# Aura NS3 Build: Funky 2-Way



## hempy

*Aura NS3 Build: Funky 2-Way MTM*

I've been meaning to start building a set of 2-way speakers for my room, but have been unsure about what to build exactly. I want something quirky, while still being aesthetically pleasing (to me). I think I finally settled on an idea. It came to me while staring at the Walkman logo deliriously when I had a fever. I cut out a single piece of 1/4" mdf that I will use as a template to cut out pieces that I will layer to make the speaker "boxes."

Each speaker will have 2 NS3s, one of those rear-mounted dayton tweeter that I've been using, and a Partsexpress 2-way crossover. I forgot the points, as I bought all of them a long time ago.

They would be oriented vertically, and I'm not really sure if I'll have the tweeter offset facing inside or out.


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## Torquem

that is awesome!


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## schmiddr2

Hope you had a band saw. They could use a nice sanding and, depending on the wood, then some laquer/stain or maybe a 2-tone color. That will be a very cool speaker box. Hope it works out well.


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## hempy

schmiddr2 said:


> Hope you had a band saw. They could use a nice sanding and, depending on the wood, then some laquer/stain or maybe a 2-tone color. That will be a very cool speaker box. Hope it works out well.


I used a router w/ a Jasper Jig and a sanding drum to do the template out of 1/4" MDF. Then I just used a flush time bit and ran each piece on my router table.

They're still very far from any sort of cosmetic work. When I do, I'm going to be skimming everything with bondo, sealing, primering, and then painting them ultra white.


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## hempy

Well, I cut the driver holes and I think I'm going to remake the top piece, either by using the back as the new front, and then remaking the back, or just cutting another front out. Not sure just yet.

Apparently the hols for the woofers were somehow not centered, and I wound up with them being just enough for me to notice. The real problem came when I went to round over the cutout for the NS3s. The first one went fine, but the combination of a dull bit and a small surface for the guide part of the bit to rest on left me with a very nasty looking cut. It's bad enough that it would take more bondo and time than I plan on spending trying to fix it, not to mention the fact that the holes are slightly off-center.

Aside from those setbacks, I really like how it's turning out.


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## hempy

I used the back for the new front and cut new holes, which were much better this time. I did have an issue with an uneven cut on the ttweeter hole, so i ran some bondo on the inside, taped the tweeter, and pushed it in, leaving a clean edge. I used a different bit, leaving a sharp edge around the woofers that I like a lot. I think I'll keep it instead of sanding it down, which I don't usually do.


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## ItalynStylion

Very funky indeed! How did you do the front shaping? That's way to big to be a roundover right?


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## captainobvious

Diffraction's got nothing on you. 

Thats a neat looking project. Good stuff!


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## hempy

ItalynStylion said:


> Very funky indeed! How did you do the front shaping? That's way to big to be a roundover right?


It is a roundover, actually. 1" radius. Found it on ebay a few years ago for about 30 bucks. It's been my favorite bit ever since.










I finished cutting out the template for the inner panels. I used the circle jig and did the rest freehand on the router table. I sanded everything clean using the router and a sanding drum and it looks pretty good imo.


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## hempy




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## savagebee

Nice build, its looking very funky, but not obnoxious.

a nice gloss paint would look really good on these, show off the curves youve got going


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## 94VG30DE

Awesome. Keep the pics coming. I can definitely see the Sony inspiration too.


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## falkenbd

wow, very nice, I hope you don't mind if I borrow your idea at some point.


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## Fixtion

great project, personally i would have the tweeter flush with the surface of the baffle. 
what does the area around the tweeter look like on the baffle?
i would keep the driver in separate chambers. stuff them to compensate for lost volume.

p.s. i love routers.


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## B_Rich

That is very cool.


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## niceguy

Excellent creativity...I was thinking of a similar setup before I decided to use some non functional (preamps) Klipsch Pro Media speakers w/a TB sub...look forward to the painted pics!!

Jeremy


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## ItalynStylion

Very cool man! From the first couple posts I thought this was much bigger. Then I saw the TV remote and realized it was much smaller. Very good free hand work and that 1" roundover is awesome! I need to get one of those STAT!


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## hempy

savagebee said:


> Nice build, its looking very funky, but not obnoxious.
> 
> a nice gloss paint would look really good on these, show off the curves youve got going


That's what I'll be doing, probably an automotive ultra white. I want to give them a sort of European vibe.



falkenbd said:


> wow, very nice, I hope you don't mind if I borrow your idea at some point.


