X-onken Xpress - 5
You're gumptious DIYers! Ah, everything is ready, the panels are cut and corrected and you are rarin' to go! Great!
Now the assembly of the cabinet begins.
Hands on ...
The first step is the preparation of the Onken side panels. This has two stages (refer to the drawings and the build photos -- these are photos of a later MDF build ). Take the Onk-out panel, mark 2.5 inches from the back and draw a line. Also, put the top and bottom battens on the panel and draw lines. Then divide equally into thirds with the other two battens and draw lines on both sides of the battens to mark their positions. Now fix each batten with its rear end touching the (2.5 inch) line, and use panel pins to fix them in position. Separate the battens slowly, spread glue on both the batten and the Onk-out panel, fix the batten back, aligning the pins, press and hold for about ten seconds. Move to the next batten. In a short time all the four battens will be affixed to the Onk-out panel.
Once the Onken panels are set to one side for drying, it is time to move to the front and back panels. Not much work here ecxcept cutting the holes for the speaker driver and the rear cable connector. The centre of the speaker cutout is 5 inches form the top edge. After making the cutout, see that the driver rests properly in the cutout.
Here it may be noted that virtually any speaker driver that could be accommodated within the width of the front panel could be tried. Experimentation and comparative audition are the keys to a satisfactory final selection of driver to suit overall smoothness of frequency response and your taste in music. Please also note that the driver is mounted from the front after the cabinet is fully finished.
Please be warned that Multi-wood is not "screw-friendly". Fixing/replacing the driver a few times will wear out the screw threads in the soft material. Be sure to use either clawed Tee-nuts and bolts, or nuts superglued to large washers and stuck behind the fixing screw holes, or, at a pinch, four small pieces of wood stuck behind the front panel screw positions.
Boxing it up
Now we are at a juncture where some care and patience are needed -- the assembly of the box. Be sure to have the top and bottom panels too to hand. Note that the 45 degree chamfers at the front corners are NOT to be cut now -- leave that task for later. Lay one of the Onken panels on the table, align the front and back panels, and then put the second Onken panel on top (be careful about the outside-inside orientation) and see that everything "fits/aligns" properly, and that we have a "square" box structure. Now is the time to make minor, but important corrections. (You are going to need four hands here! Recruit some help!)
You will evolve your own techniques for assembly at this stage, I'm sure. But here is how I went about it. With a brick holding one of the Onken panels in place, align the front and back panels and put the second Onken panel on top. Align and pin to both front and back panels. Remove the brick, invert the four-sided box, and pin the other Onken panel to the front and back panels. (Be careful to align the top and bottom edges too.) Now loosen the Onken panel front side, spread glue and stick to the front panel. DO NOT stick the back panel yet. Loosen the opposite Onken panel and here also stick to the front panel edge only. Now put a couple of large rubber bands across the somewhat loose and unsteady box assembly and stand it upright. Take a top/bottom panel, put it on top and align the edges squarely and drive in a few pins. Now loosen and apply glue to both the sides, and the front panel top, and put a small weight and leave for a minute or two. Leave the back panel unglued, but held with a couple of pins only.
Invert the box structure and repeat with the second top/bottom panel. Check alignments and squareness once again and leave to dry with a weight on top. Move to the second box, and repeat.
Please note that now that the battens are projecting half inch more to the front than the Onken outside panels, the Onken inside panels are projecting another half inch more to the front, and the top and bottom panels' front corners (to be chamfer cut) over-lie these projections.
While the box is drying out, we will take a breather and plan the rest of the moves. What is to come immediately is the critical lining of the inside walls of the box with cotton or jute felt pads. As you know the dimensions, it is easy enough to cut the requisite number of felt pads and keep it ready. Also remember to cut x6 pieces of felt measuring 5 x 6 inches, which have an important role to play in our scheme of things.
Please once again remind yourself that unlike the usual practice of speaker builders, here we are (have to!) leaving the inside of the cabinet free and open, without any stuffing. While taking measurements for the pads, see that the side pads do not block the inlets of the Onken ports -- their depth measure must be the depth of the Onken-in panels, no more.
Go to sleep dreaming of the sweet music the little X-onkens will be making in a few days.
Sweet dreams!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Now the assembly of the cabinet begins.
Hands on ...
The first step is the preparation of the Onken side panels. This has two stages (refer to the drawings and the build photos -- these are photos of a later MDF build ). Take the Onk-out panel, mark 2.5 inches from the back and draw a line. Also, put the top and bottom battens on the panel and draw lines. Then divide equally into thirds with the other two battens and draw lines on both sides of the battens to mark their positions. Now fix each batten with its rear end touching the (2.5 inch) line, and use panel pins to fix them in position. Separate the battens slowly, spread glue on both the batten and the Onk-out panel, fix the batten back, aligning the pins, press and hold for about ten seconds. Move to the next batten. In a short time all the four battens will be affixed to the Onk-out panel.
Please note that the battens will now project half inch towards the front of the Onk-out panel.
Next take the Onk-in panel and align it also to the battens/rear line, and pin it temporarily. Note that the Onk-in panel will now project another half inch more from the tip of the battens to the front. Everything is fine then. Be careful to align the top and bottom and rear, and verify that the panels are "fair and square" before pinning them together. As before, separate the Onk-in panel, spread glue on both mating surfaces and aligning the pins, press them together. Keep a small weight (a large tray with sand/brick pieces is ideal; don't use books; books are to be venerated as sources of knowledge, and deserve a suitably respectful place.) on top and leave for a few hours.
