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Curved SLA center channel build

post #1 of 18
3/14/11 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
Hey, guys. Built a curved SLA center and wanted to post some pics and ask a few questions. Actually, one question. This is for my living room and will have 2 with 9 woofers and tweeters for L and R and 2 with 6 woofers and tweeters, a la the curved center, but with flat baffles for surround for a 5.1 system. They will all be oak veneered 3/4 ply with a dark walnut stain and high gloss poly coat. The question......how many coats of wipe on poly would you guys use, sanding with 000 steel wool in between, to get the proper glossy finish? Here's some pics. Not many taken, since we all know how to build a box. Plus, they are crappy camera phone shots. I've got the first coat of poly drying now, and will post some better pics of the finished product.
LL
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LL
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post #2 of 18
3/14/11 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 
Also, I'll be making a grill for the front to hide the unveneered edges of the ply and to keep the fingers of that little angel in the pictures out of the business end of the SLA!
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post #3 of 18
3/14/11 at 7:37pm
Looking good!

I use a fair few more coats of wipe on than if I'm going brush on. 4-5 would be a good start. I do 2-3 with a brush on. That's with a satin sheen, mind you--those darn gloss coats need even more!
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post #4 of 18
3/14/11 at 11:47pm
Thread Starter 
Dang, I was hoping for 3. Oh, well. I got time.
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post #5 of 18
3/15/11 at 12:50pm
Looks good, where did you source your drivers and tweets, if you don't mind me asking?

TIA
Justin
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post #6 of 18
3/15/11 at 2:11pm
Thread Starter 
No, I don't mind at all. Got the plans, which tell what the preferred drivers are, from Bill, then got all parts including drivers, crossover components and binding posts from Parts Express.
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post #7 of 18
3/15/11 at 2:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddie Horton View Post

Hey, guys. Built a curved SLA center and wanted to post some pics and ask a few questions. Actually, one question. This is for my living room and will have 2 with 9 woofers and tweeters for L and R and 2 with 6 woofers and tweeters, a la the curved center, but with flat baffles for surround for a 5.1 system. They will all be oak veneered 3/4 ply with a dark walnut stain and high gloss poly coat. The question......how many coats of wipe on poly would you guys use, sanding with 000 steel wool in between, to get the proper glossy finish? Here's some pics. Not many taken, since we all know how to build a box. Plus, they are crappy camera phone shots. I've got the first coat of poly drying now, and will post some better pics of the finished product.

What brand poly are you using and are you putting down a sanding sealer first or just poly. Do you want to fill the grain or just achieve gloss finish with raised oak grain?
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post #8 of 18
3/15/11 at 3:19pm
Thread Starter 
Using Minwax high-gloss poly over Minwax oil based stain and conditioner. I can tell you this..... high-gloss or not, one coat ain't gonna do it. I'd like it to be as glossy as can be reasonably expected given my amateur status as a woodworker.
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post #9 of 18
3/15/11 at 3:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddie Horton View Post

Got the plans, which tell what the preferred drivers are, from Bill, then got all parts including drivers, crossover components and binding posts from Parts Express.

Gotcha...I had been eyeing the SLA's for a while and always wondered if the plans gave preferred options or not.
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post #10 of 18
3/15/11 at 5:31pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, they do. I'm glad, too, because I'd seen a lot of builds where it seemed like people threw in whatever they could come across the cheapest, and while I guess that could work and still sound good, I wanted to get the specific drivers that the crossover was designed for. Mine sounds pretty darn good and can get as loud as I ever plan to go in the living room. Had to back the center channel gain back several db's from what it was before. Keep in mind that the center will be a 4 ohm load. I'm running a Panny XR-57 in this room and it barely gets warm. Probably only needing a few 10 or 20 watts even pretty loud.
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post #11 of 18
3/15/11 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
Also, I'm digging the curved baffle. While there's still a "sweeter" sweet spot right in front of the speaker, you can sit in any seat of our oversized L shaped couch or the chair across from it and it sounds like it's pointing at you much better than your typical MTM style center.
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post #12 of 18
3/15/11 at 6:30pm
About how much did all of the components cost? Not the wood, just the components?

Thank you,
Jon
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post #13 of 18
3/15/11 at 7:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddie Horton View Post

Using Minwax high-gloss poly over Minwax oil based stain and conditioner. I can tell you this..... high-gloss or not, one coat ain't gonna do it. I'd like it to be as glossy as can be reasonably expected given my amateur status as a woodworker.

This wipe on poly typically has less dry film build than the High Build and Fast Dry Poly. This is nearly 70% solvent so you will have minimal film build meaning in order to fill the large oak grain you will likely need upwards of 5+ coats to achieve a smooth void free furniture grade finish. I would have liked to have seen you put their sanding sealer down prior to poly, but I realize the Minwax brand poly is self sealing I just don't think its an amazing self sealer.
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post #14 of 18
3/16/11 at 4:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tgse3 View Post

This wipe on poly typically has less dry film build than the High Build and Fast Dry Poly. This is nearly 70% solvent so you will have minimal film build meaning in order to fill the large oak grain you will likely need upwards of 5+ coats to achieve a smooth void free furniture grade finish. I would have liked to have seen you put their sanding sealer down prior to poly, but I realize the Minwax brand poly is self sealing I just don't think its an amazing self sealer.

Thanks for the detailed info! That's exactly what I was looking for.
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post #15 of 18
3/16/11 at 4:52am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jwh7399 View Post

About how much did all of the components cost? Not the wood, just the components?

Thank you,
Jon

Bout 80-90 bucks, I guess. Keep in mind, though, that I don't really bargain shop. If I want something, I just get it. I don't wait for sales, or typically scour the second hand sites, so you might bring that price down if you are so inclined. Just the binding posts were about 20 bucks of that total, and I used all poly caps in the crossover.
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post #16 of 18
3/19/11 at 10:11am
Thread Starter 
Here's a mostly finished pic. Only one coat of poly, so far and still no grill.

edit: Oh, yeah. Unsanded leftover wood glue hides like a ninja and doesn't take stain well. Grill will cover it up, anyway.
LL
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post #17 of 18
3/19/11 at 11:23am
Eddie,

Looks GREAT!!!

Have you had a chance to see Max's SLA build?

Here's a link.


dbl
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post #18 of 18
3/19/11 at 8:03pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, Max's look fantastic! Thanks for the comment and link.
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