# One way of doing it ( box joint template )



## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

I made mine a different way for 1" box joint. My way is very Dangerous (will not attempt it again) using an original template with a gap between template and the work piece and using a large router bit with 5/8 collar.
So after few attempts and managing to make one 1-1/8 on 7/8 = 1” joints) , I realized given my track record with accidents, how lucky I was I didn’t end up with another gash above my eye.  

So here’s an easier and less insane way of trying.

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/teeth.html


Although I must say that even though the completed work pieces look perfect, each individual pin and gap must be measured with caliper and also tested. Even a small off-set like 1/32 will make the joints useless.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Router, I think you have a knack for finding the most difficult/dangerous way to build a project. Just out of curiosity what were the 1" box joints used on?


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

Hi Mike,
They were going to be used on my current large floor standing speaker project.

During the template project, my wife was having another one of her (please be careful sessions :'( . But after all that work and putting her through a week of prayers, I decided on the ½ inch box joints instead using my PC template. 

Why you ask, well the reason is that in order to cut 1 inch box joints in a ¾ inch thick wood ( walnut in this case) either you have to use a 1 inch router bit or make 2 passes using a ½ inch router bit.

If you use a 1 inch router bit, you still have to make minimum of 3 passes on the dept or the joints will break and also if you are doing two boxes which means 16 sides, it would be almost impossible to get all the joints perfect due constant to dept setting. 
If you use a ½ inch bit, you will have to make minimum of 2 passes at full ¾ dept. And that also means on the second out-pass, you may break a joint.
So, walnut being as expensive as it is. I decided to stick to the plan and play it cowardly safe.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

You are using solid walnut for speaker boxes? Uhm, not meaning to offend but why? Every speaker manufacturer uses high density particle board covered with veneer. The reason is not cost savings but sound quality. Particle board does not "color" the sound as solid woods do.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Router

Here's a small tip for speaker boxes, install one or two holes (3" to 3 1/2" dia.) in the back of the box and put in some PVC tubing with a holding ring and a board inside the box between the speakers this will let the speakers move like they should also use silicone on all the joints inside the box then coat the inside the box with a white rubber base paint this will seal the box up.

This tip comes from my son that works at Car Toys  as a install Mrg.
I can't get into the size of the speaker box and it's one of the big things that comes into play with a high end speaker system.

Bj


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

Thanks Bj and son,  
The speaker will have two forward firing PVC tubes. The size will depend on calculation of driver parameters. And few tubes of silicone are at hand  

Mike no offence taken at all.  

Most DYI crowd build speakers using one or several layers of MDF claiming it will not color the sound. The truth is two fold. 
It is cheaper for manufacturer to use MDF and veneer and also as far as DYI group goes it’s the same old song and dance and even when and IF they use several layers of MDF, The completed system falls short when it comes to x-over design and coloration is still there as is with all box design to some extend.so it's claimed.

There are only hand full of DYI designers the actually design x-over based on driver distortion and interaction and phase delay design. Also it is easier to either to buy the MDF box from parts express or make one from MDF and plug few drivers in there.

MDF does have higher damping properties no argument about that. 
The coloring of so called sound they fear is just matter of resonance at certain frequency produced by driver interaction with type of wood or any material andconfiguration which can easily be tamed if measured correctly. But it applies to all so called box design systems to some degree.

Hence few designers prefer the Single front baffle for mid and tweeter and they swear by that called open baffle.

In either case, the pure wood boxes are gorgeous and one of a kind. And I’m also planning on using besides the appropriate location for brasses, ¼” fiber glass coating and also another ¼” of special coating. 
These boxes will be as dead (damp) as 4 inch thick UHMW.

I will post a few pics of my last project when I get back in town. 


http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/3615-dovetail-jig-router-table-2.html


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

There you go. solid honduras mahogany. oil sanded with 600 grid 20 times.2 inch thick on front and 1 inck on sides and back. 0 resonance/coloration.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Router 
Very Nice job 

I guessing that's it's 15" deep,12" tall, about 24"long, 8" wolf and a 3" tweak.
How does it sound , how many amps will it take ?
Can you get the box to jump up and down  of the desk top  

Bj


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

Thanks Bj,
they are 38 Liter boxes. ext 21x14x13 and int 19x11x11 . 8" wof, 1" twe, 
they were designed as mid size monitoring for recording studio so they're flat/natural/clean/precise imaging Due to ceramic driver and metal twe.
It took about 6 months for the boxes and 3 months for the x-overs.
Don't take much power to run them but they are not high power blasters.
they're too heavy to jump but when i did these ( all with just router and made in a apartment), they made me jump but that was many many pounds ago.


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

Main studio monitors.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Saul Marantz would approve. One nice thing about hifi equipment is the variety of designs that work well. I used to work for Tech Hifi in the days they owned the eastern half of the country. I have had the pleasure of listening to 3 McIntosh 2100's powering a custom installed speaker system, delighted in the sound of Dalquist speakers, even helped a guy wrap a brand new pair of Magneplaner speakers in old blankets so he could take them through Custom's as "used room dividers valued at $30" which is slightly less than the $1600 he paid for them. I own Ohm speakers, model C+'s for solid bass and F's for their unique Walsh transmission driver technology. Even a set of model M's and a model H for surround sound.


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

I agree Mike, 
There are many many good amps and speakers out there. Most top speakers are over 5K and up to 250K but I enjoy the challenge of building my own. 
The reason I got into wood working at the age of 14 was to build speakers. 
The floor standing ones I’m working on are a definite challenge. It’s much easier to design a two way but 3 way MTWW is one of the most difficult designs and X-Over is going to give me hell, Because it’s very difficult to do the measurements and tweak the X-Over for time alignment and phase and the rest of the stuff in a room with all the reflections. Even the boxes are taking longer than I anticipated. 
Oh well, I should be done by mid next year.
I hope.


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