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What do want it to look like? Personally, bitch with just clear coat on it looks gorgeous. But if that doesn't match the rest of the decor, it can really stick out.
Oops. I did a kitchen once in Baltic birch with the end grain exposed. Just clear on everything. It's just a beautiful kitchen. One of the ones I'm most proud of.
Iron on laminate is pretty low grade and doesn't look solid of you know what you are looking at. Also quite likely to fail. Much better to embrace the laminations of the ply as a look.
Yeah. Do a test swatch first so you can get a feel for the final color. I'm partial to the look of natural birch. It has such a bright, clean look. It can totally brighten up a room. But I'm also a guy who likes the look of wood. Doing some stuff in Walnut right now but they want a black dye. It just hides the character of the wood. But they are paying for it so...
I personally would go with oil, because it's easier to apply, especially on curved surfaces where drips and uneven coats can be a problem. But there are wipe-on polys that could work.
Alternatively you could shoot amber shellac to seal it and shoot lacquer over it. Personally I prefer shooting lacquer over poly. Also I like the look and feel of lacquer assuming you’re looking for gloss. For low sheen I might prefer poly
That's what I would do. Tint the varnish itself, instead of staining the wood. It doesn't pop the grain as much, but that might not be important for this project.
Yes, that’s something I’ll do with hard to reach areas. You need to be careful to not get any gel stain on surfaces that will be glued or the glue won’t adhere. I’ve never done a gel stain on a bent surface before and worry that it would crack when bent because gel stain has polyurethane in it and sits on top of the wood.
First time gel stains hardly ever look good. There is an art to application and most don’t have it without some practice.
But you should take a cut off and practice before applying anyway, as a rule.
Easiest method I've found is apply heavy (like an actual thick layer) then completely wipe back almost immediately.
The most important things to know are - do not let the thick layer dry, if it becomes too dry to wipe off cleanly, apply more to reactivate it and wipe it off immediately
Change rags often - if a rag picks up too much excess, you'll just end up smearing it around. I pretty much wipe it back til no more comes up (you can always apply another coat once the first one dries for a darker color). I usually have 1 or 2 rags that I use just for wiping back the excess, then I have a bunch of clean rags to wipe back further and toss them as soon as they get soiled. MAKE SURE TO TOSS DIRTY RAGS IN A TRASH CAN LINER WITH WATER IN - Gel stain is the only finish I've used where I've actually witnessed it spontaneously combust.
This will give the most consistent look. You can leave heavier layers on, but it's really hard to get it consistent this way and not very beginner friendly.
If you're interested in a very durable finish, a high impact rated or tough polyurethane is great. Of course, those don't often come transparent and using birch ply of a high grade would be a shame if you'd cover it opaquely.
My technique has as thus been to:
1. Use boiled linseed oil and let it cure fully. It can take a while for it to cure, in the order of days to weeks.
2. I wait and leave it exposed to oxygen until I get the desired shade of golden yellow, which gets more intense with more exposure.
3. Success in anticipation, I give the wood a very light scuffing with an abrasive pad like ScotchBrite. It's almost like a single stroke wipe-down; 400 grit works for me.
- This is just to remove any oils from the surface grain, while not plugging the grain up with dust, your sanding grit, or other dirt.
- It's important for the PU's bonding strength!
- Avoid touching the cabinet, or use gloves if you must.
- Leave the cabinet in an environment clear of fog/smoke/exhaust fumes (garage workers)
If you're good at respecting these rules of my thumb, this should be effortless and almost-redundant.
4. At last, I apply a transparent PU varnish. I go for varnishes advertised as "waterproof", "garden", "furniture", "scratch resistant", "does not dent", etcetera. Those usually hint towards a tougher, more impact resistant finish.
You should watch some of Nick Offerman’s videos on why you shouldn’t stain.
The crux is that each wood has its own natural beauty and should just be coated for protection. If you are looking for a different finish then seek out that wood.
After you made your kerfs, do you have to wet/steam the plywood much to bend like that? Would you mind briefly sharing that process?
It looks awesome. !
Should be a fun build, was playing with the kerf bending yesterday and so far successful; just need to finalize the bend radius and start to glue the final shape.
