# Chubby, curvy Vifa monitors



## hempy (Oct 3, 2007)

I've had a set of Vifa drivers sitting around since I retired a rather large set of 1/4 wave pipe speakers last year. I want something to fit up on my wall once I sell off (maybe) the mtms that I have up there now. Or these may go right next to them. Who knows. But anyway...

The woofers are Vifa P17WJs, and the tweeters are Vifa PL27TGs. I really liked these drivers when I had them in use. 

I'll probably be using bend threaded rod again with this set. All of that will have to get worked out when I get there. As of right now, I am only building one, so as to make sure there are no issues with the design before cutting up the wood for the second one. I am basically going to be getting all of my projects to the point at which they are ready for paint, as I will be buying a HVLP gun later this week to start doing my own painting (if everything works out well)

Well, here we go with pictures.

I first cut a single template out of 1/2" mdf using the Jasper Jig, then rounding where the two circles meet with the sanding drum. I cut out 7 pieces (one extra) with the jigsaw, drilled 1/8" holes to pin the pieces together, and ran them on the flush trim bit on the table. These cabs will be 6 layers thick.




















Double vacuum time











I used the Jasper again cutting out all of the inner circles. I now cut out all of my circles by going 75% of the way through each piece, then cutting with the jigsaw and flush trimming the whole thing. Then I don't have to worry about divots and whatnot when the jasper cuts the center free.






































I rounded the outer edges on the top and bottom pieces with a 1" radius. The speakers are flush mounted.


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## hempy (Oct 3, 2007)

The tweeter has the tighetest fit, as I don't want any leaks. I think the tweeter itself its 72mm... the opening is 72.5mm. =P











Ooh la la





























I tend to rear-mount drivers more often, so this is my first time chamfering a cutout. I didn't have a 45* bit with a bearing, so I used one of these bits instead. The edge of the chamfer is level with the flange, although it may not look like it in the picture. The bit I used was actually new in the packaging (although it was probably 20+ years old, and it burned up already =P)















































I also discovered today that the router table I am working on is older than I am. o_o


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## hempy (Oct 3, 2007)

I decided to try marking the layers as I clamp them without glue. They tend to move a lot with glue on, so I'm thinking this may help out a bit. I also think I may need more of these clamps. I will trimming each layer using the one above it as a template fro the flush trim bit.





























I also spent a little time and made some of these for free with some cutouts and drawer liner. Pretty sweet.


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## briansz (Feb 5, 2008)

Nice effort. You can minimize the shifting with glue by drilling two small holes for a dowel rod in several locations on each layer of MDF. Use the first layer as a template to drill the others. Cut short lengths of dowel rod and use them for alignment in the holes, alternating which holes you use per layer. 1/8" diameter dowel rod should be fine for this.


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## hempy (Oct 3, 2007)

briansz said:


> Nice effort. You can minimize the shifting with glue by drilling two small holes for a dowel rod in several locations on each layer of MDF. Use the first layer as a template to drill the others. Cut short lengths of dowel rod and use them for alignment in the holes, alternating which holes you use per layer. 1/8" diameter dowel rod should be fine for this.


I've done that before, using the pin from the Jasper jig and 1/8" drill bits, but I just didn't really feel like drilling each one this time, as setting can go pretty smoothly with some care. I've also been told a few grains of sand works well, but I would be worried about gaps.


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## gijoe (Mar 25, 2008)

I really like this project those look good. First question: Did you calculate the internal volume of those or did you more or less wing it? Second question: How are you going to seal the raw edges of the mdf before you paint them?


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## hempy (Oct 3, 2007)

gijoe said:


> I really like this project those look good. First question: Did you calculate the internal volume of those or did you more or less wing it? Second question: How are you going to seal the raw edges of the mdf before you paint them?


I'm flying blind into this one, although that's pretty much how I do any speaker unless I am going from a published design. That being said, pretty much all of my unplanned designs have worked out.

That was basically the reasoning behind only building one. I am going to test them along the way, and I can always make them deeper. I have liked the sound of small sealed cabinets for a while with various drivers, so hopefully these will sound good to me as well.

I realize this is probably a haphazard way of building speakers, especially when dealing with relatively expensive (for me) drivers like the Vifas, but right now I am somewhat more interested with developing better methods of building them and the aesthetic aspects of the build. I don't have very picky ears, I suppose, but I definitely need to have something look good if I am going to stare at it all day and pick out little imperfections. Oh, and this build was really pretty impulsive; I just started tracing out and cutting up my worktable (3/4" mdf sheet) in the middle of another project.

As far as sealing, I am going to go heavy on the mdf/water and high-build primer. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to seal it up sufficiently.


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## the other hated guy (May 25, 2007)

looks good...


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## SQJEEP (May 14, 2009)

I like the look of the enclosure you are building for them speakers. I wish i had more talent to try building stuff like that. Hopefully it sound good when all is said and done.


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## briansz (Feb 5, 2008)

If you ever need to calculate the volume of an irregular solid, just sketch it out with some dims and I'll tell you the area of the cross section. AutoCAD has an 'Area' function that makes this trivial.


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## kkreit01 (Aug 27, 2009)

Very nice work. I want a router


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## hempy (Oct 3, 2007)

briansz said:


> If you ever need to calculate the volume of an irregular solid, just sketch it out with some dims and I'll tell you the area of the cross section. AutoCAD has an 'Area' function that makes this trivial.


I'll have to get some measurements next time I'm out there.

Not too much done on this last night, but I did get the baffle glued on. I will be routing out recesses on the back for the wall mounts when I work on it next. I like that I don't have to use a removable back since the drivers are mounted on the front of the baffle. Much easier to sand/finish without a big seam.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

You can never have too many clamps. When you're glueing stuff together and don't want them to move around, just put clamps all over the place. Something like this: 










In your case you should put another clamp pressing on the upper and bottom parts, as well as one or two at the sides. 

Curves make it harder, but not impossible.


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

May want to give this a read:

Diffraction from baffle edges


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