Hardwood Floor|standing Speakers

Did you end up with a spare box of scrap hardwood flooring?
Make a set of floor standing speakers with it!

Skill level
Intermediate - advanced woodworking

Materials
Scrap hardwood
Speaker components.
Assorted wood screws - #6 or #8
Paint (optional)
Packaging foam
Wood glue
Liquid nails

Tools
Drill & bits
Router/jisaw
Tablesaw

Have your speakers ready to check sizing.
Match wood grains if possible.
Stagger the pieces to give the joints more strength.

Using wood glue and clamps glue pieces together.
Set them aside to dry.
Stack them on a flat level surface.

If your scrap pieces have nails or screws now is the time to remove them now.

Cut all the pieces to size.
(Speaker components will vary, so measure twice cut once)

There are many types of wood joining techniques.
(http://www6.district125.k12.il.us/teched/Images/WoodJoints.gif)

I went with a dado wood joint.
It was the least time consuming, and stronger than a lap joint.

Apply the joints to the edges.

Depending on the speaker components you buy, the manufacturer will suggest the layout.
Here I'm using a tmm setup. (Tweeter/Mid/Mid)

The easiest way to cut circles is with a plunge router and circle template.
I scored an open box plunge router for $30 bucks.
The circle template I had to make.

Pic1
Find a scrap piece of clear acrylic.
Copy hole set of the plastic base plate onto the scrap piece of acrylic.
Drill out holes.

Pic 2
Temporarily mount the template (Scrap acrylic piece) onto a working surface

Pic 3
Using a compass and a ruler, mark your lengths from the center point of the router.
(This will be the center of your router.)
Drill location holes at the marked length... this will be the pivoting/spinning point for the router

Pic 4
Mount the new acrylic template onto the router.

Pic 5
Cut a test piece.
The pivot/spinning hole rests in a screw placed in the center of your workpiece
As you are cutting all the way through, be sure to have scrap material to raise your piece so you don't cut into your bench

Cut the speaker holes out.

To achieve different depth cuts (set the depth gauge on your plunge router)

This allow for the speaker to sit flush with the surface. (PIC 2)

Cut out the hole for the speaker inputs in the back panel.

With everything cut out, it's time to assemble everything.

before gluing the pieces together, I like to do a quick test fit.
to see if the dado joints are right.

I decided to try a transmission line style of speaker.
This was done by creating series of internal baffles that reduce in size as it reaches the port at the bottom.

Read more about this type of speaker design here.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_transmission_line)

Pic 2
Use scrap angled cuts to reduce the amount of corners. (Enhances sound and increases structural rigidity)

I will be painting the front and back MDF panels black before mounting the speakers.

I have left the sides open to do all the wiring and stuffing.

Mask everything you don't want painted.

Lay down some paint.

Add foam/batting to provide baffling to eliminate standing waves.

Screw your speaker components in and run your wiring.

Using liquid nails, adhere the side panel.
(Rest it on the glued side, the weight of the speaker should provide plenty of pressure for a good bond)

Cut out some feet and mount them to the bottom.

Pic 1
Using some 3/4"x3/4" scrap lengths and circular router offcuts.

Pic 2
Create the speaker cover frame using glue and nails.

Pic 3
The circular router off cuts provide the strength.

Wrap the cover with some acoustic fabric.

And... Done.