Kurfed/Flared porting

[lvjeffro 10+ year member]

this thread answered allot of questions i had re: kerfeded ports...

 

[twisztdauthorit 10+ year member]

make sure you make your cuts real even and very deep. If there not deep enough they wont bend. I always start out on a test piece of wood to setup the table saw

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

Yea, even cuts will make all the difference in the world. When running the wood through (or circular saw if you don't have a table saw) the table saw, make sure that both ends are supported well and that the piece of wood is not bowing up. On my first kerfed panel, the wood was very long and it would cause the panel to bow up in the center where I was cutting and while I was cutting. I didn't have the end hanging off of the table saw supported and it did not bend well at all. If you're using a circular saw, make sure the center and sides are all supported so the same doesn't happen.

 

[netzero 10+ year member]

I usually make big cuts with a circular saw, but I've got an old radial arm saw i inherited, and i think that would do very nicely. How would you make the cuts straight on a table saw?

 

[PSturmer 10+ year member]

Ok, so I've got a box design I'm gonna build myself, but I really wanna try a flared port. I was just wondering for those who have does it themselves, how much does the average kurfed/flared L shaped port effect tuning, versus a standard 90* edge? And any tips on how to go about that? Thanks

if its a port 17'' long with a 3'' radius flare then you take 17 - 3/2. it is half the effective length. i tried making a flare once out of wood. just be careful because the wood is very fragile when it has 10 cuts in it.

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

I usually make big cuts with a circular saw, but I've got an old radial arm saw i inherited, and i think that would do very nicely. How would you make the cuts straight on a table saw?

With a fence //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif...lawl

 

[fbi90909 5,000+ posts]

lol, when i did my box with the kerf i used a circular saw. first i took a straight edge of a board then clamped it into position, then took the saw and sit it next to the clamped board as a guide, made a cut, then took it off and measured how far from the clamped board the cut was. that gave me a general measurement to know where to clamp and where my cut was going to be. worked out pretty good for me and gave me the straight cuts i needed.

IMO, make lots of cuts. don't just go for bare minimum. the closer the cuts the more flexibility you have along with a smoother curve on the frontside. if you make few cuts, when you bend the wood you will most likely end up with a lot of straight bends and to me isn't as appealing. you can sand it down to be smoother at the bends but it will then begin to loose it's strenght as your taking away the little amount of wood it has left..

i don't know if mentioned or not but i would also recommend you to fiberglass the cut side to give additional strenght and so the kerfed area can settle and not want to bend back.

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

lol, when i did my box with the kerf i used a circular saw. first i took a straight edge of a board then clamped it into position, then took the saw and sit it next to the clamped board as a guide, made a cut, then took it off and measured how far from the clamped board the cut was. that gave me a general measurement to know where to clamp and where my cut was going to be. worked out pretty good for me and gave me the straight cuts i needed.
IMO, make lots of cuts. don't just go for bare minimum. the closer the cuts the more flexibility you have along with a smoother curve on the frontside. if you make few cuts, when you bend the wood you will most likely end up with a lot of straight bends and to me isn't as appealing. you can sand it down to be smoother at the bends but it will then begin to loose it's strenght as your taking away the little amount of wood it has left..

i don't know if mentioned or not but i would also recommend you to fiberglass the cut side to give additional strenght and so the kerfed area can settle and not want to bend back.

Yea, definitely pour resin on the back and let harden (atleast)...if not add mat to it for some strength as well

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

If the inside wall touches, you really don't need to fiberglass or resin the inside.

 

[thorshammer1 10+ year member]

This thread was very informative. Was also looking into a flared port. Might even try going to a 12inch port. lol

 

[on1wheel01 10+ year member]

old thread i kno but man that box is sick

 

[DDSC 10+ year member]

sticky???

 

[thorshammer1 10+ year member]

sticky???

x2

 

[Dj Arr 10+ year member]

Don't do more than 10 cuts, the port will become weak unless you have a port wider than 5" as the bend will be best much larger.

The thickness of the blade doesn't matter. If you have a wider blade do less cuts.

soak=no

Pack wood glue and mdf dust in the kurf and then shape it.

If your worried about being able to see lines along the kurf because you did minimal cuts don't worry. It's stronger, AND you can use bedliner to cover that up. Looks great.

Port noise reduction and you will probably notice a difference in the sound it's self. I don't know how to explain it, less puff puff and more mmmmmmmmmmmm. :]

sorry, seen a lot of crap in there.

x3 sticky