2397 CNC in bubinga

[Wardsweb]

I liked Lee's horns but still wanted a better esthetic, so I decided to have a pair CNC'd in some 1" bubinga I have. Here is a sneek peak of today's run. I'll have more pics next week after assembly. I plan to also CNC some stands out of the same wood. With some oil these are going to look SWEET!

I was happy to see the dense wood machine so clean. They will require only light finish sanding.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_C50/bubinga1.jpg

[louped garouv]

SWEET!


took the word right out of my mouth....

:)

[Mr. Widget]

Very cool... keep the pictures coming!

Widget

[Wardsweb]

I tried to get it cutting but the head moving caused the auto focus to not focus. Damn phone camera. Still it did an incredible job of machinging the lip with no ridges. It's smooth to the touch. This sheet took about an hour. So half an hour per.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_C50/bubinga3.jpg

[Allanvh5150]

Nice job. Using a CNC is almost like cheating but the time saving and accuracy is incredible!

Allan.

[Wardsweb]

A full set. I still need to finish sand as these are still raw from the CNC.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_2397/2397d.jpg

[Wardsweb]

They start going together.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_2397/2397e.jpg

[Wardsweb]

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_2397/2397g.jpg

[spkrman57]

I wish I could work wood like that, I just make great sawdust!

Ron

[Mr. Widget]

Get her sanded and finished and you will have one more treasure! Well Done!!


Widget

[Wardsweb]

Ok sanding was a lot more of a task than I had anticipated. The very hardness that made machining nice, makes sanding difficult. I ended up using 120 grit on a random orbital palm sander to get the paper to even cut. I then hand blocked a little with some 320. Running your hand over it, you would think it had been finished in 600 grit.

Here is a picture as the first coat of Danish oil was going on.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_2397/2397h.jpg

[Woody Banks]

Very very nice indeed! Bubinga is an outstanding species but as you have found out, it is harder than woodpecker lips. :thmbsup:

[Lee in Montreal]

Very nice quality of wood. Congratulation for the nice work. Perhaps it is not too late. May I suggest to sand down to a rounder shape that edge at the mouth. You could have a big radius there.

[richluvsound]

Beautiful work .... always loved the way the grain of Bubinga just jack-knifes on you. Especially like the aluminium ... Nice touch ;)

Rich

[Wardsweb]

Very nice quality of wood. Congratulation for the nice work. Perhaps it is not too late. May I suggest to sand down to a rounder shape that edge at the mouth. You could have a big radius there.
Yes that is the plan. I wanted to get some oil on the inside of the horn before I glue it together.

[Wardsweb]

Beautiful work .... always loved the way the grain of Bubinga just jack-knifes on you. Especially like the aluminium ... Nice touch ;)

Rich
The aluminum vanes are from the horn kit I bought from Lee.

[Lee in Montreal]

Yes that is the plan. I wanted to get some oil on the inside of the horn before I glue it together.

I don't know what tolerances you have used for the side pieces, but when assembled, there should be a very small play that allows to slide the fins in and out without forcing. I suggest that after assembling the tops and bottoms, you slide the fins from the throat to avoid any marks on the wood. I made three units and they all worked great this way. ;)

BTW The reason why the fins have a bevel (chamfrain) all around is to keep them from scratching the wood.

[richluvsound]

Then ... Nice job both !

[yggdrasil]

That finished bubinga looks just ridiculously beautiful. Great work.

[Wardsweb]

A couple pics in daylight

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_2397/2397i.jpg

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_2397/2397j.jpg

[pos]

Gorgeous!
So you also made an adapter out of wood?
Is it a 2328 clone?

[Wardsweb]

Comparing the JBL 2397clone against an Altec 511B, the JBL wins hands down. The mid range is smoother and warmer. The 511B seems bright and edgy that I can only attribute to the undampened aluminum horn.

The adapter is a one off prototype I threw together. It is made from two pieces of 3/4" baltic birch. The first has a 1" hole and recessed bolt holes to mount the LE85. The second piece transitions from the 1" hole to a rectangle that matched the horn. The two pieces bolt directly to the horn. The wood is so dense, I drilled and tapped it for 1/4x20.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/JBL_2397/sunroom2397.jpg

[rlschow]

Those are really beautiful!

[Wardsweb]

Here is the final setup. Project complete; time to sit back and listen. :)

53374

[Krunchy]

Here is the final setup. Project complete; time to sit back and listen. :)

53374

That came out great, you must be very happy, how does the new addition sound to you.




Beautiful work .... always loved the way the grain of Bubinga just jack-knifes on you. Especially like the aluminium ... Nice touch ;) Rich

I agree, looks very sharp! Rich if you dont have one of those CNCs you should ask the big guy in the north for one for Christmass, you'd have a blast with that little toy. :)

[Lee in Montreal]

Congrats Wardsweb. You have a very nice set-up. I would have the exact same one if I didn't have 4520 bass bins. Your set-up is perhaps more reasonable. It must sound quite sweet.

[richluvsound]

I would never want sex again if I had one of those and a water jet cutter .... Too bad I don't have a million bucks sitting around :D

Oh and an anodising bath and, and a powder coating oven

[Wardsweb]

Congrats Wardsweb. You have a very nice set-up. I would have the exact same one if I didn't have 4520 bass bins. Your set-up is perhaps more reasonable. It must sound quite sweet.
Thanks Lee, yes it does sound very nice. I had a group of guys over today and they all enjoyed it.

Here are a couple of my other systems we listened to.

53381

[Wardsweb]

I knocked out a couple mirrored stands today. They are asymmectrical with the front weighted to the left and the rear weighted to the right. Technically they both are centered on the horn.

53725

[Wardsweb]

Here is the horn in place. I still need to add a couple more coats of finishing oil and a little time for the patena to match. Still I like the look. Seems to fit the 60's era.

53726

[theophile]

Very nice Ward's.

[Mr. Widget]

I'm loving the retro feel... I think you need to dress up the 2405 mount though. It is fine and purposeful, but with everything else being so... well, designed... I don't think it is up to the level of aesthetics as the rest of the system.

I can think of several alternatives... but it's your project. ;)


Widget

[Wardsweb]

Here is the first pass at adding something. I think I'll 45 the face edges on the sides and top.

53791

[Hey19]

Here is the first pass at adding something. I think I'll 45 the face edges on the sides and top.

53791

How are you crossing them and what amps are you using? What's in the big box?

[Wardsweb]

Here is the original thread when I picked up the C50 Olympus.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?30675

Here is the thread on the crossover build.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?31120


I've been running these with some old SAE gear but will be picking up a Prima Luna tube amp this week. I love the sound of horns with tubes.

[Hey19]

Here is the original thread when I picked up the C50 Olympus.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?30675

Here is the thread on the crossover build.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?31120


I've been running these with some old SAE gear but will be picking up a Prima Luna tube amp this week. I love the sound of horns with tubes.


Where the compression driver and ring radiator were? If so,how did you accomplish this? The tubes on that slot should really liquify the highs. Beautiful work.

[Wardsweb]

The C50 from the factory had a block off plate on one side for the tweeter hole not used (factory would have been an 075). I just duplicated the blockoff for the other side and the center horn. So, now the C50 is being used as a bass cabinet.

53795

[Mr. Widget]

Here is the first pass at adding something. I think I'll 45 the face edges on the sides and top.:bouncy: :yes:


Widget

[Wardsweb]

One last picture

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Smith%20Horn/2397n.jpg