Making a Speaker Baffle for a Guitar Amplifier

Intro: Making a Speaker Baffle for a Guitar Amplifier

How to make a speaker baffle for a guitar amplifier

STEP 1: Measuring for the Speaker Baffle

From a select piece of 2' x 2' x 1/2" thick pine ply
I measure the section to be cut for the speaker baffle

STEP 2: Measuring for the Speaker

After cutting a section of 1/2" pine ply wood
square to fit inside the cabinet
I trace the circumference of the speaker to the section of wood

STEP 3: Cutting Out the Hole for the Speaker

After carefully measuring I follow the traced line with my scroll saw
to cut out the hole for the speaker baffle

*ALWAYS wear Safety Glasses when using any power tools*

STEP 4: Marking the Mounting Hole for the Speaker

After carefully cutting the hole for the speaker baffle
I measure and mark the holes to be drilled for the attachment of the speaker
to the baffle

*PLEASE WEAR SAFETY GLASSES*

STEP 5: Sanding and Painting the Speaker Baffle

After all cuts have be made
I completely sand the baffle
and have my daughter apply a couple of coats
of black paint to the outside of the speaker baffle

STEP 6: Installing the Speaker

After the paint has dried I install the speaker
to the baffle using 8/32 nuts and bolts
and a drop of lock tight on the threads so that they DONT
become loose from the amplifiers vibration during use

STEP 7: Check for Fit

Before I cover the cabinet or the speaker baffle I check and
make sure that all the components fit properly

STEP 8: Measuring and Cutting the Grill Cloth

After the speaker is installed
I place the speaker baffle over a piece of
silver grill cloth and cut it to size

*Please be careful when cutting the grill cloth with a razor blade*

STEP 9: Cutting the Corners

after the piece is cut to fit I cut the corners of the grill cloth
this allows relief for when wrapping the cloth around the baffle

STEP 10: Staple the Grill Cloth to the Speaker Baffle

after measuring and making all the cuts I staple the grill cloth to
the underside of the speaker baffle

STEP 11: Installing the Speaker Baffle

After the speaker baffle has been comlpeted I install it into
the cabinet using 8/32 nuts and bolts

Comments

[incidentals]

you should countersink the holes on the baffle on the cloth side...

either a flat hole to receive the bolt head or a true countersink to receive a countersunk headed set screw.

that way you would not have the puckles (scots word) in the cloth.

[daverickmers]

T-nuts are the easiest and most common way to avoid pucking the grill.

[wasteofspacester]

The speakers in my self-built cabs (years ago) haven't worked loose, or crushed the baffle board, because I looked at how high end cabs we put together. I used T-nuts/blind nuts/rivet nuts (depending on what part of the world you are in) to mount the speakers. They are so much better than a nut bolt and washer in terms of grip and load spreading, and the cost of 4 per speaker is 9/10ths of nothing. You also feed the right-length bolt from behind, meaning you can check its tension easily from time to time. 

A speaker cone vibrating puts a load through its mounting points on the baffle. Remember that a baffle board contributes to the speakers'' resonance. You might not see it, and you might not hear it as it crushes over time. But one day you'll realise it sounds like crap, and has been heading that way for a while.

So ditch the nuts and washers, and for no extra effort get a pro setup.

[joe lg]

great instructable. Thanks!
I was wondering, is it necessary to paint the baffle? Does this have a function in regards to tone?
Thanks.

[iamtoats]

nice. I would have touched some white paint on those nuts in the front. But it could just be the camera's fault...

[ampRiser]

You are right, I usually paint them black so under certain lighting conditions they are not visible.

[ThinkBeforeYouSpeak]

These instructables are Great! I know this is a guitar speaker box, but you should make a slim box for use in a truck or something. i know plans and everything, but just need pictures showing it for ideas and everything. Thanks!