How To Repair Broken Subwoofer Wire Lead
Many people don't realize that, unless you have virtually unlimited resource, in that location are going to exist trade offs when designing a system. If yous want a system to produce a lot of SPL (only have limited power or number of speakers), you'll probably have to concentrate a lot of the acoustic energy within a small band of frequencies. This would allow y'all to generate the desired SPL and properly impress your friends. It would, however, leave you with a organisation that would have less than perfect frequency response and marginal operation at the depression frequency stop of the spectrum. You lot could blueprint a system that would produce the desired SPL at all frequencies but information technology would require significantly more than power and speakers than the aforementioned system with the narrow superlative.
Manufacturers Recommendations:
Many manufacturers recommend an enclosure that'due south going to requite you lot a meridian like we mentioned earlier. This will give you skillful results for rap or other bass heavy music. If y'all listen to those types of music, this system may perform satisfactorily. If you listen to all types of music, you'd likely want an enclosure that would give a flatter response. To become a flatter response, you could increment the size of the enclosure but the overall response wouldn't be perfectly flat. To build a system that had a perfectly flat frequency response (mostly desired by audiophiles), yous'll have to take the vehicle'south transfer function into account (this will be discussed after). When a manufacturer recommends a particular enclosure, you should ask yourself (or, better yet, the manufacturer) what the enclosure is optimized for.
Enclosure Types:
When laying out a arrangement, yous need to determine what blazon of enclosure to use. Some people believe that a sure type of enclosure can magically increase the output of a woofer. The best an enclosure can exercise is to permit the woofer to produce what it'due south capable of producing. A poorly designed enclosure essentially works confronting the speaker to preclude it from producing its maximum output. A good enclosure works with the speaker to allow it to produce its maximum output. It's also a flake of a myth that bandpass enclosures brand woofers produce far more output than other enclosures. They cannot. Look at it this mode... If you had a bucket of sand, you could pile it high or spread information technology out over a wider area. It can't be both tall and wide. There'due south a express corporeality of sand. It's substantially the same with speakers. You can build a bandpass enclosure to produce a tall top or a wider flatter response. You can't have both.
A sealed enclosure will be the smallest (for a given response shape) and will have adept low frequency extension but may non have the best low frequency extension. If space is limited, this may be your best choice.
A ported enclosure will more often than not have a better depression frequency extension for a given response shape (alignment) but would require a larger enclosure. If y'all made the enclosure as pocket-sized as the sealed enclosure only ported information technology to gain the low frequency response, the output would deviate from the desired apartment response.
A bandpass enclosure tin can audio good and give you a flat response only most of the generic bandpass enclosures are not designed for a flat response. They are designed to print you in the stores. This means that they are congenital to produce a large peak at some frequency well-nigh 60hz. These enclosures volition work well with something like rap music merely generally won't sound good with other types of music. If you employ a bandpass enclosure, it should be designed specifically for your speakers.
If y'all're building your beginning system, I'd recommend a sealed enclosure. It is the simplest enclosure and will be the easiest to get right. A sealed enclosure merely needs to be the right size and well sealed.
As you already know, for speakers (particularly woofers) to piece of work properly, they must be in the proper size enclosure. The manufacturer tin give you the required enclosure volume but can't requite the exact dimensions of an enclosure that will work in all vehicles. And so that yous can build an enclosure of the proper size for your vehicle, this page will explain how you summate the total volume of the enclosure.
Magic number:
OK... It's not magic but the number is 1728. If you forget it, merely remember that the number is 12 inches * 12 inches * 12 inches. 12*12*12=1728.
Square or Rectangular Enclosures:
These boxes are the easiest to summate the internal volume. You simply measure the height, width and depth (in inches), multiply them together and so divide that number by 1728. If the box has internal measurements of 6" high*18" broad*12" deep then the volume of the box is 1296/1728=.75 ft^3. The diagram below shows how you would mensurate the dimensions of the box.
Warning:
Use the following calculators at your own risk. Since I've never seen two port calculators that would requite the verbal aforementioned port length for a given box book and tuning frequency, the port calculations from this calculator will probably be slightly dissimilar than other calculators. Do not spend big sums of coin on exotic enclosure materials until the enclosure has been fully tested with a simple MDF enclosure.
If you desire to recoup for the volume taken up by the woofer, you can use the post-obit approximations. Proceed in mind that these are for 'normal' woofers. If yous're using a competition woofer with a huge frame and magnet structure, refer to the manufacturer for the actual displacement book of the woofer. Fifty-fifty if you're not using competition woofers, most high quality manufacturers provide this spec in the woofer's datasheet.
Employ this reckoner to determine whether your speaker is best suited for utilise in a sealed or ported enclosure.
Qes?
EBP =
In the calculators that follow, if y'all are using internal measurements, make certain the wood thickness is set to '0' (aught).
| This is for rectangular sealed enclosures. | ||
| Height? = | Inches | |
| Width? = | Inches | |
| Depth? = | Inches | |
| If the above dimensions are Exterior dimensions, enter the thickness of the forest beneath. | ||
| Wood Thickness = | Inches | |
| Total box book = | Ft three | |
Enclosure Figurer:
This is an enclosure calculator for sealed enclosures. It is designed to help yous calculate the size of the pieces of MDF that are needed to build an enclosure.
