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Step 10Cut out holes and recesses for the drivers
With the sides, top and bottom of the cabinets drying, it's a good time to start work on the front and back panels. First time builders may choose to simplify this step and simply cut a large circle opening for the speaker driver to mount in. In that case, the speaker drivers' frame will rest on the surface of the speaker, protruding an 1/8" or so. For a truly professional look, however, you'll want to recess the drivers so that they mount flush with the front face.
In either case, the first step is to cut out a circle that accommodates your driver. I use a plunge router fitted with a Jasper Circle Jig. This Jasper Jig allows be to cut a circle of just about any size up between 2" and 18". If you don't happen to have this handy router and circle jig set up, the old drawing a circle using a piece of string tied around a nail works pretty darn well too. Then, simply cut carefully along your line with a jig saw and you're in business.
If you are using a router, use a 1/8" or 1/4" straight bit to cut out the circle so you end up removing as little material as possible. The wider the bit, the more material you have to eat through, the more dust you create, and the slower the process goes. Make multiple passes, incrementally plunging deeper and deeper through the front face.
Once the circles are cut, it's time to tackle the optional recess.
To do this you need to create a pattern template. Carefully trace, draw, plot, copy, CNC cut, or laser cut the outer pattern of your driver onto a thin piece of material creating a template. Technical drawings for speaker components can usually be found on the manufacturers or resellers website. Recreate a pattern in a drafting program of your choice from the drawings and produce the actual pattern piece. Remember, this step is totally optional!
Once the patterns have been created, center and mount it into place on the front face. I'm using some simple wood screws in the photos below.
Then, using a good router and a sharp straight bit fit with a pattern bushing collar on it, simply trace the pattern at the proper depth to create the recess.
Elliot from Zalytron has been kind enough to use his vast library of patterns to route the driver recesses for me when they're too complex for me to generate on my own - so if you're sourcing components from him, see if he can help you out.
In either case, the first step is to cut out a circle that accommodates your driver. I use a plunge router fitted with a Jasper Circle Jig. This Jasper Jig allows be to cut a circle of just about any size up between 2" and 18". If you don't happen to have this handy router and circle jig set up, the old drawing a circle using a piece of string tied around a nail works pretty darn well too. Then, simply cut carefully along your line with a jig saw and you're in business.
If you are using a router, use a 1/8" or 1/4" straight bit to cut out the circle so you end up removing as little material as possible. The wider the bit, the more material you have to eat through, the more dust you create, and the slower the process goes. Make multiple passes, incrementally plunging deeper and deeper through the front face.
Once the circles are cut, it's time to tackle the optional recess.
To do this you need to create a pattern template. Carefully trace, draw, plot, copy, CNC cut, or laser cut the outer pattern of your driver onto a thin piece of material creating a template. Technical drawings for speaker components can usually be found on the manufacturers or resellers website. Recreate a pattern in a drafting program of your choice from the drawings and produce the actual pattern piece. Remember, this step is totally optional!
Once the patterns have been created, center and mount it into place on the front face. I'm using some simple wood screws in the photos below.
Then, using a good router and a sharp straight bit fit with a pattern bushing collar on it, simply trace the pattern at the proper depth to create the recess.
Elliot from Zalytron has been kind enough to use his vast library of patterns to route the driver recesses for me when they're too complex for me to generate on my own - so if you're sourcing components from him, see if he can help you out.
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im using a real wood vanier cut at 45 deg ( miterd corners ) and glued over 3/4 " chipboard. clasic box design. deep rarther then wide. 1 ft 2 ft 3ft with 10" driver
should be good
This is also probably the fastest way of making cutouts for terminal cups (if you choose to use them) and round ports.
Secondly, I usually cut them with the faces already mounted on the box, that way you have something with some size and weight to it keeping the thing steady instead of just the front baffle (usually the front baffle isn't big enough to clamp down and clear a circle cutting jig, especially with smaller speakers.