No problem. Let me know if you have any questions or need any tips.



Fixtion said:


> great project, personally i would have the tweeter flush with the surface of the baffle.
> what does the area around the tweeter look like on the baffle?
> i would keep the driver in separate chambers. stuff them to compensate for lost volume.
> 
> p.s. i love routers.


The tweeters actaully are flush mount on the baffle, they just mount from the rear. I was thinking about keeping the woofers separate, but I feel like it would overly complicate some aspects of the build.



ItalynStylion said:


> Very cool man! From the first couple posts I thought this was much bigger. Then I saw the TV remote and realized it was much smaller. Very good free hand work and that 1" roundover is awesome! I need to get one of those STAT!


I checked back with the seller earlier this year and now he actually has a 1.5" radius roundover available.

1pc 1/2" SH 1-1/2" Rad. Round Over/Beading Router Bit - eBay (item 140343651285 end time Oct-02-09 17:06:50 PDT)


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## B_Rich

$40?!

Geeeeze.....


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## hempy

B_Rich said:


> $40?!
> 
> Geeeeze.....


It's a damn good price for a bit of that radius. The only other places I could even find radii that large wanted $100+ a bit.


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## [email protected]

Thats alot of steel and carbide in that bit, $40 isnt a bad price


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## hempy

BeatsDownLow said:


> Thats alot of steel and carbide in that bit, $40 isnt a bad price


I think ultimately it comes down to how much someone is going to use a bit like that. I got it because I happen to absolutely love rounded edges, so I use it on basically every build I do. In my case I definitely got my money's worth, but I can see it being an outlandish purchase for someone who will only use it occasionally.


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## Fixtion

this does not seem too overly complicated to accomplish.
staple some cloth, fiber glass, reinforce the void, wrap the top, make flush with wood, apply weather strip, secure, fin!


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## ItalynStylion

^I think it was like that to begin with. He said he had to do that part by hand I believe.


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## Fixtion

ItalynStylion said:


> ^I think it was like that to begin with. He said he had to do that part by hand I believe.


i would have kept it . . . that's just me.
i see it now.


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## hempy

Fixtion said:


> i would have kept it . . . that's just me.
> i see it now.


Are there any inherent complications or problems that go along with common chambers? I've never done any MTMs before, so I guess I didn't really put too much thought into the planning.

Everything is still in pieces, so I can always just cut new center pieces.

And now that I think about it, I can do something with this build that I could never really do before, which is just layer them all together, and then just clamp the entire thing to do testing (still unsure if/how I'm going to make the back removable)


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## Fixtion

hempy said:


> Are there any inherent complications or problems that go along with common chambers? I've never done any MTMs before, so I guess I didn't really put too much thought into the planning.
> 
> Everything is still in pieces, so I can always just cut new center pieces.
> 
> And now that I think about it, I can do something with this build that I could never really do before, which is just layer them all together, and then just clamp the entire thing to do testing (still unsure if/how I'm going to make the back removable)


well, for one, VBA is a major problem.

second, it's always nice to allow the chambers to apply forces on just one driver.

if both are in the same chamber, they are essentially sharing the suspension of the enclosure.
this is good, as it's called acoustic coupling, though i do not know how to properly wire the speakers.
read up on the proper way to wire them, one in phase, one out, when the drivers are sharing a chamber?
i do not know for sure...

you can test both methods perhaps and see how you like it?


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## hempy

Fixtion said:


> well, for one, VBA is a major problem.
> 
> second, it's always nice to allow the chambers to apply forces on just one driver.
> 
> if both are in the same chamber, they are essentially sharing the suspension of the enclosure.
> this is good, as it's called acoustic coupling, though i do not know how to properly wire the speakers.
> read up on the proper way to wire them, one in phase, one out, when the drivers are sharing a chamber?
> i do not know for sure...
> 
> you can test both methods perhaps and see how you like it?


What I think I'm going to do is cut the second one with individual chambers, test both of them out, and then if I need to I can simply cut them to match the other side.

By the way, what is VBA? I can't seem to find any information beyond visual basic.