Click HERE to make this applet fill up this window.
For those who are new to this site and have institute this page via a search engine, this page is part of a larger site. If the site is properly loaded, there volition be a directory to the right of this page. If there is no directory, click HERE to load it properly. This page is #110 in the directory.
Triangular Enclosures:
The commencement type of triangular box has a right angle which volition brand the calculations a little easier. For a right triangle, you simply multiply the height by the depth by 1/2 of the base. The diagram shows the height and depth (base of operations). The length is the dimension non shown on the diagram. You can see why yous use 1/2 of the base by looking at the diagonally bisected rectangle and how it relates to the triangle.
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The adjacent program volition summate the proper port length for a given box book at the desired port tuning frequency.
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Suggestions For Using This Calculator - If you pick a tuning frequency above the lowest frequency that yous intend to bulldoze into the speakers, the speaker may well exist damaged due to the lack of damping. Below the tuning frequency, all of the control will depend on the speaker'due south break. If you drive the amplifier into clipping, the trouble will be even worse. If you're not sure about the proper tuning frequency, use a sealed box or at the very least keep an eye on your woofers for the first few times that yous drive them hard with very low notes (and for the idiots out there... DON'T put your heart on the woofers).
- This plan automatically subtracts the port book from the internal box volume.
- You can not have a port length shorter than the thickness of the wood that yous're using.
- I don't recommend using a port diameter of less than 3 inches for subwoofers.
- The port length must exist brusque enough to let a clearance of the port'southward diameter betwixt the finish of the port and the wall of the box. If you're using a iii inch port, allow at least iii inches between the back terminate of the port and whatsoever wall of the enclosure.
- If the port length is negative, the tuning frequency needs to be lower or the port diameter needs to be smaller.
- If you desire to use square ports, utilize a port who'due south pinnacle multiplied past its width equals the 'port area' on the calculator. The port length will be the same as the circular port.
- If you have or demand an enclosure with all right angles (no slanted sides) set depth1 and depth2 to the same value (whatever the depth of your box is).
- This reckoner subtracts the port volume from the enclosure book then re-calculates the port once again for the smaller enclosure volume. This means that at that place are many calculations that are not seen in the form's output. If any of the internal (hidden) calculations returns an invalid value, you volition get an error message and suggestions to aid remedy the problem. When there is an error message, disregard all of the output calculations.
Triangles without right angles:
The easiest way to make up one's mind the volume of boxes similar to those below is to split the cross section so that yous finish up with two right triangles. So you but do every bit in the previous example.
Combination Enclosures:
Some boxes are a combination of rectangles and triangles like the box below. Yous can run across that you simply split up the box into manageable shapes and do_the_math.
A partial list of updates added to the total version of the repair tutorial (banner link above) between June 2022 and December 2022.
Before you build an enclosure, yous may want to describe it out. This tin help prevent making mistakes when cutting the various panels. It also allows you to double-check measurements, which can be taken directly from the scale drawing. For those who are willing to take a few minutes to read through a bones tutorial, you will be able to use Sketchup (a free 3D drawing/modeling application). It's on one of my other sites (asos1.com). The tutorial page is #10 in the directory. The following show enclosures drawn in Sketchup. For those willing to have the time to learn the software, information technology could evidence at least moderately profitable. There are a few people getting paid to depict enclosures on the diverse car audio forums. Even if y'all but charge $5 each, yous tin can make an extra $xv-twenty/hour in your spare time. Most enclosures can be fatigued in 15-20 minutes.
Borrowing Tools:
Below, you will detect suggestions that require tools that you may not own. If you plan ahead, you may be able to find friends or family members with tools you can borrow. If you borrow tools like jigsaws, routers, belt sanders, buy new blades, bits and belts in case you harm them. If the blades, bits and belts are in adept condition when you lot finish the job, render the items you purchased with the tools. When you return the tools, brand certain that they're at to the lowest degree every bit clean equally when you borrowed them. Information technology's difficult to find people that volition let you borrow practiced tools because they are rarely returned in good condition. In some instances, people may have tools and won't be willing to allow yous borrow them but may help you practise part of the job. For instance, yous may not take a table saw. A table saw makes much amend cuts (mostly) than a circular saw. It may be possible to get the possessor of the tabular array saw to assist you lot cut your panels to size.
I'd suggest that you NOT borrow tools from people who earn a living with those tools. If y'all borrow a circular saw from someone who needs information technology to make a living and you damage information technology, you could cost them quite a chip in lost income.
MDF:
Medium Density Fiberboard is a compressed type of 'wood product' It is similar to particle board simply is much nicer to work with than particle board. When cutting, the edge is not badly pitted like the cut border of particle board (meet below). It also resists breaking out when screwing close to the border. Y'all should notwithstanding pre-drill the screw holes when assembling a box with drywall screws because the wood will split up if a screw is driven into an border almost the finish of the lath. Many people use a pneumatic stapler and a good quality wood gum to assemble boxes.
The image below shows the cut edge of MDF (acme) and particle lath.