A practical tip to follow here is to plan working on all the four Onken panels in a row. As soon as the first panel is fitted with the battens, leave it aside to dry and start on the second. Finish that and move to the third panel etc. This will give ample time for the joints to dry, so that you could remove the pins, and start on the first panel as soon as you have finished the fourth panel+battens. Likewise, once the first Onk-in+out is assembled, leave it aside with a couple of brick/stone pieces on top and move to the second, third etc. Once the last panel assembly is finished, the first one will be ready for the pins to be removed. Finally stack all the four Onken panels and put a weight on top and leave to dry.
Next take the Onk-in panel and align it also to the battens/rear line, and pin it temporarily. Note that the Onk-in panel will now project another half inch more from the tip of the battens to the front. Everything is fine then. Be careful to align the top and bottom and rear, and verify that the panels are "fair and square" before pinning them together. As before, separate the Onk-in panel, spread glue on both mating surfaces and aligning the pins, press them together. Keep a small weight (a large tray with sand/brick pieces is ideal; don't use books; books are to be venerated as sources of knowledge, and deserve a suitably respectful place.) on top and leave for a few hours.
A practical tip to follow here is to plan working on all the four Onken panels in a row. As soon as the first panel is fitted with the battens, leave it aside to dry and start on the second. Finish that and move to the third panel etc. This will give ample time for the joints to dry, so that you could remove the pins, and start on the first panel as soon as you have finished the fourth panel+battens. Likewise, once the first Onk-in+out is assembled, leave it aside with a couple of brick/stone pieces on top and move to the second, third etc. Once the last panel assembly is finished, the first one will be ready for the pins to be removed. Finally stack all the four Onken panels and put a weight on top and leave to dry.
Another tip I would lay stress on is to always review your ongoing work for alignment of edges and "true-ness". Use the try-square liberally, and correct if needed. The PVC glue is slow to set and will give you ample opportunities to effect small corrections (which ideally should be done before pinning the pieces together).
Once the Onken panels are set to one side for drying, it is time to move to the front and back panels. Not much work here ecxcept cutting the holes for the speaker driver and the rear cable connector. The centre of the speaker cutout is 5 inches form the top edge. After making the cutout, see that the driver rests properly in the cutout.
Here it may be noted that virtually any speaker driver that could be accommodated within the width of the front panel could be tried. Experimentation and comparative audition are the keys to a satisfactory final selection of driver to suit overall smoothness of frequency response and your taste in music. Please also note that the driver is mounted from the front after the cabinet is fully finished.
Please be warned that Multi-wood is not "screw-friendly". Fixing/replacing the driver a few times will wear out the screw threads in the soft material. Be sure to use either clawed Tee-nuts and bolts, or nuts superglued to large washers and stuck behind the fixing screw holes, or, at a pinch, four small pieces of wood stuck behind the front panel screw positions.
Boxing it up
Now we are at a juncture where some care and patience are needed -- the assembly of the box. Be sure to have the top and bottom panels too to hand. Note that the 45 degree chamfers at the front corners are NOT to be cut now -- leave that task for later. Lay one of the Onken panels on the table, align the front and back panels, and then put the second Onken panel on top (be careful about the outside-inside orientation) and see that everything "fits/aligns" properly, and that we have a "square" box structure. Now is the time to make minor, but important corrections. (You are going to need four hands here! Recruit some help!)
You will evolve your own techniques for assembly at this stage, I'm sure. But here is how I went about it. With a brick holding one of the Onken panels in place, align the front and back panels and put the second Onken panel on top. Align and pin to both front and back panels. Remove the brick, invert the four-sided box, and pin the other Onken panel to the front and back panels. (Be careful to align the top and bottom edges too.) Now loosen the Onken panel front side, spread glue and stick to the front panel. DO NOT stick the back panel yet. Loosen the opposite Onken panel and here also stick to the front panel edge only. Now put a couple of large rubber bands across the somewhat loose and unsteady box assembly and stand it upright. Take a top/bottom panel, put it on top and align the edges squarely and drive in a few pins. Now loosen and apply glue to both the sides, and the front panel top, and put a small weight and leave for a minute or two. Leave the back panel unglued, but held with a couple of pins only.
Invert the box structure and repeat with the second top/bottom panel. Check alignments and squareness once again and leave to dry with a weight on top. Move to the second box, and repeat.
Please note that now that the battens are projecting half inch more to the front than the Onken outside panels, the Onken inside panels are projecting another half inch more to the front, and the top and bottom panels' front corners (to be chamfer cut) over-lie these projections.
While the box is drying out, we will take a breather and plan the rest of the moves. What is to come immediately is the critical lining of the inside walls of the box with cotton or jute felt pads. As you know the dimensions, it is easy enough to cut the requisite number of felt pads and keep it ready. Also remember to cut x6 pieces of felt measuring 5 x 6 inches, which have an important role to play in our scheme of things.
Please once again remind yourself that unlike the usual practice of speaker builders, here we are (have to!) leaving the inside of the cabinet free and open, without any stuffing. While taking measurements for the pads, see that the side pads do not block the inlets of the Onken ports -- their depth measure must be the depth of the Onken-in panels, no more.
Go to sleep dreaming of the sweet music the little X-onkens will be making in a few days.
Sweet dreams!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
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