New Cab Design

[TIMBO]

Hey guys,
Something I've been toying with for a while..

[uki]

Dude you always come with the nicest stuff !! 

The cloth is very nice, what is it ?

[tubeswell]

Slanted baffle?

[TIMBO]

Thanks guys
@uki
It's upholstery cloth
It's quite thick, a little stretchy and transparent


@tubeswell
It has parallel sides
 

[Platefire]

I like Mocho! A little taste of vintage and little taste of modern. Those darker specs in the grill cloth match up well with the stain
So have you decided what amp it will be?

[TIMBO]

Hey Platefire,
It's going to be a 20w cathode bias 5F6a bassman style circuit with a cascade front end.

[scstill]

How do you screw-in the baffle screws since so close to the panels? are they slightly angled?
My driver drill body always gets in the way so mine are often angled.

Are your cleats glued and nailed?

10" speaker? Why did you decide to use bolts into the baffle and how do you keep them fixed?

[TIMBO]

How do you screw-in the baffle screws since so close to the panels? are they slightly angled?
My driver drill body always gets in the way so mine are often angled.
Yep slight angle with a long philips bit
Are your cleats glued and nailed?
Yes

10" speaker? Why did you decide to use bolts into the baffle and how do you keep them fixed?
12" speaker, Bolts counter sunk into baffle and glued with superglue, normal screws will vibrate loose, blots have lock washers

[scstill]

I am presently into a cabinet project and was considering (for ease) using wood screws to mount the speakers.
Will I be in trouble as you say with vibration?
Alternately, I can use threaded inserts.
Do you always recommend lock washers (which I have not been using)?

Do you think four bolts are enough for 12" I typically fill every hole.
Four would be much easier...

[TIMBO]

Four bolts are typically used by most common speaker manufactures

[Lectroid]

@TIMBO,

This is gorgeous work.  It looks professionally done, like you used a jig for everything.  Very, very nice!   I dream about making stuff this well. 

On the speaker-fastening question, I'm sold on using T-nuts mounted on the outside of the baffle, pointing inward.  scstill called them 'threaded inserts.'   I like them because I can install a speaker and tighten it down from the rear with only a screwdriver.  No need to fumble around trying to start nuts, and crank them down inside that cramped cabinet space.  Also, no 'extra' length of bolts sticking out beyond the nut to snag one's flesh.  I learned this from Uncle Doug I think.   I personally like to use 1/4"-20 machine screws, with a flat washer and spring lock washer on each one, but 3/16" would probably work with a suitable washer.

[scstill]

I'm sold on using T-nuts mounted on the outside of the baffle, pointing inward.  scstill called them 'threaded inserts.'

I also used to use T-nuts.
Sluckey convinced me to use these "threaded inserts". Much easier that T-nuts (at least for me)
I have already gone thru a bag of 100 and just ordered more :-)

T-nut will never pull thru.
Threaded inserts can be CA'd in place... and can be installed with grill cloth in place.

[Lectroid]

@scstill,

I stand corrected.  I have used these before assembling Ikea furniture, but I never thought to use them in a speaker cab.

I still feel like the wider flange of the t-nut might give more 'holding' power when pulled tight against the baffle.  As you say, 

T-nut will never pull thru.

although being able to install these from the rear would be a big help.  You've used these in plywood baffles?

Anyway, if you and sluckey both recommend these, then I definitely have to give them a shot.  Thanks again.

PS:  CA'd in place ??   What does CA stand for?

[scstill]

CA is super glue - Cyanoacrylate
I have used these hex inserts in Baltic birch speak baffle, but depth is borderline with a 5/8" ply

The problem I have had with T-nuts is they need to be painted (bolt ends too), sometimes they overlap the cutout, flange has a thickness that in some applications needs counter sink.

I still wonder why we can't use wood screws? These would be easiest. Timbo concern is vibration loosening. But will this really occur? Any experience?

[shooter]

Any experience?

not with speaker cabs, but doors, the more you use a door the more you get "sloppy hinges" so you add a longer screw, then longer n bigger n n ....

[echuta13]

I haven't done any cabinet work in a spell, but I switched over to threaded inserts for speaker and baffle mounts. I'm switching over to using Starbond black CA medium for extra insurance for the next cab build (saw it being used for furniture legs).
https://starbond.com/products/black-medium-ca-glue-ke-150
Reference video (go to 15:10 on time for install):

[acheld]

I use a lot of threaded inserts, and depend on them.

However, for mounting speakers using these specialty screws is way easy -- easier than an insert of whatever type, and cheaper -- and I believe far more secure in the long run. (From Tubes and More, 79 cents for four of them).

Timbo, your cabinet is beautiful.