fftc Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Really enjoying seeing this come together Stevie. Fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gottastopbuyinggear Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Can I ask what drivers you're using in this build, and why the change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 (edited) Glad it's of interest, fftc. Gottastop, I'm building this cab for myself. So I'm going neo. The original drivers were selected with performance and price as the priorities, with weight a secondary consideration. This time round, I'm just interested in performance. The neo drivers I have are actually heavier than the Beyma/Celestion combination of ceramic drivers, but their performance is in a different league. I have a Ciare 500W 12" neo driver with a 4" coil and a DAS 1" neo compression driver with a titanium diaphragm. Both were eBay purchases and would have cost about £350 otherwise. I've also changed the horn to an asymmetric type, which is perfect for bass guitar use. There aren't any similar-sized commercial cabinet on the market with comparable perfomance - as far as I know anyway. I've gigged this design with the prototype cab and found the weight a bit offputting. The poplar ply cab I'm building now will be much lighter - so we'll see how it goes. If the weight is still a problem, I also have an Eminence Deltalite OEM variant from an American bass cab (can't remember the brand at the moment) which is pretty good and will save about 2.5kg overall. This is obviously of no interest to anyone wanting to build their own, as none of these neo drivers is readily available. However, Faital Pro are about to bring out a new 12" which ticks all the boxes for a killer bass cab. I've been talking to them about it and will receive a sample as soon as it is released. I've also negotiated a special price which I can pass on Basschatters if we get enough people interested - say about ten. I would then publish the design on here for everyone to use - using this cabinet. I'll provide more details if there's any interest. By the same token, if there is enough interest in building this final version of the cab, I'd be happy to negotiate with some CNC builders on everyone's behalf. We'd probably be looking at a minimum order of ten flatpack cabs to justify the CAD setup costs. As I am putting this cab together, I'm finding that the most time-consuming jobs are drilling and cutting the holes in the panels. I've just drilled the holes in the baffle for the main driver, and it took me half an hour - and I've not even inserted the t-nuts yet. A CNC'd cab could be assembled in a couple of hours over, say, three evenings and would require no woodworking expertise at all. Edited September 10, 2017 by stevie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 (edited) Now we come to the final circular brace. I've used an offcut, but it would help if the wood supplier would also cut this piece to the right size. I'll see if John can alter the cutting list to include it. I've marked the piece up ready for cutting and sawing. [PLEASE NOTE: I LATER FOUND THAT THIS BRACE IS OVERKILL AND NOT REALLY NECESSARY. HOWEVER, THE FRONT PANEL DOES NEED A VERTICAL BRACE BETWEEN THE OPENING FOR THE HORN AND THE PORT (AS SHOWN IN CHIENMORTBB'S PHOTO - 50MM DEEP IS PLENTY). AND THE TOP PANEL SHOULD HAVE A SIDE-TO-SIDE BRACE AS SHOWN IN THE DRAWING. Edited January 30, 2018 by stevie Fixed photo link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 (edited) Here is the piece cut, drilled and glued into place. I eventually removed the clamps as they did more harm than good. Simply putting the bracing pieces firmly in place, lining them up properly with a right-angle guide, and using plenty of glue, works best. As the glue sets it shrinks slightly and pulls the pieces together. Edited January 30, 2018 by stevie Fixed photo link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 (edited) Now that the final circular brace has dried, I've glued in some small bracing pieces which really make the back panel solid. I've just placed the baffle on top, but you should be able to see that all you need to do now is clamp or screw the other external panels in place around the "skeleton", and the cab is finished. Apart from all the hole cutting, this is a really easy build. This is how a Kappalite driver fits. The final job for today is to drill the holes in the baffle for the t-nuts, and then I'm taking a break. More next week...... Edited January 30, 2018 by stevie Fixed photo links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gottastopbuyinggear Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1505058140' post='3369190'] By the same token, if there is enough interest in building this final version of the cab, I'd be happy to negotiate with some CNC builders on everyone's behalf. We'd probably be looking at a minimum order of ten flatpack cabs to justify the CAD setup costs. As I am putting this cab together, I'm finding that the most time-consuming jobs are drilling and cutting the holes in the panels. I've just drilled the holes in the baffle for the main driver, and it took me half an hour - and I've not even inserted the t-nuts yet. A CNC'd cab could be assembled in a couple of hours over, say, three evenings and would require no woodworking expertise at all. [/quote] I'd be interested in a flat pack kit, and depending on the price quite probably two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 Good man! If we get a bit more interest, I'll put some feelers out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 By the way, I've just realised that this cab design can be assembled without any screws or clamps. Details in the next set of photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Yooze guys are damn cool! I've been messaging Chienmortbb about his earlier post - so if the CNC doobry wotsit fits in with his plans, then count me as another interested party! What lower priced cute little class D head do you think would suit? Because I'm shallow, I like the look of the Fender Rumble 200 and the Ampeg pf350. I play a P with flats and want to be just like James Jamerson when I grow up. Both unlikely events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 14, 2017 Author Share Posted September 14, 2017 I wouldn't count your chickens, Peter; I don't see a queue forming yet. As far as an amp if concerned, I do know that Chienmort uses a lightweight 100W into 8-ohms amp (Gallien