over 2" high at the front), then you will need some kinda support for the back of the speaker(so it doesn't tend to fall over)...again the lip on the shelf somes into play...but the REAR portion of the lip needs to have some height to it...and if the angle of the slant is too severe, you may still need to add a weight inside the front edge of the riser...or build the riser around a wooden box that can hold sand or something heavy!! In this case it is even MORE important that the speaker fit SNUGLY into the lip around the shelf edge!!!!! Hint, Hint!!

I hope this helps some of you out!

[ironwoods]

Why is it important to not screw all the way through the bottom of the cabinet? The reason I ask is, I made a fastening system to couple my Heresy's to 14" metal stands.

A 1/4"ID- 1/2"OD threaded insert was rescessed into the bottom of cabinet. A finger knob with 1/4" threaded rod comes up through the stand's top plate and into the threaded insert. A steel ball bearing is placed at each corner of the top plate in exsisting or drilled holes.

When I drilled the holes for the inserts the tip of the bit penetrated(sexy huh?)through the bottom of the cabinet.

However, after all is said and done, I reason the hole is airtight. Is this the only concern.-airtightness?

I also filled the stands with sand. They sound fine and bass seems tighter.

[spw1]

I made a set of risers years ago that my heresy's sat on and neede no attachment. The risers were 1" small than the speaker diameter on front and sides but in back of the speaker extended 2" to the rear and 2" up forming a lip to catch the rear of the speaker, like a capital 'L' at an angle. Worked perfectly was removable and caused no injury to the bottom of the speaker. With the speaker against a wall the look was seamless.

[greg928gts]

Good idea.