Borsuk's Overnight Sensations No.2 build

[borsuk]

Dear builders,
I already built one pair of OS some time ago which I use as computer speakers at home. I like them so much that I decided to build another pair for my office at work and this time document the process. It may help other builders see how I did it. I feel it's my duty to the forum from which I learned a lot.
I hope it will not be boring.

Some pictures of my first build, I used hardwood (not sure how do you name that board glued of stripes).







This time I will use MDF and try my first veneer finish.
I started with crossovers:





Heavier components (coils and the biggest capacitor) are glued with hot glue, small capacitors just soldered and the resistors are elevated by 3mm to avoid heating the board (but I doubt the speakers will be played at levels that cause resistor heating at all)





Strange "hair" on the bottom side is hot glue residue, wich I forgot to remove before taking the picture.



Next weekend comes the sawdust ...

[Mikerodrig27]

Looks great so far. Where did you order your parts?

[borsuk]

Looks great so far. Where did you order your parts?

I'm in Slovakia (Europe) so I have to buy the parts in EU to avoid high shipping and tax costs. I use mainly audio.nl
If you live in the US, you have much more options and much cheaper parts. Meniscus audio has a full kit for Overnight sensations dirt cheap.

[borsuk]

Already found one mistake: one of the resistors should be 10 Ohm, I have all 12 Ohm. Will change it tonight.

[CADman_ks]

I'm in Slovakia (Europe) so I have to buy the parts in EU to avoid high shipping and tax costs. I use mainly audio.nl
If you live in the US, you have much more options and much cheaper parts. Meniscus audio has a full kit for Overnight sensations dirt cheap.

I love the crossover boards! Every time that I have made speakers, I've always made my own, and while they look "OK", the printed circuit boards definitely give them that next level of "professional" for sure.

I have never ordered anything from Meniscus either (since I'm in the US). Do their circuit boards look like these? I'd consider ordering those, if that was the case. I definitely like the look...

[borsuk]

I love the crossover boards! Every time that I have made speakers, I've always made my own, and while they look "OK", the printed circuit boards definitely give them that next level of "professional" for sure.

I have never ordered anything from Meniscus either (since I'm in the US). Do their circuit boards look like these? I'd consider ordering those, if that was the case. I definitely like the look...

I may have been misleading in my post about buying components. I got my components from audio.nl, but I did the boards myself. From designing the layout in KiCAD, to etching the boards. As far as I know, Meniscus sells the "traditional" type of boards - a piece of MDF to which you glue the components and wire them point-to-point. Not PCBs.
I find PCBs much cleaner looking so I chose this way. Not sure which is "better".
Thanks for the kind words about the look of my boards.

[CADman_ks]

I don't know that either one is "better" than the other, as they both get the ultimate job done. BUT, there's no doubt that your version definitely looks professional. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing right, and your boards are the definition of right!!

Absolutely great work!!!

[borsuk]

MDF cut. Nothing fancy yet

[borsuk]

Cabinets glued

After a longer break (I had to wait for a new router, then vacation, ...) I'm back with this build.

Cabinets glued together

[borsuk]

Front baffles routed

[borsuk]

Crossover mounting test

I decided to use threaded inserts, rubber O-rings and machine screws to mount the crossovers.
Here are some details for inspiration if someone finds it useful ...

[Evil Twin]

You are making progress once again, and reaching closer to completing your goals with this project...

[borsuk]

Please help with veneering

I'm finally back to building. Managed to glue the enclosures and did some routing with flush trim bit to the edges. Now I will round the front edges and next is veneering.
This is where I need some help.
I never did veneer, so I'm not sure how to do it correctly.
Enclosures are made of MDF, I have 0,6mm thick wenge veneer with no paper backing, just simple veneer. I will use Titebond Cold press veneer glue http://www.titebond.com/product/glue...9-5794cc3ae102
What do you recommend after sanding? What kind of sealing is neccessary in this situation? How to veneer the rounded edges?
Thanks for any help.

[Evil Twin]

Due to the rounded edges, you will most likely want to consider a vinyl wrap.

