# Custom 2 x 12 Cabinet Build Project



## lespaulboy

Ok...

So after doing a bunch of research, talking to a few folks here on the board and playing through a few cabs, I decided to build my own custom 2 x 12 cabinet. I've actually built a number of cabs in the past (small 2 x 12 extension cab for my combo, bass cabs, PA cabs), so figured I would document my progress and share it with the folks here on the Marshall forum.

The design is simple... it's based on a Marshall 1936 / Stone Age 2 x 12. It's all made from 13 ply Baltic Birch with Poplar trim pieces. The dimensions are 23 1/2" tall, 29 1/4 wide and 13" deep.

At present I have about 95% of the woodworking / assembly complete. I have my handles, corners and feet ordered from TCH and my Tolex, Grill cloth piping and jack plate ordered from Parts is Parts.

So far the project is going extremely well and can't wait to get it completed






Decided to drill, dowell and glue the top, bottom and sides together. Ideally I would have liked to have done finger joints, but didn't want to spend a couple hundred dollars on a good jig. I picked up Wolfcraft Dowel jig for $15.00 that worked out amazing. The joints are extremely solid.






Getting the two pieces ready for glueing... Titebond III






Pieces clamped together and drying.






Front view of the completed shell with 1/2" radius bead routed on all edges






Backside view. Notice the poplar trim pieces on the front that are angled so the the speaker baffle will aim slightly upwards when screwed into place.






Close up of routed edge. Notice the ends of the dowels that are routed too... no screws.






Front speaker baffle sitting in place. Holes were cut with a router and a circle jig.






Decided to route a small recessed pocket for the "T" nuts to keep things nice and flush for installing the grill cloth. Probably not necessary, but I really like paying attention to detail.


That's the progress I have made to date... Since my Tolex and Grill cloth are on back order from Parts is Parts, it will likely be a couple weeks until I can get at this again.. I'll post up more pics and progress reports as I go.


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## Micky

Fantastic job! Can't wait to see the finished cab.
I also am a Titebond III fan, it did a great job on my 4X12's...


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## MajorNut1967

Spot on job Mate! + 100 This is the kind of work I like to see on the Marshall Forum, someone showing skill, class and attention to detail.

PS What type of glue did you use?


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## MartyStrat54

Beautiful job. Looks like a masterpiece. Keep the pictures coming.


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## lespaulboy

Thanks for the kind words. I know that when I'm looking to see what people have done and how they've done it, I really appreciate them taking the time to document and post. Just thought I would take the time to contribute. I'll keep the progress reports and pics coming.



Micky said:


> Fantastic job! Can't wait to see the finished cab.
> I also am a Titebond III fan, it did a great job on my 4X12's...



Hey... have you got some pics of your completed 4 x 12?



> Spot on job Mate! + 100 This is the kind of work I like to see on the Marshall Forum, someone showing skill, class and attention to detail.
> 
> PS What type of glue did you use?



The glue is Titebond III.... Titebond Professional Choice for Woodworking & Construction


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## Hillcountry

Wow that looks really good. Question: Are you going to put a trim piece around the baffle? The reason I ask is because depending on the material you use, the grillcloth will turn into a snare drum against the baffle. I usually use a 1.5" wide strip of 1/4" masonite around the border of the baffle (kind of like a picture frame) and it keeps the grillcloth off the face of the baffle. 

looks like a great build!
-Hillcountry


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## lespaulboy

Hillcountry said:


> Wow that looks really good. Question: Are you going to put a trim piece around the baffle? The reason I ask is because depending on the material you use, the grillcloth will turn into a snare drum against the baffle. I usually use a 1.5" wide strip of 1/4" masonite around the border of the baffle (kind of like a picture frame) and it keeps the grillcloth off the face of the baffle.
> 
> looks like a great build!
> -Hillcountry



Wow... funny you mentioned that! I was acutally thinking about that the other day. I will be using the standard black basket weave Marshall grill cloth which is a bit heavier than stuff I have used in the past. My JCM 900 2x12 combo has the cloth flush up against the surface of the baffle.... but it is also a much smaller surface area than this cabinet.

Thanks for the input.. I'm definately going to incorporate a border strip into the design !

Have you actually experienced the snare effect with a flush design?