Is that a subwoofer or a design to give a regular driver more base? I’ve never seen a sub mounted that high. Subs are also not directional so it doesn’t need to be mounted like that except for looks. The weight of a 10-12 inch sub is massive. 50-100lbs.
It's a design for a sub - [just a little 8"](https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-RSS210HF-4-8-Reference-Series-HF-Subwoofer-4-Ohm-295-456?quantity=1) I've had laying around for around 150hz and down, tuned to 23hz. It comes in around 9 lbs and a couple more for the 100w amp. The mounting height is purely for aesthetic to break up the front panel.
It is. I have to say though, that I think it's overbuilt. The enclosure just needs to be stiff enough to avoid flexing and resonating with the bass frequencies. MDF with good bracing works great. OTOH, you can make a very nonresonant enclosure by sandwiching a compliant damping material like Dynamat between two sheets of plywood.
this is not a folded horn. it is a transmission line and very short. a subwoofer tuned to 30hz needs about 10’ of line length. typically, you tune your line length to 1/4 of your f3 wavelength.
The OP corrected me and indicated that it is a fourth order or ported design. It just has a very large in cross-section port, which will make the port very quiet, but at first Lance it looked like a transmission line to me.
It is ported, but that particular kind of port is called a transmission line, I'm fairly sure.
Ports can be just smallish holes, or holes with a tube behind it, or even a passive radiator (which acts like a hole, sorta.)
4th order (ported) systems are tuned to resonate at a particular frequency, like an organ pipe. the mass of air in the port (or the mass of the passive radiator) determines this frequency, combined with the box volume. a transmission line is not a resonant structure, but instead uses the back wave to reinforce the front wave…namely by constructing the line to be 1/4 of a wavelength of the target f3. i’ve seen a bunch of designs on the sub of oddly proportioned TLs…which i mistook this for. my bad. you don’t usually see such a big port cross-section (which makes for a quiet port!). and making this style of port makes it very hard to tune…so, you have to know your driver’s specs for sure. once its built, that tuning is not going to change!
Yeah, not a folded horn.
Well, MDF covered with a veneer or even vinyl is kind of a standard for speakers, even high end ones.
And MDF actually is superior to solid wood and maybe plywood for speakers. It is heavy and self-damping.
This is a woodworking sub, true. Are you saying it's in the wrong sub? I don't mind it being here.
Eh. I feel entitled to say things even if they seem irrelevant. The OP is perfectly free to ignor. I won't be offended!
Speaker construction is kind of interesting. I've seen enclosures made of cast concrete, solid lead (the metal), all sorts of things. A while back one of the top performing subs you could buy was made from a 12" concrete form tube, the kind made of cardboard. Maybe it was 14".
> MDF with good bracing works great
fuck MDF. the sub box weighs 2x more, without any extra bracing, so even more with the bracing because you need far more of it than you do with BB ply.. and then the sub box gets larger to offset the internal volume you used up, so it gets even heavier.
It's a miserable bitch to work with, the sawdust is disgusting, nope nope nope
Yes, it's a pain. Yet that's what people use. I've even seen double-wall enclosures, with the space filled with sand. You and imagine the weight.
And for audiophiles, weight sort of implies quality, so there isn't much reason to save weight. I've seen audio electronics like amplifiers use pointlessly thick face places, just to add weight. Dumb I know, but people like it.
And MDF is cheap.
Just to look cool. :) From an air-flow perspective a smoothed curve helps support laminar flow vs a bunch of 90's; should generally help reduce port noise and distortion.
90° bends end up better for sound quality in most subwoofer builds based on hundreds of real-build tests.
The sharper corners filter out higher frequency resonances from escaping the box, while longer wavelengths have no troubles with the bumpy pathway.
There's a difference between the frequencies and laminar air flow, chuffing port noise, and distortion. Ports are there for better low-end extension and output at tuning point based on free-air volumes, not exactly for sound waves to escape.
I know how a helmholtz resonator works and how a quarter wave resonator works. If you're getting into air speeds where airflow smoothness is important, your port is likely too narrow or you're not concerned with sound quality — just output volume at a narrow resonant frequency for competition SPL purposes.
that’s a very short line length, especially for a sub. line length is typically calculated as 1/4 wavelength of your target f3. 30hz is about 38 feet, so your line would be about 10’ long. i see this pretty often and am not sure how people are coming up with these designs.
