# Designing custom speaker grills - help me choose a design?



## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Ive got some Dayton RS-180's in need of grills, and nowhere to buy them, but hey this is DIY afterall...

I've got a place I can get metal laser cut from cad files. The price will probably be about 20-30$ for the pair out of 1/8th inch mild steel.

So... I'm a bit stuck on the designs. I want something clean and simple, but very sturdy. They will be for kick panels... and they might get... kicked.

So here is 4 i came up with so far. Any preferences? Any SQ considerations with these?

And while i'm at it... let me know if you need any, maybe i can get a better price if i get a handful burned!










Thanks, Brandon


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

I like #1 the best, BUT is the RS-180 going to be your midbass only or midrange also? If midrange, I'd try to just keep the six spokes without the two rings (like #4 without the curved design. That way there's less chance of diffraction.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

fish said:


> I like #1 the best, BUT is the RS-180 going to be your midbass only or midrange also? If midrange, I'd try to just keep the six spokes without the two rings (like #4 without the curved design. That way there's less chance of diffraction.


Midrange also... playing up to 2000.

I get a little worried about sturdiness on something like that... but Ill give that a try! Thanks.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Well, i think i might take the advice and go with a simple 6 spoke design...

I think this is the one ill send in for a quote to see how much they are gonna set me back.


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

4 is the only one that doesn't look like a shower drain :worried:

Not knocking your designs, it's just the first thing that popped into my head.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Notloudenuf said:


> 4 is the only one that doesn't look like a shower drain :worried:
> 
> Not knocking your designs, it's just the first thing that popped into my head.



Haha.. don't feel bad. Its not like im a speaker grille designer or anything. I don't really like any of them too much, but i like the simple design i settled on.

Not really any sort of designer actually. just a guy with a computer and Inventor...

And your absolutely right. They all look like Shower drains except for 4. I hate them all now. thanks a lot... lol


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## ISTundra (Jan 3, 2009)

3 flavors of the same basic design...


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

brandontw said:


> Haha.. don't feel bad. Its not like im a speaker grille designer or anything. I don't really like any of them too much, but i like the simple design i settled on.
> 
> Not really any sort of designer actually. just a guy with a computer and Inventor...
> 
> And your absolutely right. They all look like Shower drains except for 4. I hate them all now. thanks a lot... lol


Sorry dude  Your work was great. I like the 6 spoke design. You might want to look up rims on tire rack and just copy a design you like. 

I'd like to see what you finally decide on.


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

On your second run I like #1 & #3. At this point I guess it depends on what vehicle you drive & what kind of theme (if any) does the rest of it follow? Do you have aftermarket wheels on your ride?

Oh, & cool designs by the way. What kind of stuff do you invent?


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

ISTundra said:


> 3 flavors of the same basic design...


Hey awesome! Thanks man... that gives me some more ideas.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Notloudenuf said:


> Sorry dude  Your work was great. I like the 6 spoke design. You might want to look up rims on tire rack and just copy a design you like.
> 
> I'd like to see what you finally decide on.


Good idea! These are just a few I threw together in some 5 minute time chunks I squeezed in between real work. Maybe I'll spend a bit more time coming up with something cooler.

Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

fish said:


> On your second run I like #1 & #3. At this point I guess it depends on what vehicle you drive & what kind of theme (if any) does the rest of it follow? Do you have aftermarket wheels on your ride?
> 
> Oh, & cool designs by the way. What kind of stuff do you invent?


Well, its a 98 Audi a4. Stock everything. Mediocre interior with tan old leather, wood grain, and an awkward color of blue leather for everything else. 

So... no theme. The theme is "please dont kick in my spendy speakers". Lol

Oh, and I do all the mechanical design, web design, and graphic design for a small forklift attachments company. Jack of all trades, master of none. 

Cbimfg.com


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## ZeNmAc (Sep 11, 2010)

As far as diffraction...



> A slit which is wider than a wavelength produces interference effects in the space downstream of the slit.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction

This is speaking of diffraction through a single slit, but IIRC the principle is the same for circular apertures or multiple slits.

Wavelength of 3khz sound is about 4.5", 2khz is more like 6.7"

Thing is, a smaller slit causes more diffraction (i.e. the sound waves spread out more) so .

Can someone double check this?


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## MDubYa (Feb 17, 2011)

brandontw said:


> Well, i think i might take the advice and go with a simple 6 spoke design...
> 
> I think this is the one ill send in for a quote to see how much they are gonna set me back.


This one seems to be the best for speakers. I agree with the others when trying to watch out for diffraction. Simple may not be as edgy but definitely better for sound, but that's just my $.02


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Well, got the quote back from the metal place. If I get them out of 1/8" stainless steel, theyll be 13$ a piece... 

