Statement Center Build

[snwbdr94]

Long story short, I moved to CO from MN in 07 and decided to move back early June due to some situations. Two weeks ago, I have been looking at some receivers and speakers. When I was looking up speakers, I got curious on all the DIY stuff. After reading this forum for a couple days, I decided I wanted to build the statements starting with the center. Not sure why the center, but thats what I did. It just seemed like it was easy enough for me to do. One problem was I've never worked with wood before! That was only a little bit of a roadblock.

Off to the store I go. Bought a table saw, router, some bits, jasper jigs, lots of clamps, and 3/4" mdf along with 1/2". Went online and bought the required components for the crossover as well as the two woofers, ribbon, and midrange.

Mind you, this all happened in a 2-3 day time span. I started to have a little remorse since I've never have done anything like this before. I called up a friend of mine who could show me how to safely operate everything and help me make the cuts.

Once the cuts were done, I had waited another couple days since I didn't know where to go from there. I was a little hesitant on gluing due to once I start gluing theres no turning back. Finally got the nerve up one night to glue the 1/2" with the 3/4" for the front baffle. What a relief that was knowing that it held together really well. I ended up going into a frenzy wanting to get everything done staying up till 1 in the morning and having to wake back up by 5:30 for work.

Did all the measurements for front baffle and starting to drill out the holes for the woofer. First hole came out alright, learned something to do for the second woofer hole which came out a lot better then the first as you will see in the pictures. On to the midrange, this went even better! ast but not least the ribbon. By how things were going, I was on a roll. How ever when I went to fit the components in to see how well they fit. I found out that I had made the hole for the ribbon 1/16th to big and since I made a rookie mistake by rounding over the inside edge I couldn't drill any holes for screws.

Back to the store I went today to pick up an extra 1/2" mdf sheet. New cuts were made for the front and a new back was made as well. May as well keep everything as even as I can. Once I finished doing the new cuts, I glued the front baffle back together.

Tomorrow I plan on getting the two holes on the back cut out and then glued onto the box along as getting the front all cut up as well.

I understand the schematics of the crossover but I'm not sure what to use for the board to place everything on. I plan on just using zipties to keep everything in place. Simple enough to remove and redo in case any mistakes to be had.

Also any tips on anything and everything would be greatly appreciated. Measure twice, cut once is something that is stuck in my head.

Here are some pictures to show I have done something!











This one is interesting since I didn't realize the left vertical brace was crooked until the next morning. I was able to salvage it and reglue it along with with the top to keep it squared up this round.



Update:













Heres the 1/8" straight bit I broke cleaning out the ledge...

[snwbdr94]

Reserved.

[sawdust]

I'm currently building a Statements center channel as well. I've built the Statements and love how they sound and visually they grab your attention. To answer your question about the material to use for the crossovers, I used thin (1/8" I believe) pegboard. Good luck and keep posting pics.

[john trials]

There is a lot of info on this forum and the Parts Express forum about building speakers. Look for build threads, and you will find answers to most of your questions.

My Statement build thread has some information that may help you, along with some pictures and descriptions of how I made my crossovers.

https://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34301

You've really gotten into this hobby quickly, huh! Cool. Good choice for starting with Statements. It's a fun project, with amazing results.

[snwbdr94]

I'm currently building a Statements center channel as well. I've built the Statements and love how they sound and visually they grab your attention. To answer your question about the material to use for the crossovers, I used thin (1/8" I believe) pegboard. Good luck and keep posting pics.

what kind of solder did you use? Would I be able to pick it up some where here in the cities? I think I'm going to attempt the crossover tonight as well so I can get pics up. I remeber reading I could get some from parts express but would rather pick up locally since time is running out!

[sawdust]

what kind of solder did you use? Would I be able to pick it up some where here in the cities? I think I'm going to attempt the crossover tonight as well so I can get pics up. I remeber reading I could get some from parts express but would rather pick up locally since time is running out!

I used rosin core solder (60/40) formula. You can get it many places, Radio Shack, hardware stores.

[snwbdr94]

Awesome, guess I'll have to read up on soldering a tad bit again since I haven't done it for a couple years now

[sawdust]

Awesome, guess I'll have to read up on soldering a tad bit again since I haven't done it for a couple years now

Melt a small amount of solder on the soldering iron to aid in heat transfer and then heat the wires. Apply the solder to the wires and allow the solder to flow onto the joint. The joint should look shiny, not a gray matte color (too little heat, ie a cold solder joint).

