My Nat P's in the making!!

[nox9colt45]

I just started my Nat P design with building my own box. I have no pictures yet, but will keep you all posted if u wish.

I have a couple questions however. I have fairly good at woodworking, and all my cuts so far have came out great, but i have never used a router, and i am wondering which type of bit to get. I got that the dia. of the bit should be around .68", but all these Straight, Hunge Mortise, Spiral Rabbeting, Amana, bits are confusing me. Which bit would you recommended?

Thanks

[ThomasW]

1/2" flush cut (bearing under) for trimming the edges of the box or trimming veneer, 1/4" solid carbide upcut for the driver holes. 3/4" flat bottom for the rebase unless you want to buy rabbeting bits, 3/4" roundover for the corners if you want that look.

Yes please post pictures. We have a builders galley so others can see how people have built them...

[nox9colt45]

Well, here is what i got done so far. Don't laugh, my tool selection is very limited, but im doing better then i thought already, pieces fit together almost perfectly. Just using a circular saw, with a 2X4 clamped down for a straight cut. Works like a charm.



Just starting to put it together.






Glued in brace, not top yet, just used because i am limited to 1 clamp, and can work around buying another. the close bottom piece looks angled the in picture, thats the angle i took it at, its good!





Closeup of brace inside, just a jigsaw with no jasper jig yet. Hasn't came in mail, and figured brace doesn't need to be perfect circle =).

Only doing 1 speaker at a time, so i can learn from my mistakes, if i make any, which i probably will. I'll keep updating as i go.

[JonMarsh]

It's looking good, nice and steady as she goes.... :T

[nox9colt45]

Well, thought i would post a comparison to my old speaker (using this for center channel first, becuase my center channel SUCKS)



Little bit of a difference, i think im gunna like it =)


That's the fluance 5.1 speaker set i got for starters. Center channel using 3.5" speakers if i remember correctly.

The box under the TV will soon be replaced by a nice rack for the center channel also. I think i have too many projects to work on ontop of the 3 speakers, 2 stands, and tv stand :P

[DeanP]

Here is a tip I that I use without using clamps(well sort of, 3 only). I cut all the sides out to the proper size and then cut out the front and back about an 1/8" oversize. Then I clamp the sides together(laid out on the "back" side) and predrill 1/8" holes and use gyproc screws(use a "square" and long clamp to ensure "squareness"). So now all the sides and the back are predrilled. Then I disassemble and countersink the backsides of the drill holes(to rid the bulge of the mdf). Then I put the "back" down on something solid and start assembling the sides with glue and the gyproc screws. Flip it over and attach the back, use a square again and if needed a clamp from corner to corner to straighten it square. After it dries, you can remove the screws or remove and coutersink then for extra strength. Router the back with the flush trim bit. Now lay the "front" down and predrill somemore holes. Again, flip it over and countersink the backsides of the holes but this time also countersink the front side also so that the screw will be flush or a little bit below the surface.
Now put the front side on without glue and flush trim that now. Disassemble it and cut out your driver holes. After this it will be time to glue the front on.
I use my flush trim bit to go over all the edges to ensure that they are "flush" and a little filler if needed.
This works well for me and I don't use expensive clamps($5 a piece). I've built about 7 cabinets this way... :T

[JonW]

Nox-
I'm very impressed you're doing all this with one (!) clamp, a jig saw, and a circular saw. Wow. I had to first go out and spend all this money for a table saw, jig saw, router, and clamps before even starting my speakers. You're already farther along than I am. (I guess I'm at the point in life where I have more money than time.) Nice job. :T

[nox9colt45]

The 1 clamp is more just slowing me down. I could only do 1 of the top/bottom peices at a time. As the pictures show, i used a heavy bag if seed to weigh down the other side, as the clamp held in the sides. I kinda lied, i do have 2 more clamps for clamping the 2X4 for the straight edge with my circular saw, but they are only 6" clamps, so i cant use them for any part of glueing the box together.

The cutting/glueing of the sides, top/bottom, and brace took me around 5 hours. Need to take a little break however now. Need to wait a few days to borrow a router from my uncle, and for parts i need to get to me in the mail.

Happy building!

[nox9colt45]

Well, i ran into another problem, lookin for some help/input. I was doing test finishes on my cut outs for my brace. What i tried was sand, 2 coats of primer, sand, 2 coats of high gloss black. This was the results.

Image not available



Not as smooth as im looking (im obviously lookin for as perfect as i can get). The picture does show it worse then i can see with my eye. I have heard people talking about sanders sealant. Would this work better? Or anything else i can do?

Thanks guys

[dyazdani]

I sanded everything down with 220 grit then put on two or three coats of sanding sealer. I lightly sanded again and put on 4 coats of primer, wet sanding between each coat with 400 grit. I then put on 4 coats or so of gloss black, again wet sanding between each coat. After the last coat, I sanded with finer grits, up to 1500 and some steel wool. The final steps were to polish the surface with Maguiar's 3 step system.

[nox9colt45]

I couldnt find sandpaper over 600grit. I have heard paper from grocery bags is like a super super fine sandpaper, would this work to replace the 1500 grit? I have done some tests with 600, and i got better results, but not what expected yet.

