BC 8" cab

[tauzero]

Battens already cut to length and drilled.

 

My circular saw proved capable of cutting a triple layer sandwich (once I set the cut height right). I used a different cutting pattern as I was cutting a maximum of 610mm - first a cut across at 300mm, then a second and third at 376mm. After that, I stacked the three pieces and cut at 276mm twice, so a total of five cuts.

 

First, I made the sled - I'd glued and screwed a length of batten across the panel, and just cut across using that as a guide.

 

 

Then I clamped up for the first cut, and found that when I'd just nipped up the fixing bolt for the blade that my definition of nipped up and the instructions definition of nipped up are different. Once rectified, off we went. The first cut is the shallowest.

 

 

After that first cut, I was able to use the piece I'd just cut off to rest the other side of the circular saw base on.

 

 

Another cut the same and then I stacked the wood.

 

 

And at last got to the final cut.

 

 

I still have to cut out holes in the front and rear.

[nekomatic]

Game on! Looking forward to seeing more of these nifty little cabs coming to life. 

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

I still have to cut out holes in the front and rear.

 

Have you decided how you want to do this yet?  I have some decent sized hole cutting tools if you want to visit and use them.

[tauzero]

6 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

 

Have you decided how you want to do this yet?  I have some decent sized hole cutting tools if you want to visit and use them.

 

Porthole is no problem (holesaw), also the control plate (jigsaw). I'm weighing up how best to do the speaker cut out, I also have a palm router (and a plunge router although I'm not sure about the chuck on it).

[tauzero]

Connector plate hole cut out - I cut it a bit undersize then chamfered the edge, and I may well do the same thing for the speaker hole. Port hole also cut. Router jig ordered to cut circular hole. Battens applied to sides.

 

Due to a dose of flu, I've called a short halt because bouts of dizziness and power tools don't mix.

 

I have a feeling that I may need to sand down the sides of the front and rear panels as they're a tiny bit short and a tiny bit fat.

[SpondonBassed]

7 minutes ago, tauzero said:

a tiny bit short and a tiny bit fat.

 

Yet sporting eight inches...!

 

GWS

[tauzero]

The sides all battened up.

 

 

Yes, that batten is a bit long - it's now been sanded down.

 

 

 

I still have to do a tiny bit of tidying to the chamfering as the connector plate isn't absolutely flush - only about 1mm off.

[rwillett]

Does anybody have any experience of Granotone speaker paint? 

 

I'm looking at options for finishing the cab. 

 

So far I could paint it in a similar way to @Pea Turgh or I could use a more traditional textured speaker paint or I could do something off the wall like Rustins textured step paint in red. 

 

I rather fancied red speakers and did look at Tuff Cab but they have none in stock of any colour. I've been told Tuff Cab is really Aldcrofts in Bolton but a number of people elsewhere have stated that Aldcrofts are very difficult to deal with. I'll drop them an email and see what they say. I can drive to Bolton quite easily if I choose to work in Manchester for the day. 

 

Most of the black speaker paint appears to be expensive and come in quarts or fathoms or gallons or something. The Warnex stuff appears to be in German and even though I lived in Hamburg for a while my German is crap. 

 

There's doesn't appear to be a lot of choice here so wondered if anybody had tried Granotone or have other suggestions for a tough finish. It looks like there are more open mics and other sessions comjng up so I think I need a tough finish on these cabs. 

 

Thoughts welcomed. 

 

Rob

[SpondonBassed]

Hammerite comes in a variety of colours both smooth or hammered finish.  Although it's expensive, it is quite tough as long as you have a compatible primer to support it.

 

It's impressive when sunlight hits it so I'd imagine stage lighting would have a similar result.

 

It is excellent for painting directly onto metal that has had the loose rust removed with a wire brush.  It works well with plastics when you use the appropriate primer.  I'd happily use it on a cab.  It does take a while to fully cure however.  You will need good ventilation too.  It stinks for the first few days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by SpondonBassed

[tauzero]

4 hours ago, rwillett said:

There's doesn't appear to be a lot of choice here so wondered if anybody had tried Granotone or have other suggestions for a tough finish. It looks like there are more open mics and other sessions comjng up so I think I need a tough finish on these cabs. 

 

Just wondering the same myself. There appear to be Tuff Cab (available in white or yellow only, nothing else out there), Granotone (5kg for £60, 800g for £25), and DuraTex (£100 for 32ml - that's just over six teaspoons, although it seems it's really a pint which would be more like 550ml).

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DuraTex®-Furniture-Application-Water-Based-Professional/dp/B0CTS54R8X?th=1

 

Hammerite?

[tauzero]

4 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

Hammerite comes in a variety of colours both smooth or hammered finish.  Although it's expensive, it is quite tough as long as you have a compatible primer to support it.

 

It's impressive when sunlight hits it so I'd imagine stage lighting would have a similar result.

 

It is excellent for painting directly onto metal that has had the loose rust removed with a wire brush.  It works well with plastics when you use the appropriate primer.  I'd happily use it on a cab.  It does take a while to fully cure however.  You will need good ventilation too.  It stinks for the first few days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I see we had the same thought.

[rwillett]

We've all had the same thoughts and come to similar conclusions which I find highly amusing.

 

One other thing to add, the Aldcrofts paint (which I think is Tuff Cab) only has an unopened shelf life of six months. I worked out that doing two 8" cabs with three coats uses approx 1Kg, and the chances of me using it again is low, so its very expensive to paint two cabs. If I lived closer to people I'd happily pass tins along but unlikely to happen.

 

I like the look of the Hammered Hammerite but thats not cheap either at circa £10 / 250ml.

 

There is this site that tests how it works on different woods and it comes through with flying colours. They don't mention the primer they use though.

 

https://patientgardener.co.uk/can-you-paint-hammerite-on-wood/

 

I have seen a suggestion of using an oil based primer for undercoat https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=93459

 

I think I'll head to Settle later and see what they have in my local DIY store. Hammered red might be interesting and if nothing more, I'll use the can on something.

Rob