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## MajorNut1967

lespaulboy said:


> The glue is Titebond III.... Titebond Professional Choice for Woodworking & Construction



Same as I use, good waterproof joint. I love that you used dowel joints, I just use a Rabbet joint with inside corner blocks. If if goes just right sometimes its almost a shame to cover the end joints with Tolex, the look is cool.


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## thrawn86

Sick. Good job fella!  Can't wait to see more.


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## cagamp1

Wow, you gotta have the tools to do a job like that...professional. Did you say what your gonna load in there?

Nice ZX too.


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## Hillcountry

Yes. I once mistakenly forgot the border and ended up with a rattling grillcloth. Fender stuff doesn't do it to bad, but Pinstripe and Salt + Pepper will rattle like a snare. I also wet the grillcloth with a squirt bottle which allows me to stretch it a little more, but more importantly when it dries it shrinks a little so it is nice and taut. 

I like the dowel idea. I always use dovetails, but my jig isn't wide enough for a 14" board for a 4x12 cabinet. I might have to try dowels on it. Thanks for the great pics!
-Hillcountry


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## Australian

Its a new 1936 cab but in ply, looking good! I want to build a 1x12 so this has been very helpful. thanks!


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## lespaulboy

cagamp1 said:


> Wow, you gotta have the tools to do a job like that...professional. Did you say what your gonna load in there?
> 
> Nice ZX too.



I'm going to load up a set of G12T's (had them already for a number of years) as well, I'm going to pick up a set of Vintage 30's and see what I like the best!

PS.. the ZX-6 actually belongs to my wife.. I'm on the CBR that is right behind it


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## lespaulboy

Hillcountry said:


> Yes. I once mistakenly forgot the border and ended up with a rattling grillcloth. Fender stuff doesn't do it to bad, but Pinstripe and Salt + Pepper will rattle like a snare. I also wet the grillcloth with a squirt bottle which allows me to stretch it a little more, but more importantly when it dries it shrinks a little so it is nice and taut.
> 
> I like the dowel idea. I always use dovetails, but my jig isn't wide enough for a 14" board for a 4x12 cabinet. I might have to try dowels on it. Thanks for the great pics!
> -Hillcountry



The dowel idea worked out great (Wolfcraft has a handheld jig that works really well and was only $15.00). I ended up putting in 9 dowels per joint. The only advice I would offer up is that when you assemble the joint (with glue of course), don't put all 9 dowels in the end piece at once. I did this with the first joint and found it difficult to assemble... it took a lot of mallet tapping and clamp pressure to get the joint tight. Instead, only put three dowels in (end, middle and end) assemble the two pieces, and then insert/glue the rest of the dowels. Much easier to assemble !


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## cagamp1

lespaulboy said:


> I'm going to load up a set of G12T's (had them already for a number of years) as well, I'm going to pick up a set of Vintage 30's and see what I like the best!
> 
> PS.. the ZX-6 actually belongs to my wife.. I'm on the CBR that is right behind it



Damn, lucky you. I can't even get my wife on the back of mine.

Anyway, back to speakers and amps.


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## RobS

Great work!
I made one too earlier this year. The only difference is I put the speaker baffle straight up as opposed to the slightly leaned back/point up thing.

As for speakers I put a pair of Lorantz Greenback clones in mine and it sounds great.

Rob


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## Stratguy

Hey looks like a really nice job so far man !!! Although i've not attempeted to build one yet, i am pretty handy with wood and have given it some thought. My big concern is applying the tolex ! From what i have read and researched that can be a difficult job to make it look good. I am from the Ottawa area drop me a line sometime.

Cheers .....

Turtle


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## lespaulboy

Stratguy said:


> Hey looks like a really nice job so far man !!! Although i've not attempeted to build one yet, i am pretty handy with wood and have given it some thought. My big concern is applying the tolex ! From what i have read and researched that can be a difficult job to make it look good. I am from the Ottawa area drop me a line sometime.
> 
> Cheers .....
> 
> Turtle



I have the same tolex concerns as well. I have covered previous cabinets with the "carpet" style covering and marine grade vinyl with solvent based contact cement as well as 3M spray adhesive (77 and 90). I intend on using a waterbased contact adhesive mainly because I'll need to do this inside my house as the cold weather is approaching, as well folks have cited examples of the Tolex bubbling with Solvent based. Since I'll have some excess tolex, I'll do some trials with a couple different waterbased contact adhesives. The problem is that there's not much to choose from locally at the retail level. If anyone has any suggestions (need a retailer just east of Toronto) that would be great.. I can only find Lepages Green contact cement locally.


