Building speaker stands from my new Focal 807s.

Brett a · Mar 4, 2013

Hi all.

As some of you know, I just bought new speakers. My first set of stand mount/monitors.

I the pair I had on loan were mounted on the correct stands, Focal s800 to be exact.

I just couldn't see paying $325+ for these wonky MDF and plastic things, so I decided not to buy them but rather build my own.

While I had them in my possession, I took photographs and measurements, did some thinking and proceeded to build my own.

Right now, they are at the stage of useability, although I still have to paint them, drill mounting holes to bolt the speakers on them (the cabinets have tapped holes to screw them to a stand), and fill them with sand or lead or cat litter (or a combination thereof).

So, you can maybe see from these pictures that I overbuilt them compared to the stock jobbers.

I decided to go with a pair of threaded rods in each for integrity. I'll write more later, but for now, enjoy some pictures (or don't)

The official picture of the real Focals:

There are no common angles on the posts. The side walls come off the back plate at 5 degrees each (a 10 degree "V") and the front point involves angles that I just carried from original to plans w/o checking the actual numbers (the table saw I was using is not in tune enough to trust its gauges, so I eyeballed many of the setting).

I glued the posts up in sections.

The underside of the footing. This panel is the same size and shape as the speaker its self. You can see the star nuts embedded in the MDF. This is to mount the threaded rods. I just put standard furniture feet on it for now. It'll get spikes eventually.

Let's call these the Johnson rods, OK?

The nuts near the top are nylon lined and are there to keep me from reefing down too hard on the caps (you'll see that later)

Brett a · Mar 4, 2013

One tool I did not have was a large enough hole saw or Forsner bit to make neat holes for the top-cap hardware. It was around 1:00am so I just had at them with a sabre saw.

tomlinmgt · Mar 4, 2013

Top notch stuff, Brett. Extremely nice!

What are your plans for finishing? Those are worthy of a custom little badge....maybe in matte silver to tie into the little bit that's on the speaker around the tweeter and also all of your silver faced gear.

- Michael

GD70 · Mar 4, 2013

Those look great! It's always satisfying to build something your self and save a chunk of coin.

I built a set of stands for my Design Acoistics PS-10's last summer and really enjoyed the project.

Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Glenn

240sx4u · Mar 4, 2013

I'm impressed. I didn't know you had woodworking skills! Those look great Brett, nice job. Is that an old Delta Unisaw? I have one too. I recognize the jetlock fence (which I don't have anymore).

juniorJBL · Mar 4, 2013

Very nice Brett!! It looks like you have enjoyed this entire process. Congrats and well done!!:thmbsp:

Brett a · Mar 4, 2013

240sx4u said:
I'm impressed. I didn't know you had woodworking skills!

Now hold on a minute. I wouldn't go THAT far. Let's just say I have "MDF working skills". And yes, it's a Delta Unisaw. This is the shop in the basement where I work. I get to use it on my own time.

juniorJBL said:
Very nice Brett!! It looks like you have enjoyed this entire process. Congrats and well done!!:thmbsp:

Yes, i have been enjoying the process. What I've posted so far, I did over the course of a 24 and-a-half hour period from 10:00am to 2:00pm, then 8:00pm to 2:30am, then 7:00am to 10:30am. (Wow. That's 14 hours!)

240sx4u · Mar 4, 2013

I was wondering why you hadn't mentioned having a pretty serious woodworking shop at home. I could see the dust collection ductwork in the photos. They look very nice to me! Are you going to fill them with anything?

Brett a · Mar 4, 2013

240sx4u said:
Are you going to fill them with anything?

Yes. That's the idea. At least sand, but I may add some lead.

My neighbor is a tire guy. I asked him for some used lead wheel balancing weights to which he obliged. I probably have enough to fill these each one-third with lead and then the rest w/sand.

I know some people use plain clay cat litter, but I'd be concerned about them holding moisture; it gets pretty sticky around here in summer.

JimPA · Mar 4, 2013

Nice work Brett on those stands.

I have read that pouring a concrete mix inside the stand also works.

240sx4u · Mar 4, 2013

yeah avoid anything with high water content around MDF!

Brett a · Mar 4, 2013

sm19422 said:
Nice work Brett on those stands.

I have read that pouring a concrete mix inside the stand also works.

You mean pour the mix in dry?

240sx4u said:
yeah avoid anything with high water content around MDF!

Yeh, I primed and painted the insides just to be safe. I'm knocking ideas around in my head on how to plastic line them somehow.

