Zebra Phatboy 2x12 build - Done!

[Geeze]

Because I'm a non-committed OCD I simply must build a matching 2x12 cab. I had contemplated a 1936 but the wide width walnut in sufficient length of 78" - enough for the sides and top - wasn't available and since I have a month and change before the show I must needs to be moving on. Thus the choice for the Zilla Fatboy 2x12 - not as tall as the 1936 but 14" deep. I built a couple of the Fatbaby 1x12 and they are impressive for the low end they bring - they smoke the TL-806 cabs without effort.

The challenge with the walnut and maple I have chosen is they are 5/4 boards - 1.25" thick. I like wall thickness for closed back cabs to be 3/4" to mitigate unwanted resonance. Due to the self imposed noise ordnance as I'm flying under the radar where I live my primary thickness reducer is a 16" wide drum sander. It however is not up to the task of sanding off a 1/2" of wide planks of hardwood - rather I don't want to spend literal days milling that much off. Planers are out due to noise and the width of the wood I'm working with at 14"+.

So rather than waste all of that wood I decided to [GULP!] try something I've never done on a bandsaw - resaw a 14"+ board that happens to be 73" long. I can't cut the planks down at this point without violating the stripe integrity.

So whack off the end of the maple I need with the trusty skill saw + carbide blade.

The 16" x 120"

Skill saw and guide.

Rip to 14".

The walnut bit that has been resawn.

Remember when I stated that I've never resawn such a wide piece? It worked sorta... Mistakes were made... I didn't have enough blade tension or I hadn't compensated for blade walk or the Coriolis effect as the blade squirmed a bit in the centers of the walnut and maple so I'm enjoying running them through the drum sander probably end up near 1/2" to get them happy. Me being me I know I exceeded reasonable and customary usage and I only the garage fuse 4 times.

So after mumbling for a while and thinking about matches and accelerants 1/4" BB ply as a backer will be the savior if I get that far.

We shall see.

Russ

 

[Geeze]

It's been a long week sanding...

At the end I needed to fill the few remaining low spots with epoxy.

Then sand them level with the wood.

Ripped the inside track for the grill and some bits for the bottoms.

Then came the issue of cutting the stripes from a 73" long 14" wide board on a 10" bandsaw that has a 12" square table. Last time with a shorter plank I stuck a roller support and it worked OK. For a 73" plank I had serious doubts. I do some of my best problem solving asleep and the idea came to me. Use the fab table as an extension of the bandsaw table. I ratchet strapped the table and the saw together to minimize movement. It was more successful than the last attempt at first glance. We'll see how the glue up goes.

Stripes drawn and partially cut.

Here is half of one of the cabs arraigned .

Glue up starts.

Russ

 

[ElKabong]

It's been a long week sanding...

At the end I needed to fill the few remaining low spots with epoxy.

Then sand them level with the wood.

Ripped the inside track for the grill and some bits for the bottoms.

Then came the issue of cutting the stripes from a 73" long 14" wide board on a 10" bandsaw that has a 12" square table. Last time with a shorter plank I stuck a roller support and it worked OK. For a 73" plank I had serious doubts. I do some of my best problem solving asleep and the idea came to me. Use the fab table as an extension of the bandsaw table. I ratchet strapped the table and the saw together to minimize movement. It was more successful than the last attempt at first glance. We'll see how the glue up goes.

Stripes drawn and partially cut.

Here is half of one of the cabs arraigned .

Glue up starts.

Russ

Man, you are talented.

 

[Geeze]

I realized last night as glue up started that due to the 1/2" thick material I REALLY needed to be able to clamp on both sides of the 14" wide plank.

Crap...

More night time problem solving and the coffin - that's all I got at this point - was born. it consumed 3/4 of a highly prized 18mm BB ply that I picked up before Putin got belligerent. It's 60" long, the vertical webs are 8" tall and the bottom flanges are 3.25". I do what I always do and over build to counteract any naughty warpage the bits being glued might try to bring to the party. BTW it weighs 40lb...

