Tube Amp Archive

Finally got this project finished. Took forever trying to work in spare time between the demands of job and family. The fam is glad to have me back, but I am jonesing to start the next project!

I just drool over some of the beautiful cabs you guys on this forum make. That is what I am striving for someday. This was made from select pine from Home Depot. The speakers are a Weber 12F125A ceramic paired with a 12A125A AlNiCo.

It sounds great to me - I wish I could keep it, but I built it for somebody else. It makes a 5F1-ish amp sound huge! My next build will be a pair of EL34's, so I'll be needing to build another of these for myself.

The cab looks good to me:)

Looks great! Nice dove tails. Am I correct in guessing it's a sealed back? Also, what stain did you use? I've got a pine head cab that could use a similar color.

Thanks! Yes, it's a sealed back. I used two coats of Danish oil (the darkest one, I think it is called "dark mahogany"), and then about 4 coats of Polycrylic clear coat over the oil. High school wood shop style.

A few dings and scratches and beverage glass rings, and it should take on a nice road worn look.

Okay. I've used Danish oil on a lot of stuff, all my cabs, but I've always used clear. I should check out the colors.

Thanks!

Hi Boots,

Very nice looking cab and construction. Nothing cuts like pine. What does it weigh?

Russ

Nice work! I'm totally sold on home depot pine cabinets, I go even skimpier with a thin floating baffle (that way I can cover just the baffle itself with grill cloth) and open or oval back. Can't beat the weight and sound and price!

Depot sells a Radiata Pine that is a lot less gummy, and a little less balsa like.

John

Geeze, the loaded cab weighs in at 41 pounds.

Cantplay, the radiata is what I used. It is tough to find good straight lumber here in the dry desert SW. Also, Home Depot stores their lumber standing up on end, leaning against the wall, which is a sure recipe for warped boards.

I glued up some 4" and 6" boards, which tend to be straighter, then had a friend run them through his planer. Wish I had a planer!

It's hard to find straight boards here too. I lived in Arizona for awhile, worked at Home Depot in fact, but I wasn't into woodworking at the time but it stands to reason that the wood would dry and twist up more than it does here in Indiana. But whether it's the way they store them standing on end (duh!) or whatever else, it takes some looking to find a straight one at HD. However, they are almost the only source around here, the only alternative being a hardwood dryer. They have lots of nice stuff and charge like it's all made of platinum.

Okay, rant over. Sorry.

To really do cabinet work properly, a planer is required. Unfortunately, this is a rather pricey piece of equipment. Even a small one is a few hundred. Here's an example of a bargain-priced one at $300 http://www.cpooutlets.com/factory-recon ... ow-to-high

And this assumes you've got a place to keep it and run it. These things make a mess without a dust collection system running.

I figure all the boards I use are not exactly flat and I don't obsess about it. I've got a friend with a fully outfitted shop who'd take care of this sort of thing from time to time. Unfortunately, he and his wife moved to New Mexico this week ;-{ So, now I'm SOL. I need to find a new friend!

Phil, if your friend moved to Farmington, I will be glad to give him some boards to plane. I have a co-worker with a planer, but I always hate to ask him, because he has to drag it out and set it up.

Most cabinet shops won't plane boards for folks because they don't want any wear & tear on their planer knives - even though select pine with no knots is pretty soft stuff.

I guess I obsess about flat boards because it ends up being magnified on my dovetail joints. Although a little wood putty hides the gaps pretty well. If you look at the close up photos on my Speaker Cutout thread, you can see the air gaps caused by the slight cup in the board.

Looks good!

Next time you should try Tru Oil by Birchwood Casey.

It dries fast and provides a hard finish that can be glossy or steel wooled into a satin finish.

The secret is to do multiple thin coats to build it up.

After all it was designed for wooden rifle stocks so it stands up to weather and other environmental conditions and abuse.

But it can also age well.

Best part is you can add coats later on if you desire.

boots wrote:Phil, if your friend moved to Farmington, I will be glad to give him some boards to plane. I have a co-worker with a planer, but I always hate to ask him, because he has to drag it out and set it up.

Most cabinet shops won't plane boards for folks because they don't want any wear & tear on their planer knives - even though select pine with no knots is pretty soft stuff.

I guess I obsess about flat boards because it ends up being magnified on my dovetail joints. Although a little wood putty hides the gaps pretty well. If you look at the close up photos on my Speaker Cutout thread, you can see the air gaps caused by the slight cup in the board.

They moved to Santa Fe. Honestly, my wife and I don't get it. I'm sure its a beautiful place with many attributes and it puts a destination on our list. We sure will miss them.

I suspect the cupping is more of a problem on half blind. If you round over a through dovetail, you can mask just about anything but tearout or a poorly cut joint. Even if you don't round over, if you cut the pins a bit high and give them a flush trim with the router, things will look good.

Obviously, dead flat is what we all want. I don't know how I'm going to solve this problem now. I guess I need new friends!

Phil_S wrote: I've got a friend with a fully outfitted shop who'd take care of this sort of thing from time to time. Unfortunately, he and his wife moved to New Mexico this week ;-{ So, now I'm SOL. I need to find a new friend!

Does this friend make amp cabinets?

I just happen to be in Santa Fe!