When cutting the pieces for the enclosure, y'all may exist tempted to but utilise the thickness specified by the manufacturer. In most cases, MDF is thicker than the stated thickness. The following is 3/4" MDF. It should read 0.750. It reads 0.761 in the dial indicator. If you make the cuts assuming that the MDF is exactly 3/4" thick, the pieces won't fit properly. For most newbie box builders, this isn't a business organization considering the cuts volition not be very authentic but if y'all're using good tools (table saw with a solid fence) and are careful when measuring and marking, this will make a big deviation.
Stapler:
Previously, staples were suggested every bit fasteners. The stapler below is an example that works well. This is a Senco model SKS stapler. This is a professional quality stapler which means that it's a bit more expensive than the run_of_the_mill staplers you run into on eBay. Information technology's of import to know if a stapler can bulldoze staples into MDF earlier buying it. Many tin bulldoze their longest staples into plywood but can't fully bulldoze them into MDF or particle board. This stapler was used to assemble home speaker cabinets from MDF when I was building speakers. The staples beneath it are the ones that were used. The yellow adhesive that holds them together melts as it enters the woods and increases their resistance to pulling out. These and wood mucilage in the seams brand a very strong enclosure.
Adhesives:
Information technology's important to make good, straight, foursquare cuts when building a speaker enclosure. If the cuts are proficient, you demand zippo more a good quality wood glue. Adhesives like Gorilla Glue may be a chip stronger merely since normal wood gum is far stronger than the wood itself, the added strength is useless. Standard wood glue is piece of cake to piece of work with and if you lot get it on your skin, it peels correct off afterward it's dry. Gorilla glue may remain on your skin for days before it can be removed completely. When applying wood glue, utilize a thin strip along the middle of the border of the board. If y'all use the right amount, a 'small' amount volition be displaced along each side of the board when the boards are attached together. If too much is displaced, utilize a fleck less. If there are places where none is displaced, you lot demand to utilize a bit more. You tin remove the displaced adhesive with either a paper towel or merely with the border of a piece of scrap woods.
You've likely heard that the mucilage holds strong enough that you could remove the screws and the enclosure would remain strong. It's truthful that the glue is that strong but the mucilage is only bonded to the surface. For material like MDF (which is essentially highly compressed layers of cardboard/paper), the surface can be pulled up fairly easily. The screws forestall this from happening and add significant force to the enclosure.
If you lot make a slight fault when cutting (often happens when using a circular saw without a guide) and there is a small gap that wood glue won't fill up, you tin mix sawdust and wood glue and utilise that to fill the gap.
The old type silicone adhesive/sealant has acerb acid which is released as the agglutinative cures. This acid volition corrode speaker baskets if the speakers are reinstalled before the silicone has completely cured. If you have to utilize silicone, use 'Silicone II". The all-time way to brand certain the enclosure is sealed is to make good quality cuts. It volition take less time to make good cuts than information technology will for the sealant to dry/cure (24 hours). If the cuts are adept enough, yous won't need any sealant other than the forest glue.
Some people use liquid nails type adhesives to seal the joints just the solvents in structure adhesives can soften the adhesives used on some speakers (which could lead to premature speaker failure if the speakers are installed before the agglutinative has dried completely). Y'all should also realize that the fumes may well be combustible (and may exist explosive when in a bars space). If you have a loose speaker connection on the speaker terminals, you may have a burn/explosion hazard if the speakers are played before the solvent has fully evaporated. Liquid nails is another substance that yous don't want on your skin. If yous remove it immediately with a solvent similar acetone, you lot can get most of it off. If you let it dry, expect a week before information technology's completely gone.
While we're on the subject of solvents... Too many people use gasoline (petrol) as a solvent to remove adhesives and such. This is IDIOTIC. If you lot e'er see a gasoline fire, you'll understand why. Gasoline doesn't burn down like it does in the movies. Gasoline burns very apace and very hot. Do NOT use gasoline as a cleaner.
This photograph shows what the screw heads await like when they are countersunk into the face of the board. The counter bore recess was simply drilled to approximately ane/8 inch in depth at the center of the hole. Counter-sinking profoundly reduces the chances of breaking out the edge of the lath and it produces a better looking enclosure. The holes were also pre-drilled with a 3/32" drill bit to foreclose splitting the wood.
This is the end of the board where the screw holes were pre-drilled. Yous can see that the wood didn't split.
This is the what the spiral looks when you lot don't countersink the screw holes.
This is what can happen when you don't pre-drill the holes.
This is what the border of the box should look like. At that place should exist no gap between the two pieces of forest. The strength of the enclosure depends largely on the accurateness of the cuts. Remember, forest glue is not designed to make full large gaps.
When building an enclosure, if you don't have a lot of experience, you lot probably won't make perfect cuts. If you have a choice of making the panels slightly shorter or longer, make them slightly longer. In the image below, you can see that the ane that's slightly longer extends across the confront of the enclosure slightly. This is correctable with either a belt sander or a router, using a bit with a guide begetting or bushing (the first router bit beneath is one example).
If yous accept problem getting straight cuts, utilise equally many of the factory edges as possible. If, for instance, you tin have a panel with one manufactory border and ane bad (poorly cut) edge or one with ii bad edges, cut it and then that y'all utilise the factory border.
A belt sander was mentioned previously. If you've never used a chugalug sander, y'all should sympathise that information technology'south not equally easy to command as an orbital palm sander. When using a chugalug sander, you lot must have a good grip on it and be on adept footing. If you're slightly out of balance, it tin pull abroad from yous. You should too sympathize that it can cut FAST. With a xl or 80 dust chugalug, it can cut one/sixteen" off of your enclosure (or your skin) earlier you lot can react.