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## palladinojt

LesPaulBoy,

The cab looks GREAT. Mind if I ask you a few questions?

I'm something of a woodworking beginner. I have a 8-guitar rack I built that came out really well, and I'd like to move on to attempt either a 2x12 or 3x12 (with the speakers in a pyramid-shape) cabinet. I've got a few questions for you, if you don't mind:

1. I don't know how to do the rounded bead routed edges - how do you do this? FYI, I'll be doing this w/a Dremel Trio.
2. Any particular reason that the joints are glued rather than screwed? If you're covering the cab w/Tolex and asthetics/screw visibility are not a factor, what's the reason? Is the glue sturdier? If when I build mine, I think I'm going to sand and stain the wood rather than cover it w/tolex - I've seen pictures of cabs like that and think they look beautiful.
3. From the pictures it looks like there is additional clearance space between the speakers and the top of the cabinet than there is between the speakers and the bottom of the cabinet - why is that? Is there a reason for the additional space up there?
4. Would there be any acoustic benefit to lining the inside of the cabinet w/any type of acoustic treatment - eggcrate foam or carpet padding or something like that?

Thanks so much!


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## Hillcountry

You get the roundover by using a roundover bit with a bearing in a Router. They come in many sizes, 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" all the way up to 1". Meaning the radius of the roundover will be that dimension. Once you get up to 3/4" roundover, you will need a router with a 1/2" collet. You can screw the joint if you want. Generally I don't because I will then have to fill it and sand it and spend a lot more time with it. That is why Finger Joints or Dovetails are preferred. Also, if you wish to stain you want an attractive joint. In terms of your clearance question, the speakers can be mounted in the middle if you wish. Often if there is an upper valence like on a combo, the speakers will be mounted a little lower to increase the clearance between them and the chassis. With a closed back 2x12 I generally mount the speakers (horizontally anyway) in the middle. 

I don't know what a Dremel Trio is...but cutting a roundover requires some horsepower, so if it is like a rotozip or panel cutter it might not have the power to do it. 

You can add acoustic treatment if you wish...but generally it is not necessary for a guitar cabinet. You can play with it and "tune" the response, but you will find that most cabinets don't have any. Some older Fender cabs do...most Marshall cabs don't. I don't put any in the cabs I build.
-Hillcountry


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## lespaulboy

Looks like Hillcountry has addressed most of your questions. You could use screws if you like (I have made some cabs in the past with screws ) but I would definately use them in conjunction with glue. I decided to do something different with glue and dowels, as I wanted to put a larger radius corner bead (1/2") this time and it didn't want to have to counter sink the screws to avoid having the router bit hit the heads (dowels router quite nicely). I will also be gluing in 1" x 1" triangular strips of wood on the side corners for added strength (probably overkill, but it's easy to do).

There was no particular reasoning behind the positioning of the speaker height other than what Marshall does on their 1936 CAB as well as other similar manufacturers cabs. Just figured it would look good asthetically. You can definately play with acoustic filler materials to see what works for you.. all personal preference.

I just got my handles and corners from TCH (I'll post up some pics) but my Tolex, Grill Cloth and Piping are still on back order from Parts is Parts... something about a change in distributors... That's OK.. I've been spending time rebuilding my workstation area in my music studio. It's small but efficient !


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## JohnH

Your cab is looking great - nice work.

For those with few tools, you can make a crude but very strong joint just by butting one panel to another, and put a 1x1 or 2x1 inside each corner, and glue/screw that to the ply. The glue is ultimately stronger, but the screws tighten and reinforce the joint. Also, this way, there are no screws actually at the corner, so they can be rounded off.


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## thrawn86

That's what I did on my head. You can see the hardwood in the bottom inside corners. I Gorilla glued it and used 1" screws.


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## HOT TUBES 70

Very nice work my man !!


