Has anyone ever built a set of OUT DOOR LA SCALA'S

[Brac]

I think this would be a great project, if it can be done?

So has it been done?

Can it be done?

Is it just a really bad idea?

Or course the goal would be to start with a real beater set...

[thumperxes]

I thought of makeing a set of clear plexiglass ones kinda like the plexi Khorn ones. I knew of a place in south florida that could get 3/4 plexi for 120 a sheet a few years back but i dont know if they are still there or if price went up. wish i had the time to do this. Your project i dont know how the diiver elements would hold up to the humidty especily the paper woofer cone wouldnt recomend it for that one.

[Coytee]

Bill has a pair of "outdoor" Jubilees. Made out of marine grade plywood. Cost him a bit more to do it (no idea how much). He uses them outside during summer months at his restauraunt in the Colorado mountains. During the winter months, he's taken them home.

I doubt they'd last long term if in direct rain/sun. I'd suspect they'd warp over time??

So, I guess it could be done. It has been done (with something other than a LaScala) and in his case it wasn't a bad idea.

Question... if you are asking about "has anyone ever BUILT a set of outdoor LaScalas", then how do you go from building a pair to "the goal would be to START with a beater set"???

I don't understand that logic...if I"m going to build a pair why would I want/need a beater set?

[Brac]

I don't understand that logic...if I"m going to build a pair why would I want/need a beater set?

I just thought, that by buying a beater set, for a small amount of money I would get all or most of the major parts.....

I like the plexi idea, but your right I bet cost has gone nuts. I used to build fishtanks when we lived in FL. but no connections anymore.

I can picture them now out front of the double-wide. LS-GOC (green outdoor carpet)

[gearfreak]

I like the plexi idea,

Don't know about plexi, but Industrial La Scala's once came in Fiberglass.

One would suspect that perhaps they did this for weather resistance. I do not know.

I'd first refer to colterphoto's statements regarding the panels in this thread though:

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/102072.aspx (or search on 'trapezoid')

..though I believe that was only after taking them apart (?). He could clarify.

[Islander]

What about making them out of aluminum plate, like the mid-bass horn of the MAGICO Ultimate speakers? Stiffening ribs on the outside would control any resonance. Any audiophile welders out there?

[Brac]

Aluminum would get pretty heavy at a thickness that wouldn't resonate? Wouldn't it??

So other issues that come to mind are Tweeters and Mid's that are exposed to weather. What do they use in the AW- series thaa is ok outside??

[kevinmi]

I have a PYLE 12" marine subwoofer on my pontoon boat that sees plenty of water and sun and doesn't seem to be affected by it. Maybe someone makes marine grade mids and tweeters that can be used?

[Brac]

I have a PYLE 12" marine subwoofer on my pontoon boat that sees plenty of water and sun and doesn't seem to be affected by it. Maybe someone makes marine grade mids and tweeters that can be used?

Hey,

These can be had pretty cheap, how do you like their sound??

[Guest " "]

I would just strip a pair bare and brush on a few coats of fiberglass resin as in the type used in the construction of wooden boats. The stuf dries clear and adds to the strenth of the wood, while deeply sealing them. If a wooden boat can be put in water once treated, a set of LaScala's would easily survive the out door elements.

No need to get crazy and make them out of steel, glass, concrete, etc.

I would add a fine mess bug screen in front of the woofer at the mouth of the horn throat and seal the xover area with a cover.

Other than that, rasie them off the ground a few inches.

This would not be a big deal to do, when you really think about it.

[Daddy Dee]

Brac,

You are right in thinking that the most economical way to obtain a LaScala parts set is to buy a pair of beaters. It's sort of counter intuitive, but buying the parts piece meal is definitely more expensive.

As far as weather resistance, I think the K55 will be OK. Some of these used to be used for police sirens.

In high humidity settings, like Arkansas, I don't know how the K33 paper cones would do. If there was a real concern for humidity damage, I'd think they could be made more humidity resistant with a light poly spray. This seems to be what the "wet look" material is that partsexpress sells.

