Recycling cabinets. A good idea?
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URL: https://forum.speakerplans.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=103701
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Topic: Recycling cabinets. A good idea?
Posted By: jbl_man
Subject: Recycling cabinets. A good idea?
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 8:51am
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Just a thought... with the ever increasing enviromental issues, just wondered if it's really a good idea to be building new cabinets, (new plywood = more trees felled) surely the way forward would be to recycle/refurbish older stuff? I have allways made the effort to source off-cuts of ply from builders skips,which of course, would otherwise have ended up in landfill, have managed to build 16 hf horn cabinets over the years from old offcuts. Wondered if anyone else has similar thoughts? Let us know if you have managed to re-cycle older cabs,or source waste ply and turn it into a speaker. The less new sheets of 8x4 we use the better really.  ------------- Be seeing you. |
Replies:
Posted By: djeddie
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 9:09am
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Well Mucker uses 802's as plant-pot and wine bottle holders. Does that count?  ------------- Chas n Dave : it's like Drum and Bass but with beards. E=mc² ±3dB |
Posted By: SamV
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 6:10pm
| I often chop up old cabinets to use as shelving or planters. And when it comes to building new cabs I'm try to use scraps from others for bracing, smaller panels, grills etc. |
Posted By: valve head777
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 8:26pm
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My old wardrobe scoops were built from shutter wood panels used to board up shops after the Leicester riots. That's pretty good recycling! Thanks Leicester council... ------------- Freedom of choice, choice of freedom. |
Posted By: Bams
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 9:13pm
| Our local DIY-shop saws to order and sells the remaining wood at 40% discount. I think 90% of the wood i use comes from that stash. It’s even nicely sorted by measurement: smallest size they keep is 20x20cm so almost nothing gets thrown away. They also stash plexi, trespa and so on. Recycling avant la lettre; they started it in the 80’s |
Posted By: IainB
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 9:20pm
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Ive got a facebook 'friend' who at the end of his theatre tour, puts his old props up as FOC so he doesnt have to store them Ive had a load of decent ply and castors from him in the past thats made it into my cabinets
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Posted By: madboffin
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 9:46pm
Highfields, 1981? |
valve head777 wrote:Posted By: madboffin
Date Posted: 11 May 2019 at 10:35pm
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One way to do it is to rescue classic vintage cabinets and rebuild them to original (or upgrade to better than original) working order. There have been some really good examples reported on SP over the years. A lot of this stuff is only sold off by hire companies because the marketeers have done their best to make it "unfashionable" and therefore no longer rider-friendly. Or replaced in installations because somebody has demonstrated a new system which sounded better than the old one that's had most of the drivers thrashed to death and never been maintained. It's easier than building from scratch, and if the box hasn't fallen to bits after 25 years' touring, it's probably going to be good for another 25! |
Posted By: Mikkel
Date Posted: 12 May 2019 at 12:12am
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Madboffin - what brands would you recommend for this type of thing? I was think along similar lines not long back but have no idea what makes/models were decent 20/30 years ago. Crap wood and glue is still crap wood and glue no matter when and where its from. |
Posted By: Elliot Thompson
Date Posted: 12 May 2019 at 5:20am
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In the States, powered speakers are now the standard. It is rare to find a manufacture that is not producing some means of a powered speaker to the consumer market. This leads to thousands of stand alone amplifiers in addition to, passive speakers being sold on eBay. For those who choose to build passive full range and/or top cabinets based on budget constraints, it really does not make logical sense any more.
QSC is known today as a powered loudspeaker company with their standalone non-dsp amplifiers looked upon as a novelty item. Even Peavey has discontinued their whole slew of power amplifiers with the exception of the IPR2 Series years ago. As for Crown, they incorporate their amplifiers in JBL and, focus on the install market with their drive core topology.
There are lots of sound companies that are literally willing to accept very low prices just to get their old passive boxes out of their warehouse. Some are loaded with functional speakers whereas others are partially loaded or with blown components. Many just gut out the components, destroy the boxes and, sell the loudspeakers/crossovers on eBay.
I have always upgraded drivers in my sub cabinets throughout the decades to more capable components to achieve what I was seeking in terms of performance. However, toting old sub cabinets are more acceptable in the eye of the beholder (clients) than old full-range/top boxes. Once you leave a particular market, you will have to the leeway to do as you please. For those who are not planning to leave, you either adapt or die.
Best Regards,
------------- Elliot Thompson |
Posted By: mobiele eenheid
Date Posted: 12 May 2019 at 6:33am
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I used to recycle my prototypes where possible, i.e. carving out a larger horn throat to measure it's influence. My column drill stand is an old prototype cabinet, as is my table saw stand.