I got to this point and realized I wouldn't be able to use my 6" reach clamps to work the middle.

Mumble...

The clamps need a 2.25" hole to get the lower beam and the pad in. I whipped out a 2" Forstner bit thinking I'd drop it down the side a bit and then saw cut to it.

Did I mention I was using 18mm BB ply?!? Do you know how hard that stuff is with all the glue / resin they use to glue the plys together? Half a lifetime later with my fat ass pushing down hard on a 3/4" drill I made it through. Nope not doing that again. Ran with a 1-1/8" bit - still a struggle - and angle cut the slots to accommodate the clamps. The holes alternate on both sides.

Nine million countersunk holes, #6 drilled holes and screws driven in later - maybe not quite that many.

I sanded the top with 220 and gave it two coats of amber shellac I've been trying to use up. I use wax paper as a glue barrier but moisture gets through thus the seal coats.

What does this mean for the Phatboy zebra cab? Glue up will recommence soon.

Russ

 

[Geeze]

It's been a long week.

Final glue up of plank #1.

Rather than break out the 8' pipe clamps I cheated a bit - I really like the coffin for it's clamping opportunities.

Building something on this scale is a challenge - I needed to cut the edges straight but the plank was longer than the shooting board I use. Another opportunity for the blue painters tape and CA glue to affix an edge guide on one side. When I bought the 6' straight edge I didn't know how much I would actually use it.

The plank going for a ride in 'Sledzilla'.

Posed for the money shot.

Unfortunately one of the bandsaw 'dishes' I filled with epoxy is visible on the left side joint. I plan to finger joint and then see about fixing it as it will bug me.

Russ

 

[Geeze]

After hemming and hawing about how to do the bottom edges commonsense won out and I'll make them 1/2" like the other sides. I had to splice in a 4" section as the bits I had would have been 1.5" short due to the 20+ cuts removing width from the board.

Front and back sections.

More gluing and clamp porn.

Russ

 

[Geeze]

Now it's starting to look more like a planned event rather than a disaster.

Finger joint time.

Rough assembled - needs to be sanded smooth on both sides.

These are both of the insides,

A few bits then glue up - the walnut is a tear out fool and will require a bit of 'artful fixes' so I don't hate it.

Russ

 

[faerdi]

What grill cloth are you gonna use? Classic black? Salt and Pepper? Zebra?

 

[Geeze]

What grill cloth are you gonna use? Classic black? Salt and Pepper? Zebra?

I'm thinking black as not to distract from the stripes. Second runner up would be EC collins knockoff.

Russ

 

[ElKabong]

Dude, you are a master.

 

[mspart]

Please show the finished product!! Looks cool and like a lot of work. Hopefully it sounds awesome.

mspart

 

[Sustainium]

Please show the finished product!! Looks cool and like a lot of work. Hopefully it sounds awesome.

mspart

Oh, it has sound also?
I just can’t stop looking at it.

 

[Geeze]

Alas no BB ply from my local guy I bought 3 sheets two years ago - not enough! - so I went with birch plywood. 1/4 & 1/2'

Started to cut the bits for the baffle suround. In the past I added .035" per cut to compensate for the bandsaw blade.

It worked sorta. First the miter thingy that came with the bandsaw was crap - into the dustbin it went. I tried my table saw miter thingy and it was stable but the blade was susceptible to side loads and wouldn't always cut square in the vertical plane.

Mumble...

New plan - forget cutting two at once now back to one at a time on the master of square - the table saw. Top surround cut and glued together.

It's not attached yet as I need to cut a 2° angle to support the baffle.

Coffeetime.

Russ

 

[Geeze]

Cut the 4'x8' 1/4" and 1/2" down to a useable size - always an exciting one man evolution - to form the bottom with the 1/2" and 1/4" future wall support once the angled baffle surround is cut.

A Kurt vise is still the best portable wood I have. I like to trim until I get a soft 'squeak' as the pieces slide together. The bottom needed a freckle removed from one side to fit properly.