The MDF should be sealed before either process, ideally- this can be a standard MDF primer, or if you are more OCD like some of us, a complete epoxy coating and sanding may be in order- with smaller cabinets, this is less of an issue.

[borsuk]

Thank you.
I'm not sure about vinyl, I would use it as a last resort, because I love wood.
I understand the logic in sealer, even epoxy kind of primer paint, I will look around here for some epoxy. Do you have any experience with the Titebond veneer glue? Is the epoxy coat suitable for it?
I guess I'd rather do some test (two boards joined together with rounded corners) and try to veneer those before the real thing ...

[CADman_ks]

Thank you.
I'm not sure about vinyl, I would use it as a last resort, because I love wood.
I understand the logic in sealer, even epoxy kind of primer paint, I will look around here for some epoxy. Do you have any experience with the Titebond veneer glue? Is the epoxy coat suitable for it?
I guess I'd rather do some test (two boards joined together with rounded corners) and try to veneer those before the real thing ...

I am with you on the wood thing. I prefer the look of wood over most other finishes.

Question: You said that you were going to roundover the front "edges". Does that mean all four of them, or just the verticals?

If you're doing just the verticals, you shouldn't have any issues running your veneer around the edges. I built my sub this way, and didn't have any issues going around the corner.

If you round all four edges, filling the "ball" in the corner is going to be tough, for sure. If you do want all four edges treated, another option would be to chamfer them, so that you end up with flat surfaces all the way around...

[borsuk]

I am with you on the wood thing. I prefer the look of wood over most other finishes.

Question: You said that you were going to roundover the front "edges". Does that mean all four of them, or just the verticals?

If you're doing just the verticals, you shouldn't have any issues running your veneer around the edges. I built my sub this way, and didn't have any issues going around the corner.

If you round all four edges, filling the "ball" in the corner is going to be tough, for sure. If you do want all four edges treated, another option would be to chamfer them, so that you end up with flat surfaces all the way around...

Oh, I see I was not exact in this. I want to round overthe verticals only, exactly as I did in my first build (top of this thread) which was not veneered, so I didn't have any problems. Now I expect to bend the veneer (either dry or moistened somehow) around the vertical roundover, but not sure if the glue would bond enough. I guess the best way is to try and see ...
Thanks

[CADman_ks]

Oh, I see I was not exact in this. I want to round overthe verticals only, exactly as I did in my first build (top of this thread) which was not veneered, so I didn't have any problems. Now I expect to bend the veneer (either dry or moistened somehow) around the vertical roundover, but not sure if the glue would bond enough. I guess the best way is to try and see ...
Thanks

I did that exact same thing on my sub, and didn't have any issues at all. The veneer bends easily around the corner. I didn't wet it either.

I was using paper backed veneer, and I used the method where you put PVA glue on the back of the veneer, and the box, and then iron on the veneer. It's the only method I have ever used for gluing on veneer, and I have never had any issues with it.

I can't speak to how well that works with non-paper backed veneer, though...

[Steve Manning]

This is a very useful site for information and supplies on veneering. https://www.joewoodworker.com/

[CADman_ks]

This is a very useful site for information and supplies on veneering. https://www.joewoodworker.com/

Agreed. This is where I've bought all of my veneer from. Very good quality, and good prices...

[borsuk]

Finally done

After long, long time the speakers are done.
I managed to finish them right in time when my 30 years old speakers for living room failed. These were built when I was 18 and served OK, but not today's technology and quality, so I will not even repair them. Now Overnight sensations are the main speakers and I have to say, they are fantastic.

Below are some pictures of the final product. I used some wenge venner and natural Tung oil. It's not perfect, because the Tung oil never cured fully and left a rather sticky surface. I reak that some woods of the mahogany family have some enzymes or whatever that prevent tung oil to fully cure. I don't know. Once I build real living room grade speakers, I'll try to sand them and use something different to finish them. But the sound is unbelievable.

Next is Amiga's and Statements II.
Thanks for advices during the build, I enjoyed the process...