DIY Cabinet Build

[Diocide]

So after some thought, I decided to give cab making a shot. I've been eyeing a 2x15 cab for quite a while now, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Haven't really done anything yet besides get the dimensions all set and tracked down a local place to get a 4x8 of 3/4" birch ply.

The Dimensions are going to the same as my Mesa 4x12- 30" wide by 32" high and 14" deep. After checking out as many dimensions as I could find, it seems that this is a good average size. I drew up some sketches, and planned out how to make the whole thing from one sheet. I MAY end up trying to finger joint the corners, but for now, I'm thinking I'll keep it simple and use butt joints, glued and screwed. I also plan to tolex it, which will be a first for me.

I downloaded Sketch Up earlier today and gave it a shot. Heres a pic of the basic structure;



Once I figure out what hardware I'm going to use (handles, jack etc) I'll add those onto the drawing.

I'll update this as I go along. It's probably going to take a while, because the only place I have to work is an unheated garage. So all the gluing and whatnot can't really start until it warms up a bit.

[SenatorClayDavis]

Should be a pretty badass cab. What drivers will you be using?

Building cabs is pretty fun and not that hard if you have (or can borrow) the right equipment. Tolexing is not that hard either. It's building the frame for the grillcloth that I consistently have trouble getting right.

[benjamin801]

DOOM

[Zozobra]

A quick observation from your sketch. How do you intend to mount the baffle and grill cloth? The baffle looks to go flush to the front of the cab which will make things a pain in the ass. I guess if you're doing that you'll be adding a frame behind it to mount it to?

[SenatorClayDavis]

^ could also add those circular speaker grills (assuming the speakers are rear mounted)

[Diocide]

I'm planning kneecessing the baffle about 3/4" from the face of the cab. I couldn't figure out how to do that on sketch up. I also plan to wrap the baffle itself in the grill cloth, rear mount the speakers and then just trim around baffle to hide the edge. This way, I don't have to build the frame SCD was talking about, and the can retains as much interior volume as possible.

Does that make sense?

[SenatorClayDavis]

You're going to wrap the baffle in grillcloth before you mount it to the cab? If I'm understanding this right, seems like you'll have a tough time getting a tight seal around the edge of the baffle, and since this is a 2x15 cab of doom I'm assuming you want it to be sealed.

It's a different aesthetic, but you could use something like this instead to get out of the whole grillcloth thing:
http://www.speakerworks.com/15_inch_black_steel_speaker_grill_p/sg15.htm

[Zozobra]

Wrapping the cloth to the baffle like that is fine. I've made a few cabs that way and they all sounded great. One thing you can do is add a picture frame front to mount the baffle to. like this:

[2tallmusic]

Similar to Zozobra's approach you can use as well a rear mounted frame to mount the baffle on.



If you cut the cloth before it reaches the back side you get a tight wood-on-wood connection and, an optical difference, there is more grill cloth visible in the front view but thats a question of personal taste.

The challenge is getting the grill cloth around the baffle with a proper tension. My first attempt produced a very flabby result, had to do it twice.

[Diocide]

Yup. You guys have pretty much nailed what I was thinking. I don't think I could handle the whole piping thing, so I figure this is the easiest way to get the look I'm going for. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Casey4s]

My personal preferance is to make a seperate frame for the grille material, and mount that to the baffle with velcro strips.


Grill frame:
(before the velcro was attached)



Cabinet with velcro strips:



This works well with both front and rear mounted speakers. I don't like attaching the grille material to the baffle because I have heard a few of these buzz/rattle with use, although most of the time they are fine.

[SenatorClayDavis]

^ That's basically what I've always done but I always have a hard time getting the dimensions of the frame exactly right so that I leave enough room for the grillcloth material around the outside of the frame, but so that it still fits snugly in the cab. There always seems to be more trial and error involved than there should be.