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Woohoo it works! First build 18" sealed

13K views 161 replies 35 participants last post by  lovinthehd 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm finally in the club! Been a while coming while I set up shop, learned some stuff about working with wood (virgin here, never had the time/facility/tools and getting the sub build itch just pushed it into being). This is like literally the second thing I have built from wood aside from a pretty lousy scoop I made back in shop class in 7th grade; I built a shelf/stand thing for my microwave in the kitchen as my first venture into woodworking just before this sub.

It's a Stereo Integrity HT18D2 in a 22x22x22" * sealed box, made from baltic birch ply, powering with a Crown XLS1500 in bridged mode (with my hand-assembled speakon cable of course). Got it all assembled today (pre-finishing) and fired it up, sounds great! Can't even hear the t-nut that dropped in the box as I put in the last screw (and seems to be doing no leakage in that spot so I guess the two adjoining screws and my gasket tape are sufficient for the moment). Now to go take it apart and sand and put some teak oil on it...

I took some pics that I remembered to take along the way but twice now it seems to be some sort of security token thing I need to contact an admin about....dang

ps * The effective size I aimed at was 22 x 22 x 22....but outside is 24 x 22 x 22 with an inset to flush fit the grill....okay slightly larger, effective is 22.5 x 22 x 22 :) with 3/4" ply
 
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#16 ·
Yeah I know, finish won't be too fancy but it needs to be darker. I will try the three sealed subs for a while (the two SI 18 sealed and my old Empire) just because I can. If the neighbors don't complain then maybe some ported or folded horn? ;). I moved into this house a year ago and took a while just to settle in, accumulate tools, setup the workshop area, finish mountain biking season, learn to use some of those tools, decide on which box to start with, screwed up my right arm and left hand doing trail work (which kinda made me want to start with something not so huge/heavy as a full marty)....once I was ready to roll it went quickly enough, though.
 
#3 ·
Good Job.. Enjoy!

 
#5 ·
Thanks, heard it hit the back of the cabinet which was on the ground at the time and I had a pillow in there so it didn't get to visit with the magnet. I glued the t-nut in while I had it out to oil/stain the cabinet... :) Now to figure out why I can upload a random image I copy off the interwebs yet can't upload a photo I took on my own camera but a brief search on the subject here got me nada so will try and shrink the photos in case size is the issue....
 
#9 ·
Thanks guys, I shoulda known or was the previous site version better at big files?

Well, when I waited long enough it was taking much bigger files, one at a time, but they were ridiculously large in preview so I cancelled out. Oh well, downloaded a Windows Essential gallery thingie that has the resizer feature....here's ny little journey. While the end product is rough around the edges where the top joins but I'm okay with that and will cover it up with some little brass corner pieces that are on the way.

Here we go...my first half of the journey...










 

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#8 ·
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#13 ·
Thanks!

Do tools count? :) Haven't kept all the receipts in one place.....basic BOM off top of my head for this first one:
Driver 200
Amp 300
Plywood 90
Connectors, grill cloth, feet, magnets 45
Finish/stain 25

I already had the amp (two actually), but with something like this in mind down the line but have used them for mains for a while. Kinda wish it was the Behringer 6000dsp model now but maybe later. I also bought a minidsp a while back, I will likely use it for these subs so maybe add in for that ($65 ea sub?). Originally, when buying the wood, had full Martys in mind so the plywood was more than needed/used so far, but think that's about half what I paid for three full sheets of baltic birch (9ply?).

I've had fun doing it, learned stuff and the value for the output/sq I think is awesome. Glad I didn't have to pay me for my time, tho.... :)
 
#27 ·
In Oakridge (40 mi SE of Eugene), a bit of paradise in the middle of the beautiful Willamette Natl Forest along the Middle Fork of the Willamette, between where that is combined with Salmon Creek and the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette :)

I aimed for the 22x22x22 as that seemed to be a good size for this driver, but I did extend the front a bit to accommodate the recessed grill but maintain the internal dims of the box as if it were 22x22x22....
 
#26 ·
For someone not into woodworking you've got one helluva nice shop setup there!

Question for you: Where did you get the grill cloth? I've been looking at PE, but their less expensive stuff apparently isn't really black. Wife has mentioned the word "grill" a couple of times now, and since it's February in Michigan, I know she's not talking about the one out on the back deck! :D
 
#31 ·
It's made with scrap pieces of the 3/4" baltic birch plywood, just gently stretched the fabric over a very simple butt joined frame that I tacked and glued together and then fabric stapled in place (helped in the corners with a little glue too). Could have stretched the fabric a bit more in hindsight altho seemed taut enough at the time.
 
#35 ·
#36 ·
Really nice look! Is that oil, or did you poly it?

And enough of the shop pics, let's see it in action (with measurement graphs, of course!) :D
 
#41 ·
They indeed are Sierra-1s (with NrT upgrade installed), using 170SEs for surrounds, 200SEs for rear surrounds. Currently four subs in the living room until I can sort it out, been using an Empire supplemented by two Infinity PSW350s. Just because and since there's a party tonight here I made the Empire and SI sub ch 1 and the Infinitys sub ch 2 (as they're roughly front and back and figured that way I can kick the front sub channel up some without stressing the other two).



That looks great! What size is your room?
The living room is 32.5 x 15 but with a large opening to dining area/kitchen. I don't know if I'll ever get it pressurized....at least not without the neighbors getting a dose. This does help, though.
 
#40 ·
That looks great! What size is your room?
 
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