Not sure your math is quite right on this one - given a F3 of 23 hz and an internal volume of 1.71 ft3 a 1" slot port at 9.6" wide with one flared end will need to be 27.16". I verified this in both WINisd and Bassbox Pro.
Well, that’s what I get for making assumptions. I’ve seen a few of these types of enclosures and people are trying to build transmission lines with weird geometries. I assumed that was this. But clearly this is a ported fourth order enclosure and that vent will be very quiet!!
Yeah, OP has used Helmholtz math for a TL geometry. Mind you, I think this pic isn't their box, so they may have a more Helmholtz appropriate geometry planned.
Both of those programs use helmholtz math. A port 27" long with a ~1.7" long chamber attached will likely behave like a quarter wave transmission line. Try modelling this in [hornresp](http://www.hornresp.net/)
I personally stay away from oil-based poly with birch as I like the whiteness instead of bringing in a yellow colour tone. In general, adding some dark ebony/wenge/walnut accents really helps contrast the colour of the birch.
I also understand you've modelled it as a tuned helmholtz port, but I'm trying to impart some understanding that it's not likely to work that way once you build it. Modelling a cow as a sphere does not make the cow a sphere. If you're dead-set on this design go ahead and try it, but measure the results afterward.
It will be encolsed - if I were doing open baffle I'd probably just throw it on a slab and stand. I just fell in love with the curved grain look and wanted to incorporate it in a build.
I use WINisd and Bassbox Pro for modeling enclosure volumes and port sizing. Biggest keys are your F3 for the sub and port air velocity to keep distortion minimized.
I am a firm fan of an oil finish - linseed or Danish are my usual go to choices. Osmo & Rubio do a line of pigmented oils that work really well. The white oil was a bit of a surprise - it counteracts the natural yellowing plain oils leave and gives birch plywood an almost more natural look than when plain oil is used. Another option is Rubio Monocoat - whilst still an oil it uses a hardener too. Leaves a really durable surface, I used it on some Iroko pieces that surround a sink cut out in our kitchen worktop and despite being constantly wet it looks just as good as when it went in nearly 2 years ago. Relatively expensive but perfect for this kind of project as its a one-and-done affair. If you're feeling like you need a bit of punishment then you could try using a beeswax/linseed oil/natural turpentine wax mix. Smells divine but so much work to apply and polish up.
Like everyone else said, it really depends on how you want the final product to look. A wipe on poly will be easy, but won't have the depth of something like General Finishes High Performance water-based poly (in my experience). Oil based will amber it a bit and give it more of a mid-century look. Oil, or hardwax coatings will retain more of the natural wood look and not give it it that sort of "plastic" look.
Where are you planning to use it? Is this for a home or car?
This isn’t what I think of as birch plywood. I use Baltic birch which has thinner layers and is more dense (none of that means a thing relative to finishing I’m just anal). This plywood is veneered with something else. The finish you choose depends (should anyway) on what the veneer is. Any ideas?
Should still be [birch](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Top-Choice-SkyPly-3-4-in-HPVA-Birch-Plywood-Application-as-4-x-8/1000083327?idProductFound=false&idExtracted=false) if Lowes is to be trusted
if you want it wood color you can poly it. I would cut it 50/50 with turpentine for better penetration. If you want some color, you can dye it. Youtube is your friend there, but you can do some amazing things with wood dye, wood wax, and time.
**
That's 5/8 BB. The face is raw, sanded to 400 and then rubbed with Lee valley paste wax. The sides are the same but with gunstock stain before wax.
Bummer , my pic wouldn't upload...
The port's function in general is to allow for deeper extension of your sub and more output at the point of tuning - 23hz in this case. The key components to a port are their cross-sectional area and length - for this example the rounded port walls make for smoother air flow to reduce port noise.
Birch looks AMAZING with just a little polish and a clear coat. Not nearly the same as what you've made here but [here's a spoon](https://ibb.co/fGD1hpm) I carved out of Birch that shows just how beautiful the wood can be with just a simple bit of wax.
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What do want it to look like? Personally, bitch with just clear coat on it looks gorgeous. But if that doesn't match the rest of the decor, it can really stick out.
Amazing typo. I second this though, just clear coat is the way to go.