[john trials]

Melt a small amount of solder on the soldering iron to aid in heat transfer and then heat the wires. Apply the solder to the wires and allow the solder to flow onto the joint. The joint should look shiny, not a gray matte color (too little heat, ie a cold solder joint).

I was going to give similar advice, but I don't think I could have worded it so simply and nicely...perfect advice!

[snwbdr94]

Thanks for all the help! Talked with a guy here at work and hrs been giving me pointers as well. He told me to heat the wires up before putting solder on the gun. Going to pick up some flux as well to help with heating up the wires. I feel like a little kid at Christmas when working on all this!

I have definitely been reading a lot of the build threads! Only thing is I think my questions are on the most simple things that never get noted.

[john trials]

Thanks for all the help! Talked with a guy here at work and hrs been giving me pointers as well. He told me to heat the wires up before putting solder on the gun. Going to pick up some flux as well to help with heating up the wires. I feel like a little kid at Christmas when working on all this!

I have definitely been reading a lot of the build threads! Only thing is I think my questions are on the most simple things that never get noted.

If you get rosin core solder, there is no need for flux. Get solder for electronic work, not plumbing solder for sweating copper pipe.

Follow sawdust's advice, not your coworkers. Heat the wires (this will work best with a small amount of solder already melted on the soldering iron to help in heating the wires), then apply the solder to the wires, not the gun. The solder will melt into the wires when they are hot enough. Also, if you have a soldering gun, leave the leads on the components long and solder them at the ends (far from the components), so you don't overheat the components. Soldering guns can supply too much heat sometimes. Keep the soldering iron tip clean by wiping it on a moist sponge frequently. This will make cleaner solder joints.

[snwbdr94]

Alright I understand now! I'll post up pics later tonight when I finally get around to doing it being at work is def killing me but have to make money some how.

I knew there was a reason I wanted to post up here! I appreciate all the help

[snwbdr94]

Mid Crossover. Only thing I want to know if everything looks good in terms of placement!

Will upload more photos later tonight, got front baffle all cut out as well as the back. Still need to round over the backside...

[snwbdr94]

added more pictures to first post! Waiting on cable to come to finish soldering, need to pick up another white thingy for in/outs since I'm off by one whoops. Started to prep for finishing on a scrap piece of wood, we shall see how that will end up before I start doing the actual box.

[David_D]

Looking good. You're making very quick progress.
Try conventionally milling when you route. One direction the bit will want to grab and pull the router forward. This is called climb milling. Go the opposite direction. Take lighter cuts and it will be a lot less traumatic on your wood & bits.


conventionally milling



climb milling

[snwbdr94]

^^ Thanks! Never realized that, I was doing light cuts and when I was just cleaning the edge I didn't think it mattered all that much but I guess I was just stressing the tiny bit to much.

I've ran into a problem trying to solder a tri-joint 12awg wire.

First I tried doing all three at once, then cut the ends off since it was disgusting and didn't want to work. Then I tried to solder the ends and then solder all three together and that was complete failure as well. Any tips? I have definitely improved on my soldering since my first connection.

[soundemon]

advice: be patient. Stranded wire is so much more difficult to solder well than a solid wire (like the leads on a cap or resistor)
Give yourself alot of material to work with, keep things wound together or held together tightly so they cant move around, and keep a constant heat from your iron on the wire. and be patient.

[snwbdr94]

advice: be patient. Stranded wire is so much more difficult to solder well than a solid wire (like the leads on a cap or resistor)
Give yourself alot of material to work with, keep things wound together or held together tightly so they cant move around, and keep a constant heat from your iron on the wire. and be patient.

Thats what I was afraid of. Anyways here is my horrible soldering job. Yellow is my black, just decided yellow was easier to trace with.



What I have circled on the back is where I was having troubles soldering everything to. The top part is soldered fine but when I was trying to get it to connect lower is where it starts getting messy. Hopefully it will be alright. The part on the lower right is the neg in. The wire that is soldered is the one that leads to the mid out. The one with no soldering that leads up and left is connected to the tweet out.

[evilskillit]

Looks like you could use some flux. Get some of the good liquid stuff that places like mouser sell. Don't use the plumber's flux paste, its blech for electronics soldering.

[snwbdr94]

I'm going to wait and see if it works, if it doesn't I'll pick some flux up and redo it.

Also I'm going to be picking up the 2" pink fiberglass tonight as well. Home depot doesn't carry it around me, should have checked online before looking since Lowes was just down the street I could have just gone there. Either way I'll be picking that up tonight as well as rounding off the driver holes on both the front baffle and the back. Hopefully finish up gluing as well since it's now 0degrees in MN. No heated garage is no good either.