How to mount a driver in a subwoofer

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#22
TeePee said:
Try www.screwfix.co.uk, much cheaper than B&Q!
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Good idea, I know 'em but hoped I could use somewhere local, and its only large quantities at Screwfix. I looked and I can't find threaded inserts anyway, bah, for a company with screw in the name they don't have a wide range of screw-based products!

x. onasis said:

Whittle a tapered plug from pine. (like a large toothpick)

Dip in glue and drive in tight. In this case you can insert it from behind, and cut flush.
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Sounds interesting, but I'd need to widen my holes with a drill first. Certainly another possibility.

...here's a thought - use fresh holes, but this time look for a screw specifically designed not to strip MDF! If such a beastly screw exists!

Thanks for considering my problem with me 🙂
 
#23
Vikash said:
T-nuts alone are not enough IMO. There's always one that will pop out :smash: Luckily I've yet to seal the final panel.
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Why would T-nuts come loose? After you turn a bolt into it, it tightens itself (pulls it into the wood)? You do have to be carefull that while tightening the bolt, that the teeth of the nut don't come lose (turning around in the MDF).

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


I have to admit that I applied a lot of woodglue around (and on top of them) just to get a bit of extra security.
 
#24
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Yer T nuts with pozi head bolts is the standard for holding pa speakers in cabs.
Extremely heavy drivers like pa 15 or 18 inchers with 120 oz+ magnets tend to use large bolts and medium washers, and large non-swivel nuts to hold them in place.U need a wrench and spanner for those type.:smash:
 
#25
This is a bit off topic but my 12" driver has the center part wrinkled to the inside. One of my nephews has found a way to pull it. The center material is kind of a plastic membrane with some cloth over it (I think). How can I put it back in the right way? I though about using a vacuum cleaner, but that's a bit risky...

Miguel
 
#26
miguel2 said:
This is a bit off topic but my 12" driver has the center part wrinkled to the inside. One of my nephews has found a way to pull it. The center material is kind of a plastic membrane with some cloth over it (I think). How can I put it back in the right way? I though about using a vacuum cleaner, but that's a bit risky...

Miguel
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Hi Miguel,

If its a coated paper or pp cone it's probably ok to use a vacuum cleaner to pull it back - I presume you're talking about the dust cap here? If it ruins it I'm sure it'll still knock out the tunes ok, hehe. 😀
 
#31
I saw someone mention propel nuts from the UK. I believe they are the same thing as hurricane nuts here in the US and can be bought cheaply from Parts Express.

I have not tried to insert a normal T-nut into MDF but got the impression that that would be difficult to hammer in and would have a chance to mess up your perfect Jasper Jig cut baffle. So the hurricane nuts are perfect for MDF for me. I use a machine screw plus machine washer to pull the nuts into the proper sized hole.


Here:

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage...DID=7&CATID=41&ObjectGroup_ID=259&filter=nuts
 
#32
My final suggestion is to try what I'm about to; Use threaded inserts. I don't have these yet so can't say for sure, but you may be able to insert them into your existing mashed holes and the thread on the inside will allow you to bolt into it.
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Simon,
I got the inserts from BK and they were perfect. They have a small base and a grip that looks similar to wall plugs, and are much better than the T-nuts they replaced. Because of how they grip into the wood one-way, they may even be ok to use on the front of the baffle (if access to the rear is too difficult). They went in to my existing holes (churned up by the T-nuts) really well

T-nuts, pah!, never again!
 
#33
Yesterday I cut the hole for the driver but it came out about 1 cm too large😡
I am thinking of opening the hole more, to have a larger diameter than the driver, and glueing a second piece of MDF behind the hole, covering a large area (much more than the hole) and then cut a new one that fits! Any other suggestions that could work? If I put the driver against one side of the hole now, the screws holes of the driver on the other side can't be attached.

Miguel
 
#35
You won't find such delicacies on their website. Best to give them a call. I got gold plated allen headed bolts with them, but I'll use them when I want a nicer finish on another project and just use standard m4 bolts for now.
 

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#36
Vikash said:
You won't find such delicacies on their website. Best to give them a call. I got gold plated allen headed bolts with them, but I'll use them when I want a nicer finish on another project and just use standard m4 bolts for now.
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Heh, ok, call or e-mail it will be!

Those gold plated bolts: wow! They would/will look super-cool when I get round to painting my speakers shiny black! :nod:

You reckon I'll get away with forcing them into a hole, from the inside of the baffle, which is rounded? M4 sounds like my required size...
 
#37
Why can't you (anyone) use machine screws with regular nuts and use epoxy (two part was what I was thinking) to exopy the nuts in place on the back of the baffle? Flush with the back baffle or recessed into the back baffle to put in another way to add strength (it would stop the nuts from possibly twisting off add allow you to use much more epoxy and add surface area) would be a good idea. While the epoxy is drying you should screw the screws in to make sure that the nuts are in right position for the screws to screw into once the baffle is mounted on the front of the speaker.

This seems much easier than looking for the right kind of specialty nut. I think I will try this probably.
 
#40
Nice to see this thread revived! Actually I still have the screw problem, so I appreciate these suggestions. (not got round to sorting this yet, been doing other hi-fi type things!)

Jimmy154 - I don't have any epoxy, but otherwise this aint a bad idea.

johninCR - I will probably try fixing in some bits of wood, but it's gonna be very tough, as the inside is chamfered, so there may not be anywhere to fit the bits, at least for 2 edges.

Matttcattt - I've seen Screwfix's MDF screws, but they don't look all that different from other screws, and they are countersunk, which is asking for trouble. Flat would be more apt.
 
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