Mini Statements build issues

[neilmaui]

I thought it seemed to be going well.....numerous trips to Home Depot, acres of cut MDF, years of trawling through all the great build threads and its not until you embark on this project do you come up with your own issues! I read somewhere about a woodworking thread saying that a key thing is acknowledging your mistakes ( I was just going to try and cover them up but also realize these are good for other novices to learn!) and address and move on...so in that spirit...

here are a couple of problems I have, being new to word working the panel cut seemed fine, just a few smaller panel gaps that I filled with glue and filler. My main issue came with the router..on the baffles I measured the driver centers and drilled the pilot holes...put my pin the required hole in my PE Jasper Jig, routed out the driver recess, measured and found the the hole was too big as I didn't take into account the width of the bit!! so for example where the driver circumference states 7 3/16ths by bit routed the hole an extra 1/8th wider!! *insert expletive here* so I thought maybe the front of the baffle could become the new back? I turned over and routed the 45 degree bevel shown below, so now I have the recess then the bevel on the backside of the baffle. The other speak is OK as I learnt from this mistake! I this OK or should I redo this baffle ( I'd need to go buy more MDF)



Here is the other baffle



Now my other issue is that I have received all my parts from the great guys at Meniscus ( I bought the mini statements kit including assembled xover) but the ports seems to be too large? drawings show port at 3" diameter and 4 1/2 long, 7" total overall length inc flares, but mine is 3 1/8th diameter, 4 1/2 long sure this is acceptable but when I mount the flares the total overall length is 10 1/2" the tube seems fine but the flares seem large, as it came from Meniscus I'm sure they know what they are doing but wanted to double check.

Thanks for all the help as always!
Neil

[BeerParty]

My main issue came with the router..on the baffles I measured the driver centers and drilled the pilot holes...put my pin the required hole in my PE Jasper Jig, routed out the driver recess, measured and found the the hole was too big as I didnt take into account the width of the bit!! so for example where the driver circumference states 7 3/16ths by bit routed the hole an extra 1/8th wider!! *insert expletive here*

Actually, I believe the measurements on the face of the Jasper Jig take into account the bit size. What probably happened in your case was that the bit wasn't centered on the cut hole of the Jasper Jig, and that offset was enough to oversize the hole you cut.

so I thought maybe the front of the baffle could become the new back? I turned over and routed the 45 degree bevel shown below, so now I have the recess then the bevel on the backside of the baffle. The other speak is OK as I learnt from this mistake! I this OK or should I redo this baffle ( I'd need to go buy more MDF)

Since the baffle is 1 1/4" thick, what you did should be fine. There is still plenty of meat for the screws to bite into.

[BeerParty]

now my other issue is that I have received all my parts from the great guys at Meniscus ( I bought the mini statements kit including assembled xover) but the ports seems to be too large? drawings show port at 3" diameter and 4 1/2 long, 7" total overall length inc flares, but mine is 3 1/8th diamter, 4 1/2 long sure this is acceptable but when I mount the flares the total overall length is 10 1/2" the tube seems fine but the flares seem large, as it came from Meniscus Im sure they know what they are doing but wanted to double check.

I'm not sure what Meniscus shipped you, but it is likely correct. If you post up a picture of the assembled tube next to a ruler, that should make it easier to determine if what you have is OK.

[neilmaui]

Thanks Chris, I was just worried about it effecting the rear sound waves but I suppose they all get 'sucked up' by my foam! Just didnt want to make another 'mistake' and then not be able to correct it once the baflle is glued into place. Will photograph the tube and post, thanks again for the advice...its very 'comforting'!

[Mark_1042]

Actually, I believe the measurements on the face of the Jasper Jig take into account the bit size. What probably happened in your case was that the bit wasn't centered on the cut hole of the Jasper Jig, and that offset was enough to oversize the hole you cut.

Good call, I was sort of scratching my head wondering how the hole could come up 1/8" too big. The Jasper jigs are usually labeled for 1/4" bits so if you use a 1/2" bit instead the hole diameter will come out 1/4" too big. But an eighth inch, it must be that the jig is not centered.

Neil - the Jasper jigs usually come with a concentricity attachment that you can use when you are mounting it to the router. At least, mine did. I etched some labels on the attachment that came with mine so I remember which holes on the jig the pegs go into when I'm using it (1" and 1-1/4" IIRC?)

[Carl V]

the problems you have encountered are common...we've all done something
similar. Next time do a trial run on a piece of Sacrificial board. It's kinda along
the lines of measure 2-3X cut once. Or as Jon & others observed, plan it
out in your head...diagram the steps/flowchart, measure 2-3X then execute.
Like I said we've all done something similar.

[Steve Manning]

+1 On Carl's suggestion. Every time I cut holes with the my Jasper I do a test cut for each different size hole, lets me check the jig alignment and get the depth of the cut where I want it. I have also found that getting the jig centered is very important especially the bigger the hole you cut. Any error in alignment is exacerbated the further out from the center you go, this is where cutting a test piece has saved my butt a few times.

[neilmaui]

thanks guys will def be doing more test cuts! Here are the ports from Meniscus as you can see the main tube is the right length but the flares seem a little large, making overall length about 10 1/2" as opposed to the 7" in the build plans. Is this a problem? It did come direct from Meniscus as part of the Mini Statements kit!

[Mark_1042]

+1 On Carl's suggestion. Every time I cut holes with the my Jasper I do a test cut for each different size hole, lets me check the jig alignment and get the depth of the cut where I want it. I have also found that getting the jig centered is very important especially the bigger the hole you cut. Any error in alignment is exacerbated the further out from the center you go, this is where cutting a test piece has saved my butt a few times.

Depth of cut is where I went wrong on mine. On my ZDT's I just measured the driver flange with a caliper and cut to that depth, but the screws compressed the factory gaskets much more than I had expected so I ended up with my rebates being a little too deep. I'll have to make some additional gaskets to get the depth right. Screwing the drivers down into a test hole probably would have saved me some time in the long run.