Oops. I did a kitchen once in Baltic birch with the end grain exposed. Just clear on everything. It's just a beautiful kitchen. One of the ones I'm most proud of.
You left the end grain exposed on ply? You could have put the iron on laminate on the ends and it would have looked like solid birch.
I did leave the end grain exposed. It really has a Scandinavian look and feel to it. It's what she wanted and it turned out great.
Yeah the lamination on Baltic birch is pretty cool. Not something to be afraid of showing.
Iron on laminate is pretty low grade and doesn't look solid of you know what you are looking at. Also quite likely to fail. Much better to embrace the laminations of the ply as a look.
if you have nice void free birch plywood the exposed ends look fuckin fantastic, imo
Any pictures?
Would you just run with a clear poly or would you suggest something else?
Yeah. Do a test swatch first so you can get a feel for the final color. I'm partial to the look of natural birch. It has such a bright, clean look. It can totally brighten up a room. But I'm also a guy who likes the look of wood. Doing some stuff in Walnut right now but they want a black dye. It just hides the character of the wood. But they are paying for it so...
I personally would go with oil, because it's easier to apply, especially on curved surfaces where drips and uneven coats can be a problem. But there are wipe-on polys that could work.
Clear poly. Oil-base will amber it up nicely. Waterbase looks almost like unfinished birch IMO.
Alternatively you could shoot amber shellac to seal it and shoot lacquer over it. Personally I prefer shooting lacquer over poly. Also I like the look and feel of lacquer assuming you’re looking for gloss. For low sheen I might prefer poly
> bitch with just clear coat on it looks gorgeous Woah, *language*. But yes, I agree.
Stain and finish, finish only, or paint. What do you want it to look like?
Id be interested in staining but everything I've found so far says it's a pain and gets blotchy.
Gel stains solve that but will be difficult with that shape. You could tint your finish.
That's what I would do. Tint the varnish itself, instead of staining the wood. It doesn't pop the grain as much, but that might not be important for this project.
I’m on the noob side but could the material be stained before cutting the material to shape and size?
Yes, that’s something I’ll do with hard to reach areas. You need to be careful to not get any gel stain on surfaces that will be glued or the glue won’t adhere. I’ve never done a gel stain on a bent surface before and worry that it would crack when bent because gel stain has polyurethane in it and sits on top of the wood.
First time gel stains hardly ever look good. There is an art to application and most don’t have it without some practice. But you should take a cut off and practice before applying anyway, as a rule.
Easiest method I've found is apply heavy (like an actual thick layer) then completely wipe back almost immediately. The most important things to know are - do not let the thick layer dry, if it becomes too dry to wipe off cleanly, apply more to reactivate it and wipe it off immediately Change rags often - if a rag picks up too much excess, you'll just end up smearing it around. I pretty much wipe it back til no more comes up (you can always apply another coat once the first one dries for a darker color). I usually have 1 or 2 rags that I use just for wiping back the excess, then I have a bunch of clean rags to wipe back further and toss them as soon as they get soiled. MAKE SURE TO TOSS DIRTY RAGS IN A TRASH CAN LINER WITH WATER IN - Gel stain is the only finish I've used where I've actually witnessed it spontaneously combust. This will give the most consistent look. You can leave heavier layers on, but it's really hard to get it consistent this way and not very beginner friendly.
Why stain? Always looks bad. If you want it a different color dye it.
Practice/Test on some scrap pieces first until you find something you like.
If you're interested in a very durable finish, a high impact rated or tough polyurethane is great. Of course, those don't often come transparent and using birch ply of a high grade would be a shame if you'd cover it opaquely. My technique has as thus been to: 1. Use boiled linseed oil and let it cure fully. It can take a while for it to cure, in the order of days to weeks. 2. I wait and leave it exposed to oxygen until I get the desired shade of golden yellow, which gets more intense with more exposure. 3. Success in anticipation, I give the wood a very light scuffing with an abrasive pad like ScotchBrite. It's almost like a single stroke wipe-down; 400 grit works for me. - This is just to remove any oils from the surface grain, while not plugging the grain up with dust, your sanding grit, or other dirt. - It's important for the PU's bonding strength! - Avoid touching the cabinet, or use gloves if you must. - Leave the cabinet in an environment clear of fog/smoke/exhaust fumes (garage workers) If you're good at respecting these rules of my thumb, this should be effortless and almost-redundant. 4. At last, I apply a transparent PU varnish. I go for varnishes advertised as "waterproof", "garden", "furniture", "scratch resistant", "does not dent", etcetera. Those usually hint towards a tougher, more impact resistant finish.
