PA Speaker Cabinets... Possible?

[mg75]

Hello,

I am completely new to CNC routing. i build professional PA speaker cabinets and other hi-fi home stereo cabinets. I currently use a table saw, hand-held router and jigsaw to do all my work.

I am very much interested in using a CNC for my work.

Here are some of cuts I would need to make...

http://billfitzmaurice.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1501

http://www.speakerplans.com/index.php?id=1850horn

Note the there are angle/miter cuts needed for these designs.

ALSO...

Which ShopBot CNC would be suitable for me?
I usually cut 3/4 Baltic Birch Plywood. I buy them as 5x5 or 4x8 sheets (HomeDepot low quality).
I recently was quoted a machine from EZ-Router which has 5x5 machine.

Any help would be much appreciated!

mg.

[Brady Watson]

A ShopBot CNC router would be perfect for this application. There are already a number of speaker builders that use ShopBot CNCs to make these types of enclosures...and the software that comes with the ShopBot will get you up & running quickly.

-B

[richards]

You've got some nice speaker cabinets.

The Shopbot could easily cut everything except the angle/miter cuts. Because the Z-axis is perpendicular to the cut, you would either have to tilt the material or use a v-cutter that matched the angle you need. (Personally, I would cut everything on the Shopbot and then run the angled cuts through a table saw. The Shopbot is almost perfect, but it's not a total replacement for all other woodworking tools.)

I have the 60 X 120 Alpha. You can get almost any size machine. If you're sure that you'll never cut material that is longer than 96 inches nor wider than 60 inches you could order a 60 X 96 inch machine. Back in 2004, when I was first considering a Shopbot, the sales office said that they could meet my needs.

[brian]

Misha
I've used my bot to build speakers(8 sets to date)The biggest advantage is the ability to make Back or front loaded horns.It allows you to make accurate holes and curves every time you repeat a given part file.
I've used a layered method (search layertones threads)to build and the final product looks and sounds amazing

Good luck
Brian

[mg75]

Thanks for all the help...

For the Miter cuts is there a way to use the 3D/Z axis capabilities to gradually cut the angles?
Would I need a hold down table for my applications?

and lastly...
How would the ShobBot which come with no table compare to the CNC routers offered by EZ-Router? The EZ-Router costs less, but do the two have the same technology?

thanks.

[stevem]

The miter cuts can easily be made on the Bot using a 3D toolpath and a ball nose bit, although that will take substantially longer than using a V bit of the correct angle in the Bot, or using a table saw.

[mg75]

Will I need a vacuum table? Any other suggestions?

[stevem]

A vacuum table is probably the easiest and fastest to use if you’re cutting sheet goods on a production basis. Otherwise, you can screw down the parts, pause the machine and move clamps as required or just clamp the edges of the sheet and leave a skin on the bottom that can be trimmed with a knife.

[ryan_slaback]

Rather than using an angled miter I would cut a stepped corner joint. That would cut quickly with a straight bit. I can't see why a simple rabbet joint wouldn't work either

[jseiler]

Brian,

Do you have any more information on layertone? Curved speakers would be nifty.

thanx,John

[richards]

Although the Shopbot and EZrouter are similar in many respects (stepper motor driven, V-rollers, rack and pinion), the Shopbot uses easy-to-use commands and an easy-to-use operator screen. The EZrouter uses G-code. Both machines are very capable. Both kinds of software will do marvelous things. BUT, in my opinion, the Shopbot is much easier to use, especially for someone who hasn't used a CNC router before. (I spent about an hour this morning converting code using Shopbot syntax to code using G-code syntax in a MDF doors program that Bruce Clark and I wrote. 95% of the code translated with a simple syntax change in my 'C' program, but the other 5% is going to take a lot of work.)

[odulfst]

any chance your willing to share the cut files used to make these boxes?

-Tony

[mg75]

If the question was directed towards me...(original post)

I have no problem sharing the cut files.
Just... it's gonna take me a long time until I master this.