OP
Pine 4x12 with Celestion Blues dimension question[s]
- Thread starter Geeze
- Start date
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
Busy day - wacked down lots of big weeds, sprayed an acre with a one gallon hand sprayer, moved stuff around for the hail storm [it wasn't supposed to rain today] and got to finger joint the sides. All 72 of them. Also posted a reel about said finger joints to insta that they decided to turn 90°. Mumble...
For those who have put up with me you know I am physically incapable of making plain looking wood projects. This one is no exception.
Drilled the corners.
Cut the corners.
And will fit the Peruvian walnut blocks into the notches like this.
Still debating on doing the baffle rim in Peruvian walnut too. It makes an interesting pattern like this.
Russ
For those who have put up with me you know I am physically incapable of making plain looking wood projects. This one is no exception.
Drilled the corners.
Cut the corners.
And will fit the Peruvian walnut blocks into the notches like this.
Still debating on doing the baffle rim in Peruvian walnut too. It makes an interesting pattern like this.
Russ
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
Today is glue up. After years of trying to hold small blocks of wood to glue finger joints [I cut them about .020" proud] I noticed a jig I made for a really foolish project and made a couple more to glue up the last side.
Also cut the walnut corner blocks and started to round them to fit.
Russ
Also cut the walnut corner blocks and started to round them to fit.
Russ
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
Hi Eric,
EC repro as I have a bunch - thinking I didn't have any last year and ordered a few yards more. The move uncovered the happy accident.
Working the corner blocks -
gluing.
I try to cut the fingers and the glue on bits a bit 'proud' then cut/sand flat.
One side cut and sanded.
An inside corner has a small gap. Here is one of the benefits of contrasting wood.
Squirt in some CA + accelerant [who wants to wait?] and sand it flat.
These are the back corner blocks that need to be notched.
At this point the cab weighs 18.4lb.
Russ
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
No, just straight CA .I've tired that with wood glue and disappointed as the repair seems an off hue from the surrounding wood I suspect due to the glue. Not tried it with CA.
You've just given me an idea for accents - CA and powdered mica in the deliberate grooves / cuts. I am a heretic when it comes to wood.
Russ
paul-e-mann
Member
@Geeze I didn't have luck with pine, cabs I made with pine didn't sound good as a tone wood for cabs, ply sounded better. You've built so many cabs out of different woods, have you noticed tone difference or wood that sounded better or worse than others? I've made cabs out of particle board, chip board, pine, different layered ply, the best type was always 9-13 layer birch ply.
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
I've heard good and bad about pine. This will be the fourth Radiata pine cab - the first three were TL806 ish - same volume, massaged external dims. I built the first in 2013 as a buddy who is a hired gun guitarist in Dallas wanted a smaller cab that would fit one of his heads. He later reported that it was his best sounding cab, even his band mates said the same. He called me in 2023 and wanted another, just like the other one. I goofed on dims and ended up building one for me - had to split it front to back to add in more wood.
It is an amazing lively and resonant - in a good way cab. I've built cabs with BB, poplar, African mahogany, sapele, maple, walnut, cherry and aspen. None of them touch this cab. Structurally not sure how Radiata differs from normal clear [no knots] pine but it seems to be more homogenous between the summer and winter growth.
I keep mumbling about getting a good reference mic and analysis software to measure frequencies and resonance but other bits keep tempting me - amps, a house, etc.
Baffle is in glue up and the back is next.
Russ
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
Gone most of yesterday touring the hills.
Gluing up the multi part baffle. Spent some time running the two halves through a drum sander to get them flat in relation to each other. Now in glue up.
Starting on the baffle surround. Due to the additional piping I screw to the finished baffle it is front loaded and attached to cleats on the rear of the surround. I nailed the two sides together to keep the angle consistent and not warp the baffle. A shooting board is a handy tool.
And cut. This is a 2° or so angle.
Naturally I had the 'moment' where I measured the length at least twice then proceeded to cut it 1/8" short. Mumble. That side is in glue up so I can recut it.
Russ
Gluing up the multi part baffle. Spent some time running the two halves through a drum sander to get them flat in relation to each other. Now in glue up.