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## lithium

VIOLENT BASS AIR! haha


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## Fixtion

lithium said:


> VIOLENT BASS AIR! haha


the joke must be too insider still...

i take it back, look into acoustic coupling. find the wiring scheme.
apparently you can achieve higher bass output from that type of system.


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## hempy

Fixtion said:


> the joke must be too insider still...
> 
> i take it back, look into acoustic coupling. find the wiring scheme.
> apparently you can achieve higher bass output from that type of system.


Can't seem to find anything on it, but there aren't really that many options for the phase of the drivers, so I can just try each one and maybe even take some measurements.

Just finished the second cabinet, and all of my main routing is done. I can finally clean up the 1/2" of dust covering an entire corner of the garage.


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## hempy




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## B_Rich

Daaaaaaang. That looks amazing. Nice work man.


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## savagebee

Ive been working with my dad this weekend, doing some trim work, and a bunch of grade a oak would make this way sexy with a dark stain or poly coating.


I told him to save all his knotless oak scraps for me, Im going to give something like this a shot

looks great!


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## hempy

savagebee said:


> Ive been working with my dad this weekend, doing some trim work, and a bunch of grade a oak would make this way sexy with a dark stain or poly coating.
> 
> 
> I told him to save all his knotless oak scraps for me, Im going to give something like this a shot
> 
> looks great!


A nice burly grain would make these things look insane. I imagine inlays would be really easy when doing everything in layers. I saw a wooden radio from the 20s that was built like that (multiple layers) at a friend's house today and it looked immaculate.

I think I may build only like this for a while, as this sort of panel "copying" allows much more freedom when building. I may try and build some horns or a TL for a pair of NS3s later on, since I still have some laying around.


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## savagebee

Ive been doing a lot of research on horns as of late, but have no practical way to implement them in my current house.

But I think the coolest ones Ive seen were made using a template system like this.

but they waste sooooo much material in the process


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## soundevolutionaudio

Very nice indeed me likes alot....


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## Fixtion

i believe the wiring scheme should be, when you push one cone 'in', the other pushes 'out'.


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## hempy

After I looked at the second set of internal panels, I noticed they weren't matching up on the inside, so I taped them together and ran them all on the flush trim bit one more time. You can see them all at different thicknesses in the last pic above.

I now have all of the internal panels done. I'm working on cutting out some supports from a 3/4" square poplar dowel to screw the back panel into. I was trying to run it on the router to try and match the inside contour, but I think I'm going to have to just run it very precisely on the tablesaw.

I also went and picked up some small 4" Bessey clamps, mainly to try out and return if I didn't like them, but I think I may hold on to them. I was supposed to get 8 but forgt 1 apparently.


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## Hispls

WOW. Beautiful woodwork!


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## capnxtreme

Fixtion said:


> i believe the wiring scheme should be, when you push one cone 'in', the other pushes 'out'.


I can't fathom how this would possibly make sense. It has to be the opposite.

Awesome work, OP.


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## SHOWTIME

wow thats amazing! great work!


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## the other hated guy

looks good man... translam makes me all happy in the pants

if you want to finish them with paint? then a thin coat of duraglass and some diligent block sanding will be the best way... then follow it up with a few coats of a high build primer and some more blocking...


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## hempy

the other hated guy said:


> looks good man... translam makes me all happy in the pants






the other hated guy said:


> if you want to finish them with paint? then a thin coat of duraglass and some diligent block sanding will be the best way... then follow it up with a few coats of a high build primer and some more blocking...


There's going to be so much sanding I don't even want to think about it. The primer is use it automotive stuff, so it's very high build. 

And soon, they'll come back looking like this. But white. I think.


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## the other hated guy

translam is the technique of stacking layers to obtain a desired shape... it's how I build all of my homespeakers...

all products that I use are automotive based.. slicksand or feather fill work the best...


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## Fixtion

capnxtreme said:


> I can't fathom how this would possibly make sense. It has to be the opposite.
> 
> Awesome work, OP.


maybe, no one has come out with a definitive answer, still waiting.
i'm an architect, i want to see a graphic of the wiring scheme.
and the polarity acting upon the cones.


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## SSSnake

They should be wired in phase.


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## Babs

Woah!!!! Subscribed.. I can't wait to see the finished product.. Those are going to be gorgeous! Good work.


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## hempy

the other hated guy said:


> translam is the technique of stacking layers to obtain a desired shape... it's how I build all of my homespeakers...
> 
> all products that I use are automotive based.. slicksand or feather fill work the best...


