Suneet

Man, this is not fun! You guys with more skill like 88supramki and vin78 need to chime in.

I'm trying to cut a baffle that matches the stock speaker enclosure in my LS400 out of 3/4" MDF. I plan to get this to mount to my door usign the stock holes, then I'm going to use some fiberglass and popsicle sticks to mold it to the door and create a "seal".

But cutting this shape out of the MDF is SUCHa pain! I'm using a jigsaw, and what I have to do is just keep attacking th epiece from 20 different sides, slowly cutting off more and more and seeing the shape form slowly.


Yesterday I went and picked up a router.. one of these:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes

Its the non plunge type.


But how do you guys use this thign? Use the router with a strait bit to "etch" the shape of the thing you're trying to cut out in the wood, and THEN attack it with a jigsaw? Or do you just keep using the router deeper and deeper?

Any wood working tips? I hope I don't have to buy a whole load of new power tools.. but I might have to.

Thanks!

88supramki

jigsaw first, router second to make it all nice and smooth.

i busted out 4 templates the other night for my SC, well two for me and two for another member on here. It just takes practice to get better and better. Holes were the worst for me at first, now after watching the guys at work I picked up some better techniques.

TwentyTen

I only have a Dremmel.

Suneet

What kind of bit do you use on the rotuer, and do you just go around the edges to make it sort of beveled?

I think I need to pickup a nicer jigsaw.

vin 78

+1 How come your installer doesn't do any installs for you? When I installed, I had to do a bunch of stuff for my co-workers

Suneet:
Cutting perfect holes would require the hole cutting attachment such as this one - practical-technologies.com or http://www.tylertool.com/jaspertools.html

But you will need a plunge router or at least a plunge kit with the craftsman router. This will make life a billion time easer, unless you have really steady hands to make perfect circle cuts

You could always get ED to make custom rings for you don't intend to get too dirty though

vin 78

roundover (radius) or chamfer (45 degree cut)

A flush bit will be useful to make exact duplicates or cutting perfectly straight cuts with a guide.

Suneet

Ah see I'm not making a circular baffle. Let me post a picture.. I should have been more clear about that.

I am trying to make a wood version of this:



My old speakers were 5.25". The new ones are 7". So the plastic piece just isn't going to cut it. Trying to make the same baffle out of wood.

Suneet

So I should return my non-plunger router and get a plunge router? I just didnt' see why the plunging was necessary.. but I'll take your advice.

vin 78

The plunge router is only useful in our application to make circle cuts such as speaker holes with the linked attachments.

If you are trying to make a duplicate of the speaker enclosure face, just trace it and cut it out with a jigsaw with a high quality bit (I use Bosch blades).

Suneet

Thats what I ended up doing. I think I need to get a better blade, because mine sucks. And maybe moving down to 1/2" MDF instead of 3/4 would help also.

I use my dremel for cutting circles.. so do I even need a router then?

The jig saw works, but its tough to get those really sharp curves.. like the 4 little screw mounting points that stick out of the enclosure.

vin 78

Yes, I would ditch the dremel for cutting MDF. you could cut the speaker holes freehand with a jigsaw, unless you are planning on using a router to cut subwoofer holes in the future.

As far as cutting around tight areas, just cut slowly with the jigsaw, try to find a thin blade.

For the baffle it self, I would use the thickest material as your installation allows. Be sure you seal everything - speaker to baffle and baffle to door sheetmetal.

GL and take your time.

88supramki

I get some of the guys to do more complex things for me. I'm a total novice with the router, I just do a lot of paying attention and ask a TON of questions

in this situation you really don't need to use a router unless you want it to look fancy under the door panel. I would use a router when you are doing some custom work that requires nice rolling lines around the speaker.

take that lovely plastic piece and lay it on a piece of MDF, then trace it with a pen or pencil. mark the holes for mounting and start cutting away. take your time and remember to move the wood as your doing the rounding, tends to help make it look nicer. it also works well for cutting the hole for the speaker. that's a relatively easy shape to do, the ones for the MKIV supras are a pain in the rear.

Robert_J

Like others have said, use a jig saw with a blade made for cutting circles. Also, cut a pattern on 1/4" material. Take your pattern and transfer it to 3/4" using a router, router table and flush trim bit.

If you don't want to use the router table method, then cut 3 patterns in 1/4" material and laminate them together.

-Robert

Suneet

OH MY GOD, I bought a new jig saw, and some bosch blades.. WOW. This thing cuts through my 3/4" MDF like BUTTER. Thank god for this thing.

Also that tip to turn the wood instead of turning the jigsaw helsp a lot.

Cutting is going a LOT more smoothly now. My old jigsaw was SO terrible! I used to have to put my entire body weight on the saw just to get it to move. This one, I just turn it on, and it just wants to cut right through everything by itself.

Craftsman is

vin 78

I'm glad it worked out.

I kinda prefer to clamp my wood down when I cut freehand, its a little more safe that way IMO. I only push wood when I'm using the bandsaw.