Glued in.

Russ

 

[ElKabong]

The bottom needed a freckle removed from one side to fit properly.

Amazing work. But I've often wondered if a whisker is bigger than a freckle🤔

 

[Geeze]

Surround time. I decided to adjust the top corners as they are a bit busy.

The maple in the corner will be cut to size.

I contemplated recutting the stripes on the bottom as they are narrower than the other sides. Nah.

Glue up for the sides.

A pic of the bottom.

Tomorrow will be cutting the baffle angles and gluing in the surrounds. Liner plywood then the back plate bracing and possibly some corner bracing as well.

Russ

 

[DocRocz]

Because I'm a non-committed OCD I simply must build a matching 2x12 cab. I had contemplated a 1936 but the wide width walnut in sufficient length of 78" - enough for the sides and top - wasn't available and since I have a month and change before the show I must needs to be moving on. Thus the choice for the Zilla Fatboy 2x12 - not as tall as the 1936 but 14" deep. I built a couple of the Fatbaby 1x12 and they are impressive for the low end they bring - they smoke the TL-806 cabs without effort.

The challenge with the walnut and maple I have chosen is they are 5/4 boards - 1.25" thick. I like wall thickness for closed back cabs to be 3/4" to mitigate unwanted resonance. Due to the self imposed noise ordnance as I'm flying under the radar where I live my primary thickness reducer is a 16" wide drum sander. It however is not up to the task of sanding off a 1/2" of wide planks of hardwood - rather I don't want to spend literal days milling that much off. Planers are out due to noise and the width of the wood I'm working with at 14"+.

So rather than waste all of that wood I decided to [GULP!] try something I've never done on a bandsaw - resaw a 14"+ board that happens to be 73" long. I can't cut the planks down at this point without violating the stripe integrity.

So whack off the end of the maple I need with the trusty skill saw + carbide blade.

The 16" x 120"

Skill saw and guide.

Rip to 14".

The walnut bit that has been resawn.

Remember when I stated that I've never resawn such a wide piece? It worked sorta... Mistakes were made... I didn't have enough blade tension or I hadn't compensated for blade walk or the Coriolis effect as the blade squirmed a bit in the centers of the walnut and maple so I'm enjoying running them through the drum sander probably end up near 1/2" to get them happy. Me being me I know I exceeded reasonable and customary usage and I only the garage fuse 4 times.

So after mumbling for a while and thinking about matches and accelerants 1/4" BB ply as a backer will be the savior if I get that far.

We shall see.

Russ

"I built a couple of the Fatbaby 1x12 and they are impressive for the low end they bring".
I'd like to give that a shot, where can I get the plans to build a Fatbaby 1 x 12 and what advise would you give to someone that has never built one?
Thanks in advance

 

[Geeze]

I'd like to give that a shot, where can I get the plans to build a Fatbaby 1 x 12 and what advise would you give to someone that has never built one?

I copied Zilla Cab's exterior dimensions for their Fat Baby. I made up the internal bits to suit me. I ran a thread on that build - Walnut Fattbaby 1x12 - on this forum. No dimensions though.

Russ

 

[Geeze]

Surround bits coming together.

Time to cut the side surround pieces - need a 2° ish angle on the back side and they need to be exactly the same. Flexing the speaker baffle yields sonic unhappiness. I drill some pilot holes to keep them aligned on their trip through the saw.

A block is glued to the front side to create the angle.

Cuts happen.

I did something I don't normally do but since my projects are designed to push my abilities and understanding of the tools I use I decided to cut a matching angle on the top and bottom bits. Normally I cut them close and cut the angle with a bit high angle plane. I'm happy to report the angle is good and the OCD measuring to cut the correct width worked.

Restoring the blade angle was easy with a gizmo my boy bought me for Christmas.

I also had big fun sanding a .022" wafer of walnut to fill an OOPS.

The surround is glued in!

Coffeetime.

Russ

 

[BlueX]

Enjoy your coffee