Ahhh yes. I drooled over your build in the diyha forum for quite a while. What ever happened with those? Also, do you seal your speakers before priming or do you just pile on the primer?

I used a 3/4" square poplar dowel to make blocks for the screws to go in through the back panel. I ran them on the router to match the inside contour.











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Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
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And cut them into 1" blocks.











The original layout, which would eventually get changed.











I ran the blocks on the router with a sanding drum, just to clean them up a bit.











And clamped them in




















Once I was done with that, I glued the baffles on each speaker. I had to be cautious not to mess up that clean edge around the woofers.


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## hempy

In lieu of an actual drill press, I ghettorigged drill bits with tape so they could fit in the router. I clamped the base to the workpiece and use the plunge base as my drill press. I had to get perfectly straight holes for the mounting screws.

I countersank each hole about 5/16" to accommodate some oversized stainless screws.

Complete with burgerlighter.


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## hempy

I think I may have figured out how I'm going to do the mounting bracket. I've been pricing ones out, and I'm not really too excited about paying out the *** for good wall mounts.

I started out looking in the cabinet harware, but nothig really caught my eye. But when I went by the metal stock, I noticed the threaded rod and got an idea.

I got a short 3/8" piece and used a vice, a big *** socket, and a rubber mallet to bend it into the shape I wanted. I'm not sure if I'll stick with carriage bolts or just use threaded rod, but I think I'm going to use two pieces for each speaker, centered behind the woofers, which leaves the area behind the tweeter free for binding posts.


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## hempy

I found exactly what I wanted while browsing around at Home Depot. I found stainless threaded rod, and although it was pretty expensive ($8/3ft) , it was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.

Someone suggested that I use the rods themselves for my binding posts, which I think I'm definitely going to do.

I'm trying to find some stainless steel fender washers, but the ones at Lowes are in packs of 5 and cost like $5. I'm going to try and find some singles somewhere. I plan on getting a 5/26" washer for the 3/8" rod, then drill the center out a bit and thread the washer, so I can thread it onto the rod and have it welded, instead of having a washer and nut on the back of the speaker.

I think I'm going to make the wall plate out of MDF or something, as it's what I have laying around. I was going to originally go with some steel or aluminum plates for the wall, but if I'm going to use them for conductors I need them isolated.


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## Fixtion

i'm really admiring your meticulous behavior during construction and planning.

you circle the flaws on the mdf, haha. 
don't press to hard, or you'll create a flaw around the flaw, haha.

good luck with the welding, and/or possible bending of the steel rod.


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## hempy

Fixtion said:


> i'm really admiring your meticulous behavior during construction and planning.
> 
> you circle the flaws on the mdf, haha.
> don't press to hard, or you'll create a flaw around the flaw, haha.
> 
> good luck with the welding, and/or possible bending of the steel rod.


Don't know why, but I can't seem to let any imperfections slide with this project. I guess its because they'll be in my room, and I'll have to stare at them all the time. Imperfections will drive you crazy, even when no one else can see them.

I bought some cheaper regular steel threaded rod to get right before bending the stainless. The first one I bent came out pretty well, although my method of bending was pretty crude... beating it with a rubber mallet while in a vice next to a big socket. The second I put in and tried to bend broke, I tried again a few inches up and it broke again. So, I went and got more rods, and picked up some pipes to slide over the rod whie bending.



















I then decided to make a bending jig for it, and just bend with the pipe. I routed holes for the bits to sit in, and the whole thing is bolted together using the broken threaded rods. I put that whole thing in the vice and bent it, resulting in a much nicer looking radius, and no marring from the hammering or the vice.





































I think I will be able to use just the washers on the rod without welding, which would be expensive and may screw up the finish. I used 5/16" fender washers and threaded them, so they hold when bolted from behind. The washers will be flush with the surface on the speakers and wall plates.










I think I will still rebend the top bar, as the one bent with the jig has much smoother bends, and I'd like them to match when starting with the stainless steel.


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## Fixtion

looks brilliant!
for OCD purpose, i would put neoprene washers between the two metal washers. 
air leaks, and potential vibrations.


