| Project by PurpLev | posted 1819 days ago | 7776 views | 1 time favorited | 14 comments | ![]() |
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No, These are not BMW speakers – it’s easy to miss the fact that the middle character is a ‘&’ ... but it is. And these are so much better then any speakers BMW might have made anyways… lol
So I used to install home theaters in Los Angeles, and got this set of B&W In-Wall speakers. since I do not plan on cutting any holes in our walls (yet) as we’re only renting – I decided to build custom boxes for those speakers, and use them that way for the time being – until we get our own house, and can actually fit these inside the wall permanently.
Construction: 3/4” Birch Plywood for the sides, and 1/4” birch for the back.
Technique: Miter the edges to hide the joints.
Tools used: Circular saw to cut the pieces and miters (never again do I want to cut miters with a circular saw – ever!) and hand chisel to chisel out all the inside hollows for the speaker components.
not sure how well the plywood construction performs in terms of speaker resonance, I think it somewhat buffles the sound, but as a temporary solution – it works.
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
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14 comments so far
Greg Wurst
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769 posts in 2003 days
#1 posted 1819 days ago
That’s a nice set of bookshelf speakers you made there. :)
-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.
GaryK
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10263 posts in 2159 days
#2 posted 1819 days ago
Lots of clearance cuts! Nice job.
-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX
Karson
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34370 posts in 2571 days
#3 posted 1819 days ago
Great Job. and Welcome.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Scott Bryan
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27262 posts in 1993 days
#4 posted 1819 days ago
This is a nice set of speakers. Well done.
-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine
jockmike2
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10636 posts in 2417 days
#5 posted 1818 days ago
Great looking speakers. mike
-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -
scopemonkey
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182 posts in 2335 days
#6 posted 1818 days ago
Nice job. I used to design and build speaker systems with custom cabinets—its what led to my woodworking hobby. I would use something a bit more substantial than 1/4 inch for the back. You may get too much unwanted vibration. If you know some of the characteristics of the driver (free air resonance, etc), you can use some of the available software products out there to optimize your box design.
-- GSY from N. Idaho
tenontim
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2129 posts in 1915 days
#7 posted 1818 days ago
Nice looking speakers. I don’t know about speakers, but from a little research with guitar amps, pine makes a good enclosure, nice sound.
-- Tim-- http://www.tmuli.com
speakerscott
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42 posts in 2009 days
#8 posted 1818 days ago
As a one-time professional speaker designer, I second the suggestion for a thicker back. I would also add vertical and horizontal braces on the inside. Cabinet vibrations are bad news for home speakers, but desired in guitar speakers…
Otherwise, nice job and I LOVE that you used in-walls for it. Innovative solution for what you have on hand!
-- Scott, Austin-Texas...
TheHarr
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102 posts in 1710 days
#9 posted 1349 days ago
Hey Big Guy, you did a nice job on the speaker enclosure, BUT—you need to replace the
back with the same 3/4 birch ply. Also, what about a port to let the bass out?
If you replace the enclosure back, how about including a picture of the raw speakers and the
inside of the box? All the speakers I own are home made.
Just a fyi, you can get speaker refoaming kits to replace foam that has deteriorated and save a lot of money
instead of replacing the speakers.
Enjoy your sound
-- The wood is good.
interpim
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1115 posts in 1629 days
#10 posted 1349 days ago
Speaker boxes really should be made of a heavier material than plywood… Plywood has a tendency to vibrate. The best speaker boxes are made of MDF and have a veneer to pretty them up. MDF isn’t the best woodworking wood, but it is the best for sound quality.
-- San Diego, CA
PurpLev
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7760 posts in 1819 days
#11 posted 1349 days ago
Thanks TheHarr – I really made those on the spur of the moment trying to use what I had at hand – the sounds is far from great , and these ARE amazing speakers (by themselves), maybe one day I’ll replace the boxes – and I’ll do it with MDF – so Thanks for the idea interpim! right now it just can’t climb to the top of the priority list. who knows, maybe by the time I get to it – we’ll own our own house, in which case, these speakers will be installed in the wall as they are meant to be used.
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
PineInTheAsh
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394 posts in 1439 days
#12 posted 1349 days ago
UK-based Bowers & Wilkins is among the finest manufacturers of drivers and speaker systems in the world; and they’ve enjoyed that lofty status for decades.
When I built my four-way home system (tweet, dome midrange, 6” woofer in one box sitting atop a separate 12” woofer) 1-1/4” MDF was used throughout, the kind used for laminated kitchen countertops.
Only a circular saw was used. I used System West two-part epoxy, no metal fasteners of any kind.
Visited Constantines in the Bronx, NY and they let me sort in the back of the store for choice walnut veneer.
With MDF this thick, you can round and shape it into various curves, exotic lines, etc.
Plus you can butt joint everything with the veneer covering a multitude of sins.
Happy woodworking…and happy listening.
a1Jim
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87305 posts in 1748 days
#13 posted 1349 days ago
good job
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
swis66
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6 posts in 1308 days
#14 posted 1308 days ago
very cool
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