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SPEAKER FORUMS >> Betsy Open Baffle >> DIY Betsy wood choice
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Message started by Coyote on 12/03/21 at 05:29:35

Title: DIY Betsy wood choice
Post by Coyote on 12/03/21 at 05:29:35

Hi All,

A bit of background. I received my Lii F15 driver and pretty much settled on the actual baffle size and a bit more work on the baffle shape.

At the same time I have been pondering about my ability to actual make the baffle vs the quality Randy produces. A post caught my attention: Build your first set with cheap material to get a hang of it.

Great, many post offer many material but I did not see any one suggesting something like a hardwood pieces made butcher block top as this for example:

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/hardwood-reflections-74-inch-l-x-25-inch-w-x-1-5-inch-t-unfinished-birch-butcher-block-countertop/1001561766

I get that these pieces of wood glued together might be a resonance issue in a closed enclosure but this is OB I think the thickness and wood density/qualities might overcome any differences in the pieces of wood glued together to make the butcher bloc.

Any thoughts on this?
Baby steps toward building this!

Cheers,

a.

Title: Re: DIY Betsy wood choice
Post by Archie on 12/03/21 at 06:28:58

Look at the original Big Betsy thread and you'll see that most of the baffles are "butcher block." There are other sources of butcher block of better sizes so you won't have to do more cutting and pasting. Personally, I made my baffles out of 1 1/2 inch maple butcher block counter tops that I salvaged from a jobsite. Worked out great. Starting with a good butcher block slab will save a lot of milling and glue-up labor.

Title: Re: DIY Betsy wood choice
Post by Coyote on 12/03/21 at 17:24:09

Thanks Archie,
I am going to look-up that original Big Betsy thread!

Kind regards,

a.

Title: Re: DIY Betsy wood choice
Post by Archie on 12/03/21 at 17:36:48

Steve pushed the idea that the baffles need to me massive -- thick and dense, for the best result. Since he offers a variety of woods, even the relatively low density Poplar, I'm not sure how critical this is. But any solid wood baffle will necessarily be made up of narrower pieces of wood glued together. Unfortunately, all the trees big enough to do in one slab have pretty much been cut down! :'(

Title: Re: DIY Betsy wood choice
Post by Coyote on 12/03/21 at 18:05:13

Hi,

"Unfortunately, all the trees big enough to do in one slab have pretty much been cut down! "

Yep, I work as a marine surveyor, when I do a woodie inevitable the fair market value is usually low because they are expensive to maintain, time consuming and very few trade people still have the skill to fix them.
Then the replacement value shy rocket because as you said there are simply no more trees that size that could be cut to make replacement planks, mast, frames, etc. or if there is one somewhere the timber is hugely expensive.

:-(

a.

Title: Re: DIY Betsy wood choice
Post by Archie on 12/03/21 at 18:12:25

25 years ago I trimmed a house with clear, heart, vertical grain redwood and now I don't think you can even find it. There isn't a shortage of smaller stuff though. We'd never be able to build the Six Frigates again!

Title: Re: DIY Betsy wood choice
Post by Donnie on 12/03/21 at 21:21:28

MDF and Veneer.

Dense, easy to machine, and you can make the faces any wood you want.

It is consistent in density, thickness and is flat.

My open baffles are 1.5" thick and way too heavy to carry comfortably.