2x12 Build (pics)

[DIY_Guy]

I know I always like seeing how people build their cabinets, so I figured I'd post pics of how I build mine for others reference.

Notes-
Red Oak hardwood used for the side panels
Glue joints used to mate the boards together
Box joints for the assembly joints
Poplar used for the front frame and rear screw points
Baltic Birch baffle and rear panel

I'll post more pics when I get the tolex and hardware on.

[DIY_Guy]

[DIY_Guy]

[Regis]

I am the worlds worst carpenter. I've attempted to build or mod a few cabinets, and when I see a state of the art project like this I am truly humbled. Awesome, dude.

[DIY_Guy]

I am the worlds worst carpenter. I've attempted to build or mod a few cabinets, and when I see a state of the art project like this I am truly humbled. Awesome, dude.

It just takes practice, keep trying and you'll get better each time. Proper tools makes it easier as well. Which reminds me, I need a new round-over bit, its getting dull and starting to burn the wood as you can see in the pics.

[guitarmike2107]

looks great, well done the ok is very pretty, Looks like nice wood too.

[DIY_Guy]

Some final photos.

[Chuck H]

Nice. I thought the front boards were temporary and you would do a natural finish since you used oak.?. Looks real pro with the black grill cloth and white pipe and logo. Since it probably weighs a bunch the casters are a good idea. High quality too. They look like the ones found on industrial kitchen appliances and mobil work benches.

[NorCalTuna]

I think this might be one of the sweetest cabs I've ever seen! All that mass and stiffness must make those cabs "rock" solid on low notes!

[DIY_Guy]

Nice. I thought the front boards were temporary and you would do a natural finish since you used oak.?. Looks real pro with the black grill cloth and white pipe and logo. Since it probably weighs a bunch the casters are a good idea. High quality too. They look like the ones found on industrial kitchen appliances and mobil work benches.

Yeah it's kinda rough having to put tolex over nice wood, but I cater to the 'metal' crowd, and they do not appreciate naked cabs. It's actually not too heavy, I can lift it fairly easy and cart it around, I'll get a weight on it when it ships out. I love casters, anything to help out when one person is moving it. They are removable as well.

[DIY_Guy]

I think this might be one of the sweetest cabs I've ever seen! All that mass and stiffness must make those cabs "rock" solid on low notes!

Thanks! This one is fitted with a V30 and a T-75. You are correct, they hit the low notes extremely well. And it's not the flubby type of bass either, its a very tight/pronounced low end. My 4x12's are even more crazy being built like this. We had a little amp get together in my area not to long ago, and everyone was blown away by the difference compared to standard all plywood cabs. Oak is no joke I like to say :-) Takes a lot more time and money to build cabs this way, but the benefits are worth it!

[DIY_Guy]

Oh and for those that want to know my dimensions, they are 32"x18"x14.5"
I settled on this size after a few 'trials' and these dimensions gave the best results.

[J M Fahey]

Great work !!

[Steve Conner]

Oak is no joke I like to say :-)

I bet! That cabinet looks like a bit of a weapon.

The oak planks you used, are they floorboards with the tongue and groove joint already in them? Or did you have to rout that yourself?

[DIY_Guy]

I bet! That cabinet looks like a bit of a weapon.

The oak planks you used, are they floorboards with the tongue and groove joint already in them? Or did you have to rout that yourself?

I started off with some rough cut boards, and did all the work myself. It's tough to do those glue joints, since the 2 pieces being joined need to be EXACTLY the same thickness. If one board is even the slightest bit off, or even slightly warped, it becomes a big mess trying to fix everything. So I just buy the wood rough, and plane it down myself to ensure each piece ends up being the same. The first cab I built I just bought some S4S boards from the lumber yard, but even they are not equal, so I had a nice lip all the way around the cab. Even after sanding it and covering with tolex, you could still see the 'error'. So I vowed to just put in the extra work of planing myself from now on :-)