It'due south been suggested that you make clean-up the glue that'south displaced when you screw the panels together. This is specially important if you lot're going to accept to sand the enclosure. The glue will clog the sandpaper and make information technology useless. This tin can happen with a new chugalug the outset time you effort to sand over an area with a lot of mucilage. You can sometimes clean the paper with a wire brush but the belt won't work also and volition likely have to be replaced. When you lot get to buy belts for your sander, you'll need to know the size. 3" x 24" is common just in that location are other sizes. If y'all don't kneed, bring the former chugalug with you. The size is sometimes on the belt just it'due south by and large worn off by the time the belt needs to exist replaced.
The image below shows two different types of drywall screws. The fibroid threaded screw is, in my opinion, a improve screw for box building. They go in more quickly and don't strip out every bit easily simply may exist more than likely to cause the wood to split. Endeavour both types and utilise the one that works the best for yous. I used the coarse threaded screws in the previous images. The galvanized spiral beneath is a #6 drywall, and is i five/8 inches long (the preferred screw for building enclosures).
When using screws with either phillips or Torx head screws, you need to make sure that y'all have a bit that fits properly (preferably i supplied with the screws). You besides need to go along the bit inline with the spiral. If you have a fleck that fits properly and is inline with the spiral, there is virtually no chance for it to slip. If it does slip, information technology will probable damage both the fleck and the screw. If the bit is damaged, it may brand information technology difficult to finish the chore. It's good to have extra bits on-hand.
The following two images are of a countersinking scrap. The start is the blank bit. When using the bit in this style, it'south difficult to become consistent depth. The second image shows the flake with several washers taped to the bit. This brand is actually piece of cake to get consequent depth on the holes.
Information technology's possible to use a drill flake to countersink the heads (after pre-drilling with a 3/32" scrap) merely you must be very conscientious. Near drill $.25 tend to pull themselves into the material beingness drilled. It's very easy to get also deep when using standard twist type drill $.25. Using bits with a flat cutting edge will let you to drill without a risk of the drill flake un-intentionally going too deep. The scrap below is a standard drill bit that's been basis to have a flat cut edge.
Cutting Holes with a Jigsaw:
Virtually people, specially those building their first enclosure, will utilise a jigsaw to cut the holes for the speakers. Most anyone can cut a hole with a jigsaw only there are a few things that volition brand the job easier and produce better results. When cutting, don't get in a hurry. When building your first few enclosures, you but want to hear what it's going to sound like every bit before long equally possible. This will generally mean that you volition effort to strength the jigsaw to cutting equally fast as possible. This can lead to broken/bent blades and holes with sides that are bevelled instead of square (perpendicular to the top/bottom surface). If you take your time, information technology will take only slightly longer and the quality of the cut will exist much better.
When selecting a bract to brand the cutout for woofers, you lot should cull a blade that's relatively deep (front to back). This volition brand the bract stiffer which will aid keep the blade from deflecting to the side (which causes the sides to be bevelled instead of foursquare). The blades that are thin from front to back are meliorate for cut tight curves simply you don't demand that for cutting woofer holes. A blade with larger teeth with significant side-set will cutting faster simply may brand a rougher cutting (peculiarly if you try to cutting too fast). If y'all're non on a tight upkeep, buy a multi-pack of blades so you can try several (on flake cloth) to run across what works best.
A standard jigsaw simply moves the blade upward and down. More avant-garde jigsaws have an 'orbit' setting. There are typically iii orbit settings and ane direct setting. The orbit feature makes the tip of the blade follow an oval path instead of going direct up and down. When making crude cuts, the orbit setting may be the best option but information technology's not generally the best option when making precision cuts. When using the orbit setting, the area in front of the blade volition typically become chewed up pretty badly (violent away the line that you're post-obit). When using the not-orbiting setting, the line will remain largely intact until the cutting edge of the blade reaches it. Practise on a scrap slice of forest to see which works best for you. If you don't take much experience with a jigsaw, set the jigsaw to the straight setting.
Many jigsaws have a variable speed command. It's generally not necessary to apply the jigsaw at total speed. If you have a abrupt blade, the saw will be able to cut more quickly than you can react if the saw begins to get off of the line. Using a slower speed volition make it easier to react before you lot get as well far off of the line.
When marking the hole layout, you'll desire something that will make a ledgible line in one laissez passer. A cherry fine point Sharpie mark works very well. You'll need to go tedious when marking (so the color remains intense) so yous only demand to make one pass. It's hard to make additional pass precisely on top of the offset pass which leads to multiple lines or a thickened line.
Cutting Holes with a Router:
Before we get into the employ of a router, you should understand that a router tin can practise a lot of harm VERY quickly. Too many people give too little respect to routers. When using a router, y'all should take your hands on both handles from the fourth dimension you switch it on until the chip comes to a Complete stop. Even if the bit has simply a few more rotations earlier information technology stops, if y'all brand contact with the bit, expect to lose whatsoever contacts the scrap.
