Bird of Paradise TL806 build

[Geeze]

I was bored and had wood of the naturally occurring cellulose kind on hand. I've been lusting to try an EVM21L TL806 cab for a few years and finally jumped off the cliff. I originally thought to build it from some light khaya I had but it was too bland. So I settled on some of the nicest paduak I've laid my hands on and some canary wood. If you've not experienced canary wood it has to be the most fragrant wood - like spice Christmas has come to your shop.

I've fast forwarded to cut and glued 'sides' before finger joints.

I can't brag enough about the Freud carbide dado set. When you stack blades to .750" you cut .750" wide dados.

First fingers test fit.

Can't have too many clamps!

Box glued up.

Off to sand!

Russ

[Winder]

Beautiful wood! Nice work too!

[10thTx]

That is pretty wood! Very cool wood combinations.

with respect, 10thtx

[stelligan]

NICE

[Geeze]

Got it sanded with 60 grit and began the corner rounds. I draw witness lines at 3/8" & 3/4"

Then I sand a 45° bevel to the 3/8" lines using a 5" orbital [Dewalt] sander with 40 grit paper.

Then a couple more on either side of the 45°.

Finally round over the series of bevels starting from one flat side to the other with 60 grit. The trick is to keep moving and don't let the sander hang over an edge more than 1/3 of the disk. You'll end up with a slope where you don't want one.

'

Next I fill the gaps with CA and sand the whole case with 80 grit

Had to take a break and jam with a buddy.

Russ

[xtian]

You prefer sander to router for rounding edges?

[pompeiisneaks]

Wow looks beautiful!

~Phil

[Geeze]

You prefer sander to router for rounding edges?

I've found with heavily figured wood [several species] that the propensity for tear out to be too much - and waaaay too many cuss words have permanently stained my shop ceiling. 12,000 RPM is not forgiving. Sanding is - it takes a bit longer and is much quieter as I try hard not to annoy my neighbors.

Tonight I finished sanded to 220.

And RUBBED in two coats of orange dye to reduce the contrast between the woods. I looked at reds and purples but both required bleaching to avoid a muddy appearance - so no go.

I've got the internal bracing ripped and ready for gluing but I'm going to get a coat or two of lacquer as the box won't sit level with the bracing in.

Russ

[Colossal]

Looks incredible Russ!

[Geeze]

Time for guts. I ripped up an old OS open back combo pine cab for the interior bracing - do love cutting pine! The baffle frame I built outside the cab.

Picture frame clamping jig word well for any 90° joint.

One of my favorite tools an antique Stanley high angle #4 for when you need to nibble off 1/32" to get a perfect fit.

Got the back and baffle cut.

At the speaker test fit a DOH! happened - I used the wrong dim from the TL806 plans [that damn fine print - couldn't have been MY eyeballs!] and cut it 1/2" too big. Oh well, I have more. It actually may be serendipitous as I read a post from a musician who worked at Mesa for years about 806 cabs. He said the best sounding 806 cab they ever built had the baffle 3/4" further back reducing the volume. Now I have a 'reducer' plate to play with.

I'm thinking of a cane grill cloth which is boring but I plan to dye it - cherry possibly as it looked the best on tests [didn't mud out]. I also plan to bleach a bit to see what that does.

Russ

[Geeze]

Assembled less grill, Will get to blast it within the next week.

I estimate low 40's for weight.

Russ

[xtian]

You have failed to make an ugly thing, Russ.

[Reeltarded]

omg it looks terrible!

I like the idea of cane grille. Even natural would be beautiful.

[norburybrook]

omg it looks terrible!

I like the idea of cane grille. Even natural would be beautiful.

I agree on all counts


M

[rooster]

A labor intense build, wow. But it looks beautiful! That speaker weighs 21 lbs I think, so 19 lbs of cab. Kudos!