Turn2, inventing new ways to ruin DIY

Turn2

Alright folks, it appears to me that for my own mental health the next step should be to airmail these to the nearest open dumpster and take up yoga. Aside from the nasty solder work, does anyone see another alternative for this busted TC6?

Mzisserson

Nuthin a little hot glue cannot fix. 5 min epoxy too. Wear gloves. 

kennyk

I like to use surgical clamps as heat sinks.

Turn2

Sometimes you hit a point where you need to step away from a project. Today is definitely one of those days. 

Mzisserson

Turn2 said:

Sometimes you hit a point where you need to step away from a project. Today is definitely one of those days. 

Yes, for sure. That happens to me at least once every project, if not more. You can get to the point where dragging them to the fire put and watching them burn as fuel seems to be the only thing they are good for.  

Then you calm and carry on lol. 

Turn2

Utterly unclampable. Deposits of JB Weld have sealed the fate of the driver, if not the entire baffle. Pretty much beyond the point where I give a fuck.

jr@mac

Oofdah. Maybe worth a dissection if it is determined to be unsalvageable?

Turn2

Plan now to fab a faceplate and attach the TC6 to the rear, allowing a larger thru hole. There is just enough extra landscape between the tweeter and midwoofer. Not ideal, but making the best of a bad situation. Fortunately, I have an extra couple of the TC6's. Now I need a couple pieces of something about 2"x3"-ish no more than 1/8" thick that can accept a clean cut driver hole.

kennyk

Those TC6s are a PITA to mount.

Turn2

kennyk said:

Those TC6s are a PITA to mount.

Agreed. I'm not sure how anyone would even use the ferrite version at all, unless they're mounted to sheet metal or the backside of the baffle.

jr@mac

I think maybe some 1/8" thick plastic might be used to cut custom mount for these little guys.

Turn2

jr@mac said:

I think maybe some 1/8" thick plastic might be used to cut custom mount for these little guys.

Yup, I think that's the best bet. Keeping my eyes open for something I can appropriate for that purpose. If nothing works out I have some 1/8" craft basswood that could be tried.

kennyk

I used crimp-on connectors with some isolation.

JavadS

Agreed, crimp connectors, these with some heat shrink work well and as a bonus the driver mounting is fully serviceable https://www.amazon.com/TE-CONNECTIVITY-AMP-TERMINAL-DISCONNECT/dp/B011CQ1RFM/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1491256836&sr=1-1&keywords=female+crimp+tab+.11

meniscus

https://meniscusaudio.com/shop/terminals-cups/terminal-strip/

Turn2

meniscus said:

https://meniscusaudio.com/shop/terminals-cups/terminal-strip/

Never would have thought to look. Thanks.

For the other fix, I may just add one of these to my next Amazon order: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UBUV5O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3GD9ULQOPYTNA

Turn2

Step 1 to a save: 1-7/8" forstner bit nice and easy through this stiff 1/8" thick vinyl plastic stuff. Next steps involve a little cosmetic clean-up and cut to fit the baffle. Then rivet(?) the driver to the plastic, attach leads, seal and attach to baffle, etc.

I have already replaced the too stiff wire leads with a more flexible lighter gauge and opened up the thru-hole.

This may work out okay yet. Action should happen this weekend.

JasonP

That looks like a good final solution

kennyk

Looks like a textured duratex finish..... nice. 

Turn2

I finished the plastic adapter plates but then got diverted to wrapping these up. It's a TABAQ-ish 2 way with the long-gone TB W4-616SA and the Dayton ND25FA-4. A little touch up and add a stable base and they'll be good to go. So far I'm pretty surprised how much low end these will deliver. I don't feel so much like an incompetent idiot today. IF I make it to Dakota DIY this is what I would be able to bring.

Okay, now back to those cursed TC6's...

Turn2

Okay, I think I might have this problem whipped, but not today. Have to hop on the road to Omaha for Mom's Day at my sister's. Maybe I can wrap up tomorrow.

Turn2

Feeling the shame of not getting to Sioux Falls and not being able to finish these in forever, I finally got motivated. The bitty clones are complete and playing away as I type. The modification for the TC6 changes the z value almost not at all.

Neither of these pictures really do them justice. The cabinets are some of my best work, although the duratex looks a little shabby in the photos. Just like I thought when I heard Kenny's originals, these are a bargain bonanza. I sure wish I'd gotten to hear the new bitty with the tweeter upgrade.

Turn2

As an aside, just before I wrapped these up I was wandering around Target and ran across these. Immediately I thought speaker cabinet, not waste basket. Fairly solid and substantial with 3/8" thickness. Outside dimensions are 7-1/4"x8-1/2"x10". As they are the volume is a shade under 7 liters. They would work as cabs by providing a baffle or a complimentary bottom or top. They could be just a little narrower, but I think I've got just the 2-way for the them, with drivers on hand.

jhollander

Nice find.  What are you thinking for the tops?

PWRRYD

Can you discuss more about those Dayton PT6 minis?  Where did you cross them and with what slope?  John H. said their distortion is pretty high below 5kHz.  I have 8 of them and was planing on using 4 per side in a line array.  Thanks.

Turn2

PWRRYD said:

Can you discuss more about those Dayton PT6 minis?  Where did you cross them and with what slope?  John H. said their distortion is pretty high below 5kHz.  I have 8 of them and was planing on using 4 per side in a line array.  Thanks.

I should have mentioned that this build is a replication of kennyk's Itty Bitty 3-way. He documented the build on PETT:

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/forum/speaker-project-gallery/68175-the-itty-bitty-3-way

My assessment is that it is worth the investment to move up to the mini-8. For a few bucks the 6 is fine in this design.

For the Target boxes, I'm not certain whether I'll use the opening in the UP or FORWARD position. Either way I'll probably use a complimentary monotone hardwood. I won't try to replicate the existing look. I'm not that good.

kennyk

 Applause!!!!! I'm honored and humbled, I hope you get endless enjoyment from them. 

kennyk

Coming to Iowa?

Turn2

kennyk said:

Coming to Iowa?

The chances are high.

Ron_E

PWRRYD said:

Can you discuss more about those Dayton PT6 minis?  Where did you cross them and with what slope?  John H. said their distortion is pretty high below 5kHz.  I have 8 of them and was planing on using 4 per side in a line array.  Thanks.

I used the PT Mini-6 in a recent project and thought they sounded great as did Kenny K's implementation. It's why I wanted to try using it.  I crossed it 24db/oct at 5K. I turned off my mic cal file so the high end roll off is not as bad as it appears in my measurements.

Frequency Response

Tweeter Crossover Sim

Crossover

Ron

PWRRYD

Excellent information.  Thanks Ron!