Using a jigsaw to cut holes for speakers works well enough for virtually people but if y'all want perfect holes, you have to use some other option. For those who remember that they can cut perfect holes with a jigsaw, you've never seen holes cut as described in this section. There are 2 mutual ways to cut perfect speaker holes in the baffle of a speaker enclosure. Some people use a circle cutting jig that mounts onto the router. These piece of work well and can work for cutting holes in bamboozle boards but you accept to exist very careful at the cease of the cut if y'all're cutting the holes on an assembled enclosure. If you have to cutting a lot of holes the same size, I'd strongly recommend that you utilize the circle cutting jig to make a template and employ the template to cut the holes in the bamboozle of your enclosure.
- In this section at that place are 3 main components
- Circle Cutting Jig:
Mounts to the router base - Template Making Base:
This is the base where you lot volition spiral down the template blank to exist cutting. It will also provide the pin signal for the circle cutting jig. - Speaker Cutout Template:
The template is what you will use to very quickly cut holes in the baffle-board of a speaker enclosure.
If you're going to use a template to make the holes in the enclosure, you don't need to purchase an expensive circle cut jig. You lot can brand one in about 10-15 minutes and since it's merely going to exist used a few times, it doesn't have to be anything special. It just has to attach to your router base of operations-plate and permit you lot to have a place where you can drill a hole to set the diameter of the hole that it volition cut.
Router Basics:
Yous'll probably find more information on routers in this section than you'd expect on a page about speaker enclosures. That's because they're very useful, if you empathise the basics and avoid the most common mistakes.
If you don't take a router, y'all should try pawn shops as a cheap source of routers. Before buying from the pawn shops, call the ones most you lot to see what models they accept and go their prices. So check the prices in the regular outlets. Information technology's possible to get a good bargain in a pawn shop but many pawn shops charge near-retail prices for used items so information technology pays to do your homework before buying from them. Of grade, this doesn't only apply to routers. It'southward merely mentioned hither considering it's the tool that you're to the lowest degree probable to take.
There are two dissimilar types of commonly available bases for routers. Ane is an adjustable, fixed base of operations. This allows y'all to make adjustments to the cutting depth before the router is powered up but you can't change the depth of cut while the router is in performance. The router below has a fixed base.
The 2d type of base is a 'plunge' base (see beneath). This allows yous to get-go the router without the fleck protruding through the base of operations. After the router is up to speed, you plunge the bit down into the cloth that you need to cut. The plunge base is required to use the circle cut jig. You can use a router with either type of base when y'all have a template.
This shows how the guide bushing fits onto this particular router. This one is held in the base by two screws. Others are held in the base by a nut on summit of the base. The outside diameter of this bushing is three/8" (for a 1/4" cut bit). This is why the speaker template hole has to be slightly larger than the actual speaker pigsty. The router'south bushing diameter will dictate the actual size differences between the template hole and the speaker cutout hole. The bushing is installed after the router is removed from the circle cutter jig (for those circle-cutting jigs that mount rigidly to the router's base).
When using the guide bushing with a template, there are a lot of choices for router bits. Cheap bits are made of 'high-speed steel'. HSS $.25 will not final for more than a few cuts in MDF or particle lath. If y'all purchase an HSS bit to cut the holes in MDF for two 12" woofers, expect to burn through the last role of the 2nd hole because the bit will have dulled.
There are iii basic types of router bits. The first is the high-speed steel bit. They are the cheapest but besides dull more rapidly than the others. There are solid carbide bits. Carbide is much harder than high-speed steel and will concord a sharp border much longer than a loftier-speed steel bit. They are likewise the most expensive of the iii types. The third type has a steel body with a carbide cutter brazed to it (below). Steel bits with carbide cutters are typically cheaper than solid carbide bits and terminal about as long. If you lot're searching for a bit like to this one include the following terms: plunge airplane pilot panel router flake 1/4"
Using a large router, you lot can hands cut the entire thickness of 3/4" MDF in one laissez passer. If you intend to do this, you need to make sure that the cutting edge is at least 3/4". The 2 most mutual choices for one/4" bore bits is three/4" cutting and 1" cut. If you have merely a smaller router that doesn't have the horsepower to cut iii/four" material in one pass, you lot can cut in ii or iii passes, cutting deeper with each pass. Using a template or a good quality circle cutter volition produce a perfect opening, even after multiple passes.
Notation:
The bit in a higher place is merely useful (for the purposes mentioned on this page) for plunging in and cut boards that have space beneath them. This bit cannot cutting when the cutting edge is only part-way through a board. Since in that location are shaft sections to a higher place and beneath the cutter, the cutter has to positioned vertically then that it has at to the lowest degree a tiny bit of the blade both above and beneath the top and lesser surfaces of the board.
For bits that cut direct slots, at that place are 2 main types. One is a chip with a straight cutting border (similar the one to a higher place). The other type is a spiral flake (below). It has a spiral cutting edge. The spiral $.25 are used where the edge finish needs to be near perfect (for cutting soft metals or plastics, like acrylic). For cut MDF, straight bits will cut well enough. If yous desire a spiral bit, the Bosch 85903MC and the 85911MC work well and are readily available for well-nigh $xx each.
