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Author Topic: Cutting speaker grill slots???  (Read 3497 times)

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Cisco Kid

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Cutting speaker grill slots???
« on: November 15, 2003, 12:17:28 am »
Does anyone know of a good How-To on cutting speaker grill slots for the speaker panel?

Here's my problem ... I got a pair of 5-1/4" 3-Way Sony Xplods but I lack room to mount them the normal way due to the marquee retainer.  I have a 4" Xplod pair that fits but to be honest the Happs 4" black speaker grill looks like crap on my cabinet.

Anyway I have to room to mount them from behind but I'm unsure how to go about cutting out the speaker grill slots in my speaker panel.

Any tips or tricks you cabinet builders out there have to achieve a good looking speaker panel and still have excellent sound emanating from them would be greatly appreciated  :)

Thanks in advance to all replies  ;D

saint

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Re:Cutting speaker grill slots???
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2003, 12:42:57 am »
Oscar has a couple of pictures referred to in this thread. Don't know of any full blown tutorials though.

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=18;action=display;threadid=12381;start=0
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OSCAR

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Re:Cutting speaker grill slots???
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2003, 01:04:34 am »
I don't have a real technique for it, I just use a straight edge and my router with a 1/2" plunge bit.  There are other alternatives, but this method works just fine, IMO.

There's a pic of one I made in the new side for my cocktail here:
http://www.oscarcontrols.com/cocktail



And a speaker board (under the marquee) for an upright cab.  Once the panel is painted black, it blends right in and looks very nice.





Cisco Kid

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Re:Cutting speaker grill slots???
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2003, 06:10:51 am »
Do you plunge route any of the excess material away from the speaker side or do you just cut the slots and attach the speaker over them?

OSCAR

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Re:Cutting speaker grill slots???
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2003, 12:06:05 am »
No, I just install the speakers to the backside of the panel.  In one of the pics in the link that saint provided, you will see that it is common to put some window screen mesh between the face of the speaker and the speaker board.  This was done to keep anyone from poking out the cones, but for home use I normally skip it if I don't have any spare screen lying around.


Cisco Kid

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Re:Cutting speaker grill slots???
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2003, 12:52:25 am »
ok ... I'll give it a shot and hopefully they'll turn out as nice as those pictured and sould great too  :)

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Re:Cutting speaker grill slots???
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2003, 07:47:48 pm »
I was just thinking about doing this myself.  I think speaker grilles can look a bit ugly, and my cocktail has a similar 'slotted' design.  I hope I don't mess it up tho, I don't want to make the panel again (used router for the 1st time yesterday...)