Seas Idunn DIY Speaker Build Log (FINALLY FINISHED)

[rhyseyness]

Day 11

 

So did a tonne of sanding today to sort out the first coat of paint.

After they were sanded, I was really happy with the finish.

There are small gaps where the wood joins, which I should really fill in with body filler, but seeing the finish, I'm happy, so I'm probably not going to.

I applied the second coat of paint too and this went much better than the first, lol.

I also ran out of paint so going to have to buy some more before my next coat.

Here's some photos anyway.

Enjoy  I certainly am!

 

Spoiler

First coat dried off.

 

First coat drippiness... does not look good.

 

First face sanded looking pretty good.

 

First unit sanded.

 

Both units sanded.

 

This was the drippy side. Looks much better now

 

Coat number 2 applied.

 

More of coat 2.

 

Little gap between the wood joins. I know the paint won't cover this up, but I don't mind it being there. I'll know for next time.

 

Coat 2 looks soooooooooo much better than the first

 

[Dackzy]

54 minutes ago, rhyseyness said:

SNIP

 

they already look better than what Linus tried to make....

[rhyseyness]

1 hour ago, Dackzy said:

they already look better than what Linus tried to make....

My thoughts exactly 

[klh2000]

1 hour ago, Dackzy said:

they already look better than what Linus tried to make....

Those looked like he tried to make them bad. I don't understand how he managed to make the edges and finish as bad as it was.

[Dackzy]

25 minutes ago, klh2000 said:

Those looked like he tried to make them bad. I don't understand how he managed to make the edges and finish as bad as it was.

 

It is Linus, I would be surprised the day he makes something that looks nice.

[spwath]

1 hour ago, klh2000 said:

Those looked like he tried to make them bad. I don't understand how he managed to make the edges and finish as bad as it was.

It was so bad... and he used screws instead of wood glue, making it look worse, and not get the right seal.

 

He didn't even show the process. One minute, they are incomplete, don't look great, but they are not painted or sanded yet.

Next shot, they are complete, and completely messed up....

[rhyseyness]

Day 12

 

Did coat number 3 of paint today after buying another couple of cans.

They look good!

No photos I'm afraid as I had to get somewhere as soon as I'd finished.

Sand and final coat of paint tomorrow.

Then onto sealer

 Stay tuned!

[SSL]

Hype.

 

On 4/11/2017 at 1:09 PM, spwath said:

It was so bad... and he used screws instead of wood glue, making it look worse, and not get the right seal.

 

He didn't even show the process. One minute, they are incomplete, don't look great, but they are not painted or sanded yet.

Next shot, they are complete, and completely messed up....

 

Judas Priest, why am I not surprised. Gotta find the video so I can bring to bear the full force of my disdain.

[spwath]

31 minutes ago, SSL said:

Hype.

 

 

Judas Priest, why am I not surprised. Gotta find the video so I can bring to bear the full force of my disdain.

be very afraid

 

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/715804-diy-speakers

[SSL]

20 minutes ago, spwath said:

be very afraid

 

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/715804-diy-speakers

 

"The cost comparison looks pretty good". Well, no. The AA monitor from Philharmonic audio, which is assembled from a Dayton kit, only costs $30 more than the kit, plus they put in a superior crossover for a flatter response and better phase coherency. 

 

Really, the only reason to build speakers is to learn about acoustics or the personal satisfaction of making something.

 

Also, covering their ears with the blindfolds during the listening test was a bit of a fail. The performance delta probably would've been larger if the highs hadn't been strangled in sweaty polyester 

[spwath]

3 hours ago, SSL said:

 

"The cost comparison looks pretty good". Well, no. The AA monitor from Philharmonic audio, which is assembled from a Dayton kit, only costs $30 more than the kit, plus they put in a superior crossover for a flatter response and better phase coherency. 

 

Really, the only reason to build speakers is to learn about acoustics or the personal satisfaction of making something.

 

Also, covering their ears with the blindfolds during the listening test was a bit of a fail. The performance delta probably would've been larger if the highs hadn't been strangled in sweaty polyester 

i think in some cases diy can be much better. However, Linus doesn't know how to build I guess. Plus he just shoved a unmeasured amount of poly fill in.

and didn't get the tweeters flush (or straight even)

 

it was a mess...

[rhyseyness]

Day 13 & 14

 

So some fairly major changes of plan over the last couple of days.

I kept looking at the speakers and was really happy with how they were coming along, but the edges were upsetting me, lol.

Basically, as I've mentioned earlier, there are/were parts where I hadn't got the sealer on properly, and the paint was just soaking into the wood.

This ruined the finish where the wood had been cut.

 

So, my solution has been to sand back these edges, and re-seal them.

Then I'll re-paint them... possibly re prime them first... any thoughts @klh2000?

 

Then it'll be one more coat of paint over the entire speakers and then onto clear coat.

 

Photos:

Spoiler

Sh**y finish on the edges.

 

Sanding down the edges

 

Edges all suitably sanded down.

 

Masked for applying more sealer.

 

Close ups because photography.

 

Think this is the third extra coat of sealer.

 

How they look at this exact moment, still wet with sealer.

 

It's killed me to do this, but I know I'd never truly be happy with the finish if the edges looked like that, so I hope in the end it will be worth all this pain.

Apologies for the delay! Stay tuned.

Hopefully by the end of next week, I might be close to finishing painting 

[klh2000]

3 minutes ago, rhyseyness said:

- snip -
@klh2000

  Hide contents

 

 

 

I would say as long as the sealer you are using is thick enough to be sanded flat, it should work. I didn't need seal the edges on my project because I used baltic birch plywood, MDF is good material, but it acts like a sponge for paint. Black paint is very sensitive to any minor imperfections underneath once you clear coat it, it is easy to see areas that are not flat.