Starting on the baffle surround. Due to the additional piping I screw to the finished baffle it is front loaded and attached to cleats on the rear of the surround. I nailed the two sides together to keep the angle consistent and not warp the baffle. A shooting board is a handy tool.
And cut. This is a 2° or so angle.
Naturally I had the 'moment' where I measured the length at least twice then proceeded to cut it 1/8" short. Mumble. That side is in glue up so I can recut it.
Russ
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
The baffle rim is cut with the 2° angle to include the top and bottom bits. If you don't have a magnetic angle device they are worth their weight in gold.
The baffle cleats and the back bracing is sized.
The back is sanded flat and the two pieces glued together.
Time for dinner.
Russ
The baffle cleats and the back bracing is sized.
The back is sanded flat and the two pieces glued together.
Time for dinner.
Russ
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
More progress.
The baffle surround is in.
The back panel bracing is glued in.
Back panel cut and test fit.
FUBAR strikes - a first for the speaker screw holes - one was drilled off center. Mumble.
Hole drilled out with a forstner bit and I was lucky to have some 1/2" dowel laying about.
Super glue to the rescue.
Baffle screws installed and CA tacked in. I drill the hole undersize and force the screw to 'tap' itself into the hole. Painted.
With all of the parts included the weight is 29.6lb. I'm on the fence on handles at the moment. If the side prove to be too resonant I'll install Scumback handles to stiffen.
Onward and upward!
Russ
The baffle surround is in.
The back panel bracing is glued in.
Back panel cut and test fit.
FUBAR strikes - a first for the speaker screw holes - one was drilled off center. Mumble.
Hole drilled out with a forstner bit and I was lucky to have some 1/2" dowel laying about.
Super glue to the rescue.
Baffle screws installed and CA tacked in. I drill the hole undersize and force the screw to 'tap' itself into the hole. Painted.
With all of the parts included the weight is 29.6lb. I'm on the fence on handles at the moment. If the side prove to be too resonant I'll install Scumback handles to stiffen.
Onward and upward!
Russ
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
Baffle cleats and baffle installed.
There's a .450" gap surrounding the baffle from the sides to allow for .125" walnut piping and the EC repro cloth which is about .075" thick and a bit of breathing room. I wasted lots of time trying to make the gap a 'press fit' and spent hours trying to get it to fit.
The other thing I'm curious about is - with the exception of the Radiata 1x12s I have always sealed the interior with shellac and then lacquer on the exterior to limit moisture flow.
I've heard for years than finish affects the tone - anyone care to weigh in?
Now for the wiring - after I find the bloody flux - moving is a non stop treasure hunt.
Russ
There's a .450" gap surrounding the baffle from the sides to allow for .125" walnut piping and the EC repro cloth which is about .075" thick and a bit of breathing room. I wasted lots of time trying to make the gap a 'press fit' and spent hours trying to get it to fit.
The other thing I'm curious about is - with the exception of the Radiata 1x12s I have always sealed the interior with shellac and then lacquer on the exterior to limit moisture flow.
I've heard for years than finish affects the tone - anyone care to weigh in?
Now for the wiring - after I find the bloody flux - moving is a non stop treasure hunt.
Russ
Eric'45
Well-Known Member
It's coming along nicely... 
How the Cabinet is finished on the inside could, maybe, make a small difference.
I would guess that unfinished Pine has a slightly more rough surface, compared to when it is sealed with lacquer. If you add some Hi-Fi- type insulation, that obviously also has an effect on the sound.
But that is just a guess. I am not shure if there would be a perceptible difference.
For Acoustic Instruments- Yes, the type of finish can affect the tone.
How the Cabinet is finished on the inside could, maybe, make a small difference.
I would guess that unfinished Pine has a slightly more rough surface, compared to when it is sealed with lacquer. If you add some Hi-Fi- type insulation, that obviously also has an effect on the sound.
But that is just a guess. I am not shure if there would be a perceptible difference.
OP
Geeze
Well-Known Member
I suspect the result would be tiny with a surface sealer. Tolex or tweed I can see making a 'bigger' impact.
Russ
Eric'45
Well-Known Member
Definitely. Tolex on the outside will have some sort of dampening effect.
On the Inside- unless you spray thick High gloss poly there, or do other extreme things, there can't be a notable difference.