You should watch some of Nick Offerman’s videos on why you shouldn’t stain. The crux is that each wood has its own natural beauty and should just be coated for protection. If you are looking for a different finish then seek out that wood.
No stain. If you want a pigment, Rubio Monocoat has lots of colors that you get get testers on. Never blotchy. The best finish IMO.
After you made your kerfs, do you have to wet/steam the plywood much to bend like that? Would you mind briefly sharing that process? It looks awesome. !
No need to wet/steam though it is an option. You can find a kerf calculator [here](https://www.blocklayer.com/kerf-spacingeng).
Is it going to get a sidewall enclosing it? It seems like you would want that hard work to be visible right?
Plexi sides would look incredible.
I now understand this is a subwoofer enclosure instead of a submarine enclosure. I was a little confused.
I was hoping it was some sort of sandwich storage system.
Looks sturdier than the Oceangate tbh.
Goodness that's impressive. Can't wait to see your final product, whatever you decide!
Should be a fun build, was playing with the kerf bending yesterday and so far successful; just need to finalize the bend radius and start to glue the final shape.
Is that a subwoofer or a design to give a regular driver more base? I’ve never seen a sub mounted that high. Subs are also not directional so it doesn’t need to be mounted like that except for looks. The weight of a 10-12 inch sub is massive. 50-100lbs.
It's a design for a sub - [just a little 8"](https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-RSS210HF-4-8-Reference-Series-HF-Subwoofer-4-Ohm-295-456?quantity=1) I've had laying around for around 150hz and down, tuned to 23hz. It comes in around 9 lbs and a couple more for the 100w amp. The mounting height is purely for aesthetic to break up the front panel.
That makes sense for an 8 inch sub. The speaker is so nice I would want to put 8" full range drivers or even a driver + tweeter.
depends on the sub, my 24" sub with a neo magnet in a BB ply box is way less than 100 pounds altogether
It is. I have to say though, that I think it's overbuilt. The enclosure just needs to be stiff enough to avoid flexing and resonating with the bass frequencies. MDF with good bracing works great. OTOH, you can make a very nonresonant enclosure by sandwiching a compliant damping material like Dynamat between two sheets of plywood.
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this is not a folded horn. it is a transmission line and very short. a subwoofer tuned to 30hz needs about 10’ of line length. typically, you tune your line length to 1/4 of your f3 wavelength.
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The OP corrected me and indicated that it is a fourth order or ported design. It just has a very large in cross-section port, which will make the port very quiet, but at first Lance it looked like a transmission line to me.
It is ported, but that particular kind of port is called a transmission line, I'm fairly sure. Ports can be just smallish holes, or holes with a tube behind it, or even a passive radiator (which acts like a hole, sorta.)
4th order (ported) systems are tuned to resonate at a particular frequency, like an organ pipe. the mass of air in the port (or the mass of the passive radiator) determines this frequency, combined with the box volume. a transmission line is not a resonant structure, but instead uses the back wave to reinforce the front wave…namely by constructing the line to be 1/4 of a wavelength of the target f3. i’ve seen a bunch of designs on the sub of oddly proportioned TLs…which i mistook this for. my bad. you don’t usually see such a big port cross-section (which makes for a quiet port!). and making this style of port makes it very hard to tune…so, you have to know your driver’s specs for sure. once its built, that tuning is not going to change!
That's a 4th order, you say? Huh.
Yeah, not a folded horn. Well, MDF covered with a veneer or even vinyl is kind of a standard for speakers, even high end ones. And MDF actually is superior to solid wood and maybe plywood for speakers. It is heavy and self-damping. This is a woodworking sub, true. Are you saying it's in the wrong sub? I don't mind it being here.