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## MM54

For those pondering the joints that lack the jigs to make fancy joints:

The ML100 headbox, made of 1/2" birch ply, has 45'ed corners glued together, with 3/4" square blocks on the inside of each corner (the chassis has clearance on either side to spare, even with these blocks). Before I finished sanding and tolex, I tested the joints, it was very strong. I'd have no issue using the same method on the corners of a speaker cab,although I'd probably be using 3/4" ply.


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## HOT TUBES 70

lespaulboy said:


> Ok...
> 
> So after doing a bunch of research, talking to a few folks here on the board and playing through a few cabs, I decided to build my own custom 2 x 12 cabinet. I've actually built a number of cabs in the past (small 2 x 12 extension cab for my combo, bass cabs, PA cabs), so figured I would document my progress and share it with the folks here on the Marshall forum.
> 
> The design is simple... it's based on a Marshall 1936 / Stone Age 2 x 12. It's all made from 13 ply Baltic Birch with Poplar trim pieces. The dimensions are 23 1/2" tall, 29 1/4 wide and 13" deep.
> 
> At present I have about 95% of the woodworking / assembly complete. I have my handles, corners and feet ordered from TCH and my Tolex, Grill cloth piping and jack plate ordered from Parts is Parts.
> 
> So far the project is going extremely well and can't wait to get it completed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Decided to drill, dowell and glue the top, bottom and sides together. Ideally I would have liked to have done finger joints, but didn't want to spend a couple hundred dollars on a good jig. I picked up Wolfcraft Dowel jig for $15.00 that worked out amazing. The joints are extremely solid.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Getting the two pieces ready for glueing... Titebond III
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pieces clamped together and drying.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Front view of the completed shell with 1/2" radius bead routed on all edges
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Backside view. Notice the poplar trim pieces on the front that are angled so the the speaker baffle will aim slightly upwards when screwed into place.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close up of routed edge. Notice the ends of the dowels that are routed too... no screws.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Front speaker baffle sitting in place. Holes were cut with a router and a circle jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Decided to route a small recessed pocket for the "T" nuts to keep things nice and flush for installing the grill cloth. Probably not necessary, but I really like paying attention to detail.
> 
> 
> That's the progress I have made to date... Since my Tolex and Grill cloth are on back order from Parts is Parts, it will likely be a couple weeks until I can get at this again.. I'll post up more pics and progress reports as I go.





Dude , you do some serious nice work ! its perfect !! 
Damn it i want one ..........


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## watchtheskies

wow lespaulboy, top notch job you have done there, 
so solid, that's going to resonate nicely


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## lespaulboy

HOT TUBES 70 said:


> Dude , you do some serious nice work ! its perfect !!
> Damn it i want one ..........



I would love to be able to produce some cabs for sale... but would loose my shirt on the amount of time it takes me to make just one 

I'm starting to get a bit ansi to get this completed, but everything I need to continue is still on backorder with no eta


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## MartyStrat54

I have tried on and off for many years to make some money off of making cabs. It is very hard to do. The big guys have CNC and they make four or five different guitar cabs. Very hard to compete with them.


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## HOT TUBES 70

lespaulboy said:


> I would love to be able to produce some cabs for sale... but would loose my shirt on the amount of time it takes me to make just one
> 
> I'm starting to get a bit ansi to get this completed, but everything I need to continue is still on backorder with no eta



How do you feel its going to sound when its finished , it looks like an 
oversized 212 , am i right ??

And what speaker again ...? sorry


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## HOT TUBES 70

lespaulboy said:


> I would love to be able to produce some cabs for sale... but would loose my shirt on the amount of time it takes me to make just one
> 
> I'm starting to get a bit ansi to get this completed, but everything I need to continue is still on backorder with no eta



I know how you feel , its getting harder to find good quality parts in and around Saskatoon , i went looking for a simple 3PDT foot switch , NO DICE !!
Fuck whats up with that , we have Canada's only Synchrotron , but no one can stock a 12$ switch !!!! 

Anyway , i sure like what i see with your cab project , super nice work !!


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## lespaulboy

HOT TUBES 70 said:


> How do you feel its going to sound when its finished , it looks like an
> oversized 212 , am i right ??
> 
> And what speaker again ...? sorry



The dimensions are 23 1/2" tall, 29 1/4 wide and 13" deep. So it's essentially the same dimensions as a Marshall 1936 but 1" deeper. I'm initially going to throw in a pair of Celestion G12T's because that's what I have (that's what I've been playing for years) but plan on picking up a pair of Vintage 30's and see what I like the best !