Spiral bits come in ii styles, upcutting and downcutting. The upcutting bit pulls the waste material cloth up and out of the slot. The downcutting bit pushes the waste product cloth down. If you're using this to cutting the holes in a bamboozle lath that's mounted onto the enclosure, a downcutting bit volition throw almost of the sawdust into the enclosure (which can exist easily vacuumed out). The upcutting bits are better when you're making a cut that doesn't get completely through the material or when you have a vacuum attachment on the router.
All of the bits mentioned/shown here are 1/4" cutting $.25 (they cut a ane/iv" slot). Larger bits take much more horsepower to turn and make more of a mess (more sawdust). Smaller diameter cutters are typically easier to break.
Installing the Router Fleck:
When inserting the scrap in the collet of the router, you'll insert it until information technology bottoms out and then pull it out well-nigh i/viii". When you tighten the collet nut, the bit volition go slightly farther into the router and you don't want it to bottom out. If it bottoms out, you may not exist able to tighten it properly and the bit may skid while cutting.
Stuck Router Bits:
Some routers don't properly release the $.25 when you loosen the collet nut. In nigh routers (those without problems), the collet nut will initially loosen but the bit volition still be held tight. You take to unscrew the collet nut a few more turns (where it volition once again become hard to turn) and so unscrew until information technology once more turns freely earlier the fleck is released.
Some routers are more stubborn. When you loosen the collet nut, it pulls the collet out of the spindle and, when all is right, the collet remains gratis in the nut. In some routers, the collet gets wedged in the nut and the entire nut/collet/bit assembly has to be removed to remove the bit. When this happens, place the associates on a solid surface. Identify a deep socket (the type used with a ratchet) over the bit. Information technology must be completely clear of the scrap and must rest solidly on top of the collet. Tap the top of the socket to forcefulness the nut downwardly. When the nut is free, the bit should pull out freely. It's of import that you not leave router $.25 in the router for long periods of time. They can become stuck and exist very hard to remove.
There are quite a few commercially available circle cutting jigs. The Jasper circle cut jig is probably the near well known. Nigh of these jigs mount rigidly onto the router base. The following 'habitation-made' jig has a hole for the router guide bushing that's the same size as the outer bore of the bushing. This keeps the router and jig together instead of screws and information technology allows the router to rotate freely on the jig.
The post-obit image shows a more typical jig that mounts to the router rigidly. If you buy a jig like this, make certain that it has holes that will match the holes in your router base. Some routers take 3 holes and some have iv holes in the base of operations. Some jigs are made for either 3 or iv hole routers but non both.
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Information technology's not of import that the pivot-signal holes in the circumvolve cutting jig are through the heart-line of the jig. All that's important is that the hole is the proper distance from the flake.
When making a template, the hole in the template must exist slightly larger than the required speaker cutout to compensate for the diameter of the guide bushing. The pigsty in the template must exist the bore of the speaker cutout plus i/eight" for a guide bushing that's iii/8" in diameter and when a scrap with a 1/four" cut diameter is used.
The circumvolve cutter here is triangular in shape simply the shape isn't important. It could have been left rectangular (with the corners slightly rounded to make them less likely to injure the user). If you want to make one from aluminum, you can purchase 1/4" aluminum plate from eBay. You should be able to purchase a pre- cut piece of a suitable size. If not, some of the sellers offer to cut to size for a small fee. If you can't find the size that y'all need, information technology can hands exist cut with a jigsaw. This slice of aluminum was cutting with a Bosch blade designed to cleanly cutting laminate floors. The teeth have no side-set so it leaves a very clean cut. You lot will discover photos of these when you visit the upcoming 'Working with Acrylic' folio of the site.
When making the pivot-point holes in the circle cutting jig or when making templates, each will have to exist fabricated for each individual speaker for the best fit. You can probably make a generic x" template for 10" woofers but if the hole is likewise big, there may not be enough fabric for the screws to scrap into and will require a fleck more than try to get the speaker perfectly centered. Some owners (those for whom you're edifice the enclosure) can spot a speaker that'southward slightly out of line and could reject the enclosure for that solitary.
In the following demo, yous can commencement and stop the rotation of the jig. Clicking the second button converts the jig from a rigidly mounted one to a floating jig. Every bit you can see, the floating jig volition make it easier to keep a secure grip on the router. Information technology likewise makes it easier to continue the ability cord safely out of the way.
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Notation:
If you only need to cut a couple of holes, you tin can apply the circle cutter without the template base. To do this, you would need to secure both the outer office of the baffle board and the center of the cutout. The center of the cutout will be secured when you put a spiral through the pin-betoken of the circumvolve-cutting jig. The screw will have to get through the bamboozle board and into the lath that you're using as a base (bit wood or your workbench). This is for when y'all are cutting the baffle before you fasten it to the rest of the enclosure. If the screw through the center of the jig isn't a tight fit in the hole of the jig, you demand to keep constant outward strength on the router. This will brand the pigsty as perfectly round every bit possible.
To make the template, it's best to make a simple base of operations (below is 1 example). The center pivot will be the ballast for the circle cutting jig. The blocks on the bottom of information technology are to exist clamped in a Workmate or other vise. If you desire to use this on your workbench and don't desire to spiral it down to the bench, you lot can employ a cloth made past Duck (as in Duck Tape, the merchandise name for ane brand of duct tape). It'south called Piece of cake Liner (photo on the Working with Acrylic folio). This volition proceed the base of operations from moving. If you accept another way to keep it steady, you can apply whatever works best for you lot.