:scratch2:

240sx4u · Mar 4, 2013

I think you're gonna be fine with sand and lead. If you start with dry sand and seal it up well it's not going to be absorbing much moisture. If you're real worried about it you could use herculiner which is truck bed liner.

MikeT. · Mar 4, 2013

Brett a said:
Now hold on a minute. I wouldn't go THAT far. Let's just say I have "MDF working skills". And yes, it's a Delta Unisaw. This is the shop in the basement where I work. I get to use it on my own time.

Yes, i have been enjoying the process. What I've posted so far, I did over the course of a 24 and-a-half hour period from 10:00am to 2:00pm, then 8:00pm to 2:30am, then 7:00am to 10:30am. (Wow. That's 14 hours!)

Nice work! I think MDF is more difficult to work with so no doubt you've got some woodworking skill.
Any chance of a spray-on high gloss black finish? That would look spectacular.

JimPA · Mar 4, 2013

The concrete mix might be about the same weight as the sand in the dry form..

I know from using concrete mix if a bag is not used it gets stale over time. The concrete inside the bag does get hard. This also happened to a leftover bag of Thoroseal in my garage next to a bag of concrete mix.

My thinking is over time any possible condensation inside the stand by using the dry concrete mix might be eliminated since it might harden up.

Brett a · Mar 4, 2013

mtaudio said:
Nice work! I think MDF is more difficult to work with so no doubt you've got some woodworking skill.
Any chance of a spray-on high gloss black finish? That would look spectacular.

Thanks for the endorsement. Most of my fiddling is with MDF. So I don't know from my own experience how I'd be working with actual wood.

What I'm heading for in the end is to finish them in the same motif as the retail stands; satin black with gloss black side panels. I figure this will take weeks as time allows and as the time it takes for paint to thoroughly cure. I think I'll start by painting the posts gloss and let them cure for a couple weeks before masking them off and making the front "V" satin. (I'm just using rattle cans, BTW). Then once the whole project is done and has thoroughly cured, I can buff and wax the gloss bits.

:thmbsp:

Brett a · Mar 4, 2013

I covered the threaded rods with heat shrink. Mostly becasue it looks and feels awesome. I figure it can't hurt to deaden them too. But since they are going to be packed in sand, that's not really an issue I suppose.

As I said, when they are done, they will be black. But I've painted the insides pink becasue **** you, that's why. (I always wanted to say that

). Only I will know, as I am sitting listening to music, that these stands are so hot inside.

So here they are in primer; filler primer to be exact. I'm going to put them back together later today, fill them with lead/sand and return them to service 'til next weekend probably.

PR Audio · Mar 4, 2013

240sx4u said:
I was wondering why you hadn't mentioned having a pretty serious woodworking shop at home. I could see the dust collection ductwork in the photos. They look very nice to me! Are you going to fill them with anything?

His shop is not at home, it is located where he works. Definitely very nice!

Someone suggested custom badging. If you look in the internet there are companies that will make a couple of badges very cheap. Also, check in your city, there is probably a few companies (trophy and plaque makers) with laser etchers that will do them also. They will be a nice touch.

sm19422 said:
Nice work Brett on those stands.

I have read that pouring a concrete mix inside the stand also works.

Don't pour concrete mix inside, it retains moisture, and in a few years, if you want to repaint them, pouring the concrete out will be a pain in the neck, and there will be dust flying everywhere.

240sx4u said:
I think you're gonna be fine with sand and lead. If you start with dry sand and seal it up well it's not going to be absorbing much moisture. If you're real worried about it you could use herculiner which is truck bed liner.

IMO, this is the best alternative. A paint-on or spray-on truck bed liner is a good idea, but something as simple as spray undercoating or a thick gauge painter's plastic liner (available at Lowe's, HD, construction supply distributor, etc.) will work fine.

240sx4u · Mar 4, 2013

Brett, if you think you can spray it all the way down the center section have at it. I couldn't really tell how tall they were and figured it could get messy. We can overthink this all day long, but I am sure about 20 different ways would work just fine.

PR Audio · Mar 4, 2013

Brett a said:
I covered the threaded rods with heat shrink. Mostly becasue it looks and feels awesome. I figure it can't hurt to deaden them too. But since they are going to be packed in sand, that's not really an issue I suppose.

That is what is call going the extra mile. Will make no difference, though they will not corrode as easily.

Brett a said:
As I said, when they are done, they will be black. But I've painted the insides pink because **** you, that's why. (I always wanted to say that). Only I will know, as I am sitting listening to music, that these stands are so hot inside.

Only wish I would have had the guts to post it like that before; that's the attitude...:thmbsp:

Building speaker stands from my new Focal 807s.

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