The Fairchild Ghost subwoofer project

[AlienALX]

OK that is it for today. Got this done and finished, then removed it and packed it away.

I then cut all of these to size. The reason why I did it now is because it will be impossible down in the port area once the only access hole is the woofer hole. I also needed to do this now and then number and pack them away so they don't get filled with dust when I cut said woofer hole.

And I created this pic to reference when they go in permanently with contact adhesive.

I can get the remaining side panel on tomorrow now.

 

[AlienALX]

OK so the final work day on this visit. I am off home on Friday, but need to tidy all the tools away tomorrow. The next job will be the grille. Routing out the hole for the speaker, magnets etc. For now though I put the last outer panel on.

And then stood it up. Note, I masked inside the terminal holes to try and keep dust out when I get to the sanding and filling stage.

The front.

I then removed the failing protective plastic on the perspex.

And then masked it. If you are wondering why I masked inside? well dust will get in there when I cut the hole for the speaker and the gasket only runs around the outside. So I envisioned getting a load of crap in between the perspex and baton.

This also arrived. It is a lot bigger than I thought. It will still work, but I need to mount it differently.

 

[AlienALX]

OK so the bit that didn't fit was sent back, amended and then returned.

So I will build the woofer at the weekend.

 

[AlienALX]

OK, back.

And build !

I used blue loctite in the end. Get out the 5 minute epoxy, and.

Then just a lil bit of 3M

I will be woodworking tomorrow, but I also started sorting out the VU

All of the parts are here now, including the power socket and plug. I then made up the cable that will go into the VU when it is built.

I also had a small problem. Due to the Medite's outer casing being harder the counter sink bit (which could do with being sharper) left burrs around the outer edges of the holes. This is annoying because I did not want to have to do tons of sanding before I fill. That is also why I abandoned the front holes half way through as I realised this. So, I got this.

And it already paid for itself because the lower spider clamp was too tight and it was jamming, so I had to drill it out +0.5mm and then deburr it. Yet another tool I should have bought years ago.

Righto, off to design the CNC magnet covers.

 

[AlienALX]

OK so today did not go as planned. My arthritis was awful and so I did not want to operate the router. I still got loads done, though. First I deburred every screw hole on the cabinet, then put in the first round of filler.

And then set up the drill press. I can now use it with an indicator that lets me know how deep I have gone. It is also nice and straight and level.

 

[AlienALX]

OK so I won't lie that was a piggin ball ache. I broke two 0.8mm bits, and even after slowing the feed rate it still snapped. So I upped it to a 1.5, hoping this did not get me a punch in the face from my mum. For context larger bits = 10 times louder per .mm.

OK so bloody finally after 3 set ups ffs.

I will wire it tomorrow.

Even though it was a ball ache it was almost worth it. Love how nice and compact it is.

 

[AlienALX]

Sorted.

So the grille is done. This was *a lot* of calculating, head scratching and so on. Everything was going to be tight, and I also needed to bear in mind where it would sit on the cabinet and where the woofer would go.

I routed the hole out. It took ages. Like, far longer than I ever thought it would. That tool to me is terrifying. Loud, obnoxious and sounds like it is about to blow up. I got there in the end. I then put it under the drill press and pre drilled all the way through. This will then allow as a jig to drill the magnet centre holes in the box, and, show me where the woofer needs to be fitted. I've also sanded it ready for paint etc, but tomorrow I will use it as said jig to mark out the cabinet.

 

[AlienALX]

So yesterday was CNC all day, day. lol. I cut this which will go on the back when it is finished.

Then today. Whilst at it yesterday I machined a back plate for the VU box.

Wired and soldered.

And finished.

The DSP will go on the wall, but the ends look a bit crap. So I made some "ears" to cover up the screws once it is fitted in place.

 

[AlienALX]

Yesterday.

And bodywork, go.

As you can see the grille now sits nice and flat. I will put more filler in later.

I realised then I had forgotten to actually check it fits.

It literally clicks into place.



Today...

Well I am either crazy or stupid. Probably the latter tbh. I decided to finish it. Knowing my luck I would have sat today out, and then it would pee with rain for a week solid. Knowing this was the last time I would have to take it outside in a while helped. Also, the weather was spot on. Cooler, with a nice cool breeze. So I didn't sweat ollies like I did yesterday. I also sat down instead of standing over it awkwardly.

It's since been brought in and hoovered profusely. Tomorrow I can set the grille in place, then do the magnet holes, woofer hole, woofer bolt holes etc. That will signal the end of all of the manual work and then it is all finish work like painting etc.

 

[AlienALX]

OK so I went back down at about 8:30 last night and stayed down til 10. I got the woofer hole marked, the centres pre drilled for the magnets and etc.

I then had nightmare #1. The drill stop Cenedd made for me was too small inside. This was clearly my fault (I tend to press a bit too hard and thus get too small a reading) but it needed resolving. After about an hour of trying to hold it still I realised I could not. Not without going into the sauna loft and getting my grips down.

Finally got it slightly larger so it would fit. First magnet down, which is now stuck in there lmao.

That is not an indent. I will need to sand the top half of the front again after today's antics so I will address it then.

