New BassChat 8"Cab design

[basstone]

1 minute ago, tauzero said:

 

The battens around the front edge and the holes for the port and the speaker mean it's not that easy to apply the Tuffcab. Painting it black (I used rattle can matt black on the ones I built) is much easier, and if you're putting a grille on, you can't really see the texture anyway.

Thank you for the explanation, I understand now that it's mainly about the practicalities of applying the paint. I've used Tuffcab on some baffles (as it was all I had around at the time) and agree it's tricky to get a consistent finish on the edges next to the grille batten with the roller. I  also fit the port before painting, but as you say it's all hidden behind the grille if one is fitted anyway.

[Stub Mandrel]

Can you smooth tuffcab with a brush to get a flat finish around ports etc.?

[3below]

41 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Can you smooth tuffcab with a brush to get a flat finish around ports etc.?

Yes, you can also coat the port flange (if it has one) with copydex or similar if you are concerned about sealing.  I guess it could be sanded smooth as well.   I obtained my best tuffcab finish by dabbing it on with a washing up sponge resulting in textured leathercloth lookalike finish.

[Chienmortbb]

2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Can you smooth tuffcab with a brush to get a flat finish around ports etc.?

It is water-soluble, so you could thin it and brush that on. I think I did that on one cabinet. 

[Phil Starr]

On 01/12/2025 at 17:51, Stub Mandrel said:

Can you smooth tuffcab with a brush to get a flat finish around ports etc.?

Depends upon what you mean by flat, it's pretty high build and you won't get rid of all the brush marks but you can get quite a nice 'linen' texture with a short pile roller. I have tried sanding TuffCab and i have multiple types of sander. It's well named and I gave up on that one

[rwillett]

On 01/12/2025 at 17:51, Stub Mandrel said:

Can you smooth tuffcab with a brush to get a flat finish around ports etc.?

Or get someone to print a port with a flange, a gasket and three mounting holes so that it covers the hole neatly.
 

Just a thought. 

 

Rob

[Phil Starr]

2 hours ago, rwillett said:

Or get someone to print a port with a flange, a gasket and three mounting holes so that it covers the hole neatly.
 

Just a thought. 

 

Rob

I'm going to put this out there just once, in case Rob gets swamped. This is a really generous and genuine offer. Rob very kindly printed me a new grip for an ancient but expensive microphone, where the plastic had crumbled with age. He really represents the best of the BassChat community.

Edited yesterday at 13:28 by Phil Starr

[rwillett]

 I'm getting to the stage when I'm going to coat the cab in Armacab. However I want to make sure I understand some options here.

 

I'm going to add in two mounting blocks for the Warwick Gnome amp on the back of the cab and on the top of the cab, so the Gnome can be positioned on the back or on the top. It's just to add some flexibility 

 

This is the drill guide, a quick hack TBH.

 

 

I would drill 4mm holes here and then use an M3 pronged T-nut on the inside of the cab to allow the countersunk screws to bolt into the T-Nut. Not a fan of simple screws here. 

 

Now I'm trying to work out the order of doing this work.

 

Where I have done this before, which is for the Fane speaker, the front port and back panel, I would drill the right size hole, put the t-nut at the back into the hole, so an M3 T-Nut requires an M4 hole. I would then drill an M4 hole in a scrap piece of wood, put a long M3 bolt through the scrap wood with a heavy duty washer and then through the hole in the cab into the T-Nut. I would then tighten the M3 bolt up, it would tighten against the scrap wood and slowly pull the T-Nut into the inside of the cabinet, the scrap wood would protect the outside of the cabinet as I put quite a lot of force on it.

 

If I do all of this before I paint with Armacab, then I will need to protect the holes I've drilled so Armacab doesn't go in them. I can easily put some sacrificial bolts through the holes to protect them, However never used Armcab before so not sure, if the Armacab would splinter if I then took the sacrificial bolts out, when the armacab is dried.

 

OR

 

should I paint the cabinet with Armcab for a few coats and then drill the holes afterwards. Would putting the scrapwood on damage the surface of the Armacab. Could I even drill through the Armacab, not sure how tough it is. I can test it but it might a few days to dry so am now into "Paralysis by Analysis" as I work through what my options are.

 

Any thoughts welcomed.

 

Rob

[Pea Turgh]

What about using the sacrificial bolts idea, but take them out immediately after you finish the painting of the armacab, while it’s still wet?

[rwillett]

1 minute ago, Pea Turgh said:

What about using the sacrificial bolts idea, but take them out immediately after you finish the painting of the armacab, while it’s still wet?

 

Definitely an option, not sure how the Armacab would work here, is it so thick that it would stay in place, or would it ooze? Its very cold here and very wet so can't really test anything. T'other half has made it very clear, no painting or cab work in the house under any circumstances  

 

Rob

 

 

[rwillett]

I think I'll drill the holes, fit the t-nuts, put some sacrificial M3 bolts through, and then cover it. I want to get the speaker working as I have another to assemble and want them done for Xmas.If the covering has to wait, I'll accept that.

 

Rob

[Stub Mandrel]

Print some temporary plugs to fit the holes?

