New member hello, and 2 silly Statement build questions.

[steakandale]

Hello, long time lurker, first post.

I've been browsing DIY sites for a long time, then came across the Statements (search over)
I have also been reading and searching my eyes out on them.

This will be my first DIY build, I even taught myself the electronics basics, and think I can do the x-overs.
I have wood working experience, the cabinets themselves look easy except for the size and weight!

I have two probably silly questions I can't seem to find answered, or asked before in my searching.

1. Where to route the midrange leads to the drivers? does it matter? drill a hole anywhere through the tunnel and just fish them to the driver leads? Saw cut a wire trough in the front tunnel edge? I have not seen even a photo in the dozens of build threads I've poured over showing this.

2. How are the speaker holes done after veneer glue up? I suspect you have a plain face and some blind holes, right? What's the best way to finish the veneer driver holes?

Found a good answer to #2 right here:

https://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?38055-How-to-Trim-veneer-for-speaker-holes

[Jim Holtz]

Welcome to HT Guide....

1. I usually drill a couple 1/8" holes about in the middle of the tunnel on the bottom so I have room to position the wires out of the way. I use 12 gauge Bluejeans speaker cable for internal wiring. If you use a smaller gauge, the holes can be smaller.

2. I cut the holes before veneering and then use a veneer flush trim bit to route the veneer in the driver cutouts.

HTH

Jim

[john trials]

It's usually easier to drill the wire holes in the mid tunnel before the mid tunnel is glued into the main cabinet, too. The holes can be sealed with caulk or something similar after the wires are routed. You can see how I routed my wires in the Statement Monitor on the right. The wire is routed from the crossover below, through the bottom of the mid tunnel. I drilled two 1/8" holes right next to each other on the bottom of the tunnel (they intersect, so it's one oblong hole for the wire to pass through without separating the zip cord speaker wire). The wire above the tunnel is a bit misleading. It is for the tweeter, and is routed between the outer cabinet wall and the mid tunnel.



Here is my build thread of full-sized Statements, Monitors, and a CC. There may be something helpful in there. Notice on my tunnels, there is also a clearance cut made for the tweeter. It's about 1/4" deep. https://www.htguide.com/forum/showth...tatement-build

And you are correct to be concerned about the size and weight! These things are heavy and awkward (but I'm old, and I also had to move my speakers from the basement to the garage and back multiple times due to weather, sawdust, etc.). I never want to have to move these speakers ever again!

[steakandale]

Thank you for the replies. I'll look into the Bluejeans wire too since it's going inside.
I'm making note of the suggestions. I'm saving notes and links of all the things I want to remember during my research so I have them at-hand.