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When yous make the template, you should make the 90� and 45� lines before yous drill the center hole that will go over the pivot. This will ensure that the screw holes marshal perfectly with the center of the template. It besides gives you reference points when placing the template on the enclosure. You lot'd draw lines on the baffle of the enclosure, crossing at the indicate where yous want the speaker to be centered. You'd then align the marks on the template with those on the enclosure.
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When selecting the forest to make the templates, don't use inferior wood. 1/4" material works the all-time. ane/iv" MDF is hard to find but makes nice templates. 'Good quality' plywood besides makes skillful templates. Luan is OK just birch and oak (oak is preferred if yous're going to apply plywood) are a chip meliorate. If you utilise cheap plywood, the inner layers become loose and dislodge making the inner bore of the template uneven. If yous're using a cheap plywood, apply a thin layer of mucilage around the inner diameter (wiping away equally much equally possible). That will continue the inner layer secured. When y'all purchase textile for templates, you don't by and large have to purchase a full sheet. Many of the home improvement stores have sheets cutting downwardly to smaller sizes that are less expensive and easier to handle if you don't have a truck to haul it in.
When marking the template, you lot should include the center points for the speaker mounting holes. While the template is on the jig, make a tool similar to the i in the following paradigm. Information technology's simply a thin (~i/16" thick) slice (metal, plastic...) that has a i/four" hole to fit the template maker's eye post and a 2d hole that aligns with the heart of the speaker mounting holes. To find the center of the holes, y'all can measure from center to center of the holes on opposite sides of the frame and cut that in one-half. If it's easier for you, you can measure from the right side of the pigsty to the correct side of the hole. That's sometimes easier than judging where the center of the hole is.
The template base of operations should either be mounted in a Workmate type vice or otherwise secured so information technology can't move. When cut, it's difficult to get the bit to cut completely through the template blank without cutting the base slightly. If yous'd like, you can insert a sacrificial piece of wood betwixt the template blank and the base. The cuts in the base won't be deep if y'all're conscientious and more often than not won't cause any issues. Remember, this is to brand templates. You lot'll use the templates until they vesture out or become damaged. Before you tin put the piece of 1/four inch plywood or MDF that is to become the speaker template onto the template base, you lot will have to drill a 1/iv inch pigsty in it so that it will exist able to fit over the pivot dowel. Later putting the template blank on the dowel, y'all volition have to secure it with a few #six X 1/ii" or #6 10 3/four" flat head screws. If you make the mounting holes in the same place equally the holes in the speaker, the same holes tin be used to mountain the template to the speaker box. Yous will have to countersink the spiral heads so that the circumvolve cutting jig tin can laissez passer over them.
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For those who don't know what flat-head screws look like... You can as well use drywall screws.
This is what'due south left after the hole is cut.
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When using t-nuts or when pre-drilling holes for speaker mounting screws, you need to confirm that the dust cap logo is aligned properly with the spiral holes. If the logo is square to the holes, y'all can pre-drill the holes foursquare to the enclosure 90� and 45� to the superlative and sides of the face up of the enclosure). If the logo isn't square to the holes, you'll have to line up the logo, marker the hole locations then drill the holes.
Setting the Router Chip Depth when Using the Template:
When setting up the bit, ostend that it tin cut deep enough to cut entirely through the piece existence cut. The depth beneath the base of the router will take to be the thickness of the template plus the thickness of the textile. The flake needs to be chucked up so that as much of the bit shank as possible is in the collet but not then far down that it won't cut deep enough or then deep that collet hits the plate for the guide. If you check this before y'all begin, it will save a lot of time.
Some people like to prepare up the router so that it cuts approximately 99% through the piece beingness cut and then employ a utility knife to cut the rest free. I recommend using a sacrificial piece, setting upwardly is easier. The sacrificial piece volition end upwardly with multiple rings in it merely it does no impairment and rarely ever needs to exist replaced.
You will need to screw the template down to the enclosure and so that it cannot move when routing it. You volition use the lines on the template to line up the template with the desired eye of the opening in the enclosure. Remember, this template must exist used with the guide bearing. If y'all try to make the cutting without a guide bearing on the router, the router will cutting through the template and the enclosure.
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Now, I know this looks similar a lot of work only after you make the template base, the circumvolve cutter and a few templates, you can cutting perfectly round polish speaker holes very chop-chop. As an case, using a multi-hole template, it is possible to cutting out holes for a tweeter, woofer and port in approximately 20 seconds using a large plunge router. If you brand all of the 8 screw holes in the template, you can mark and pre-drill them so that the speaker can be mounted perfectly straight the start time. Don't drill through the holes in the template. It volition brand the holes slightly larger each time because you can't prevent touching the template with the drill bit. Utilize a fine point Sharpie to marker the hole locations, remove the template and then drill the holes. For best results, use router bits with carbide cutters. MDF will cause a high speed steel cutter to dull very quickly. Sometimes, not-carbide cutters will dull later just a few holes.
- When cutting the holes, go on forward force per unit area on the router until the cutting is complete. If you cease in the middle of a cutting, the vibration may cause the router chip to break. When cut the holes, you must become in a clockwise management. If you were cut around the outside of a template, you'd go in the contrary direction.