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Posted By: jbl_man
Date Posted: 12 May 2019 at 8:47am
The quality ones...vintage Martin Audio, ASS, Mega, Tasco-Harwell are a few of the names, also vintage Turbosound can be bought for sensible prices nowdays. Just assume you are buying an empty cabinet, as any 30-year old drivers inside will be either dead or dying,and repair, sand and re-finish the cabs,and load with new or reconed drivers to suit. Wherever possible i would replace any old woodscrews/fittings with new ones too. The result will be a cabinet that is every bit as good and as solid as a new one. ------------- Be seeing you. |
Posted By: jazomir
Date Posted: 12 May 2019 at 11:41am
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Plywood manufacturers, like nearly all timber producers in northern Europe , are environmentally responsible and regularly advertise the fact that they plant several trees for every one they cut down. Many also use environmentally friendly glues in their manufacturing processes so from these aspects the products are very eco friendly but obviously you have the environmental impact of production (many factories generate power using waste wood and/or solar power) and transport to add to the equation. Some manufacturers claim 0% waste wood from their factories - so, overall quie a nice eco business. That should not stop people re-usind it upcycling wood products though - 'cos every little helps. Now, about converting those old 4560s into planters for the garden.....! ------------- For sidefills, can we have two enormous things of a type that might be venerated as Gods by the inhabitants of Easter Island, capable of reaching volumes that would make Beelzebub soil his pants. |
Posted By: doller
Date Posted: 12 May 2019 at 12:01pm
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I don't think that it is so much about the wood. Birch trees grow pretty thick and fast. It's the tropical woods that are in danger. I.E bubinga, Teak,Mahogany, Green heart ect the list goes on. Thease woods arn't used in ply. Surprisingly alot went into railway sleepers. Such a waste. What cocerns me is all that plastic and frp. Horns ect. How many people here think about the micro waste from sanding all that frp and old warnex? Wood just rots and returns to the enviroment. Plastic however! Paint is plastic by the way. Sorry to rant good subject JBL man. |
Posted By: Mikkel
Date Posted: 12 May 2019 at 4:37pm
Thanks JBL!
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Posted By: Majestic
Date Posted: 15 May 2019 at 10:37am
| Good post. I was about to build new cabs but will look for used ones unloaded if anyone has any spare |
Posted By: Plaguesguitarist
Date Posted: 15 May 2019 at 11:12am
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I've recycled and upcycled many cabs over the years. A good paint job or re-carpeting can be as satisfying as a fresh build. Plus a lot of the older boxes sounded better when properly loaded than some of the crap out there now and are well worth reviving. Probably why you don't see many Branded unloaded boxes on Ebay/Rig Resale sites. People do re-use them. There's a lot of shit on there though that isn't worth the effort...  ------------- Why did the lampy cross the road? To steal MY sharpie. |
Posted By: Jimmer
Date Posted: 16 May 2019 at 9:23am
If anyone would like to shift on a decent pair of 15" reflex subs.... hit me up! unloaded is fine as I have some luuuurvly ATC long coils waiting to be used! Must be solid, but happy to do some painting 
------------- Light travels faster than sound....That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak! |
Posted By: Del
Date Posted: 23 September 2019 at 3:11pm
Valvehead!!! Greetings Its Del from Leicester. Can't get to send you a message direct on here for some reason so apologies. PM me bro and lets talk Valve amp and preamps and p.s the other amp is alive and kicking. Stay blessed
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Posted By: colint
Date Posted: 23 September 2019 at 8:33pm
Nope that was me, Mucker users 802's for fire's Lol ------------- Never criticise another man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. Once you have, call him what you like, you're a mile away and you've got his shoes! |
Posted By: Dub Specialist Sound
Date Posted: 23 September 2019 at 10:46pm
------------- Musical Roots Reggae Vibration is Life! for music is sound...sound is vibration...vibration is energy... and energy begets life. Therein lies my passion!...MUSIC IS LIFE... |
Posted By: odc04r
Date Posted: 24 September 2019 at 8:56am
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I've just purloined some old desk legs from furniture getting skipped at work, they're the perfect size to mill out into guitar pedal enclosures. I am not sure of the wood but it is very dense and fine grained, back from the days when things were made to last. I think they will turn out well. At least wood can be easily recycled, but it's amazing (and a bit dispiriting) how much useful stuff is just getting thrown away all the time.
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Posted By: Jacxy
Date Posted: 24 September 2019 at 4:48pm
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I've always found the idea of doing old/vintage stuff up to new again, or better in some cases, to be extremely satisfying and worthwhile. The idea of giving something an extra life if you like seems really cool. I agree with odc04r that its a ashame a lot of it goes to waste! ------------- Almost everyone is born a genius and buried an idiot. |
Posted By: Del
Date Posted: 03 October 2019 at 10:42pm
Mate I can’t find the private message system??? 
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Posted By: cravings
Date Posted: 03 October 2019 at 11:28pm
| you're too new here to have pms.. |
Posted By: Dub Specialist Sound
Date Posted: 04 October 2019 at 2:32am
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You need 10 points/posts bro...then yull be able to send/receive pms ------------- Musical Roots Reggae Vibration is Life! for music is sound...sound is vibration...vibration is energy... and energy begets life. Therein lies my passion!...MUSIC IS LIFE... |
Posted By: Del
Date Posted: 04 October 2019 at 7:27am
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Thanks guys
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Posted By: valve head777
Date Posted: 08 October 2019 at 10:27pm
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Del,iI've pm'd you... ------------- Freedom of choice, choice of freedom. |
Posted By: Del
Date Posted: 09 October 2019 at 10:00am
| Mate I can't see your DM lol catch me here (delasystudio8) at (icloud.com) Cheers |