Lin, the low pass filters are set at 100 hertz. I may just low pass the rear speaker.
And yes the soundstage sounds higher than I'm used to. It sounds maybe a foot higher than normal. I might need to drop my full range drivers a few inches.

12db.   http://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-100-hz-low-pass-8-ohm-crossover--266-...

There are some new developments to share on my OB project.
After waking up at the unprecedented early time of 2:30 am this morning instead of my usual 3:45, I found that I had a little time on my hands.
So I started experimenting with my low pass filters.
First idea tried was low passing the rear woofers. I really couldn't tell the difference, pointing out to me that maybe the rear woofer was redundant.
Second idea tried was low passing both front and back woofers. Something was missing, detail was lost and the soundstage constricted.
Third idea tried was just low passing the front woofer and unhooking the rears altogether, major mistake, everything went flat.
Fourth time was a charm, low passing the front and full ranging the rear. That was the secret. Wow, major soundstage everything sounding where I thought it should be, and depth where I've never had depth before. Another problem with the height of the soundstage also seems to have lowered itself 6". Lin called it right, I really need to listen to his advice closer.
So now onto version 2.0 of this project.
I have decided to build this as the pro's do it, not out of solid wood, but out of MDF and veneer on a interesting wood front.
The first quote for what wood I had in mind was almost $1800 without any machining done to it. That, my friends, is a chunk of money. If I were to spend that kind of money, I would just pony up the cash for some HR-1's and live in bliss for the rest of my life.
But with me being me, the challenge of building something outweighs rational thought.
So, now there is a order for some Red Gum veneer rushing through the vastness of cyberspace.
My CAD Monkey and I are going to Lowe's to buy a couple of sheets of MDF this week and some sort of harebrained project will begin again, using the lessons learned from the last few weeks of experimentation.
A couple of lessons learned are;
.750"  material is too thin, I'm going to laminate 2 pieces of .750" MDF for some thickness, I hope that it works.
The height of the full rangers might still need to be dropped a couple of inches so that I can take the riser out of the back baffle. People use 34" for a reason.
My wire routing needs to be looked at, I hate how sloppy it all looks.
I'm scared as hell about the veneering, it looks so easy on all of the youtube videos. For some reason I believe that it isn't as easy as a 10 minute instructional makes it look.
Oh well, onward and upward.

Palomino, These look pretty cool, nice and simple.
http://www.mockett.com/grommets-wire-management/wire-managers/wm28-2in-90.html

Version 2.0 of these speakers is about to begin. My CAD Monkey and I picked up a couple of sheets of .750" MDF the other day. Man is that stuff heavy, now I know why they don't make it in 1.5", it would take 3 men, 2 boys and possibly a trained seal to pick it up!
The plan is to saw some blanks out, drill some dowel holes in them and glue them together with Titebond 3 to get my 1.5" thickness.
After that I will start hacking the shapes out.
The veneering still has me a bit scared, but I will cross that raging river when I get to it. Other people do it, they can't all be smarter-better-more gooder than me, can they?
I'm in way too deep now, past the point of no return, might as well forge forward.

I now have the MDF laminated and getting the shapes roughed out.
MDF is a bit more difficult to cut than ply or the aspen that I have been cutting.
So everything is still moving forward. I still wish I had a clue of what I am doing..

Donnie,

Did you at least use a compass to draw out the circle first?

Zygi

I think you could save some time by using a 12 gauge and a file to clean up the edges.  Also I am concerned that your ear pieces may be capturing dust and allowing it to get in your head.  That said, if you actually cut a 10 or 12 inch hole with ___  amount of 3/16" drill holes, AND had the trooper spirit to do it twice, I'd like to buy you at least two beers, one for each speaker.

Steve

00

Hell Donnie…I'd buy you dinner the next time I'm in town….I think I recall you liking O'Charlies  ::) if I'm not mistaken.

Good one Steve!

Zygi

IME it is better and easier to live with ugly until the design proves its worth.