- Don't allow router to come out of the jig, it will destroy the jig. Make sure that the router remains apartment on the template at all times. If it tilts inward, it will harm the perimeter of the cutout in the enclosure. If it tilts outward, it could slip past the template and destroy the template (possibly dissentious the enclosure. It'due south easier to keep the router flat if at that place is a lot of textile (at least ane/2 of the width of the router base) between the cutout and the edge of the template.
Speaker Enclosure Bracing:
Nearly speaker enclosures will benefit from bracing. The diagrams below volition give y'all i example of enclosure bracing.
This is the bracing equally viewed from the baffle (where the speaker is mounted). The baffle board and the speaker are obviously not shown. Notice how the brace ties the top of the box to the lesser of the box. This stops the top and bottom of the box from moving forth axis 'A'. The brace also connects the sides together. The horizontal office of the brace stops the sides from moving. The open up areas of the caryatid allow the air to move freely through the box and reduce the airspace taken upwards by the brace. The cross-pieces don't have to be really thick because the wood that makes upwardly the brace will non stretch or compress.
This is the side of the box with the correct side removed. Y'all tin can see another brace. This brace stops the back of the box from flexing. The back of the box is tied to the vertical brace. When these braces are glued together, the sides and dorsum of the box will be extremely rigid and significantly reduce the resonance in the walls of the box.
This is the top of the box. This is only another look at the bracing.
Using T-Basics:
If you have very heavy woofers or will demand to remove your woofers frequently, you'll demand to employ T-nuts. T-nuts are threaded metal fasteners that are used to provide a solid mounting point in wood. They are inserted into the back side of the baffle board. A hole is drilled but big enough to accept the cylindrical function of the T-nut. You insert the T-nut into the hole and (if possible) give it a good solid whack with a hammer. If y'all can not get to it to hit it with a hammer, they tin can sometimes exist pulled into place by but tightening the screw. This works fine on softer woods just won't always work with MDF. Sometimes the threads strip or the screws interruption earlier the T-nut is fully seated. If yous're having trouble getting them to pull all of the way down, use a C-clamp to seat them. If you don't get them to seat fully before mounting the speaker, the screws will go along to loosen as the T-nuts keep to pull down. Simply after they are fully seated will the screws stay tight. If you lot take a problem of them falling out, use a bit of Goop or E6000 to the cylindrical part of the T-nut before you lot insert information technology. The photo below shows a couple of T-nuts. They come in many unlike sizes. The diameter of the screw that's to be used with them is important because the screw must exist able to fit through the pigsty in the frame of the woofer. The depth of the T-nut isn't really important but you should use ane that's closest to the thickness of the wood as possible. This provides more than threads and reduces the chances of it stripping out.
This paradigm shows their placement in the baffle board. The dashed lines show the diameter of the hole drilled to accommodate the T-nut.
The post-obit threaded inserts are also available but they accept upwardly a bit more real manor than the T-nuts and can't be installed where at that place isn't sufficient clearance between the center of the pigsty for the insert and the border of the hole for the speaker. They can all the same, be used in other locations on amp racks and such. This allows you lot to remove and reinstall panels without getting dust around the holes (screws threaded directly into wood always pull out a bit of dust when you lot remove them. This can be difficult to clean up if the material covering the slice has fibers that tend to hold the dust and forest particles.
The side by side insert is screwed into the wood with an allen wrench (hex key wrench).
The side by side ii examples are hammered or pressed (C-clamp) into the forest. For heavy loads, the ane with the flange should exist used (flangs on the back side of the MDF). For the greatest resistance to pulling out (inserts without the flange), use the ones that are the same thickness as the wood. Longer inserts have more cleats which makes them harder to pull out.
The post-obit two images show what the inserts look similar after beingness installed.
These are brass inserts that you screw into the forest with a large flat-bladed screwdriver.
Terminal Cups:
If you want some nice terminal cups for your enclosure, the post-obit are available from Madisound. They will accept large gauge wire or banana plugs.
Close-up:
Front and Back:
Sealing Around the Speaker:
If the speaker has no gasket and the speaker box isn't covered in carpet or vinyl, You lot tin can use an open jail cell foam weather stripping around the cutout in the baffle. The weather stripping should be about iii/8 to 1/2 inch wide and 1/2 inch thick. The weather stripping in this instance is 3/8 inch thick and 1/ii inch wide. You need to brand sure that the area around the cutout is clean and dry and so that the weather stripping will stick. I recommend wiping it down with solvent and allowing information technology to dry before applying the weather stripping. If you REALLY want information technology to stick, employ a unmarried glaze of contact cement to the area effectually the pigsty and allow it to dry out for 10 minutes or until it no longer sticks to your fingers when y'all touch information technology. When applying the atmospheric condition stripping to the coated area, you get but ONE adventure to lay it downwards in the correct place. Equally presently as the conditions stripping touches the contact cement, it's not coming support.
This is the conditions stripping applied around the cutout. I didn't go all of the way effectually for this example but you Practice have to go all of the way around.
This is a closer view of the same thing.
This shows the adhesive backing. Some weather stripping has a really thick backing that won't allow you to curve it around the cutout. You lot demand to get something that is similar to what is shown here.
Source: http://www.bcae1.com/spboxnew2.htm
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