The Maguiar's 3 step system looks really nice, and just wondering how much that smooths out and helps the finish? Worth the $15-20 for it?

By the way, wet sanding is awesome. Thanks a lot for the input.

[BobEllis]

I've found up to 2000 grit at Kmart and Walmart, as well as a variety of auto stores. It is also availble on line from a variety of sources - www.autobodydepot.com should have everything you need.

[dyazdani]

I've found up to 2000 grit at Kmart and Walmart, as well as a variety of auto stores. It is also availble on line from a variety of sources - www.autobodydepot.com should have everything you need.

Our WalMart here didn't have over 1000 and one of the auto parts places had 1500.

That link will come in handy next time...

[dyazdani]

The Maguiar's 3 step system looks really nice, and just wondering how much that smooths out and helps the finish? Worth the $15-20 for it?

It made a huge improvement in appearence on my sub...

By the way, wet sanding is awesome.

Yep, it does a good job. I had trouble at first because I used a hard rubber sanding block and not enough water. I changed to a foam block and it made things much easier and did a great job on the finish.

[nox9colt45]

Awesome, thanks guys. Gunna check out autostore tommorrow. I'll keep ya updated with results.

[nox9colt45]

Well, I got it better... and this is without any form of polish. A few bad spots, but it takes practice, which i will be doing with ALL scrap pieces before my final project.


Image not available


Back to my boxes??

[nox9colt45]

Hey, im about to cut the holes for my driver, and i cant figure out how much to route out for the flush mounting. Parts express doesnt seem to give me a number for that. Anyone know off the top of their head? this is for the RS28AS-4 tweeter and the RS180S-8 7" woofer.

I don't have drivers yet, just trying to get a headstart on the box. Since applyin the finish is going to take a long time.


Thanks

[Dennis H]

A prudent builder would have the drivers in hand before he did the holes.

[nox9colt45]

i got antsy, and i have all measurements except that, dont see why it couldnt be done, right?

[Exocer]

Something tells me the Natalie P crossover is designed for the unshielded version http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=275-130
Someone else more knowledgable might want to clarify

[nox9colt45]

It is, miss post on my part there. Although still not sure if im going to go with it or not. I read way back when, that going shielded wouldnt effect the sound that much, but someone can correct me if im wrong there.

I have an LCD TV now, so it wouldnt be a problem, but would be nice to have the speakers sheilded since the 7"s are already shielded anyways.

[Exocer]

...I have an LCD TV now, so it wouldnt be a problem, but would be nice to have the speakers sheilded since the 7"s are already shielded anyways.

Agreed. If one is shielded why shouldn't the other parts of the same chain be shielded as well :P

I am also building a pair of Natalie P's and ordered the BOM two days ago, and port kits. Haven't started building the enclosure yet but i am definitely following your thread with lots of interest :T Keep up the good work.

[cgr]

Hey, im about to cut the holes for my driver, and i cant figure out how much to route out for the flush mounting. Parts express doesnt seem to give me a number for that. Anyone know off the top of their head? this is for the RS28AS-4 tweeter and the RS180S-8 7" woofer.

I don't have drivers yet, just trying to get a headstart on the box. Since applyin the finish is going to take a long time.


Thanks

Dr K's MTM uses those drivers : https://web.archive.org/web/20081012.../assembly.html

And these speakers do: Image not available

The cutout dimensions vary by 1/4"t for the midwoofer between the two - so you have some room to play with. It's probably better to have the largest cutout possible as long as you can still securely mount it?

[nox9colt45]

Got my baffle all cut out now. Looks really bad, but i think it turned out decant. Used a dremel for the perfect circle of the cutout, and then finished up with the router, just making sure not to cut edges anymore. Then i cut out holes with the jigsaw.

Image not available


I used the dremel because i have no jasper jig, and my buddy had a dremel with some sort of gadget for a perfect circle. The dremel cut a tad bit deeper then i wanted, but i filled this in with wood glue. This is why it looks all crazy, and it sort of is. But this is what i get for lack of tools, and expected it.

A couple edges i may have gone a little to close on, but i think it will work out, just have to keep an eye on where screws are when i mount drivers, and make sure i get speaker gasket aligned properly.

I have yet to cut the bevel edges on the back with the router, but will be coming soon... i hope.

[jagstyle]

Got my baffle all cut out now. Looks really bad, but i think it turned out decant. Used a dremel for the perfect circle of the cutout, and then finished up with the router, just making sure not to cut edges anymore. Then i cut out holes with the jigsaw.

I used the dremel because i have no jasper jig, and my buddy had a dremel with some sort of gadget for a perfect circle. The dremel cut a tad bit deeper then i wanted, but i filled this in with wood glue. This is why it looks all crazy, and it sort of is. But this is what i get for lack of tools, and expected it.

Looks a little rough at this stage but I imagine you'll still be able to finish it up cleanly. I cut out my Natalie P holes with a Dremel router and circle jig...it was quite an experience to say the least...especially considering that I did it on the floor of my bedroom (college student) with a vacuum hose running on either side to catch the MDF dust. I'm looking forward to following your progress...gl!