LAB Sub Build

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   Cheers fellas! Right, thats that settled then. Ply sides it is. I'm just working on those funny angled pieces that lead from the heart of the module to the begining of the mouth of the horn. Those angles are proving to be a right mare....

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Chris P Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 22 November 2006 Status: Offline Points: 118	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris P Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 March 2008 at 3:04pm
	Cheers fellas! Right, thats that settled then. Ply sides it is. I'm just working on those funny angled pieces that lead from the heart of the module to the begining of the mouth of the horn. Those angles are proving to be a right mare....

Lasse Lukkari Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 09 March 2004 Location: Finland Status: Offline Points: 462	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lasse Lukkari Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 March 2008 at 10:37am
	At the time I built my first two labsubs 4 years ago there wasn't any mm plans available and I didn't know how to use cad, so i used 19mm mdf for the module just like you. Everything else is 18mm ply. Edited by Lasse Lukkari - 07 March 2008 at 10:38am

biotec Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 07 June 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2556	Post Options Post Reply Quote biotec Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 March 2008 at 10:14am
	I think the comprimise that you suggest is perfect, it should last as long as a ply cab and will meet your budget. Good luck with the rest of the build, it's not a particularly complex cab to build, it's just slow because of the number of pieces and needs to be done perfectly to ensure everything is nice and air tight. If in doubt, get the gripfill and polyeurethane glue out.

MarjanM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 10 February 2005 Location: Macedonia Status: Offline Points: 2492	Post Options Post Reply Quote MarjanM Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 11:24pm
	If you combine ply and mdf than just make the big side panels from ply. They are handeling most of the abuse. MDF is fragile and corners can be easily damaged with all that weight even by the ligt impact during the transport. To load tne labsub in the truck you need minimum of two strong man.
	Marjan Milosevic Production and R&D Manager Bold Audio Inc www.boldaudioinc.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bold-Audio-Inc/323691856723

jethrocker Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 07 June 2006 Location: Chiapas, Mexico Status: Offline Points: 1942	Post Options Post Reply Quote jethrocker Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 10:40pm
	Chris..I'd say do exactly what you describe in your above post... ply outer, mdf inner, with internal panels sealed (buying a sealant or using pva would be easier than painting them twice I guess) they should last as long as a full ply cab, and will cost you just a little more than full mdf.

Chris P Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 22 November 2006 Status: Offline Points: 118	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris P Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 9:37pm
	Hmm, i've got all worried now. Seems to be some strong arguments. I know Ply is by far superior in terms of toughness, but MDF is cheap. As i said in an earlier post, id far rather make a mistake on a £15 sheet of MDF than a £30 sheet of ply. I cant afford mistakes like that. But i still want a set of cabs at the end to show for it. What i may well end up doing, is making the internals out of MDF, but the sides out of ply. As these are the areas (obviously) that will receiev the abuse. I paint my cabinets inside and out as i know with MDF moisture is an issue. My thinking is if every surface showing has at LEAST two coats on, it will slow down any moisture trying to get in.

Mark James Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 15 January 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4337	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mark James Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 9:11pm
	I have to agree with hbl ive seen some 1850s made from mdf take quite a pounding before, outdoors and in and getting packed in and out of a truck in a muddy field by a bunch of stumbling spooners [me being one of them] and they were fine, alough birch would blatently be better!!!
	bpm project part two in pregress !!!

Heathrow_B_line Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 11 January 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5226	Post Options Post Reply Quote Heathrow_B_line Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 9:03pm
	i have found from my own experience that the weight difference between birch ply and mdf is quite small, so the weight would not put me off. i would however try and think about best place for handles now. maybe make one, then figure out if you need to make changes they are looking good though, im sure you wont ever need to replace them with birch cabs
	Produce a killer sound. Take no prisoners.

biotec Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 07 June 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2556	Post Options Post Reply Quote biotec Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 8:14pm
	I would stop where you are and wait until you can afford ply for the rest of the cabinets. In my opinion this is not the kind of box you want to construct from MDF unless it is staying put. The cabinet is so heavy that simply rolling the cab on corners and edges will damge them because of the self weight of the box. This is an expensive speaker to load, build and amp correctly, using ply instead of MDF will not change the overall cost considerably.

Chris P Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 22 November 2006 Status: Offline Points: 118	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris P Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 8:13pm
	Well, im not building them with selling them in mind. I want to get some use out of them. This isnt a business for me, its just a hobby. Even if i end up using them as firewood in 2010 they will have still served me a purpose.

norty303 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 18 August 2004 Location: Eastbourne Status: Offline Points: 6551	Post Options Post Reply Quote norty303 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 8:10pm
	The selling of them may be more difficult than the building methinks.....
	..is really, really not admin or anything to do with the site anymore, so just when you think 'I'll PM Norty'..... don't!

Chris P Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 22 November 2006 Status: Offline Points: 118	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris P Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 March 2008 at 7:49pm
	Yeah i know, they will weigh a ton and will probarbly break when they get dropped. I simply cant afford ply. Not at this stage. I'm still learning the craft. If i can consistantly make cabs to a decent standard without screwing up any cuts, i'll sell the cabs i have and remake them from ply.