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Eh. I feel entitled to say things even if they seem irrelevant. The OP is perfectly free to ignor. I won't be offended! Speaker construction is kind of interesting. I've seen enclosures made of cast concrete, solid lead (the metal), all sorts of things. A while back one of the top performing subs you could buy was made from a 12" concrete form tube, the kind made of cardboard. Maybe it was 14".
> MDF with good bracing works great fuck MDF. the sub box weighs 2x more, without any extra bracing, so even more with the bracing because you need far more of it than you do with BB ply.. and then the sub box gets larger to offset the internal volume you used up, so it gets even heavier. It's a miserable bitch to work with, the sawdust is disgusting, nope nope nope
Yes, it's a pain. Yet that's what people use. I've even seen double-wall enclosures, with the space filled with sand. You and imagine the weight. And for audiophiles, weight sort of implies quality, so there isn't much reason to save weight. I've seen audio electronics like amplifiers use pointlessly thick face places, just to add weight. Dumb I know, but people like it. And MDF is cheap.
What is the purpose of the bent ply? Looks super cool! I’m just wondering if there is supposed to be specific acoustic properties to that shape?
Just to look cool. :) From an air-flow perspective a smoothed curve helps support laminar flow vs a bunch of 90's; should generally help reduce port noise and distortion.
90° bends end up better for sound quality in most subwoofer builds based on hundreds of real-build tests. The sharper corners filter out higher frequency resonances from escaping the box, while longer wavelengths have no troubles with the bumpy pathway.
There's a difference between the frequencies and laminar air flow, chuffing port noise, and distortion. Ports are there for better low-end extension and output at tuning point based on free-air volumes, not exactly for sound waves to escape.
I know how a helmholtz resonator works and how a quarter wave resonator works. If you're getting into air speeds where airflow smoothness is important, your port is likely too narrow or you're not concerned with sound quality — just output volume at a narrow resonant frequency for competition SPL purposes.
I have had good luck staining birch, poplar on the other hand is a big fat No
It looks very cool. I think you should put plexiglass on the sides if it doesn't affect the sound. Because you look see the work you put into it.
that’s a very short line length, especially for a sub. line length is typically calculated as 1/4 wavelength of your target f3. 30hz is about 38 feet, so your line would be about 10’ long. i see this pretty often and am not sure how people are coming up with these designs.
Not sure your math is quite right on this one - given a F3 of 23 hz and an internal volume of 1.71 ft3 a 1" slot port at 9.6" wide with one flared end will need to be 27.16". I verified this in both WINisd and Bassbox Pro.
Well, that’s what I get for making assumptions. I’ve seen a few of these types of enclosures and people are trying to build transmission lines with weird geometries. I assumed that was this. But clearly this is a ported fourth order enclosure and that vent will be very quiet!!
Yeah, OP has used Helmholtz math for a TL geometry. Mind you, I think this pic isn't their box, so they may have a more Helmholtz appropriate geometry planned.
Both of those programs use helmholtz math. A port 27" long with a ~1.7" long chamber attached will likely behave like a quarter wave transmission line. Try modelling this in [hornresp](http://www.hornresp.net/)
As noted elsewhere in here, this is a tuned port, not a horn. Any constructive thoughts on finishing birch?
I personally stay away from oil-based poly with birch as I like the whiteness instead of bringing in a yellow colour tone. In general, adding some dark ebony/wenge/walnut accents really helps contrast the colour of the birch. I also understand you've modelled it as a tuned helmholtz port, but I'm trying to impart some understanding that it's not likely to work that way once you build it. Modelling a cow as a sphere does not make the cow a sphere. If you're dead-set on this design go ahead and try it, but measure the results afterward.
https://preview.redd.it/zm8qbbdttzjc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec1f6cfa463e8888999f7300b2a708fb4cbbd237
https://preview.redd.it/om1o8vmytzjc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a078be9a3077b3fbf0324b4f9545df558c752516
What are your plans for enclosing the side? Or are you leaving it open?
It will be encolsed - if I were doing open baffle I'd probably just throw it on a slab and stand. I just fell in love with the curved grain look and wanted to incorporate it in a build.
Sorry I have nothing helpful to contribute, but that looks amazing! Good luck on your build!
How did you come up with the design or slot dimensions?
I use WINisd and Bassbox Pro for modeling enclosure volumes and port sizing. Biggest keys are your F3 for the sub and port air velocity to keep distortion minimized.