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## HOT TUBES 70

lespaulboy said:


> The dimensions are 23 1/2" tall, 29 1/4 wide and 13" deep. So it's essentially the same dimensions as a Marshall 1936 but 1" deeper. I'm initially going to throw in a pair of Celestion G12T's because that's what I have (that's what I've been playing for years) but plan on picking up a pair of Vintage 30's and see what I like the best !



It should do the trick !!
I can't wait to see the finished product ......you maybe building another


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## Tim.

updates?


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## lespaulboy

I've got my Marshall OEM Tolex, Piping and Speaker Grill cloth on order with Parts is Parts, but they apparently have it on back order and can't get an ETA for delivery. Something about a new supplier. Anyone know where else to source these OEM parts?

I'm pretty patient, but this has gone on for about three months.

At this point I'm about as far as I can go on this project until I get these parts. I'll be sure to post up as soon as things get back on track. I did however get my handles, feet and cab corners form TCH.


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## shredless

lespaulboy said:


> I've got my Marshall OEM Tolex, Piping and Speaker Grill cloth on order with Parts is Parts, but they apparently have it on back order and can't get an ETA for delivery. Something about a new supplier. Anyone know where else to source these OEM parts?
> 
> I'm pretty patient, but this has gone on for about three months.
> 
> At this point I'm about as far as I can go on this project until I get these parts. I'll be sure to post up as soon as things get back on track. I did however get my handles, feet and cab corners form TCH.



I went through that, but sneaked my parts right before the runout...luckily I had enough grillecloth left from another job, that was unavailable

I did get hosed on rivets, but found a 100 pack elsewhere

It seems that Marshall and Korg have separated, leaving Marshall without a supplier for parts in the US...vendors dont know when they will come around


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## Tim.

went back and read your build again.
glad i did because i picked up on the baffle spacer and applied it to my build. this is the only place where i have seen it mentioned. 

this thread is a great resource and i hope my next cab turns out as nice as yours is. i am still trying to figure out why i went so deep on mine. i guess if it sounds really bad i can table saw a inch or so off the back. maybe it will be great, can't wait to find out...


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## lespaulboy

Thanks Tim.. The thing about threads like this one and yours is that there are lots of great ideas and tips shrared by everyone. We need to thank "Hillcountry" for the "picture frame" border to get the grill cloth off the surface of the baffle board. I thought about it prior to his posting, but after he shared his personal experience, I knew it was the right thing to do. As well if you examine a 1936 cabinet, Marshall does the same. I have my "frame pieces" cut out (they are 1/4 inch thick poplar and about 1 1/2 inch wide). I kinda feel bad that I haven't posted much lately, but I'm pretty much stuck on waiting for the parts that I have on order (I'm kinda particular that way).

Be sure to post up or PM folks if you're looking for suggestions or ideas. 

I've glued lots of coverings to cabs in the past, but haven't used Tolex. I've always used solvent based contact cement, but will experiment with water based for the Tolex. Most people who have tried solvent based report that is softens the material a bit and can bubble when you apply it. I'll try a couple different glues with scrap pieces before I commit.


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## Tim.

I read that the stretchier solvent / tolex method can be helpful for corners and such. I feel pretty confident with putting it on. Let's see how quickly I am thwarted! The only thing that I could find at lowes was DAP in red or green cans. At least it was suggested by many others.


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## stampdmatt

Could someone please give me the approximate dimensions for the speaker layout (distance apart, distance from top and bottom, etc. )on a 1936 cab baffle. I can't seem to find that information anywhere. If there are any plans for a 2x12 cab floating around out there I would appreciate those as well. Thanks!


