Another Cab Build Problem: Baffle cutout.

[RJW]

I’ve run into another problem in my cab build: I routed the two holes in the baffle but in my haste, I measured one of them an inch too small (left side in photo)

Can I just leave it like it is? If not, I considered these options but I don’t really know:

1. Use the inner circle cutout, place it in the hole securely, then route again?

2. Same as 1 but use a piece of scrap to cut a new inner circle to fit tightly in the hole?

3. Rabbet and flush trim on the router table? Seems tedious but I have the capability.

4. Make a new baffle altogether with better lumber?

I got a few other tools in the shed too.
Maybe I’m way off. Have you ever had to fix this? How would you do it?

I thought I would be done with the construction today. Oh we’ll. I guess it’s better to have cut it too small rather than too large. Someone save me.

 

[fitz]

Salvageable, no need for a do-over - too small is way better than too big.
I cut baffle holes with a jig saw, leave the line, and drum sand to the finished size.
A rabbet cut, and then flush trim would also work if you wanted to use the router table.
Looking nice by the way.

(sorry, I couldn't resist)

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Looks like you're using MDF or particle board. I'd definitely go with a void free baltic birch baffle and start over. Don't rush it this time.

 

[South Park]

If the speaker fits leave it . Put a grill over it and no will ever see it . You are to close to the edge to router it bigger . If you replace it center the holes to the middle . It looks good you should be building kitchen cabinets

 

[Dogs of Doom]

you could put the circle back in, shim it as even as possible, secure it, then route it over...

 

[Geeze]

Are you using a circle jig for the router? If so you only need a center point. Take a piece of pine that overlaps the 'finished' hole and with a couple of spacer blocks offset it below the router bit. Screw it down. Glue/stick/screw a center block flush with the mdf drill your pivot hole and have at it.

Or jig saw it as Fitz suggested.

Or start with a new baffle.

Or burn it and deny it ever existed... Which might be a bit hard to deny as you now have witnesses...

Russ

 

[BlueX]

This:

Are you using a circle jig for the router? If so you only need a center point. Take a piece of pine that overlaps the 'finished' hole and with a couple of spacer blocks offset it below the router bit. Screw it down. Glue/stick/screw a center block flush with the mdf drill your pivot hole and have at it.

Or even better:

start with a new baffle.

go with a void free baltic birch baffle and start over.

 

[Sapient]

I was baffled until I looked a little closer.

If it's a matter of routing two holes into a board I'd "start over", as it's being called. I'd just call it a decision to upgrade the board though.

Birch that baby.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I’ve run into another problem in my cab build: I routed the two holes in the baffle but in my haste, I measured one of them an inch too small (left side in photo)

Can I just leave it like it is? If not, I considered these options but I don’t really know:

1. Use the inner circle cutout, place it in the hole securely, then route again?

2. Same as 1 but use a piece of scrap to cut a new inner circle to fit tightly in the hole?

3. Rabbet and flush trim on the router table? Seems tedious but I have the capability.

4. Make a new baffle altogether with better lumber?

I got a few other tools in the shed too.
Maybe I’m way off. Have you ever had to fix this? How would you do it?

I thought I would be done with the construction today. Oh we’ll. I guess it’s better to have cut it too small rather than too large. Someone save me.

View attachment 100521

Cut the circle bigger with a jigsaw unless you have special tools to do a neater job, its gonna be sandwiched between the speaker and speaker fabric so you wont see it any way. And we all know tone is in the circle!

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

#4

 

[RJW]

Looks like you're using MDF or particle board. I'd definitely go with a void free baltic birch baffle and start over. Don't rush it this time.

I was baffled until I looked a little closer.

If it's a matter of routing two holes into a board I'd "start over", as it's being called. I'd just call it a decision to upgrade the board though.

Birch that baby.

#4

there seems to be a lot in favor of new baffle. Seems like birch is preferred. The rest is pine. Would changing the back panel and baffle to pine ply be a good option? They are low on birch sheets at the local store. I think 24x24 only. That won’t work.

I would then have an all pine cab for better or worse.

 

[fitz]

there seems to be a lot in favor of new baffle. Seems like birch is preferred. The rest is pine. Would changing the back panel and baffle to pine ply be a good option? They are low on birch sheets at the local store. I think 24x24 only. That won’t work.

I would then have an all pine cab for better or worse.

I use what's available.
My Marshall cabs are all made of MDF.
I've used whatever plywood was available and the right thickness for what I covered over with tolex and grill cloth anyway.
I've used plywood and OSB for baffle plates - MDF costs more at my local Lowes.
I'm not a professional musician and I don't record my incompetence.
With some volume, a little gain, and a few pedals, I can't hear the difference in the wood in my cabs.

 

[RJW]

It looks good you should be building kitchen cabinets

Maybe. There seems to actually be money to be made in kitchen cabs.

 

[Tatzmann]

Its like looking at an uneven set of
12inch tits.

 

[paul-e-mann]

there seems to be a lot in favor of new baffle. Seems like birch is preferred. The rest is pine. Would changing the back panel and baffle to pine ply be a good option? They are low on birch sheets at the local store. I think 24x24 only. That won’t work.

I would then have an all pine cab for better or worse.

Materials, design and construction play a big part in cab tone. Pine is gonna sound different than mdf is gonna sound different than ply is gonna sound different than etc etc....

 

[RJW]

Its like looking at an uneven set of
12inch tits.

The next idea for Friedman

 

[Tatzmann]

Yeah Friedman(s) Twits.

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

I have used pine. Pine sounds good. Pine is probably a bit warmer than birch, but birch probably is more resistant to unwanted resonation.

 

[Geeze]

The other material consideration will be the volume you will use the cab at. Low to occasional medium volume I'm not sure it matters materials or thicknesses. Medium to high volume I believe it will matter in terms of resonance. Thinner material will require more bracing at band volumes.

I use 3/4" for all closed back cabs regardless of wood type and have played everything at band and louder volumes to test for resonance. Not needed. But then I'm a over engineer it dude.

Russ

 

[George Dickens]

Maybe if one is a 12" a 10" might just fit in the small one? If not just leave it , it should be okay as long as your not going to be going real high power and Townshend loud.