mrtcat Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 (edited) Got a few builds on the go at the moment. First up is a fEARful cab for a local bass player friend of mine. He's replacing his ashdown cabs with this one so he's in for a lightweight treat with this one. I'm waiting for the drivers and hardware to arrive. Will be spraying it with textured tuff cab in the next week. [attachment=85192:july_241.JPG] Next build is four BFM DR200s. Two of these have been comissioned by a chap running a large PA system he uses for mobile DJing. He's gonna run these with his Mackie subs but I think they'll struggle to keep up so will hopefully be sorting him 4 tuba 30's to go with them sometime soon. The other two are not earmarked yet. They'll be loaded with the flat tweeter array and Eminence Delta Pro 8 drivers. If they're still available on completion I'll put them for sale on here. They'll be about £900 for the pair or £500 each. The following pics show about a weeks worth of building. [attachment=85193:july_242.JPG] [attachment=85195:july_244.JPG] [attachment=85196:july_245.JPG] [attachment=85197:july_247.JPG] [attachment=85198:july_249.JPG] [attachment=85199:july_250.JPG] [attachment=85200:july_251.JPG] [attachment=85201:july_252.JPG] [attachment=85202:july_253.JPG] [attachment=85203:july_254.JPG] [attachment=85204:july_256.JPG] [attachment=85205:cabs_003.JPG] [attachment=85206:cabs_005.JPG] [attachment=85207:cabs_007.JPG] [attachment=85208:001.JPG] Edited August 8, 2011 by mrtcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 They look really interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Yeah the horn loaded DR series tops are definitely an interesting build. Theend result is really impressive though and they wipe the floor with pretty much all commercial passive pa tops for sensitivity and articulation. The dispersion from the tweeters is awesome too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 A little more progress when the Delta Pro 8 drivers finally turned up today Pre bending the fly for the rear butt cheeks [attachment=85402:001.JPG] Pre fitting the drivers (eminence delta pro 8a) [attachment=85403:002.JPG] Horn sheaths go on [attachment=85404:003.JPG] [attachment=85405:004.JPG] [attachment=85406:008.JPG] [attachment=85407:009.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 [quote name='mrtcat' post='1311773' date='Jul 21 2011, 05:12 PM']Yeah the horn loaded DR series tops are definitely an interesting build. Theend result is really impressive though and they wipe the floor with pretty much all commercial passive pa tops for sensitivity and articulation. The dispersion from the tweeters is awesome too.[/quote] Hm..don't want to rain on your parade but that is a pretty bold statement when you consider that the competition might be.. Nexo, Martin Audio, Turbosound, to name a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShergoldSnickers Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 (edited) Great set of build posts here. Did you heat or steam the ply around the milk churn, or gradually apply pressure dry and at room temp? Love the leaning tower of Pisa photo. Edited July 23, 2011 by ShergoldSnickers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 (edited) [quote name='JTUK' post='1313798' date='Jul 23 2011, 01:44 PM']Hm..don't want to rain on your parade but that is a pretty bold statement when you consider that the competition might be.. Nexo, Martin Audio, Turbosound, to name a few.[/quote] Doesn't rain on my parade at all. You're naming the best of the opposition but I'd back a well made BFM DR250 over the Turbosound TMS-High every time and at £300 less built with finish of your choice the BFM is far far better value. The Martin Audio alternative is the F10+ which is ok but still just a basic old school trapezoidal design with admittedly a very nice driver but is still dear for what you get considering the BFM alternative would be an Omni Top 12 which would match it punch for punch and at about half the price. A pair of Nexo PS10 will set you back £1950 and for that I could do you two DR250s and two Titan 39 subs plus give you £100 change. It also staggers me that these companies are still designing stuff where the top end cab sits on a pole abouve the subs. Subs work best when they’re placed either close together for mutual coupling, or spread very wide to cover large areas. The basic rule is to have them either less than a quarter-wavelength apart or more than two wavelengths apart for their pass band, which for 40 to 100 Hz means less than 2.8 feet or more than 56 feet. I don't know that many pubs or clubs where you can get a stage >56ft wide. Price isn't everything, I know, but the performance to pound ratio is important and BFM stuff will beat stuff priced significantly higher. There are certain products that will win but most of these are in a completely different price league. Edited August 1, 2011 by mrtcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 [quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='1313885' date='Jul 23 2011, 03:19 PM']Great set of build posts here. Did you heat or steam the ply around the milk churn, or gradually apply pressure dry and at room temp?[/quote] I am also interested in the answer to this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 [quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='1313885' date='Jul 23 2011, 03:19 PM']Great set of build posts here. Did you heat or steam the ply around the milk churn, or gradually apply pressure dry and at room temp? Love the leaning tower of Pisa photo.