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## Nickc6

Great job on the cab!!! I'm a trim carpenter and I just slapped 4 pieces of birch together and used corner blocks for my 2x12 cab. You've really done a professional job!!! I think next time I'll use dowels or finger joints. Here's some pics of my cab. Open back design for my AC 30 using a webber alnico blue dog and webber alnico silver bell


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## lespaulboy

Nickc6 said:


> Great job on the cab!!! I'm a trim carpenter and I just slapped 4 pieces of birch together and used corner blocks for my 2x12 cab. You've really done a professional job!!! I think next time I'll use dowels or finger joints. Here's some pics of my cab. Open back design for my AC 30 using a webber alnico blue dog and webber alnico silver bell



Wow.... that looks really nice !! Gotta love the retro blue. My project is still at a stand still. I was talking to Parts is Parts the other day and they still do not have my Tolex or Grill cloth... this has been going on 5 months . I have my heart set on the OEM Marshall Tolex and Grill, speaker jack and skid plates, but my patience is running out. I'm thinking about going with the aftermarket stuff that other guys have...


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## Nickc6

5 months!!! That's crazy!!! I had a similar situation but mine wasn't out of stock I just got ripped off. I bought everything I needed from an online supplier including hardware and never got it. Needless to say I now research sites before I buy instead of after I can't get my stuff. Eventually I just picked up some marine grade vinyl from a fabric store.


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## lespaulboy

OK... just got a call form Parts is Parts. They finally got all their parts in from their new supplier and will be shipping out my Tolex, Grill Cloth, Piping and Recessed Jack in the next day. I'll be getting this project back into full swing in the next week or two... stay tuned !


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## lespaulboy

lespaulboy said:


> OK... just got a call form Parts is Parts. They finally got all their parts in from their new supplier and will be shipping out my Tolex, Grill Cloth, Piping and Recessed Jack in the next day. I'll be getting this project back into full swing in the next week or two... stay tuned !



Alright.. I'm generally a very patient person, but I'm about ready to pull my hair out. 

I follow up with Parts is Parts to find out why I haven't seen an order notification yet and the response I get is that my order was cancelled by mistake, right after they called to confirm that I still wanted to proceed and that all my parts were in stock. Guess what, all my parts are no longer in stock.... They now had to re-enter my order.


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## JayCM800

Sucks! Maybe look somewhere else for those parts??


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## chuckharmonjr

I woulda blew the hell up on somebody. I would be getting free shipping and a 10% discount after all this shit.


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## Short Circuit

Any more progress on this?

Mark


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## HOT TUBES 70

Yeah , i 'd like to see her as well !


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## lespaulboy

Ok... I was away last week on a bike trip in Deal's Gap, NC and when I got home... SURPRISE ! My tolex, grill cloth, piping, jack cup and anti skid trays had arrived while I was gone ! I now have everything I need to finish this project.

I'll be a bit busy with other stuff in the next week or so, but will be digging in shortly after to get this done ! There IS light at the end of the tunnel!


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## Short Circuit

Excellent !!!!!
This thread is inspiring me to build a 2 x 12 cabinet........after I get the bathroom renovations done first 

Mark


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## V-man

Your woodwork is giving me some wood here!


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## lespaulboy

OK... time for some updates and pics. I had some time this weekend to progress some more on this project. The speaker baffle board is complete. As per "Hillcountry's" suggestion, I put a "pictureframe" border on the face of the baffle to keep the grill cloth of the surface. The dimensions of the border is 1/4" x 1 1/2". I've also installed the "T" nuts for speaker installation and painted it black.











Since this project is based on a Marshall 1936 cabinet (just slightly bigger), I figured I would use some of the same components. I liked the idea of the anti skid trays for the amp feet, so i ordered a set. Thing is, I needed to router out a two small recesses in the top of the cabinet as they don't sit flush. The cavity is about 1/8" in depth (I considered the thickness of the tolex when routing).











I also had time to cut out the 1" x 1 1/4" pieces that the back panel screws into. I just placed the pieces in position, put still need to glue them into place. Note the side pieces have an angled cut near the top with a space. This is so the front baffle board can be slide in to the cabinet.






I hope make some more progress later this week !


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## JayCM800

Looking good!

...on a side note, i wish i get to ride Deal's Gap sometime!


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## lespaulboy

I spent part of Saturday working on applying the tolex. I did a quick test on some scrap pieces of wood to see what kind of tolex glue to use. I actually went with the first glue I tried. It's a waterbased "green" contact cement manufactured by LePages (parent company is Henkel...) This stuff worked fantastically. The thing I liked about it, is that it seemed to have a longer "open time", allowing me to take more time to cut and fit my corners as I went. I also bought a laminate roller (hard rubber) to apply even, heavy pressure to smooth out tolex and ensure good adhesion. This Contact Cement apparently has a shelf life of 18 months, so it is important to note the manufacturing date when you purchase it... there were cans on the shelf at the Home Depot that were manufactured in 2009... glad I looked and found cans that has a 2011 date on them... 

