AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › DIY Speakers and Subs › DIY is expensive business!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

DIY is expensive business!

post #1 of 31
4/18/12 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
Well , after building a few boxes for some DIY speakers I have come to the conclusion that a 7" circular saw and a 0.5 HP router does not cut it. Don't get me wrong, they do the job, but it is just not enjoyable, being that I have always dabbled in cabinet making. However due to space constraints here in Japan for the first few years I never really got back into cabinet making until now (I now have my own house with a triple garage).

Anyway, the new tools I just purchased.

1. Delta UNISAW Tablesaw, 5 HP, with 52" BIESEMEYER Fence System, Model 36-L552 = $3,499
2. INCRA TS-LS Joinery System - 52" & 1320mm Range = $759
3. Woodpeckers Saw Gauge = $79
4. iGaging E-Z View 6" Digital Caliper with Fractions = $34.95
5. iGaging Angle Cube Level/Bevel Gauge = $39.95
6. 6-Piece INCRA Joinery Router Bit Set = $129.95
7. Makita RP2301FC 3-1/4 H.P. Plunge Router = $340

Total = $4,881.85

Cheers to the DIY community.

Dave
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 31
4/18/12 at 6:50pm
Dang, that's some big coin on tools, but I guess it all depends on how much you're going to use them. It reminds me of the folks that buy the $750 stainless steel conical fermenters instead of the $30 plastic buckets. They both get the job done, but one is nicer, easier to work with, and will last longer.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 31
4/18/12 at 6:57pm
The festool ts 75 was the greatest purchase I ever made. I recently picked up the OF 1400 router and plan on getting a dust extractor soon.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 31
4/18/12 at 7:30pm
Now that you have the tools to start a business, start advertising .
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 31
4/18/12 at 7:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiophile34 View Post

Now that you have the tools to start a business, start advertising .

Nah, I just do this for fun and having the right tools just makes it better.

Just ordered a couple of Lie Nielsen wood planes too. Really looking forward to setting them up and using them.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 31
4/18/12 at 8:53pm
So this means you enjoy woodworking a little bit more than speaker building.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 31
4/18/12 at 9:07pm
pffff.. solidworks + pc beats that and i have not even got to the table saw yet.

Reply
Reply
post #8 of 31
4/18/12 at 9:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KyleLee View Post

pffff.. solidworks + pc beats that and i have not even got to the table saw yet.


I've been thinking of getting SolidWorks.

Did you shop resellers and which did you get it from?

Thanks
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 31
4/18/12 at 10:42pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kanaris View Post

So this means you enjoy woodworking a little bit more than speaker building.

I like all aspects of woodworking, including speaker building. But I know what you are trying to say and yes, I do enjoy working with wood as opposed to MDF.

Quote:
Originally Posted by KyleLee View Post

pffff.. solidworks + pc beats that and i have not even got to the table saw yet.


Along similar lines, I am thinking about getting a CNC router, some of the stuff they can do are amazing.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 31
4/19/12 at 5:19am
Where are you located ... and can we be good friends?

Reply
Reply
post #11 of 31
4/19/12 at 7:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by noah katz View Post

I've been thinking of getting SolidWorks.

Did you shop resellers and which did you get it from?

Thanks

I love SW's...Luckily my day job provides the access without me having to shell out the big bucks.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 31
4/19/12 at 7:14am
If you build 3 or 4 pieces of nice furniture with that set up I would guess that it would have paid for itself by then. I made some nice built-ins for my master bedroom, spent about $1,000 on wood and supplies and I was able to do it with relatively cheap tools. It worked out pretty well for me and you can't see my goofs unless you get really close. The builder originally wanted $2500 for paint grade wood and MDF.

Reply
Reply
post #13 of 31
4/19/12 at 11:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KyleLee View Post

pffff.. solidworks + pc beats that and i have not even got to the table saw yet.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricci View Post

I love SW's...Luckily my day job provides the access without me having to shell out the big bucks.

Cheaper and reasonably effective alternate: Alibre
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 31
4/19/12 at 7:09pm
Well since its a hobby that you enjoy, the prices would be really low. Lmfao...

So contact by pm?
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 31
4/20/12 at 5:27am
I go to a specialised cabinetry supplier and use their expensive table saw setup to cut my panels in whatever quantity and size shape for about 50% above the cost of the raw material (in MDF at least). They are fractional mm accurate, so why do it myself? Supply a cut sheet, a credit card and go and pick it up.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 31
4/20/12 at 6:11am
Nice setup. The grandaddy of table saws. Awesome. I think I would tell others if they are a bit patient that they can do well though purchasing used.

My setup:

Jet JTS-10 was $350 delivered to my door from Craigslist (almost new condition).

Freud FT3000 3.25HP router: $189 (blow out at wood craft)
Kreg router table: $199

Hitachi 2.5 HP router: $129 (plunge and fixed bases) (open box at Amazon, brand new)

Two Craftsmen 1.5HP Routers: $30 (in total, Craigslist)

Dust Deputy dust cyclone: $89

Jasper Jig: $30

90 and 45 degree cross cut sleds: $20 (misc scrap laying about + 5/8's board).

Jawhorse for $99

1.5HP Drill press for $40 (Craigs list). I invert this with a custom table and use it as a sander/shaper clamped in the Jawhorse.

Dovetail jigs are homemade.

Total is $1175 and cuts stay true. The crosscut sleds are invaluable.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 31
4/20/12 at 6:49pm
Thread Starter 
There is not much here in Japan used. I thoroughly researched this before I pulled the trigger and this setup. I forgot to add the shipping cost from the US, not many table saws here. The Incra system alone is $700+ for shipping!