Krueger?) with his cab and it is very loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 The amp I use is an Ashdown MiBass 220. For most gigs it is fine but he last gig I was maxed out. Like most so called 200w amps it gives 100w into 8 ohms. That is also true of the Rumble 200 the GK MB200. The PF350 is rated @ 200w into 8 ohms and should be fine. My own amp build (still ongoing) is 250w into 8 ohms and that should make full use of the speaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted September 19, 2017 Share Posted September 19, 2017 What kind of price do you think we'd be looking at for a flat pack? I'm sure the answer is a firm 'it depends' but, like, roughly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 20, 2017 Author Share Posted September 20, 2017 Hi Jack, I'd be hoping for around £60 to £70, but that is obviously a guesstimate at this stage. We need to amortise the cost of programming the CAD design for the CNC machine. OEM quantities and prices normally start at around 50 units. We should be able to negotiate a decent deal with a smaller quantity, but nobody is going to get excited about supplying ones and twos. I'm sure we could also negotiate a good price for powder coated grilles and for t-nuts, feet, corners, paint, etc. (as well as drivers), especially if we're canny about delivery charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 Hi Stevie, Please add me to the list of flat pack cabs. Please include me for the powder coated steel fronts and accessories. Cheers John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 20, 2017 Author Share Posted September 20, 2017 Great! Once we get a bit closer to 10, I'll make some serious enquiries and get a more concrete idea of price. No need to commit until then obviously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 I would like to commit, be good fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 20, 2017 Author Share Posted September 20, 2017 OK, Jack. Consider yourself provisionally committed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 (edited) For the horn cutout, I made a cardboard template based on the hole in the prototype cab. Unfortunately, my sawing was a bit off - so I used some fibreglass filler to make good. And started installing the t-nuts. I cut the hole for the port with my 5" hole saw. Edited January 30, 2018 by stevie Fixed photo links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 (edited) This is the horn I'll be using for the HF. It's an asymmetrical design, which means its dispersion is 100 degrees at the top of the horn and 60 degrees at the bottom. The benefit is that you get maximum dispersion when you (and your bandmates) are close to and above the horn, but the dispersion narrows for those in the farfield, that is, the audience. The best of both worlds in other words. Also, the vertical dispersion is wide in an upward direction (towards your ears) and narrow in a downward direction (towards the floor). Having gigged with this horn arrangement, I can report that it works brilliantly. And it looks like this in the cab. Now to glue the first side panel on. In theory, gravity will do the job, but I decided to use clamps just because I have them. This is where I hit my first real snag. There was slight warpage at one end of the side panel, caused in all likelihood by the cut panels having sat in my cold garage for several months. Anyway, the back and side panel did not meet at 90 degrees at the bottom of the side panel. I've shown this on the photo below - sorry it's out of focus. The only way of fixing this was to now attach the bottom panel with screws to straighten the panel up. So, despite my original intention not to use any screws, I was forced to do so here. The next job was placing a vertical row of bracing strips up the side panel. As this may or may not be overkill, I won't install any on the opposite panel - so that I can check what effect they are having. Here we go. [PLEASE NOTE: I LATER FOUND THAT THESE SIDE PANEL BRACING STRIPS WERE INDEED OVERKILL AND NOT REALLY NECESSARY.] Edited January 30, 2018 by stevie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 (edited) Here is my trusty right-angle guide in action again. A few more braces on the top panel and we're ready to fix the baffle. Baffle on. It's starting to look a bit like a cabinet now. Just for interest, here is a photo of the clamping arrangement I used on the baffle. A bit belt and braces, I admit. I expect that laying the cabinet flat and putting some weights on the baffle would have done the same job. Edited January 30, 2018 by stevie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 (edited) Gluing up the second side panel. (Evostik Resin W before you ask). And it's on! And the final piece of the jigsaw fits into place. Yes, it does look like a cab now, but there's still a fair bit to do. The only woodwork left is cutting the hole at the back for the Speakon. Before I paint it and fit it out, I'll check the resonance performance and decide whether to add any more bracing - but that can wait until the weekend. So close and yet so far! In case anyone is reading this and wondering why on earth is he messing about building his own cabinet.... Well, the cabinet makes a big difference to how a speaker sounds and performs, and you can't buy a bass cabinet as good as this. If you want do do a job properly, do it yourself. Edited January 30, 2018 by stevie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted October 25, 2017 Share Posted October 25, 2017 (edited) *FINALLY* got to use my converted Ashdown 1x12 at a reasonable volume at a jam last night. Very satisfactory. Playing a Thomann Harley Benson Fan fret 5 string into a MiBass 550 with all EQ switched off except the 'Shape' button. Added a little bass & mids via the 18 volt pre in the bass. Tone was deep, lush with that edge provided by well-defined mids. Absolutely what I was looking for in this mini-rig. Well worth doing. Many thanks to RichardH for doing the crossover and Phil Starr et al for all the groundwork. G. Edited October 25, 2017 by geoffbyrne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 25, 2017 Share Posted October 25, 2017 That's really good news Geoff I hope you and the cabs spend many happy hours together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted October 25, 2017 Share Posted October 25, 2017 Thanks Phil. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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