I shda taken a pic, but I didn't. Our proudly budding cherry tree looked like a weeping willow. Roads were warm, so no trouble there. All but melted by 1pm. But yeah, an honest 4-6" that night.
So I found some left over, really really nice, oak veneer that I think I bought from Jim Holtz. I only have enough to do the sides and tops of these enclosures. So the bottoms will be completely unfinished and the backs will be just Duratex'd black. I'm ok with that... 🤭
I think you should just put some kind of funny insult on the bottom - when we are at the next DIY you will be able to tell who was "lifting up the speakers skirts".
My son and I did a bunch of test pieces checking out what finish to apply to the oak veneer and the solid poplar baffles. It became quite obvious that the poplar baffles need a straight "clear" oil finish. The test samples look best with a 1:1:1 boiled linseed oil, satin poly, mineral spirits. Any attempt to add any color was a complete fail. They just looked blotchy and the grain pattern faided.
However, the oak veneer looks fantastic with one more part of "red oak" stain added. It makes the grain really pop.
Weather forecast looks nice enough that these should get their finish coats applied this week!
I had some glue adsorption issues on a laminate project where I had to go back and CA glue some edges. You might want to test or glue after you finish.
Luckily I was able to fix the issues with CA glue this time. I think I'll go to Goodwill and buy a clothes iron and try the Heat Lock glue method next time. I am no fan boy of the contact cement as it's not super cheap AND its fumes are TERRIBLE. I've been using it because it's pretty straight forward and has never failed me.... until now
Guess I'm old school, I've always done one side at a time. Roll wood glue on veneer and box, j roll together, flip box over, add weight and let it dry overnight. Router off excess and repeat. Of course I'm not building speakers every fuckin week😛
Well I'm done with the finishing steps and the CA glue trick seems to have worked... a huge "whew!" Overall thougj I'm not totally happy with how these baffles and oak veneer look (final color mostly). I'll show them to my friend and gauge his initial reaction. If thumbs up he gets them. If just "meh" or worse I'll keep them as my new garage (ie: piss of the neighbors) speakers.
JR may very well kick my butt this year in speaker building volume. I bought a new larger pool for our family so I have a ton of work to do to finish preparing the site, build a new pool deck, more DIY solar heaters, etc. I'll gladly give up my place on the list if all the pool stuff turns out great. I swear my wife and kids are part amphibian 😆
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We were supposed to get an inch or so of snow, but I didn't see a single flake
We did wake up to a bit of snow that morning:
The great blizzard of April 2021.
I shda taken a pic, but I didn't. Our proudly budding cherry tree looked like a weeping willow. Roads were warm, so no trouble there. All but melted by 1pm. But yeah, an honest 4-6" that night.
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So I found some left over, really really nice, oak veneer that I think I bought from Jim Holtz. I only have enough to do the sides and tops of these enclosures. So the bottoms will be completely unfinished and the backs will be just Duratex'd black. I'm ok with that... 🤭
Why not just Duratex they bottom?
I guess I will if it makes you guys feel better
I think you should just put some kind of funny insult on the bottom - when we are at the next DIY you will be able to tell who was "lifting up the speakers skirts".
Veneer...on the bottom of a loudspeaker...what is this you speak of??
Maybe you could tile the bottom, for proper quasiprogmatic wave propagation control.
Adhesive backed foam from the craft store.
It should actually be a contest category: best naked speaker. Either MDF or plywood ok. Extra points for OSB.
I do it all the time. It's great for MTM's. Scratch the top, jut turn it upside down.
Ron
Done that!
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Done that- Had a Rat-Rocker challenge for the theme one year at InDIY.
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My son and I did a bunch of test pieces checking out what finish to apply to the oak veneer and the solid poplar baffles. It became quite obvious that the poplar baffles need a straight "clear" oil finish. The test samples look best with a 1:1:1 boiled linseed oil, satin poly, mineral spirits. Any attempt to add any color was a complete fail. They just looked blotchy and the grain pattern faided.
However, the oak veneer looks fantastic with one more part of "red oak" stain added. It makes the grain really pop.
Weather forecast looks nice enough that these should get their finish coats applied this week!
Did you try a pre-stain treatment? IIRC, this was beneficial for others when staining Poplar.
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I've dyed poplar with pretty good results. I think my favorite was a dark stain on poplar
Hmmm, rubber bands? Naughty kids or smart pets? Looks great though.
I think that was when I carried it up from the basement before adding the door catches
Hrrrummmphhhh! For some stupid reason my veneer is lifting up at the seams
Iron on?
No. Contact cement. Never ever had a problem with this before.
I had some glue adsorption issues on a laminate project where I had to go back and CA glue some edges. You might want to test or glue after you finish.
After some issues with Titan DX contact cement, I switched to Heat Lock iron on and pat myself on the back
everytime I use it.
Luckily I was able to fix the issues with CA glue this time. I think I'll go to Goodwill and buy a clothes iron and try the Heat Lock glue method next time. I am no fan boy of the contact cement as it's not super cheap AND its fumes are TERRIBLE. I've been using it because it's pretty straight forward and has never failed me.... until now
After heat lock comes vacuum bag...
Oh no.... not another rabbit hole
I want to try hot hide glue.
Guess I'm old school, I've always done one side at a time. Roll wood glue on veneer and box, j roll together, flip box over, add weight and let it dry overnight. Router off excess and repeat. Of course I'm not building speakers every fuckin week😛
Well I'm done with the finishing steps and the CA glue trick seems to have worked... a huge "whew!" Overall thougj I'm not totally happy with how these baffles and oak veneer look (final color mostly). I'll show them to my friend and gauge his initial reaction. If thumbs up he gets them. If just "meh" or worse I'll keep them as my new garage (ie: piss of the neighbors) speakers.
JR may very well kick my butt this year in speaker building volume. I bought a new larger pool for our family so I have a ton of work to do to finish preparing the site, build a new pool deck, more DIY solar heaters, etc. I'll gladly give up my place on the list if all the pool stuff turns out great. I swear my wife and kids are part amphibian 😆