Zaph ZA5.3 MTM in a Steel Tube?

[cjd]

Ahh, the joys of torch work. I'm not sure straight propane would get quite hot enough for the thickness of that steel, probably need an oxygen/gas mix (probably doesn't have to be OA) but that's bucks... and fun.

It's fun to burn off rust too.

DO NOT do this in your garage. You need adequate ventilation.

[---k---]

Really interesting things can be done with steel. One that I've used occasionally is simply cleaning the metal really well and leaving it outdoors to weather for a bit until it gets a somewhat even layer of surface rust. Then apply something called RustFix by Duplicolor

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/rustfix.html

It sprays on clear and reacts with the surface oxides to create a pretty interesting surface of very hard, very black "rust".

That sounds like a similar product to Krud Kutter http://www.krudkutter.com/mustrust.asp that I used to get me to where I'm now. I didn't realize that the "inhibitor" actually creates a layer of rust on them. It works well, but I'm looking for shiny steel look - I want people to know what they are! It takes a lot of effort to get that layer off. I'm not sure I'm going to get what I want, but these are a becoming a great learning through failure experiment.

I like the torched look. That is pretty neat. But yeah, to heat this much steel... wow!

I might be going in circles and doing things just to fail, but I'm having fun. It is keeping my mind off work and I haven't blown the house up. So, it meets my goals.

[---k---]

I got 18' of 1/2" threaded rod, some nuts and washers - only another $38. This project is getting expensive! I drilled out a 7/8 dia recesses on the back of the front baffles, which I'll epoxy the nut into so nothing shows on the front. A drill press and Forster bit would have been really useful. It's a little sloppy, but should work. For the back, I drilled 1/2" dia through holes.

I've cut two lengths of threaded rod with a hack saw and my arm is about to fall off. I tried a dremel, but that didn't work too well. I suppose I need a metal cutting blade for my chop saw. I think by the time I finish with these speakers, I'll have every tool they sell at Lowes - which wasn't my intention...

And unfortunately, I have to go to a 4-year-olds birthday party.

[---k---]

I'm not making much progress on this project... And I'm about to undertake building a smoker, and... so, I just put the kit up for sale in the pawn shop with some other misc parts. It would have been a cool project, but I don't have time and my Khans keep me so happy I'm not sure when I would have ever listened to these.

So, if anyone is interested:

https://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?p=512681#post512681

[evilskillit]

I was really looking forward to the steel speaker cabinet. I was wondering about it recently. C'est la vie. Maybe someone else will be inspired by what you started and do it themselves.

[---k---]

Yeah.. me too... it was going to be a fun experiment.

If someone in Chicago wants the steel tubes, they can have them. Otherwise, they make great weights for glue-up projects.

[evilskillit]

Yeah.. me too... it was going to be a fun experiment.

If someone in Chicago wants the steel tubes, they can have them. Otherwise, they make great weights for glue-up projects.

Are you by chance coming to DIY Iowa? If so I bet someone there might take them and pick up on the project where you left off. Well or any other DIY show for that matter. I ask because I'll be at Iowa.

[---k---]

I was going to go to Iowa. I even had these entered. But, then I got tickets to see JJ Grey & Mofro at House of Blues here in Chicago. Of course, it was the same night.... I choose JJ Grey.

I never thought I would get into "swap music", but you got to check out JJ Grey. His newest release is getting a lot of press recently: wsj, usa today, American airlines. I still like his third album best, Lochloosa.

http://www.jjgrey.com/