Thats with the "freinds and family" discount. If i got them out of regular steel they'd be cheaper... but im starting to think that the stainless might look better and be worth a few extra bucks.

I think i can do 13$ a piece...

I decided that 6 spoke design didnt have quite enough metal for me... so i tried a 12 spoke one, and a couple other randoms.

Im sick of messing with this, so any input on these few would be appreciated then ill go ahead and order a pair up:

7:









8:









9:


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Very nice.
Post pictures when you get them made.


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## ZeNmAc (Sep 11, 2010)

brandontw said:


> Well, got the quote back from the metal place. If I get them out of 1/8" stainless steel, theyll be 13$ a piece...
> 
> Thats with the "freinds and family" discount. If i got them out of regular steel they'd be cheaper... but im starting to think that the stainless might look better and be worth a few extra bucks.
> 
> ...


I like 7 and 9.

Any pricing differences on more than one pair? I may be interested if possible...:blush:


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

ZeNmAc said:


> I like 7 and 9.
> 
> Any pricing differences on more than one pair? I may be interested if possible...:blush:



Nope... not unless I ordered like 10 pairs.

I'd give em to you for the price I pay plus shipping if your serious.

I was thinking about ordering tomorrow, so let me know!

Also, if you've got a better idea for a design, let me know. I can draw it up and post a pic.


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

Out of your newest designs (7-9) I like #7 the best by far. I prefer simplicity.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Well, 
The order is in...

For my Dayton RS-180's:









And for ZeNmAc's Usher 8836a's:









Will post pics of the final products when i get them... it could be a little bit.


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

Good choice!


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## hurrication (Dec 19, 2011)

I was secretly hoping you'd get #8 .. it kind of looks like a BBS RS.

Although, a bar style grille would have looked pretty cool IMO.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

I considered doing bar style, but I'm not a fan of the style you pictured, and better ones cost more money, and don't offer as good of protection as these will, and these give me the option to stretch some grille cloth over if I want.

And what's a bbs-rs?


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## senior800 (Nov 10, 2010)

Your final design is very similar to what I made for a pair over the summer.

Great price you got them done for however! The material (aluminium) alone cost me about 5x that.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Oh ya... that looks like a cnc job. That's spendy. Looks great though.


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## basicxj (Jan 1, 2008)

Those are too cool...

I was thinking of commissioning someone with a Flo-Jet to do some plates with the SR logo to act as a grill for my sub but never pursued the idea based on cost. Not only is that a reasonable cost, but your designs are nice too.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

basicxj said:


> Those are too cool...
> 
> I was thinking of commissioning someone with a Flo-Jet to do some plates with the SR logo to act as a grill for my sub but never pursued the idea based on cost. Not only is that a reasonable cost, but your designs are nice too.


ya just look into metal Fab places that have a laser. You just pay material and machine time. And the lines come out really smooth.

Of course you'll have to CAD them yourself... Or you could have me do it. 


Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using Tapatalk


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## Neil_J (Mar 2, 2011)

Here are mine, I've been putting off having the outer lip fabricated. I'll hopefully get around to that some time in April.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Got em in fresh from Portland yesterday afternoon! They look great. The lines are clean, they are sturdy, and stainless!

There are very slight abnormalities where the laser stopped and started, but nothing to turn your nose up at at all.There are two different sides... a factory finish, and what looks like a wheel abraded side. You could easily clean these up even more with some sandpaper and elbow grease.

Here are pictures of the ones I ordered for ZeNmaC, you can see what they look like in a little more detail. 

























And here are mine... I just threw them in super quick last night with some spacers from Home depot to make sure they were gonna fit and work. The fit was 100% perfect. The holes line up like Dayton made them. 

Eventually ill take em back off and work on the finish a bit, and find a better spacer solution. They pretty much look fine how they are for utilitarian speaker kick protection though, which is what they are.


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## Aarondost08 (May 23, 2011)

Price if you dont mind me asking? ive been looking at making some for my rs-180's as well. just to lazy to get on solid works and actually do it -_-

they look great though!


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Those look great! Excellent work. Hope you get everything tuned up and sounding right.


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## brandontw (Jan 21, 2012)

Aarondost08 said:


> Price if you dont mind me asking? ive been looking at making some for my rs-180's as well. just to lazy to get on solid works and actually do it -_-
> 
> they look great though!


they were 13$ apeice for material and machine time... 3$ for the spacers... 

so about 30$ for the pair, but i got a discount, and if you have to have em shipped or anything it will be more..



Notloudenuf said:


> Those look great! Excellent work. Hope you get everything tuned up and sounding right.


Thanks! I hope i do too... :/


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