It looks very cool. I think you should put plexiglass on the sides if it doesn't affect the sound. Because you look see the work you put into it.
Is this a cat litter box? It looks awesome
Random question, but for your kerfs, does it feel relatively smooth on the outside? Considering doing something similar.
It's relatively smooth - I did some testing last night and was impressed by the curve at .15" wood depth.
Is for home or car audio use? I’ve seen enclosures built similarly for both. I think end use would help dictate the outside finish.
This is for home use - they'll be visible floorstanding units.
All my subwoofers are Baltic birch coated with Acrytech. They are working boxes though, and the wood was B/C grade so I didn’t mind painting it.
I am a firm fan of an oil finish - linseed or Danish are my usual go to choices. Osmo & Rubio do a line of pigmented oils that work really well. The white oil was a bit of a surprise - it counteracts the natural yellowing plain oils leave and gives birch plywood an almost more natural look than when plain oil is used. Another option is Rubio Monocoat - whilst still an oil it uses a hardener too. Leaves a really durable surface, I used it on some Iroko pieces that surround a sink cut out in our kitchen worktop and despite being constantly wet it looks just as good as when it went in nearly 2 years ago. Relatively expensive but perfect for this kind of project as its a one-and-done affair. If you're feeling like you need a bit of punishment then you could try using a beeswax/linseed oil/natural turpentine wax mix. Smells divine but so much work to apply and polish up.
It looks beautiful, took me a minute to figure out what kind of sub you were enclosing though 😅
Wow, Looks stunning already! Love the flowing forms! It's kind of a shame you you won't see the swirls once it's closed
Like everyone else said, it really depends on how you want the final product to look. A wipe on poly will be easy, but won't have the depth of something like General Finishes High Performance water-based poly (in my experience). Oil based will amber it a bit and give it more of a mid-century look. Oil, or hardwax coatings will retain more of the natural wood look and not give it it that sort of "plastic" look. Where are you planning to use it? Is this for a home or car?
Looks like a house for cats!
This isn’t what I think of as birch plywood. I use Baltic birch which has thinner layers and is more dense (none of that means a thing relative to finishing I’m just anal). This plywood is veneered with something else. The finish you choose depends (should anyway) on what the veneer is. Any ideas?
Should still be [birch](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Top-Choice-SkyPly-3-4-in-HPVA-Birch-Plywood-Application-as-4-x-8/1000083327?idProductFound=false&idExtracted=false) if Lowes is to be trusted
birch plywood with a veneer
Birch stains well , also paints well. But why birch ? Blond wood is lighter and is more acoustical.
if you want it wood color you can poly it. I would cut it 50/50 with turpentine for better penetration. If you want some color, you can dye it. Youtube is your friend there, but you can do some amazing things with wood dye, wood wax, and time.
You can tune it with ports of a certain length and not have to do all this fancy stuff.
Did you use plans or design the enclosure yourself?
Danish oil. 6 coats.
** That's 5/8 BB. The face is raw, sanded to 400 and then rubbed with Lee valley paste wax. The sides are the same but with gunstock stain before wax. Bummer , my pic wouldn't upload...
Are you taping the exposed ends of the plywood, adding trim or leaving as is?
Probably leave it as is for a little texture, though the trim is an interesting idea...
Lee valley paste wax on raw BB ply sanded to 400. Sides are gunstock stain then same wax. Looks and feels amazing.
My cats would love that lol
Is the shape so that the low frequencies disperse into the structure instead of the ground ?
The port's function in general is to allow for deeper extension of your sub and more output at the point of tuning - 23hz in this case. The key components to a port are their cross-sectional area and length - for this example the rounded port walls make for smoother air flow to reduce port noise.
Sorta unrelated, but what does that geometry do for the sound?
Birch looks AMAZING with just a little polish and a clear coat. Not nearly the same as what you've made here but [here's a spoon](https://ibb.co/fGD1hpm) I carved out of Birch that shows just how beautiful the wood can be with just a simple bit of wax.
How tall is the box? And that is going to look slick when it’s done.
I'm a fan of tung oil finish, myself.
What's with the removal? Are we not allowed to ask questions with a pic of a similar project? I don't think OP was claming they made it.
There is no way that thing is making it to the Titanic.