So here's the seam on the bottom corner of the cab. I cut it so that it would end under the metal corners that will eventually be installed. Just looks a little neater and should help hold the seam in place.











I managed to get the cab completely tolexed (except for the back). I didn't find it very hard to do... the key is to plan your cuts, and practice on some scrap pieces before you commit. Be careful if you decide to precut your corners prior to applying the glue as the contact cement causes the tolex to shrink which would result in gaps at your seams. I applied the glue, let it set up, and then made my corner cuts. I used wax paper between the tolex and cabinet to prevent adhesion while I made my cuts. 

Here's a couple pics (front and back) of the finished tolex job.. no hardware installed yet.












Next up... I'll need to tolex the back panel, install the speaker grill cloth, and glue in my corner braces...


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## Short Circuit

That's looking real good !!!!
So that is one piece of Tolex wrapped around?

Mark


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## nedcronin

Very nice work! I have no carpentry or woodworking skills so I really admire your work, it's first rate. I bet that cab is going to sound killer.


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## lespaulboy

Short Circuit said:


> That's looking real good !!!!
> So that is one piece of Tolex wrapped around?
> 
> Mark



Yes.. it is actually one piece of tolex wrapped around. You can see where my one seam is (three pics up) on the bottom of the cabinet. I bought four yards of tolex which is enough to do two full 2x12 cabs and one head.


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## redscott131

any updates?


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## lespaulboy

I've got the rear panel tolexed now, and I'm working on the grill cloth but I'm really stugging with this (the tolex was way easier).

I'm using the black basket weave cloth. I managed to get it really tight on my initial install, lots of staples on the edge. As suggested by others, I lighty misted the cloth with water to help with the strechtcing process. The next day, the grill cloth was loose, to the point of flapping. So I removed the staples and did the job all over. It has again loosened up (confirmed it is not slipping or loosening up at the staples). So now I have physically stretched the cloth (applied a whole lot of pressure form the inside to stretch it more) and will pull the staples once more and reapply.

Anyone have any suggestions or experience ??? HELP !!!


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## musicman

Mist the cloth with water then dry it with a hairdryer and it will tighten up.


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## lespaulboy

musicman said:


> Mist the cloth with water then dry it with a hairdryer and it will tighten up.



I actually tried that, but it didn't help. In fact it seems as though that process made it worse. Last night I used a bit of muscle to stretch out the cloth a much as possible, removed the staples on two edges, and reattached. So far, so good.. it seems to have held it's tension overnight. 

Ok so now it's time to assemble. Gotta run out tonight to pick up all my fasteners. Will assemble this weekend and post up pics of the finished cabinet next week !


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## musicman

OK, surprised at that, it worked for me


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## Hillcountry

Hmm...I have never had this happen...I can only imagine that it is loosening on you under the staples. What I often do is additionally hammer the staples into the frame. This way the staples are actually almost imbedded into the wood. I also use a minimum of a 1/2" staple. I have used cane, salt and pepper, and pinstripe and they have never loosened like you mentioned. Tight as a drum. Is it feeling loose after you attach it to the box, or just sitting out? 

I guess I am asking, how exactly are you doing it, so I can help?
-Hillcountry


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## lespaulboy

I'm actually using 5/8" staples on the very 3/4" portion of the frame, and as I am using lots... I don't believe it is slipping under the staples either. I have hammered them in after fact as well (made it really hard to remove them when I had to retighten the cloth. Anyways, my second attempt appears to have worked. Two days now and it is still tight, in fact I have the baffle installed in the cab, and the cab is almost finshed !!!! 

I should have pics of the completed project posted up by the end of the weekend !


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## Hillcountry

Awesome...I am glad you got it all set! You will love how it sounds.
-Hillcountry


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## lespaulboy

OK... Here are pics of the final assembly and finished product !!!! I'm not going to dialogue too much here, I'm just happy I've got it completed and that it turned out even better than I had anticipated. I've had a chance to crank it up a couple of times, and the question that I have been asking is "was it worth it"... Absolutely Yes ! The cab sounds fantastic. Very thick and woody with a nice tight bottom end.....exactly what I was aiming for.