[colterphoto1]

The BG variety has a single sheet of non-oriented fibreglass matting laid in bed of fibreglass resin(poly) and coated. Then cast aluminum corners and aluminum edging was applied. They may be more resistant to moisture than painted varieties but I'd not call them waterproof by a long shot.

Now if you were to entirely gel-coat the boxes that would be another thing entirely but you'd still need a hood to keep rain from blowing into the horns.

[Brac]

I guess I start looking for a pair of beater LS's.

The cheaper the better.....

[sean5340]

I guess I start looking for a pair of beater LS's.

The cheaper the better.....

I was thinking buy some beaters and have them sprayed with pickup truck bed liner. (Rhino lining)

[Islander]

I guess I start looking for a pair of beater LS's.

The cheaper the better.....

Cheap may sound tempting, but if the drivers and crossovers are in poor condition and need to be replaced, cheap La Scalas would be no bargain. Scuffed up but good-sounding could be what you're after, even if it's a few hundred dollars more than a pair of real clunkers. Just my opinion.

[michael hurd]

Fiberglassing them at home ( well ventilated workshop! ) with lots of lighting and the right safety apparatus can be done. It would take more than simply brushing resin on the ply. You need mat to go along with that resin to make something useful. Mat is like Michael Colter says, not woven cloth, but randomly oriented strands held together in a binder.

The binder dissolves rapidly in the resin, so it is best to apply the resin to the ply and then put the mat on the resin and use a specialty roller to squeeze all the air out. You can also use a stiffer bristle brush in a tapping motion, with bristles @ 90 degrees to the panel IE: straight down on a flat panel. ( not brushing, as it will tend to pile up the mat ) Areas with air will appear white, you need to get all the air out. Excess resin is more weight and less strength, but you need enough to wet out the mat completely. Mix a batch of resin, and keep using it until it starts to kick over.... if you have too much resin left in the first batch, then make subsequent ones smaller and or use a drop or two less hardener. Grab a new brush / roller ( helps to have 2 rollers, one in acetone, and keep swapping them out )

If you go this route, I would suggest obtaining the "fibreglass and composite materials" book, avaiable from HP books. Glass mat can usually be purchased in large quantities from a shop that is in the business ( think boat repair and fab shops ) as well as a large amount of resin, much cheaper in 5 gal quantities.

I would pre-measure some resin into several containers ( save old coffee cans ) and do not add any hardener. Tear up the mat into large workable pieces before hand, as trying to do it on the fly doesn't work out on large objects. ( you need a large work area ) You need a lot of brushes or a few cans with acetone to remove the partially set resin from the roller before using it again, otherwise it is junk when it hardens.

With proper planning you can continue to work continuously 'glassing.... as getting set up for something like that is 90% of the work. ( remove drivers, put down plastic with newspaper or kraft paper on top, set boxes on blocks... pour out several small containers of resin, tear up mat into maneageable pieces... etc. )

I would imagine that Rhino or other like truck bedliner would be a great idea, but at what cost? ( $300-400, or more ? ) You could get all the materials to glass them for $ 150 or less and that includes gloves and the rest of the protective equipment you need. You would supply the slave labour of course.

In my opinion, it would be best to get a set of industrial lascalas and put wheels on them, roll them in and out of storage ( even if it is a shed ) to keep off rain, rodents etc. Depending on your location, this may or may not be an easy thing to do as shipping is UBER expensive, and it would be best to pick them up.

[Brac]

Thanks for all the great info. I have done mat and glass work before. That route would go well.

I will dig this thraed back up when I find a set so speaks for this project.

[fini]

Now if you were to entirely gel-coat the boxes that would be another thing entirely but you'd still need a hood to keep rain from blowing into the horns.

Or keep 'em pointing down wind. Maybe mount them on lazy susans, with weather vanes on top...

[colterphoto1]

I made a mess out of a pair of Heresies trying to make an 'industrial' set a couple of years ago. Working with small quantities of fibreglass resin is not easy, the set times are tricky. I'd recommend doing this only with a trained professional, proper safety gear, and lots of patience.

[colterphoto1]

not mine, but interesting- FORMICA LaScalas with Al trim.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Klipsch-La-Scala-floor-speakers_W0QQitemZ220235498382QQihZ012QQcategoryZ50597QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem