Sharkfin Statements (unauthorized)

[bigbardmusiq]

Very beautiful speakers. I am partial to curved designs and these are some of the best I've seen. I am going to keep this thread flagged for inspiration in my future builds. Did you use hardwood or veneer over MDF for the outer baffles? Also, did you chamfer the inside of the woofer and mid cutouts?

Matt

I used a veneer that was glued to 1/4in plywood board, the front baffle is 1/2in mdf laminated to 3/4in hardwood called "Poplar". Due to the way this was constructed I didn't chamfer or round over the inside edges, but later I hand hogged it out with a rasp!

[ChrisL]

Beautiful speakers BigBard.

If you don't mind my asking, what technique do you use when finishing the baffle and sides.

I have been going over in my head what would be the best way to allow me to spray the baffle with a black paint and put a good finish on the veneer on the sides.

It looks like you put the raw veneer along with the baffle and then went to town with the black on the baffle and the finish on the veneer.

I am a bit of a perfectionist (unfortunately why I spend more time analyzing things instead of just going for it).

I have heard bad things about getting glue on unfinished veneer and I would like to try and get seamless lines where the black paint on the baffle meets the finished veneer.

Do you have any pointers on this? I thought of finishing the baffle and speaker separately but then I believe I will end up marring the surface with clamp pressure when it's time for the glue up.

Maybe it is not as difficult as I am making it out to be, but I keep going over the various combination's in my head and nothing seems like it is going to work well enough for my approval.

Chris.

[bigbardmusiq]

I stained the front baffle first with green painters tape lined along the veneer. If there was any leaks onto the the veneer i just lightly sanded it away. If you use Titebond 2 (the red label) the glue is reversible so you can wipe up mistakes, Only bad thing is there very short open face time. There's no stain on the walnut veneer sides, just 6 coats of shellac sprayed on with a small harbor freight gun. This was my first time using a spray gun!

[ChrisL]

Thanks!

So this is the order you did it?:

- Put veneer on prior to attaching baffle
- Tape around veneer (not sure if you taped here or after baffle was on)
- Glue baffle; wipe any seepage of glue
- stain / paint baffle
- remove tape / finish (shellac) veneer

I am going to be getting a gun as well and trying for the first time. I plan to spray the baffle black and spray the veneer as well.

Chris

[bigbardmusiq]

Chris, take a look at post 13. I attached the front hardwood baffle to the half inch mdf baffle, I made it 11 3/4 instead of 11 1/2 to be flush trimmed later after attaching the 1/4in veneer plywood. After flush trimmming the front baffle to match the vener sides then I 3/4 roundover. Then I taped off all the hardwoods with green painters tape, stained, remove tape, then shellac all at once. There might be a better method of getting it done, for me it's been alot of trial and error!

[Paul Spencer]

Very cool! Great job with those!

[LFF]

Amazing work!

I can't wait to build a pair of statements! Seems I never enough time or know-how or money or all three!

Did you compensate for the loss of volume or did you use the new drivers?

[bigbardmusiq]

Amazing work!

I can't wait to build a pair of statements! Seems I never enough time or know-how or money or all three!

Did you compensate for the loss of volume or did you use the new drivers?

I never filled in the kerfs, I wonder if i have to much volume. with a xp3 (300watt amp) i can go +2 on some tracks with zero distortion. that's on pure audio mode, they go insanely louder when crossed to a sub. I have the newer woofers!

[LFF]

I never filled in the kerfs, I wonder if i have to much volume. with a xp3 (300watt amp) i can go +2 on some tracks with zero distortion. that's on pure audio mode, they go insanely louder when crossed to a sub. I have the newer woofers!

Wow. You really did an amazing job. I really wish someone in Southern California built these as I am dying to hear a pair.

I'd build a pair but I have zero skills and zero hardware. :cry:

[Coconutout]

^^ I was in LA when I built my pair and sold them to a neighbor. I can give you his email if you'd like. My best advice though is to just go ahead and build them. It will be the best choice you made

Cool Statements, btw, OP. very imposing!

[LFF]

^^ I was in LA when I built my pair and sold them to a neighbor. I can give you his email if you'd like. My best advice though is to just go ahead and build them. It will be the best choice you made

Cool Statements, btw, OP. very imposing!

His/her email would be awesome!

If someone in LA was selling them, I'd buy them in a heart beat especially if they looked the OP's.

As said before, I wish I could build them but I have no hardware, except for a hammer and screw driver ops: and no skills whatsoever when it comes to working wood. :cry:

[snmhanson]

His/her email would be awesome!

If someone in LA was selling them, I'd buy them in a heart beat especially if they looked the OP's.

As said before, I wish I could build them but I have no hardware, except for a hammer and screw driver ops: and no skills whatsoever when it comes to working wood. :cry:

Just a thought but several years I took a cabinet making class through a local adult CE program. It was a great class and I was basically able to build anything I wanted as long as it somewhat resembled a cabinet. Plus, I had access to a shop loaded with professional grade tools. Not sure if this is a common thing, but I live in a small town and you can find those types of classes quite often around here. You could always look around and see if something like that is offered in your neck of the woods. Not only would you have a venue to build your speakers in, but you would probably learn a lot from an experienced teacher too (and he may learn a few things as well). Not to mention, you won't cover everything in your garage with an inch of MDF dust since you'd be working in someone else's shop.

Matt

[LFF]

Just a thought but several years I took a cabinet making class through a local adult CE program. It was a great class and I was basically able to build anything I wanted as long as it somewhat resembled a cabinet. Plus, I had access to a shop loaded with professional grade tools. Not sure if this is a common thing, but I live in a small town and you can find those types of classes quite often around here. You could always look around and see if something like that is offered in your neck of the woods. Not only would you have a venue to build your speakers in, but you would probably learn a lot from an experienced teacher too (and he may learn a few things as well). Not to mention, you won't cover everything in your garage with an inch of MDF dust since you'd be working in someone else's shop.

Matt

Matt! That is a fantastic idea!!!! :T

I'll start looking around for an entry level class!