Anyways... have a look at the final pics.

Thanks to everyone their input and kind words !


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## TradAmpGuy

Nice :cool2:


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## Short Circuit

That's a beauty !!!!

Mark


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## redscott131

nice


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## Bear

Damn, nice job.


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## poeman33

That is one hell of a nice job. Be proud of that!


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## bennieusmaximus

Smokin...


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## chuckharmonjr

Holy Dogshit Batman...that thing looks like it rolled off the line in Bletchly on Keanes...Extremely well done!


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## HOT TUBES 70

W o w !!!! That look just awesome !!!

Congratulations on a fantastic job !!

So when are you going to build mine ???????


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## james1100

Well done.


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## lespaulboy

HOT TUBES 70 said:


> W o w !!!! That look just awesome !!!
> 
> Congratulations on a fantastic job !!
> 
> So when are you going to build mine ???????



LOL.....  I'd love to make some more, but damn.... these one off's take a long time to build. Sad part is I really could use another one !


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## SmokeyDopey

Good job man! Looks NICE


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## Purgasound

That looks awesome dude. Great job!


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## nedcronin

Very nice work!


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## ntblade

lespaulboy said:


> Backside view. Notice the poplar trim pieces on the front that are angled so the the speaker baffle will aim slightly upwards when screwed into place.



Hi (first post here), Great Job!

Could you tell me the dimensions of the front trim pieces please?
Did you get these measurements from a 1936 cab?

NTB
8o)


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## Bieling3

The part I always miss in threads like these are how the dang grill cloth goes on. I can never wrap my head around it conceptually. Everything else I can picture in my mind exactly how to do. Everything but that.


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## musicman

Use some battens in front of the baffle board so that the grill cloth does not stick to the baffle and show the speaker(s).

Attach on 1 edge using staples stretching as you go then stretch out as tight as possible and staple the other edges.

Mist with water and dry with a hair dryer if there's any sag.


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## TPR

lespaulboy said:


> LOL.....  I'd love to make some more, but damn.... these one off's take a long time to build. Sad part is I really could use another one !



Looks killer, and it clearly needs a twin brother. 

If you have enough parts for another one, best to do it while the process is still semi-fresh in your mind. It'll go faster, even aside from how long you had to wait for stuff you ordered before.


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## Wicked_Tone

Awesome work!!!!!!


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## Ayrton

Excellent work!

I built myself a 2x12 last year as well (somewhere in the link)

http://www.marshallforum.com/workbench/20487-some-recovering-projects.html


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## lespaulboy

ntblade said:


> Hi (first post here), Great Job!
> 
> Could you tell me the dimensions of the front trim pieces please?
> Did you get these measurements from a 1936 cab?
> 
> NTB
> 8o)



Sorry for the delayed response as I haven't been on here for a little while. The trim pieces that the speaker baffle screws into are 3/4" thick, and the depth of the bottom piece is 1". The side pieces taper from 1" at bottom to 1 3/4" at the top, and the top piece is 1 3/4" depth.

The cabinet was very tightly modeled after a 1936 cab. It is about 1" deeper.

Just gigged with it again this past weekend... it sounds amazing. the wood and construction truly do make a big differernce.


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## lespaulboy

Ok... loved this one soooo much, I'm gonna build another !!


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## paul-e-mann

Go for it. Take lessons learned from the first one and apply! Good luck


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## MartyStrat54

That will be a nice rig. I used (2) 212 cabs with two heads for a long time. Very versatile. If the stage was small, I would just use one head and one cab. Sometimes I would put one cab on the other side of the stage with the other one behind me.

I think you will be very happy.


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## ibmorjamn

Nice cab , I brought this back to the top so I can find it Nice job LPB if you are still around here !
I was thinking of doing a 1 x 12 but it needs to be big enough for a head to sit on. Maybe the same size as the 2 x12 but then there is to much cabinet volume.


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## lespaulboy

Yes... I am still around, but haven't signed on lately . Let us know if you do decide to build your own cab, and post up your progress if you do !


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