How to Make Speaker Building Easy
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PRE-DRILL SPEAKER HOLES - Your speaker building begins with cutting the face of the pre-made cabinet. I used a drill press, but you can use any drill to drill where the exact center of each speaker hole should be. This makes it much easier to then use a template or jig to cut the hole. - 2
Tweeter Hole
CUT SPEAKER HOLES -- I used a router and the Jasper circle-cutting jig. It worked great! The holes were precise. You can also use a scroll saw or other hand saw. Just make sure you can cut it relatively round. If you surface-mount the speaker, it will cover up any jagged edges. Since I used a router and jig, I was able to recess my speakers. - 3
Port Tube Hole
CUT PORT TUBE HOLE -- Turn over the cabinet and cut the port tube hole in the back. Make sure it's located correctly according to instructions -- it matters where the hole is located. - 4
INSTALL PORT TUBE AND TERMINALS -- Before you screw in the port tube, put a strand of rope caulk (available at hardware stores) around the edge of it that will contact the cabinet. This will help seal it. Terminals should have a nut that you install on the inside of the box after sliding the terminals through the pre-drilled holes. - 5
2-way Crossover
BUILD CROSSOVER -- Using the instructions I have linked to, build the crossover on the crossover board. Use cable ties to hold down the inductors. Solder as shown, or following your instructions if different. Solder the 2 1' sections of speaker wire to the crossover. - 6
INSTALL CROSSOVER IN CABINET -- Attach the crossover assembly to the back or bottom of the cabinet. I used hot-melt glue, but you can use anything that will hold it there - velcro, foam tape, etc. Connect the two terminal wires to the two terminals posts. Label and install spade terminals onto the wires that go to each speaker. Also, you will see an in-line resistor on the tweeter wire. This is in the speaker building crossover design. - 7). INSTALL ACOUSTIC FILL -- Do not pack it in. You should be able to use about 1/4 lb. of the material per cabinet.
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Speaker building made easy!
INSTALL DRIVERS -- The last step in speaker building is installing the drivers. Use foam weatherstrip or rope caulk around each speaker driver. Connect the wires from the crossover and screw the driver into the hole. Pre-drilling the screw holes helps.