I pre drilled a hole for the jigsaw to go in (I did not want to use the router, and had I then I would have had a serious accident tbh) and then I came to nightmare #2. As hard as I tried to position the screws so they would not go into the area where the woofer lives two did. Like I say, had I used the router? dear lord I don't even want to think about that. Now when cutting out fine holes I tend to use HSS cutting blades. Why? they are finer, and slower. So you don't end up going too fast and making camel hump edges. I then had to pre drill several more holes and cut up to the fouling screws. At this point I tried to file one but it would have taken all day. So, I busted out the angle grinder.

After that I used a new trick I learned online. You put two cable ties through the woofer to get it into the hole, but you can then also pull it back out without tipping the cabinet. Only pain is you then have two holes you can not mark so I punched all but two, pre fitted the threadserts (no epoxy) started all of those bolts, then punched and took the woofer out before finally pre drilling the last two. This time I got some luck. They did not foul the two rogue screws. And so...

As I said, minor sanding needed before I start painting. For now though? I need to start putting the tools away. So tomorrow I am doing diddly squat, and then Weds I will spend time putting all of the tools away so I can start painting.

 

[AlienALX]

OK. So basically... Sand, chisel off excess epoxy on bolt threadserts, sand more, fit magnets**, sand more, file threadserts level.

**. The second magnet.. I put far too much glue in and it would not seat. I got frustrated and smacked it with a hammer. Silly thing to do. It shattered. I ended up having to dig it all out with a screwdriver and get rid of all of the small pieces before using the appropriate amount of glue.

Once all of the threadserts were filed down I checked the threads were clean. They were, so now I need to cut lots of small vinyl dots with my plotter to stop them getting filled with paint.

You can see there where one of them pushed out the edge of the wood. So, I filled it with epoxy, let it set for 24 hrs then filed it clean. Grille back in place.

I need to spend tomorrow putting tools in the loft. Like, most of them. All that is left now is sanding and painting really.

 

[AlienALX]

What a two day willy pain. So I got over yesterday about 1. The rails were here waiting. However, when I went to fit them I noticed a big effing problem. The old rails were counter sunk into the front and rear panels. Meaning my new rails I just spent £25 on were too short. I then had the genius idea to flip? inverse? mirror? then front and end. This led to a 5 hour fight. In the end I assembled it with the rails loose, intending to get my mate to make some spacers.

Then it dawned on me that it was possible but because I had forgotten to flip inverse etc the limit switches it seemed like the bed was on wrong. So I then got back up and spent another two hours putting it back together. Just the bed. It took around 8 hours fgs.

Got up today and put on a F ton of sound deadening. You will also note there is a new spoilboard I made. I also had to extend (add in cable) the limit switches as one was getting tangled in the bed, and one was just not long enough. So after another 6 hours today......

You will note there is no plastic on this machine apart from the sides I made today.

So how is it? incredible. It now machines twice as fast without snapping bits, whilst making hardly any noise above the sound of the motor.

Oh also. You will note the bed is quite a fair bit wider. That's because it is. You don't lose 15mm each side out of your 300mm any more. You can machine the entire 300mm. You can also see where I put the old rails too, as the Pro Ultra comes with thicker side metal things.

OK. So with the new machine up and firing on all cylinders I set about finishing all of the machining. And I won.

First up were 8 15mm magnet spacers from an old piece of white 5mm.

I did not realise you can set tabs to be singular and tiny. So I did.

Those are all filed and done. Next up carbon.

If you look closely you will see the dot in the first i went flying. Sadly so did the second one. As such I just machined four with small tabs. I then moved onto the main event. This took 1hr 20 mins. On the old machine it would have been about 4 hours.

Like, it's so good you can barely even make out the machining marks.

I need to carefully clean the carbon parts now, and file off the tabs from two of the i dots.

 

[AlienALX]

Front badge done. Did get some glue on it (I hate super glue) and thought about maybe clear coating it. So to find out how it would look I used some clear lamination vinyl. I hated how it looked, so it can stay as it is.

Magnets are all glued onto their spacers now.

I then spent a couple of hours moving everything around and laying down the tarp so I don't get paint anywhere. Was going to rest up today but decided it is better to do that tomorrow. So paint will start on Thurs.

 

[AlienALX]

OK so using scrap pink vinyl I made these.

I don't want the threads getting clogged. Would be very hard to tap, as they do not go through the wood. Any way, coat one of sealer.

Which as you can see was drying before I even took a pic. Second coat done.

I also bought some Dyna Mat Xtreme. Just to deaden it that wee bit more.

All going well it will be painted white this time tomorrow.

 

[AlienALX]

Oh I forgot. I underestimated how much space I had and thought I would be able to walk around the box to paint it. No chance. So I got a lazy susan.

 

[AlienALX]

OK so yeah, today in a nut shell. Mask (this was a pain big time)

I put a fine line masked edge as I've never met a tape that doesn't bleed. Coat one.

You'll note the grille in the background.

Coat two.

Coat three.

And the grille.

Tomorrow I shall finally play with this toy I bought about a year ago and never used.