Westminsters

**Puffin** · 08-09-2011, 06:03

Looking really good. Do you have an estimate of the total cost of the build?

**daveskis** · 09-09-2011, 02:29

Originally Posted by Puffin

Looking really good. Do you have an estimate of the total cost of the build?

Rob(Puffin)
I think about $2000 tops possibly under this. I have the 15"HPD Gold Monitor Drivers from 1975 and the xovers have been recently upgraded to Solen Caps etc and I see Marco has used better quality caps again, which is a road I may travel down.
But if you add in QED Silver Anniversary Speaker Cable to upgrade and hard wire the internal wiring of the Cabinets. And the above Xover changes.....we may go over the $2000.
And it is so easy to justify the purchase of any new tools and equipment when the retail price of Westminster Royals are $42000 or whatever dollars here in Oz.
However when you build it yourself I think it is extremely likely that you can achieve a better result than the factory made version(extra bracing in the cabinets, MDF is better than ply, better glue, more screws, Blackwood is a better finish than Walnut, and so on)
The short answer is I haven't kept a record......$2000, $3000, or $4000 compared to $42000????

**daveskis** · 14-09-2011, 22:07

IMG_4203.jpg.Any suggestions gratefully received, I don't want to go overboard with costs.
The Front Horns just need many coats of gloss and Blackwood trim, I should get a very nice finish.
I have to say that the process of constructing the ribs, and attaching the base strips and then forming the Blackwood Veneer on the Front Horns has been the most difficult and time consuming part of the build. However I am very satisfied with the result.

**daveskis** · 14-09-2011, 22:09

IMG_4204.jpgHope they sound as good as they look???

**aquapiranha** · 14-09-2011, 22:14

Lovely Dave, keep the updates coming!

**chelsea** · 14-09-2011, 22:27

Fantastic work.
I'd expect them to sound stunning.

**chelsea** · 14-09-2011, 22:28

What varnish/oil or wax have you used for the finish?

**daveskis** · 15-09-2011, 01:20

Originally Posted by chelsea

What varnish/oil or wax have you used for the finish?

Anguished over this. And tossed around all sorts of ideas re the finish and finally decided. This is one of natures finest timbers. To bring out the warmth and beauty you can't beat many many coats of Gloss Water Based Polyurethane. Why water based? Well I am told by those that have more knowledge than I that water is best, it makes sense to me.
A couple of posts back Stuart you will see the difference just one coat made. I'm almost excited about the prospect of the finished look.(the more coats the more lustre and depth of grain and detail is created)

**chelsea** · 15-09-2011, 17:12

Originally Posted by daveskis

Anguished over this. And tossed around all sorts of ideas re the finish and finally decided. This is one of natures finest timbers. To bring out the warmth and beauty you can't beat many many coats of Gloss Water Based Polyurethane. Why water based? Well I am told by those that have more knowledge than I that water is best, it makes sense to me.
A couple of posts back Stuart you will see the difference just one coat made. I'm almost excited about the prospect of the finished look.(the more coats the more lustre and depth of grain and detail is created)

Thanks david.
Did you sand between coats?

**daveskis** · 15-09-2011, 21:37

Yes Im down to using 320 grit and will probably sand after every coat now except the last two.
I still have the outside panels(Panels A, for those of you that have printed the copies of the plans)that are yet to have the first coat applied.

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