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Topic: Anyone have plans/blueprints for building 15" open back cab? |
Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 6:06 am |
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I have no skills. Think I'm gonna commission my bro-in-law to build me a speaker cab. I'm guessing the build is pretty straightforward, but he's never built anything related to music. Would like to give him something as a reference to get started.
Anyone have plans they are willing to forward? |
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Bill A. Moore
From:
Silver City, New Mexico, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 6:56 am
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| I have plans for a T/S style cab, but not open backed. Why not just copy the dimensions of your amplifier, (assuming you are using a combo)! |
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Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 7:24 am
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| Bill A. Moore wrote: |
| I have plans for a T/S style cab, but not open backed. Why not just copy the dimensions of your amplifier, (assuming you are using a combo)! |
My combo is a 12". Is it just a matter of blowing out the height/width, or is there also a depth concern?
Basically, I have a 15" BW housed in a monitor wedge, which seemed like a great idea. But it is incredibly awkward for me to carry because I have lower back issues. Just want a lightweight straight cab with a handle on top.
I'm not sure what T/S style cab means - would you define that for me? Is it something that can just be built without a full back panel? |
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Douglas Schuch
From:
Valencia, Philippines
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 9:44 am
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The thing about speaker cabs is they can be build very simply (and a bit rough-looking, or can be build like a fine piece of furniture, with dove-tailed joints in the corners, etc.
Basically, it is a box. I build mine square. I read somewhere once that it is best to not use the same dimension on all four sides, but I have without any negative effects I can determine. For a 15" speaker, 18"x 18" works. You can measure the speaker you will mount for depth needed. 8" (which is 7.5" net) works for my Black Widow, but it's tight for the Sica.
Wood - sides can either be 3/4" birch or similar cabinet grade ply or solid wood. I use solid wood. I've used yellow pine, and also used Lauan (Meranti, Philippine Mahogany) when I was in the Philippines.
The simple method is to use battens (3/4" pieces of wood) in all the corners (edited: glue and screw the sides to the corner battens). This is a very strong joint. I use carpenters glue (needs a pretty tight joint) or epoxy resin (works great if you have gaps, but is messy, expensive, and time consuming). But if you have someone with proper tools, finger joints or dovetails are fancier.
The baffle needs to be pretty solid plywood - probably 3/4" for a 15" speaker. They are typically recessed from the front edges of the box itself. I glue and screw battens to mount it so that the outside is set inside the box 1/2". I don't glue the baffle to the battens - just screw it good. You do the same thing on the back, but instead of a solid piece of plywood, two pieces that close off about 1/3 of the opening each, to protect the speaker and reduce the volume out the back.
I paint the box with duratex paint, which kind of resembles tolex. My cabs are very solid (I can stand on them no problem) but not fancy.
If you show your Bro-in-law this, he can probably build you a basic cab. If you want, email me through the forum and I can draw up plans and send them back via email.
_________________
Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental! |
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Bill A. Moore
From:
Silver City, New Mexico, USA
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Tommy Mc
From:
Middlesex VT
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 4:23 pm
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You might want to take a look at this thread: http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=289917&highlight=
Among others, there are some shots of an open backed cabinet I made for a 15" Black Widow. I modeled it after the Session 400 which the speaker came out of, except trimmed the dimensions back. I started with a 3/4" plywood measuring 17" x 17" and built a pine box around it. The bottom is a little deeper than the top to give it a slight upward angle, the same as on the Session 400. It's pretty straightforward woodworking. The baffle and rear slats are held in by cleats which are glued and screwed into the inside of the box. Your choice of how to construct the joints....I used half lap glued and doweled. The grill cloth is stretched over a pine frame and held in with velcro.
Your BIL should have no problem if he starts with the baffle, and just builds a box around it. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 4:34 pm
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I have a 15" open back speaker cabinet. The dimensions are the same size as a Peavey Nashville 112 except 1" taller so it will accommodate the 15" speaker. It has an Eminence EPS-15C speaker and its rear mounted. Grille cloth on the front to cover the speaker baffle board. The cabinet is made from 1X12" Pine (good quality straight boards). The speaker baffle is 1/2" plywood.
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 17 Aug 2017 12:39 am
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| Douglas Schuch wrote: |
The baffle needs to be pretty solid plywood - probably 3/4" for a 15" speaker. . |
A multi-ply void-free birch does a nice job in this department, the front board that holds the speaker itself. Keeps the speaker steady so it doesn't do too much acoustic work on the cabinet so that the cone launches more securely.
You can use solid pine for the sides and back braces.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
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Posted 17 Aug 2017 6:14 am
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Most helpful. Thank you for the tips!
I'd still welcome any additional tips or cautions.
My brother-in-law doesn't know it yet, but he'll really make my day with a new cab for my speaker. Everything he builds is nice, I imagine a box for a speaker will be ez for him. |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 17 Aug 2017 9:27 am
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| Chris Walke wrote: |
Most helpful. Thank you for the tips!
I'd still welcome any additional tips or cautions.
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Use T-nuts to mount your speaker and handles.
Finish washers for back braces.
Good quality jacks. If you're using 1/4" plugs American standard sizes make sure your jacks are of the same size.
Jack plates.
Good quality quad speaker cable.
Gig quality grill cloth. There's a lot to choose from out there.
You'll need a heavy duty staple gun to fasten the grill cloth to the baffle board.
Or you can make a removable frame for the grill cloth and use all weather fasteners.
If you don't go the Tolex route you can finish the cab however you like.
Corner protectors if you're hard on your gear.
Don't forget feet. Rubber if you like that.
Or glides like Fender amps.
Handles. So many styles, on top of cab, sides of cab. Your choice.
And last but not least. Whichever speaker you choose, try and get the Thiel-Small specs (Vas, Qts, Fs) of THAT SPEAKER and plug into a box builder calculator software so that you optimize the cabinet for your specific speaker to get a better sound out of your build.
This is where you decide that rolling your own is what you want to do rather than buy something from someone who is experienced in this endeavor, has designed a successful cabinet and basically is done reinventing the wheel at HIS expense. 
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
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Posted 18 Aug 2017 5:41 am
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Godfrey - love that straight-sided cabinet with the back to the camera. Gorgeous.
Thanks for all the detail tips. Will be a learning experience. |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 22 Aug 2017 12:13 pm
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| Chris Walke wrote: |
Godfrey - love that straight-sided cabinet with the back to the camera. Gorgeous.
Thanks for all the detail tips. Will be a learning experience. |
Welcome Chris. Have fun building and playing it!
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Michael Remming
From:
Kimberly, Idaho, USA (deceased)
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Bill L. Wilson
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 31 Aug 2017 8:37 pm The Cabinets.
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I built these last year 20"x20"x101/2" basically the same size as a Nashville 400. 3/4 birch plywood with glued and doweled corners.
 . 15" JBL D-140F's mounted in them.
 . These are my newest just finished this week, 15"x15"x101/2" with 12" EVM 12L's made with 3/4" birch plywood and put together the same way. My Twin Reverb sounds great through either set......Good Luck on Your Build. |
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