[/quote] Thanks SS, The ply is several sheets just 3mm thick so is pretty flexible. The key is to find stuff with three even width plys (not the stuff with one thick central layer and a thin veneer on each face). This is wrapped around a solid round core (in this case a milk urn) using straps. After a few days it "creeps" and holds its shape somewhat. The tough part comes when its put on the cabs as the curve is considerably tighter. Some BFM builders use metal instead but ply is super strong when glued and screwed in a curve. The leaning tower shows how they can be stacked in a "line array". This array could then be suspended over a stage giving really good dispersion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Some more progress today. PVC back inner horn curves on. Also horn side supports [attachment=85630:003.JPG] [attachment=85631:004.JPG] Curved ply rear butt cheeks. Tricky to do but very satisfying when done [attachment=85632:005.JPG] [attachment=85633:006.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 More progress today. I've been working on a few other projects this week so these have had to take a back seat. Should get them finished this coming week tho. [attachment=85919:001.JPG][attachment=85921:005.JPG][attachment=85923:007.JPG][attachment=85924:006. JPG][attachment=85927:010.JPG][attachment=85920:004.JPG][attachment=85928:011.JPG][attachment=85925:0 08.JPG][attachment=85926:009.JPG][attachment=85922:004.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Looking good mate. Very impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 Thanks Dubs, it's very satisfying work when you near the end of a build. I'd love to find a way to "mass produce" whilst keeping quality up but there's no alternative to taking your time to get a good finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share Posted August 1, 2011 Tweeter arrays glued up ready to be wired. [attachment=86098:004.JPG][attachment=86099:005.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Final instalment. All four now complete and sound amazing. Clarity, imaging and very very loud. [attachment=86448:001.JPG][attachment=86450:003.JPG][attachment=86453:008.JPG][attachment=86454:009. JPG][attachment=86451:005.JPG][attachment=86452:006.JPG][attachment=86456:011.JPG][attachment=86455:0 12.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) Not to mention it looks epic, which let's face it is the only thing most people give a sh*t about lol. It looks like it's laughing in the face of all the inferior PA speakers. Edited August 7, 2011 by EdwardHimself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 Just some more pics to show the final results. 1st up are the DR200s with the flat six tweeters. These sound great and unlike the crossfiring tweeters they need less eq to make them "shine". These are for sale in the For Sale section. They are covered with textured Tuff Cab. I spray a base layer then apply a thick top coat which is finished with a textured roller. This is a very durable covering. There's no handles on them as many people prefer them without but I can add whichever ones you want for an extra £30 for the pair. [attachment=86494:Copy_of_IMG_2323.jpg][attachment=86495:IMG_2321.jpg][attachment=86497:IMG_2325.jpg ][attachment=86498:IMG_2326.jpg][attachment=86499:IMG_2328.jpg][attachment=86500:IMG_2329.jpg][attach ment=86501:IMG_2332.jpg] Next are some photos of the DR200s with the cross firing tweeters. These are sold already but I can make more for £550 each. The new owner is delighted with them and as he's local I went to his gig on Saturday and heard them for myself - EPIC!! although his subs struggled to keep up a bit. [attachment=86502:IMG_2335.jpg][attachment=86503:IMG_2336.jpg][attachment=86504:IMG_2338.jpg] Finally I have my old DR280's. These are utterly immense volume wise. They're loaded with eminence kappalite 3012's but they have Pulse tweeters which although still very impressive, aren't as perfect as the 1016's in the other cabs. These are also for sale at a bargain price - see for sale section. [attachment=86505:IMG_2340.jpg][attachment=86506:IMG_2341.jpg][attachment=86507:IMG_2342.jpg] If anyone wants [b]any[/b] BFM cab built then contact me for a price. I ask for material costs up front and the balance when you receive the completed cabs. Thanks for following this thread! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Very impressive mate. Bet they sound amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 [quote name='Dubs' post='1332096' date='Aug 8 2011, 02:04 PM']Very impressive mate. Bet they sound amazing.[/quote] Cheers Dubs, yeah they sound brilliant. It's like HiFi for PA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Fantastic job. The cab build quality looks great. I tried to build various BFM cabs but I just suck at carpentry. I tried and failed. It's great to see them built properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 [quote name='TPJ' post='1332409' date='Aug 8 2011, 05:14 PM']Fantastic job. The cab build quality looks great. I tried to build various BFM cabs but I just suck at carpentry. I tried and failed. It's great to see them built properly.[/quote] Thanks TPJ, If you ever try another build I'll happily offer any help I can. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.