Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

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HackSaw
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Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by HackSaw »

Hi Guys,

I'd like a 1x12 extension cabinet for my Marshall DSL401. Apparently the only Marshall option is the rare 1933 so I was thinking of building one. I did purchase VHT, but it is a bit smaller and looks stupid under the combo (yeah I am shallow).

As for my background, old man owned a furniture factory down in CHCH so I grew up wood working. No problems with the work involved. Issues & questions I have though:

Best place to buy good ply? I am guessing the bunnings building ply might not suffice?
I need a table saw. (not an issue, just quietly trying to justify it to myself)
How important are dimensions to sound etc? Build it to size to match the combo and it should sound okay? Any templates out there?
Or, should I just get a professional to build one? Anyone here had a cab built and how much did it set you back?

I would quite like to do it myself, I enjoy such things. Just looking for a few hints to begin with...

Cheers!

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by jeremyb »

Just buy pine boards of an appropriate width and use those, makes great cabs!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by rickenbackerkid »

HackSaw wrote:Hi Guys,
How important are dimensions to sound etc? Build it to size to match the combo and it should sound okay? Any templates out there?
In my opinion, size is actually very important for a closed back cab. Less so for an open back. If you like the sound of the DSL combo, try to replicate it as close as possible. You could also build a closed back 'Thiele' cab modified to the right size for a different sound


http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a ... r-Cabinet/

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by Lostininverness »

as JB says, pine boards are all good, I think there are some in Bunnies that are intended for shelves or something that are laminated pieces that are already machined etc. 18mm ply is ok if you can dodge knots, and epoxy fill any defects you cant. Its what I've used.

Use marine ply for the speaker baffle. Hopefully others can guide for the thickness. I think 12mm is the standard, I've used 6mm in a champ clone cos I was concerned about not enough room between the speaker and OT.

Can use a skil saw, or router and a straight edge instead of a table saw?

here's one place plans and a whole lot more info in the forum.

http://www.ax84.com/corecabinets.html

Google is your friend, or you can always "browse with a tape measure" at a music shop (can I say that??? sorry if not!).

And agree, from that I've read, dimensions are more critical for closed back, I stuck with open back for that reason with a 2x10 cabinet!!

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by HackSaw »

Awesome guys, thanks for that. So you reckon pine is all good and I don't need to arse about with all the "void free baltic birch harvested on a full moon by Swedish virgins" malarky?

I think Bunnings etc will cut to size (they did in Oz anyway), but I imagine only rough cut so I'd still need something. Maybe the router with guide is the way to go? I was thinking closed back as the combo is open, but less sure of that now with what you are saying. Could always try a panel on the combo and see how that sounds closed.

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by Lostininverness »

Are the Swedes chicks and unclothed in the moonlight? If so, I would suggest helping with the harvest. Otherwise, the stuff that I'm probably going to use for anything like this is:

http://www.bunnings.co.nz/laminated-pan ... _p08490005

yeah, rough cut with saw and trim with the router. Any slight offsets once glued/screwed square with the side panels can be sorted when you do the roundovers. And if you cover it, who can tell what's under the cover!!

From memory there are ratio's of height/length/depth to get a certain volume of air moving for best performance. Theres also comments that the size is based on "what Leo had lying around". Sorry, not much more help.

One of the "driving" factors between selecting closed or open back is how much bass you want (again, only from reading, never had closed back cab).

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by Bg »

the marshall 4x12 was designed by getting all the pieces out of one standard sheet of ply, there isn't much magic involved in that type of cab design.

yep there are equations you can do, it depends on you knowing what speaker you're putting in there too, then its a case of working out the volume of the cab (not sound volume).

I've had awesome results by just building cabs the size I want. Not had a failure yet and I've built a good half dozen or so in the last few years. There are plenty of plans online for cabs too if you don't want to experiment.

Pine is nice and light, I've used it for a 4x12 that I could lift basically with one hand. Plywood would be stronger. I tend to use dovetail joints on the corners of my cabs but box joints are equally good, and if you aren't planning on throwing them around too much then glue and screw should be fine.

Hardware - Ryan at the amp shop, does hardware - corners, handles, tolex, grill cloth, drop him a PM.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by HackSaw »

Bg wrote:the marshall 4x12 was designed by getting all the pieces out of one standard sheet of ply, there isn't much magic involved in that type of cab design.

yep there are equations you can do, it depends on you knowing what speaker you're putting in there too, then its a case of working out the volume of the cab (not sound volume).

I've had awesome results by just building cabs the size I want. Not had a failure yet and I've built a good half dozen or so in the last few years. There are plenty of plans online for cabs too if you don't want to experiment.

Pine is nice and light, I've used it for a 4x12 that I could lift basically with one hand. Plywood would be stronger. I tend to use dovetail joints on the corners of my cabs but box joints are equally good, and if you aren't planning on throwing them around too much then glue and screw should be fine.

Hardware - Ryan at the amp shop, does hardware - corners, handles, tolex, grill cloth, drop him a PM.
Good info thanks - with the voice of experience there I might have to have a quick chat with you on Saturday! I had planned to get the hardware of Ryan, need to take the amp in for repairs anyway so was thinking of awesomizing the whole thing. (Well, retolexing and making it look pretty). Bit of a quandary as I've spent $250 on a transformer plus $150 labour already. Getting close to where maybe I should have just bought one of his Supros or something! But I do like this amp when it is cranking so I think it's worth the repair, and an ext. cab should help it really open up.

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by Bg »

Yeah sweet, will probably have a 2x12 closed back there I built, its a pine one and nice and light. Depends if I get around to refitting speakers.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Building own 1x12 Cabinet - where to start?

Post by Cdog »

I built my head and speaker cabs out of laminate pine planks from Bunnings... half the price of soild. I'm pretty happy with them, sounds good, etc

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