@flyng_fool, that is very true. I have a few things that I need to make for the kids room and we desperately need a dinning table. So I will be making those before I get into any more speaker building.

I made a set of line arrays for a friend and that is the only DIY speaker so far, but it was more a pain in the a$$ then enjoyable with this tools I had.

What I want to do is design a speaker system for my living room TV, doing the design from the ground up, including the X-over. I doubt it will sound great , but we all have to start somewhere.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 31
4/20/12 at 7:12pm
as you already have a complete theater with good equipment, what do you intend to diy?
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 31
4/20/12 at 7:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LTD02 View Post

as you already have a complete theater with good equipment, what do you intend to diy?

I want to design my own speakers and build them from the ground up and NOT for my home theater. People who live/breath speakers will do a much better job than I ever could, so I don't intend to swap out speakers from the theater. Not to sell them of coarse, just for my personal satisfaction and I am 99% sure I won't get it right the first time so I am guessing there will be quite a few remakes.

Any the other reason was to get back into cabinet making and make some furniture.

I also am in the process of building 4 LMS ultra 18" subs for the theater to add to the bass. Maybe I should post a thread up?
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 31
4/20/12 at 9:40pm
I'm nowhere near a "woodworker" by any means but am curious about the opinions of those who are of the tracksaw systems? I bought the Dewalt system with 2 short tracks and one long track along with the router sled. I have never been more pleased with making straight accurate cuts over and over. The cuts are as accurate as you measure so would say within 1/32 or so if had to guess. How come these systems arent more popular by those who debate getting a table saw but cant afford a really good one? I would have to say it is way better than any sub $1000 table saw as far as accuracy.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 31
4/20/12 at 10:38pm
I have a Festool track saw. In the past I've had expensive commercial cabinet saws that did a nice job but took a huge amount of floor space. With my track saw I can make just as many cuts with similar accuracy and when I am done put it back on a storage shelf freeing that floor space for other things.

Track saws are great tools! I no longer have a need for a big cabinet saw.
_____________
Best Regards,
Carl Huff
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 31
4/21/12 at 9:07am
Just wait till you buy a cnc machine
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 31
4/22/12 at 12:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by urapnes1 View Post

Just wait till you buy a cnc machine

Yes, I am looking at a few CNC routers right now. Just trying to see which is the best way to go, DIY or a complete unit. I want one with a base foot print of about 4' X 8' which is really big by CNC standards from what I have researched.

Have you got one?
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 31
4/22/12 at 9:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JapanDave View Post


Yes, I am looking at a few CNC routers right now. Just trying to see which is the best way to go, DIY or a complete unit. I want one with a base foot print of about 4' X 8' which is really big by CNC standards from what I have researched.

Have you got one?

Yes. I built a 5x8 last year. I used the cast cnc setup which is a derivative of the joes 4x4. I went 5x8 because I wanted to cut Baltic birch which often time comes in 5x5 panels. They are amazing machines but can be a challenge to get setup
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 31
4/22/12 at 11:40am
Quote:


I would have to say it is way better than any sub $1000 table saw as far as accuracy.

Doubtful.

You can get subsequent cuts within better than .001" of each other out of inexpensive table saws (Rigid, Bosch, etc.) until you get tired or run out of wood. Without some sort of commercial (Festool has tables to go with their track saws, although the combination costs more than a used Unisaw with a nice fence) or shop-built stop system you're not going to do that with a track saw.

The small table saws won't handle larger cuts (the Bosch is 25" right of the blade) but that's a separate issue.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 31
4/22/12 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drew Eckhardt View Post

....You can get subsequent cuts within better than .001" of each other....

That's the key - repeatability. If you can rely on tools to make consistent cuts you can usually put the tape measure away. You have to plan your work and sequence of cuts to make everything fit up.
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 31
4/22/12 at 8:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by urapnes1 View Post

Yes. I built a 5x8 last year. I used the cast cnc setup which is a derivative of the joes 4x4. I went 5x8 because I wanted to cut Baltic birch which often time comes in 5x5 panels. They are amazing machines but can be a challenge to get setup

I am not familiar with that type of CNC. Did modify it or build it from some plans that are floating around the net?
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 31
4/22/12 at 8:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petew View Post


that's the key - repeatability. If you can rely on tools to make consistent cuts you can usually put the tape measure away. You have to plan your work and sequence of cuts to make everything fit up.

+1. !!!!!!!
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 31
4/25/12 at 1:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KyleLee View Post

pffff.. solidworks + pc beats that and i have not even got to the table saw yet.


Solidworks sounds nice. But last I looked it was over 8000 for a license. How's that affordable? Is there a cheaper way to get it?
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 31
4/25/12 at 7:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drew Eckhardt View Post

Doubtful.

You can get subsequent cuts within better than .001" of each other out of inexpensive table saws (Rigid, Bosch, etc.) until you get tired or run out of wood. Without some sort of commercial (Festool has tables to go with their track saws, although the combination costs more than a used Unisaw with a nice fence) or shop-built stop system you're not going to do that with a track saw.

The small table saws won't handle larger cuts (the Bosch is 25" right of the blade) but that's a separate issue.

My 4.5'x8.5' table with a layer of mdf to cut through along with the 3 tracks makes more accurate cuts than any of the three table saws I've had. Maybe its just me and short fences/small landings that make using the smaller cheaper table saws produce more inaccurate cuts. As long as one has a table or a few saw horses to make using the track saw easy then I much prefer one over a cheap table saw. .001" isnt a problem as long as your pencil is sharp but then you dont need a pencil with a table saw, I know
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DIY Speakers and Subs

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › DIY Speakers and Subs › DIY is expensive business!