Author Topic: Milling frames to add speaker  (Read 1429 times)

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jdcolombo

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Re: Milling frames to add speaker
« Reply #15 on: December 16, 2023, 09:28:59 AM »
+1
To get back to the original question . . .

Bob's method works for a round speaker.  But the round speakers available today are vastly inferior to the "cell phone" type rectangular speakers available from CUI, Soberton, PUI and others (buy from Digikey or Mouser).  For the Kato E, F, PA, etc, use an 11x15 rectangular mounted at the rear of the chassis in its own enclosure.  And just to reinforce the message: DO NOT USE A DRILL PRESS TO TRY TO CUT A RECTANGULAR HOLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Instead, the fastest way to do this for something like a Kato E or PA or F is what Peteski does: mark the slab of metal you want to cut in the rear vertically and horizontally; use a saw with a metal cutting blade to make those cuts, remove the slab, and then if you need to finish the cut, use a Dremel to do the finish work.  BTW, I often use a thin cut-off disc in a Dremel to do a very light initial vertical and horizontal cut (sort of a tiny "ditch") to help guide the saw blade.  And buy a machinist's vise.  It is useful for all sorts of things, not just this.

John C.


woodone

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Re: Milling frames to add speaker
« Reply #16 on: December 22, 2023, 01:16:23 PM »
+1
Well when I first started doing DCC installs I used a jeweler's saw to cut out material, plus a Dremel to finish up.
I purchased a small milling machine along with a milling vice. I have made spacers to hold the frames, mostly Atlas & Kato so the frames are held tight without bending . Used to take a hour with saw, now takes me less than 1/2 a hour.

Dwight in Toronto

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Re: Milling frames to add speaker
« Reply #17 on: December 22, 2023, 01:58:07 PM »
+1
At least a half dozen times now, I’ve used one of those small 2” vertical belt sanders (which also have a 5” sanding disc on an adjacent plane) to “machine” N frames for speakers.  Takes about 15 minutes, including frequent pauses to let the frame metal cool down.

I bought the thing to facilitate hand-built turnout fabrication (at $65 on sale, it was cheaper and more versatile than Fast Tracks filing tools).  In addition to fulfilling its intended purpose, it has also come in handy for SO many other things.