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## the other hated guy

hempy said:


> Ahhh yes. I drooled over your build in the diyha forum for quite a while. What ever happened with those? Also, do you seal your speakers before priming or do you just pile on the primer?



thanks man... they are still at Matt Robert's house... I need to send some funds over so that he can finish the passives and I'll pick them up soon..

in regards to sealing.. I do a layer of duraglass and then block the entire piece before priming.. this IMO seem to work the best for overall finish and longevity..


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## hempy

the other hated guy said:


> thanks man... they are still at Matt Robert's house... I need to send some funds over so that he can finish the passives and I'll pick them up soon..
> 
> in regards to sealing.. I do a layer of duraglass and then block the entire piece before priming.. this IMO seem to work the best for overall finish and longevity..


::drool::

I've never really used duraglass, is it like mixing filler and resin, then using both hardeners? It was pourable.

I routed out recesses for the stainless washers and used the clamps to force them in, as I left them tight. It looks and feels really good.






































I also finally figured out how I'm going to get all four rods bent correctly. I"m going to make all four with identical bends, then simply bolt it together, and torque with clamps until it is in the right position.


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## hempy




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## hempy




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## capnxtreme

Awesome!


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## ItalynStylion

I'll be quite honest...I'm not sure where this is going but I like the direction it's going in!


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## hempy

ItalynStylion said:


> I'll be quite honest...I'm not sure where this is going but I like the direction it's going in!


I'm not sure where I'm going sometimes with this either, but it's been fun getting there.

I'm starting on the wall plates now, and I figured I would frist try mimicking the speakers themselves first, so I routed out circles around each hole, and sanded down the "webbing" between them. 

I used blocks this time to avoid the router kicking the small piece, which it still did... but the cut was perfect.




























It kind of looks like a peanut. Not sure if this is going to work out.

I wanted to try using some birch plywood, since it's much stiffer than the mdf, I figured it was worth a shot.










I don't know if I will use either the shape or the ply. I don't think it's worth the amount of work I'd have to put into making it paintable. 










I might just go with a square plate with rounded edges, or without the webbing, or I may keep the shape and do a 45* chamfer instead. Thoughts?


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## hempy

I rerouted the wall plate stencil piece, a little bigger this time, and out of mdf. Im going to start using pins to hold things that I have to layer up to route. Double sided tape is a pain in the ass.





























Then I stacked them on top of each other, with the stencil in the middle, to run on the big roundover.






































I decided to empty the shopvac because it had started feeling heavy and I wasn't sure the suction was as strong as it should be.

This is how much sawdust I had...




















This bag is what came out of it.


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## hempy

Then I routed the circlesfor the washers.




















I believe I may start bending the stainless rod tomorrow.


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## savagebee

I love the attention to detail here, very inspirational.


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## ItalynStylion

I emptied my shop vac two days ago. Mine came with that filter and a sort of bag that fit on the inlet. Bags are like 3 for $8 which is kinda expensive IMO. Is it cool to use the vac without the interior bags like that?


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## 94VG30DE

ItalynStylion said:


> I emptied my shop vac two days ago. Mine came with that filter and a sort of bag that fit on the inlet. Bags are like 3 for $8 which is kinda expensive IMO. Is it cool to use the vac without the interior bags like that?


What happens when you don't use a bag is that a certain portion of the stuff you suck in gets blown through the outlet of the vacuum. So if you are sucking up sawdust, it just blows straight through the vacuum and out the exhaust, which basically just "relocates" the mess rather than "cleaning up" the mess. The bag is to prevent that.


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## ItalynStylion

94VG30DE said:


> What happens when you don't use a bag is that a certain portion of the stuff you suck in gets blown through the outlet of the vacuum. So if you are sucking up sawdust, it just blows straight through the vacuum and out the exhaust, which basically just "relocates" the mess rather than "cleaning up" the mess. The bag is to prevent that.


Gotcha...I'll shell out the cash for the bags


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## Fixtion

do the bolt allow the driver clearance?


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## hempy

Fixtion said:


> do the bolt allow the driver clearance?


Yeah, those were just a sort of stencil for the stainless rod. They will be flush with the bolt and/or surface of the wood.


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## hempy

Well, I threaded the fender washers, and they all turn smoothly now











I also drew out and drilled the mounting holes for the wall plate on the stencil piece.











Then I used the pin from the Jasper Jig and some 1/8" drill bits to keep the two pieces in place as it drilled them.





























