Speaker boxes are used to house multiple component subwoofers and other speakers in an enclosure. Although most subwoofers are sold separately, you may want to place them in a box or enclosure, hence the use of a speaker box. Speaker boxes are not difficult to build, but they are very challenging because, if done correctly, they can help improve the output of your stereo source. For those who are not so good with the craft, you can certainly order the subwoofers already pre-installed.
What does it take to build a speaker box?
It all depends on your budget and the intention of the speaker boxes. You have to determine the size and materials used. The best material to use is a ¾-inch medium-density filter plate. If you have money to spare, you can go for more exotic materials, but most people use fiberboard.
In addition to the fiberboard, you will also need: a jigsaw (a power cutting tool with a blade), an electric drill, a twist drill, a ¾-inch drill bit, a router, sandpaper, spray glue, glue gun, solder and ammo, and some carpet if you want to cover the speaker box.
Most subwoofers on the market come with a set of optional instructions that allow you to design a box for them. There is no need to find out the dimensions when a set of measurements has already been included in the package. In this case, it means you won’t have to go through trial and error to design a cabinet, as it has the common specifications for most speaker cabinets.
One important thing to note is that if the measurements are given on an inside measurement, you may need to adjust the measurements up to ¾ inch.
It’s also ideal for tracing your desired design and size measurements onto the filter plate instead of freehand cutting. Avoid using markers, as they can be unsightly if the speaker cabinets are not covered with carpet.
For obvious reasons you should use your jigsaw to cut the design and not a knife or other cutting tool. The jigsaw allows you to cut neat and clean. Once the pieces are cut out, it’s a good idea to make a layout of where the speakers would go. In order for you to do this, you would have to use a router. Once you have used the router to cut the holes, you will need to use sandpaper to smooth out the holes you made.
You should also look for the creation of holes so that the necessary cables can pass through. If the template or instructions do not have hole notes, it is best to create 2-inch holes on each side of the speaker cabinet. Always sand them down so there are no snags when you’re done.
After cutting the holes, you can now assemble the boards. Using bolts, nuts, and washers, you need to make sure they fit snugly and don’t make noise. Always leave the front of the box last so last minute jobs can be taken care of.
The next part is the easiest, as all you have to do is pop out the subwoofers, close the front panel, and plug in the power and connectors.
The real workload is in building the speaker cabinet, and with that being said, you need to make sure that the work done is precise and accurate.