Progress report:
Back sides of the front baffle primed and sanded smoooooth.


Veneered front.


Front of both.



I've decided to shellac the veneer after trying out four or five different stains, amber shellac looks best to me.
The primed parts are going to be red.
A lot more work needs to be done!

Archie,
I used Danish oil and wax on my last project. I put some of the oil on a piece of scrap veneer yesterday, the oil hid some of the detail that the shellac brought out.

Painting the back sides of the front baffles this morning, Torii Red of course!
The veneered side is coming along with 3 coats of shellac out of more than likely 6 coats total.
Apply, dry, sand flat, apply, dry, sand flat......
It is getting to the point where I want to bolt these together and listen to them.
Patience is a virtue that I want right now!

A rectangular baffle with a plain jane flat top usually works best (see Decware-Spatial-PureAudio-etc); worst is a perfectly round baffle with the driver in the middle since the distance from the driver to the edge is the same in all directions.


How far apart are the woofers on your previous baffle?

A quick update. My OCD has kicked in and I keep putting finish on and sanding it off. I can't seem to satisfy myself.
I've already used a quart of shellac on the two veneered faces.
Weirdness continues !

What is the distance between baffles?

If my calculation is right that should work quite well with your baffle width.

DONE! Finally.
They are now playing in my fortified bunker.
First impressions? Not too bad, I need to mess with placement and stuff like that.
Lessons learned, lots of them. Veneering is tough to get right, I hope that next time it will be a little better, a little flatter and less bubbly.
I really need to get into spray painting to save me time sanding.
But that stuff is just fluff, the main thing is how they sound. More time with them will tell me if I just wasted 8 weekends and way more money that I'm willing to tell my wife.
Pictures:

Palomino,
I'm crossing only the front Alpha over at 100hz, 12db per octave . I haven't experimented with much at all yet. They just got wired up tonight.
They are heavy, there is almost 2 sheets of .75" MDF used on these two speakers!
The imaging seems to be pretty good as I listen while punching this in on my iPad .
I'm already planning my next two projects, a suitcase stereo for my sister and an extreme makeover of my "Rocker"  DM clones.
More to come.

Looks like there are a variety of width, height and driver placement designs. As I was reading and observing the thread I am wondering if designing a modular type of experimental board would allow you to move drivers and adjust width/height to dial it in by ear during listening tests. One question in my mind is there a maximum width that will negate any positive attributes of the open design? It seems the examples shown all have edges ending near or close to the radius of the driver. I own Legacy speakers and they have had the Whisper which uses bass drivers behind one another for at least 15 or more years now. Perhaps the angle of the front face allows a greater latitude of actual driver placement so it adds another aspect to the experiment.

Some guys do a wing design with cheap wood and piano hinges.  That way you can make them wider or thinner on the fly and because the wood is cheap, you can try different driver placement.

The Pure Audio design I did is somewhat modular in that I can swap out boards, but I had to commit to a width because of the frame.  I just looked at what others were doing in that area and settled on 23".

I hope to try a thinner, less expensive design with the Betsy and 15a drivers.  I'll still bi-amp.  Mine current ones take up a lot of room.

'As I'm punching this in Eric Clapton's Slowhand in hi-Rez is playing, sounding pretty damn good.'

I kinda eased into it. I started with a $100 driver in a winged design.  Then a $200 driver in a modular setup.

What I have is wonderful but I am interested in exploring how much of what I have now can I get in a less expensive design and then if I get some mad money, what can I do with a primo driver.

Donne, Palamino,

Thanks for the good suggestions. I have been kicking around ideas in my head and I am thinking about small portable OB units that can be placed close to the listener somewhat like a cross between headphones and speakers. This I am thinking will negate much of a rooms acoustical issues since it will be such a near field listening position. Using a sub for support on the low end. With proper positioning and quality drivers a dedicated listening room may not be necessary and very spouse friendly lol. Hmmm  wheels turning now.