Problems With my first box build --pics--

[alexdbest2000 10+ year member]

alright i picked up some this 3/4 MDF this afternoon to build a ported enclosure tuned to 34 HZ and 2 cubes. took my time to make perfect measurements, then when i got to the cutting it went all downhill...anyway a couple of cuts where around 1/8 inch off. i havent glued or screwed anything yet or even made the sub hole. it looks alot worse then it is because of this, the gaps aren't even close to what they seem but they are there. when i start putting it together, will the glue along with caulking around the edge fix this? anything else i can do?

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[shavenblazer 10+ year member]

Lots and lots of calk lol.

 

[dleccord 5,000+ posts]

gorilla glue my friend, plus tight bond 2 for sealing. chaulking can get messy.

 

[Max_Power 10+ year member]

I think your problem is that you didn't account for the blade width, or you cut on the wrong side of the line.

to your question though, Im not sure that caulk or glue could fix that. better build another one to be sure.

 

[alexdbest2000 10+ year member]

to your question though, Im not sure that caulk or glue could fix that. better build another one to be sure.

you mean cut out another back cutout?

and no i did my research fore building the box, i knew to account for the blade, i just really **** at cutting with a circular saw.

 

[Max_Power 10+ year member]

yeah

 

[Stem 10+ year member]

def cut a new piece

 

[Mr Cabinetry 10+ year member]

Caulk is not going to fix this abortion, no way in he!!.

You said you took the time to make the measurements " perfect " though the results say otherwise and from the looks of it there not a square cut on any of those pieces, let alone any of the parts being anywhere near close to being the same widths.

Toss it and start over and take your time.

 

[Joseph K 10+ year member]

i just really **** at cutting with a circular saw.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif Monkeys have been trained to make straight cuts with circular saws...

REDO IT! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[djman37 5,000+ posts]

Did you make a straight edge to use as a guide with the circ. saw? get two clamps and a straight edge piece from the first piece of wood to make guide for this next box.

The 'other' fix not mentioned yet, IF you must keep that box is to take mdf 'strips' from the straight edge of the wood and glue them on the inside to clean up that edge. They will only slightly change the internal volume, add support, AND help seal that crappily cut box off!

Use them on the front-right, back-right, and back-top-right corners. TRY to caulk that back left edge, it doesn't look that horrible.

 

[joem1cha3l 10+ year member]

use a table saw.

 

[oxsign 5,000+ posts]

use a table saw.

Not everyone has access to one. You use what you have. One thing you could do is have home depote/lowes cut it for you, but if you really want to do it yourself, then have at it. It's your first one, and your going to run into issues like this. Pay attention to want you did this time, and learn not to repeat it again on the next one. You may want to recut a piece or 2 and see how the fit is from there.

P.S. clamps help alot with closing up some of the tiny gaps. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

gorilla glue my friend, plus tight bond 2 for sealing. chaulking can get messy.

....No.
To threadstarter: stop worrying about it. You honestly haven't seen bad box construction until you've seen my first speakers (which I know someone will graciously post pictures of LOL). To make straight cuts easier with a circular saw, here's what I used to do:

1. Measure distance from edge of saw fence to the middle of the blade.

2. Very carefully, draw a line of that width along a piece of wood (MAKE SURE IT'S STRAIGHT, OR IT'S USELESS).

3. Cut this piece of wood using a fence to keep it straight.

4. This piece you just cut is now a guide to a perfect cut every time. Place it at the edge of every line you draw for your panels, and it'll cut the panel to the dimension you want every time. And even it if doesn't, the maximum you can be off is 1/16" of an inch (because you measured to the middle of the blade, not the edge), which is easily correctable.

 

[Wkbdkid 10+ year member]

It looks like that was jus a test fit. Once you screw the pieces together the gap might close up a little more. If its still a good size gap you could make small 45 degrees pieces an put them in the corners, but that might change the tunning of the port some.

 

[alexdbest2000 10+ year member]

this morning i asked my dad about the saw i used and he laughed and said the blade wasn't centered, so he gave me one he uses and i redid mostly everything free hand.

this box is not glued or screwed yet

here are some new pics and dimensions, heres the diagram i used

http://img34.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2cubes34hz3125sqin1cm.png