Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: RedSquirrel on September 17, 2003, 03:40:16 pm

Title: Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: RedSquirrel on September 17, 2003, 03:40:16 pm
How do you people go about making the holes from the speakers under the marquee? If i could i'd buy a massive drill bit that could do it, although i have designs in straight lines (say 5 of them) that may be easier, although messier for me to do.

Secondly, what's the best way of attaching all the sides etc together? Using "L" brackets on the frame/walls? I don't really want to use wood glue, just incase it needs dissasembling in the future, or should i really use it?

Any other tips about putting it together? thanks
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: RedSquirrel on September 17, 2003, 06:19:30 pm
edited..
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: Apollo on September 17, 2003, 07:05:07 pm
Use a hole saw, you can usually get them up to approx 100mm or a jigsaw. Just remember it doesn't have to a lovely neat hole as your speaker grills will cover any mistakes ( within reason, lol ).
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: Cisco Kid on September 17, 2003, 07:26:36 pm
Circle Cutter ... for what you'll pay for that one holesaw that only cuts one size you can buy a circle cutter that can cut 1" -> 6" holes  ;D
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: CitznFish on September 17, 2003, 08:01:51 pm
I'd take a router and make parrellel lines through the wood.
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Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: Homebrew on September 17, 2003, 08:08:41 pm
I'd take a router and make parrellel lines through the wood.
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Thats exactly what i did.  I wish i had some close up pics, but alas i don't.  Alternatively you could do it with a drill and jigsaw.  Drill a hole at each end of each line and cut the remainder out with the jigsaw.  Thats how I originally did my speaker panel, but the panel didn't fit right in the cab so i had to make a new one.  When i did the second one i used a router.  Quite a bit easier with a router, but possible with a jigsaw.  I personally prefer this look to using speaker grills, but to each his own.

-Kevin
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: TalkingOctopus on September 17, 2003, 09:23:19 pm
I used speaker grilles so the hole did not have to be perfect, (since it is not visible).  i used a jigsaw and the holes actually turned out pretty good.  Just take your time with the jigsaw, taking out small chunks one at a time.
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: MiKman on September 17, 2003, 10:11:14 pm
I hate to hijack the thread, but those of you guys using speaker grills, where did you get them?  I tried some of the audio shops but they only sell them with speakers and I don't need the $100 speakers, just 4 of the 4" grills will do fine :-)
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: TalkingOctopus on September 17, 2003, 11:12:27 pm
I think that wico has the nicest looking 4" ones:  http://www.wicothesource.com/new2/default.htm (http://www.wicothesource.com/new2/default.htm)  (Min $25 order).  

However, the ones I got were from Happ.  http://www.happcontrols.com/ (http://www.happcontrols.com/) .  

I also managed to score a pair of the Wico one's locally.  I called up Wico to order some, but the minimum order prevented that.  They were really nice and gave me a local vendor (The Music Doctor) that sold them.
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: SNAAAKE on September 17, 2003, 11:47:27 pm
I just drilled couple of 1/8" holes.Looks better then some grill.
Look carefully...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/p4582310caf4d65546b7e8e4bc6ea6d1e/fbec88f5.jpg
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However, the ones I got were from Happ.  http://www.happcontrols.com/ (http://www.happcontrols.com/) .  


Do you happen to have any good pictures of these speaker grills from Happs?   I'm curious what they look like.  I hate how on their site all the stuff is just black and white drawings of the product.

http://home.austin.rr.com/shumate/unicade/photos/speaker-finish.jpg
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: vitaflo on September 17, 2003, 11:51:46 pm

However, the ones I got were from Happ.  http://www.happcontrols.com/ (http://www.happcontrols.com/) .  


Do you happen to have any good pictures of these speaker grills from Happs?   I'm curious what they look like.  I hate how on their site all the stuff is just black and white drawings of the product.
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: bionicbadger on September 18, 2003, 12:51:41 pm
I did the router thing, but only 3 lines
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If you are looking for speaker grills go to an audio shop that installs car stereos and ask them for speaker grills, they will sell you some for cheap.  They have lots of extras because they install speakers and use the car's original grills for some of the speakers.
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: unclet on September 18, 2003, 01:09:34 pm
I always pick up cheap speaker grills from Radio Shack and occasionally see cheap ones on EBay.  Otherwise ask car stereo installers for spares or go to a local arcade dealer and they always have spares...

BTW:  I simply used a 1/4" drill bit to make a hole, stuck in my scroll saw blade and cut out a circle.  Came out pretty nice, but covered it up with speaker grills to make it look professional.
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: gnateye on September 19, 2003, 03:43:06 pm
partsexpress.com has them also for abotu 2$ i got mine from there, just make sure to order the mounting hardware too 8)

on my 3rd cab i am using some wire screen to cover hte speakers i pulled the speakers and the mesh from a run & gun game, looks sweet.
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: RedSquirrel on September 19, 2003, 06:25:33 pm
yeah i probably will go with speaker grills. The annoying thing is I bought some car speakers, and never used the grills. I have no clue where they are, maybe kicking around the house somewhere! Ill have to have a look! thanks.
Title: Re:Speaker Hole question! and more..
Post by: TalkingOctopus on September 19, 2003, 06:31:13 pm

However, the ones I got were from Happ.  http://www.happcontrols.com/ (http://www.happcontrols.com/) .  


Do you happen to have any good pictures of these speaker grills from Happs?   I'm curious what they look like.  I hate how on their site all the stuff is just black and white drawings of the product.

Check out the pictures of my cab on my website, (in the sig <--).  You can see the grilles there.  The best way to install them would probably be black bolts.  I did not have any that were the right size. So I used black woodscrews instead.