Bow-chicka-wow-wooow


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## hempy

The stainless turned out to be much harder to bend. I wasn't sure if it would be easier or not, as it seems softer since it scratches so easily.











After some really messy ends from cutting with the Dremel, I decided to use the jigsaw to cut the threaded rod when I found an extra metal blade.











They look great with the stainless washers. I'm still thinking about hitting all of the hardware with the torch. I had a hot spot when cutting with the jigsaw and the bluing looked really great.















































I still have lots to do. Lots of sanding, trim the rods, countersink the screw holes, more sanding, etc. Think I might at least have these guys up and working (unpainted) by the end of the weekend.


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## Leno

very nice work  !


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## hempy

I haven't posted anything in about 3 days, so I have way too much to post at once, so I'll probably be doing it in sections. I think I have about 50. Anyone who wants to check out progress images before posting them, I usually have them in my Photobucket.

It was pretty hot all weekend, so I tried to do minimal work outside, so I decided to start working on the wiring.

First I started by stripping off the plastic on the crimp connectors I've been using... they look messy and I prefer to heatshrink them myself.











Without the plastic, they basically line up with the edge of the washer groove. I'm going to run them on the router and cut a 1/4" groove into them so I can have the wire split flush.




















Then I started on the pigtails, using some sleeved speaker cable that I had left over from some other projects. I used spade connectors and stripped/heatshrunk all of them too. Once the two spades were isolated, I covered the whole end in clear heatshrink so it can be pulled through the wall more easily, if need be. 





























Once the pigtail was done, I taped up the groove, and set pigtail in place, filling up the groove with hot glue. I wasn't able to use heatshrink on that end, as there was no room to fit it, but I did want some sort of insulation.


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## hempy

And now, more wiring:

The prefab crossovers that I am going to use for now come on a pretty normally-sized crossover board, but its far too big for this project, so I removed the components and I will probably use the board itself for another 2nd order in the future.











I mounted the components to some pcb board that I had laying around, that I trimmed to fit behind the tweeter.











For the crossover wiring I did everything in sections, so that the time spend soldering in the garage was at a minimum.




















My lovely little work area for the moment:











Soldered and hotglued in place:











And now, the crossover installation progress:


Drivers in











Tweeter wired up











Slowly, but surely...


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## Babs

Getting closer to hearing these bad-boys!


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## baggedbirds

really nice !! Great Ideas.


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## hempy

This is a picture of the old wiring job I did. It wound up being too short and I had virtually no room when trying to bolt on the rods from inside. I only used it for testing while I wired up the new crossover.











The crossover boards themselves are glued in for the moment. When I break them down to finish/paint them, I will probably glue some feet for them to sit on.











I also decided to start working on the source for these speakers, as I am going to want to test under the conditions under which I will be listening. The amp is a budget Radioshack Accurian Home Plug unit, which puts out about 25w per channel.

I'm going to make an enclosure for it, as this thing is butt-ugly. It'll mimic the shape of the speakers to some degree, and I'll be layering it like the speakers. 

In addition to the amp using my tv's output, I'll be using the amp as a sort of dock for my phone. I use it for most of my listening, as my pc has no speakers and is in another room. The phone's only plug is a single minusb, and it comes with an adapter that allows the phone to charge while outputting audio to a 2.5mm, 3.5mm, or additional miniusb jack.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c21/hempness/IMG_6908.jpg/IMG]

[IMG]http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c21/hempness/IMG_6907.jpg




















The phone also has tv-out, but you either need an ipod av/out cable, or in my case, a soldering iron. I'll have an rca out on the back to go to the tv for video. I'll either have a minusb in for charging on the back, unless I can find a steady 5v source on the board. 


Unfortunately, I did have a pretty large setback. The plug base on my router combo decided to die on me, fortunately immediately after finishing drilling some holes. That leaves me with the countersink holes to do by hand. I tried to do one with the messed up router and it was way off. I did the rest by hand and they came out okay but I may wind up redoing the wall plates again, since I have the jig to make it still.


Shot of testing both out on teh bed


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## hempy

After finishing one wall plate, I decided to mount one on the wall to check it out. Here is how I have to mount them, step by step:

1. Mount rods to wall plate.




















2. Mount to wall.











3. Mount to the wall correctly.











4. Mount back plate.




















5. Screw front of speaker onto back.




















6. ICE ARMS.


These are just some shots of the placement and whatnot. The TV is going in between the two closets, with the bracket at the same height as the speaker mounts, as it'll be going into that header above the left closet. I'm probably not going to have much room between the TV and the mirror, so I'm going to have to get creative with the shelf. The amp is going to go right below the TV. The TV itself is relatively small, like a 23" or something. Luckily it's a 4:3 screen, since I only have basic cable coming upstairs.