[rhyseyness]

18 hours ago, klh2000 said:

 

I would say as long as the sealer you are using is thick enough to be sanded flat, it should work. I didn't need seal the edges on my project because I used baltic birch plywood, MDF is good material, but it acts like a sponge for paint. Black paint is very sensitive to any minor imperfections underneath once you clear coat it, it is easy to see areas that are not flat.

I think I'll apply one more coat of sealer today then, sand it flat, prime and paint it.

Didn't realise quite how absorbent mdf was until I started this project! 

Thanks

[rhyseyness]

Day 15

 

Finished off with sealing the edges and applied a coat of primer to them today.

Much much happier with the finish already. Very little "woodiness" coming through, and a much smoother finish.

Going to do a coat of paint on all these edges tomorrow, then a final coat of paint over the whole speakers.

Then gotta do a couple of coats of paint on the bottoms.

After that we'll FINALLY be onto clear coat.

Can't wait.

 

Photos as always:

Spoiler

Sealed and sanded.

 

Sanded sealer, not a lot to see here, as the sealer is clear.

 

Before

 

After  Nice a smooth (enough).

 

All done for the day!

 

[klh2000]

3 hours ago, rhyseyness said:

 - snip -

  Reveal hidden contents

Sealed and sanded.

 

Sanded sealer, not a lot to see here, as the sealer is clear.

 

Before

 

After  Nice a smooth (enough).

 

All done for the day!

 

Looking much better already!

[rhyseyness]

Day 16

 

Added a coat of paint to all the edges followed by a coat of paint on the entire speakers.

Very happy with how they're looking now

Photos do the talking as usual.

Spoiler

Coat of black on the edges.

 

Can't believe how much better this looks than before.

 

Coat on the front face, the rest all sanded down.

 

More of the same.

 

All coated (some solvent poisoning later).

 

So happy with them at the moment 

 

Going to see how they look when they dry, but currently, I'm hoping I can get away with this being my last coat of paint (as I've run out again, lol).

So excited to be done with paint and primer, lmao.

[Dackzy]

1 hour ago, rhyseyness said:

Day 16

 

Added a coat of paint to all the edges followed by a coat of paint on the entire speakers.

Very happy with how they're looking now

Photos do the talking as usual.

  Hide contents

Coat of black on the edges.

 

Can't believe how much better this looks than before.

 

Coat on the front face, the rest all sanded down.

 

More of the same.

 

All coated (some solvent poisoning later).

 

So happy with them at the moment 

 

 

Going to see how they look when they dry, but currently, I'm hoping I can get away with this being my last coat of paint (as I've run out again, lol).

So excited to be done with paint and primer, lmao.

 

they are starting to look quite nice, keep up the good work  

[rhyseyness]

12 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

they are starting to look quite nice, keep up the good work  

Thanks very much

I'll do my best, lol! 

[rhyseyness]

Day 17

 

I checked the speakers today to see if I was going to need another coat or not.

They look pretty damn good, but did need touching up in a few places.

So I used what little paint I had left to do this, and fingers crossed, they're ready for clear coat (apart from the bottoms).

 

Although, writing this, I've just realised I'm going to have to buy more paint to do the bottoms anyway... f***.

 

Got some photos before I did the touch ups:

Spoiler

 

 

 

[Kenna]

Damn this is making me excited, In my mind I have already made up my mind to build some speakers, the question is when.

Being a Uni student In Australia, I get something called youth allowance, which is basically free money from the government lol (up to 280aud per fortnight), Since I still live at with my parents I don't spend much. In 6 months or so I should hopefully have a good amount saved up, and will get around to selling my current speakers then building some killer ones.

 

Good Job with the build btw, Personally when I build my own speakers I will probably try and veneer them, with a native aussie veneer.

I will look into the feasibility of building my own amp as well in the future.

 

Man 17 days is a long time to spend, but I guess I am just impatience by nature.

Best of luck with finishing your speakers, I'm sure your getting pretty excited to get them properly setup and all 

 

 

 

[rhyseyness]

42 minutes ago, Kenna said:

-snip-

Thanks for the support

I'd highly recommend the project!

I'm really enjoying it and you should end up with a great product!

I considered both veneer and vinyl, but went with painting for that perfect finish... and also because I had weeks to kill before I could afford the drivers and crossover components 

I think it will have been about 4 weeks by the time I've finished painting, but should only be a day or two after that to actually fit all the components, lol.

Best of luck, and be sure to do a log when you get around to doing it!

I'd love to see more amateur speaker build logs on here

 

Day 17 (Continued)

 

So got a coat of paint on the bottom as well today after finding some more paint (Forgot I'd bought some earlier in the year for another project and didn't need it any more.)

Photos here... I think tomorrow we're ready to start clear coating (at last, I know!)

 

Spoiler

 

[Dackzy]

@rhyseyness I have a question, are you planning on using the speakers on your table? The 53cm is quite tall for desktop speakers

[rhyseyness]

1 hour ago, Dackzy said:

@rhyseyness I have a question, are you planning on using the speakers on your table? The 53cm is quite tall for desktop speakers

Yes I am... They're a lot bigger than I realised, lol.

Got some serious room renovation to do before I can actually fit them in, lol.

 

[Dackzy]

8 minutes ago, rhyseyness said:

Yes I am... They're a lot bigger than I realised, lol.

Got some serious room renovation to do before I can actually fit them in, lol. 

 

2

god damn you got zero room for them right now

Also where did you buy that kit? If they turn out good, then I might also make some.

 

nvm I am blind