[basstone]

5 hours ago, rwillett said:

 

Definitely an option, not sure how the Armacab would work here, is it so thick that it would stay in place, or would it ooze? Its very cold here and very wet so can't really test anything. T'other half has made it very clear, no painting or cab work in the house under any circumstances  

 

Rob

 

 

I’m not sure about Armacab but the Tuffcab paint I’ve used needs a temperature greater than around 10 degrees in order to cure in a reasonable time. I have worked in the winter in my unheated open workshop but used a fan heater to help cure the paint. I’d agree use sacrificial bolts. Wait for the paint to go nearly but not completely dry before removing

[rwillett]

 

27 minutes ago, basstone said:

I’m not sure about Armacab but the Tuffcab paint I’ve used needs a temperature greater than around 10 degrees in order to cure in a reasonable time. I have worked in the winter in my unheated open workshop but used a fan heater to help cure the paint. I’d agree use sacrificial bolts. Wait for the paint to go nearly but not completely dry before removing

 

10C? That's a barmy sunny day in North Yorkshire. It's currently hovering between 0C and 5C during the day. Little chance of getting to 10C outside for a few weeks  I know you lot down in Somerset have a Caribbean climate all year round, but we don't. The reason we put ferrets down our trousers is to keep warm

 

I'll put the holes and t-nuts in, glue the front and rear panels in, round the edges and wait for it to warm up before applying the Armacab. I suppose it'll give me time to get the other speaker cab done.

 

Thanks

Rob

[Phil Starr]

I'm not sure you need to worry abnout sacrificing the bolts. the T-nuts will be well below the surface you are painting and you could always use blu-tac/chewing gum/plasticine to cover the nut, it's all going to be invisible once the speaker is fitted.

 

I don't really like t-nuts much so I'm shifting to furniture nuts in future the t-nuts sometimes overhang the narrow strip of baffle left once you've cut the speaker hole so I'm hoping these will be neater

 

[RhythmJunky]

1 minute ago, Phil Starr said:

I'm not sure you need to worry abnout sacrificing the bolts. the T-nuts will be well below the surface you are painting and you could always use blu-tac/chewing gum/plasticine to cover the nut, it's all going to be invisible once the speaker is fitted.

 

I don't really like t-nuts much so I'm shifting to furniture nuts in future the t-nuts sometimes overhang the narrow strip of baffle left once you've cut the speaker hole so I'm hoping these will be neater

 

 

I just used 4 of those to rebuild a piano bench so that I could bolt the padded bit down to the leggy bit.  Great job. Very neat. 

[Obrienp]

6 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

I'm not sure you need to worry abnout sacrificing the bolts. the T-nuts will be well below the surface you are painting and you could always use blu-tac/chewing gum/plasticine to cover the nut, it's all going to be invisible once the speaker is fitted.

 

I don't really like t-nuts much so I'm shifting to furniture nuts in future the t-nuts sometimes overhang the narrow strip of baffle left once you've cut the speaker hole so I'm hoping these will be neater

 

I used those (plus machine screws) to secure the feet on my BF Two10 after the ply got a bit messed up by rough handling. Much more secure than the original wood screws fixed directly into the ply. 

[3below]

2 hours ago, Phil Starr said:

I'm not sure you need to worry abnout sacrificing the bolts. the T-nuts will be well below the surface you are painting and you could always use blu-tac/chewing gum/plasticine to cover the nut, it's all going to be invisible once the speaker is fitted.

 

I don't really like t-nuts much so I'm shifting to furniture nuts in future the t-nuts sometimes overhang the narrow strip of baffle left once you've cut the speaker hole so I'm hoping these will be neater

 

Some of these are really good, others are poor quality zinc (?) castings.  I found the stainless steel ones best when inserting into mahogany or ply, the coarse thread ones (as shown) sometimes do not self tap and pull the ply laminations apart.  Using the stainless ones and thread tapping the wood hole produced the best results (superglue or epoxy them in if you want total solidity)  This avoids wrecking wood near to the speaker hole., there are no prizes for guessing how I know.

[rwillett]

2 hours ago, Phil Starr said:

I'm not sure you need to worry abnout sacrificing the bolts. the T-nuts will be well below the surface you are painting and you could always use blu-tac/chewing gum/plasticine to cover the nut, it's all going to be invisible once the speaker is fitted.

 

I don't really like t-nuts much so I'm shifting to furniture nuts in future the t-nuts sometimes overhang the narrow strip of baffle left once you've cut the speaker hole so I'm hoping these will be neater

 

Guess who has spent the week measuring, drilling, fitting and screwing in 34 M3 and M4 t-nuts? 

 

Now you tell me

 

Rob

[Chienmortbb]

30 minutes ago, 3below said:

Some of these are really good, others are poor quality zinc (?) castings.  I found the stainless steel ones best when inserting into mahogany or ply, the coarse thread ones (as shown) sometimes do not self tap and pull the ply laminations apart.  Using the stainless ones and thread tapping the wood hole produced the best results (superglue or epoxy them in if you want total solidity)  This avoids wrecking wood near to the speaker hole., there are no prizes for guessing how I know.

I have all the same there shirts. 
 

To be honest I find almost soaking the hole with PVA adhesive before inserting the threaded insert works well although  both superglue and epoxy will do the job well. It’s just that there is less risk with the PVA. I tend to stick to the workpiece with superglue/cyanoacrylate and if you get epoxy on anything, it’s a  swine to get it off. 

Edited 45 minutes ago by Chienmortbb

[3below]

31 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

I have all the same there shirts. 
 

To be honest I find almost soaking the hole with PVA adhesive before inserting the threaded insert works well although  both superglue and epoxy will do the job well. It’s just that there is less risk with the PVA. I tend to stick to the workpiece with superglue/cyanoacrylate and if you get epoxy on anything, it’s a  swine to get it off. 

I also have the same there shirts with epoxy and CA glue. CA skilfully evades careful handling.