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## ItalynStylion

Woah, that room is pretty darn big! I thought these were larger than they are. Pictures make them look quite large. Very excited to see the finished product!


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## Fixtion

that orange is pretty intense, i would have left some of the walls white though. 
n_n 

i like it!


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## hempy

Fixtion said:


> that orange is pretty intense, i would have left some of the walls white though.
> n_n
> 
> i like it!


It's much warmer in person. I think those shots used the flash. 

This is an old photoshop of what the room essentially looks like now.


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## hempy

Alright, so updates... I have both up on the wall, unfinished, to check out the sound, and now to work on the sources I'll be using.










I listened to them for a couple of days with one of Radioshack amps that I have, with the stock preamp intact. I only used it for music for those days, from my phone, and it sounded decent. The tone controls have no center, nor are they marked, so it was hard to try and find a good point, and I seemed to be changing them with every song.

Then I plugged the rcas into my tv's output (I just put it up on the wall, still need to fish cable/power/speaker wires through the wall.) and it sounded pretty friggin bad. Everything sound hollow or something, kind of muffled, and just..off. I only tried one DVD (only source I have, since theres no cable on that side of the room right now) so I wasn't sure why it sounded so bad, and didn't really have the time to mess with it.

I had another amp that was sitting around, because I had replaced the preamp with a single pot, pulled from the preamp board itself, and the channels were all screwed up. The right only came in at full volume, and the whole thing was really quiet. I had put it aside for a while. I even had a new pot that i bought a few months ago at Radioshack and never put in. So I swapped out the pots for the hell of it, and sure enough it sound freaking wonderful now. No tone controls to deal with, no crappy preamp to mess stuff up.

I hooked them back up and was very pleased with the sound. I even tried the tv and it sounded flawless. Of course, I am using a different board/transformer/etc, so it may have just been a problem with the board. Now that that one is out of commission, I'll be taking out that one's preamp and whatnot. 

I need to find some sort of rta software. I only have a ****ty onboard mic, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to get some sort of measurement in-room.

This is how it sits right now: Bad pot and new pot all hanging off, still need to mount the new one, the aluminum back wall of the amp is gone. Right now I have the heatsink screwed on, with a hot glue support. It's only temporary, while I tap some new holes, although I might just cut down the aluminum back plate.











I've been thinking about how to enclose the amp, and I remembered seeing this a while ago, and I figured I would mimick it.

This is the frame jig I cut out. I think I might either do a natural finish wood in between painted mdf to match the speakers, or maybe continue with the stainless steel. Not sure atm.











Also, you may notice the strange cut marks on the inside of the ring. That would be where the upcut bit grabbed the piece and dragged my finger into the bit.  The weird thing was that the adjacent finger hurt much more than the one that was actually injured.











I'll spare you the gore, but I've dubbed it the Zombie Finger. It just took a little chunk out, but it looks more dramatic because it took some of the nail too. It's actually my first real injury via powertools. I've decided I'm definitely going to change the way I work with small/thin pieces.


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## hempy

Well, now that my plunge router i basically dead I think I really need to get a new one to get back in the game.

So I think I'm going to be selling these once I finish them. Anyone interested?


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## Hummeroid

With all the time and effort you've put into these, any offer I could make you would be an insult. :blush:

Super nice work!


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## hempy

Hummeroid said:


> With all the time and effort you've put into these, any offer I could make you would be an insult. :blush:
> 
> Super nice work!


Not when I need money to keep building stuff.


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## Low_e_Red

Hey man, I want to come see these. Ive been thinking of doing something like that. 

Hell, idk I might make an offer at the same time and spare myself the labor...


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## hempy

Low_e_Red said:


> Hey man, I want to come see these. Ive been thinking of doing something like that.
> 
> Hell, idk I might make an offer at the same time and spare myself the labor...


Word. Probably best in a few weeks though. School is getting rough and Imay have them painted/finished by then.


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## maske

A piece of art!!!
Well done... i'm happy for your masterpiece!


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