Studio Build Documentation

[ecc83]

"I'll be sucking solder smoke for a month or more.." Please PLEASE wear a 'sprayer's" mask or/and get a small extraction fan to draw the fumes away from you!

Paradoxically Lead free fumes are actually more toxic than the old 60/40, a more aggressive flux I am told.

Dave.

 

[rob aylestone]

I learned to solder in 1975, I've never wore a mask. I probably should have died years ago. We used to play with mercury at school too. I have worked in buildings constructed of asbestos too. None of these things cause me much concern - age perhaps? I'm still using my HUGE reel of real solder too. Everything is dangerous nowadays. However, if you compare the health stats of cigarettes, alcohol and common drugs, it kind of puts things into perspective. Lung and liver damage kill rather more than solder fumes! The replacement of lead water pipes in the UK seems to have had no identifiable reduction in lead poisoning on the general population. Clearly, world wide protection is enforced because there is a chance of something rather than a certainty. Back in the 90s I remember reading that out of service technicians in the US, burns were actually the most common work related injury!

I have no intention of changing any of my work practices. Those I consider important, I've done - volume being my number one and with a bad back, sensible lifting. If I have to submit to modern music events, I avoid constant strobing in the danger area fps etc etc just by closing my eyes. Never had a fit, don't wish to start now! I don't look at cheap chinese UV light, just in case it's the wrong kind, and sharp tools worry me.

When I was teaching, I drummed it into the students one particular process could be very dangerous. Three weeks later, in an emergency, rain pouring in through a failed roof vent in a theatre, I flipped off a brake with half a ton of lighting equipment just frantically removed and NO counterweights taken off - which is the 'always' rule. I forgot, and grabbed the rope hoping stupidly to stop the inevitable crash. Hands do not make good brakes.

So solder is way down my list.

 

[ecc83]

Well yes Rob I take your point and I was soldering practically every day for some 60 years ! AND for half that time I was smoking, drinking tea and sometimes chewing a wad!

"Never did me any harm" Not obviously no but about four years ago I was diagnosed with anemia and they thought I must be bleeding somewhere. I had the camera up and down, both ends IYSWIM nothing. The docs were unable to explain the iron loss so put me on Ferrous Fumarate 210mg 3 a day. I then looked up anemia on the web and one cause is long time exposure to Lead!

Dave.

 

[TalismanRich]

I remember many years back hearing a lady being interviewed on TV for her 100th birthday. Of course they asked the secret of her longevity. She said that they always worked hard, ate good food, and never drank any store bought whiskey!

You could hear the announcers in the studio laughing.

 

[spantini]

As messy as that looks....and fraught with potential buzz/hum issues... ...this is how it was before I tore it apart, and pretty much buzz-free.
Well OK...I get a buzz when I need to.

And I thought I had a wiring nightmare with a Tascam 688 and a 38 R/R w/dbx.. obviously not

 

[miroslav]

Paradoxically Lead free fumes are actually more toxic than the old 60/40, a more aggressive flux I am told.

I still use the 60/40, it's just a much better solder...and when I'm doing all day solder work, I'll put a small fan next to the bench to suck away the smoke...not so much because I'm worried about the lead poisoning, but just to keep the smoke out of my nose, because it's actually the resin that seems to screw up my sinuses.

It's not like I do soldering for a living...so like too much of anything that is bad or good...done in moderation, it's not a big deal.

You take lead based paints...nothing bad about them once the paint is dry. They protect better than many of the replacement paints...but because some kids ate some lead paint chips...that was it, instead of preventing the kids from eating the paint, they got rid of the paint.

Now they've gotten rid of many oil-based paints. I've been using some new stuff that is a urethane alkyd paint...nice paint overall...but it STINKS to high heaven when still fresh.
I painted all my doors with it (18 doors)...and it took months for that smell to completely go away. I mean, it kinda stopped in a few days overall...but I could still pick up on it...it was stuck in my nose for months...drove my sinuses crazy.
20 years from now...they will find out the new urethane alkyd paint causes some kind of medical issue...then we'll move to something else.

 

[spantini]

For a young'in just starting out, an air brush paint booth could work nicely to vent the fumes.

 

[miroslav]

FINALLY...my acoustic panel materials orders are in!!!

(9) cases (54 sheets) of 2" fiberglass 703
(1) case (12 sheets) of 1" fiberglass 703
(1) case (6 sheets) of 2" fiberglass 705 (double density)

(5) of the 705 panels will go on the back wall and up at the apex of the back wall and ceiling...and (1) will go on my front wall at the apex of the wall and ceiling in front of the mix position.

(42) yds of GOM FR701 acoustic cloth in Eggshell White
(16) yds of GOM FR701 acoustic cloth in Claret Accent

(71) 1" x 3" x 8' common pine planks
(9) 1" x 4" x 8' common pine planks
(4) 1" x 4" x 6' common pine planks


That should yield:

(30) 2' x 4' x 2" wall/ceiling panels (3" frames)
(10) 2' x 4' x 3" cloud panels (4" frames)...but connected together, so actually (2) 4' x 4' clouds and (2) 4' x 6' clouds
(18) 2' x 4' x 2" gobo panels (3" frames)...but connected together, so actually (6) 4' x 4' gobos and (6) 2' x 4' gobos...with the ability to attach the 2' x 4' gobos to the 4' x 4' gobos, either on the sides vertically, to get a 6' width...or on top horizontally, to get a 6' height....or even used just as 2' high gobos.

Rough cost (I didn't price out the screws/staples/glue stuff...so I'm just adding an estimate on that stuff.

Fiberglass - $930 w/ tax & shipping
Acoustic Cloth - $1,124 w/tax & shipping ...but this the real good stuff... ...no really, this is "THE" most professionally used acoustic cloth - FR701
Wood - $450 w/tax (I'm picking that up)
Screws/Staples/etc - $100

Total - $2,604 - plus there may be some add-on adjustment to the construction process. I may include a layer of felt...or...?...
...but it should not top out past $3k. (fingers crossed)

Anyway...it seems like a hefty price tag...but for me to buy ready-made (40) 2" wall, ceiling, cloud panels and (6) 4' x 4' gobos + (6) 2' x 4' gobos...and have them shipped + tax...
...I would be looking at something like $5k - $6k (maybe even more, as the gobos are fairly large, more cost to ship)...and all depending on manufacturer and build quality...plus, they would all be the typical wrapped "pillow" panels. Not sure about gobos, I didn't really research ready-made gobos too much, but they ain't cheap...I've seen a single gobo panel from a few hundred $$$ to several hundred $$$$.

I'm going to build my panels all with the wood frames on the outside...stained and clear coated with poly...so they will have a much nicer look, at least I think so.
I still need to sort out the hanging part...but I already have something in mind, and it's not going to be clips or hooks...rather I will most likely just screw in a small 1"x 1" strip of wood at the top and bottom of each panel, and then use that to screw into the wall direct to the studs/joists.
That whole "hanging" thing doesn't appeal to me, as they will move...and certainly the ones up on the ceiling, if they moved enough to slide off one of the clips...OUCH!

The clouds I will hang off the ceiling by about 3"-4" inches...so 4" frame with 3" insulation...plus the 3"-4" gap between the ceiling...that should be just right.
I will either use hooks and picture frame wire...or maybe hooks and spring links/carabineers...so just easy to clip to the ceiling hooks, rather than fiddling with wire.
Of course...this all has options for adjustments as I start the building...since I'm working entirely off of general ideas...and not any blueprints.

Hope to start building this weekend and coming week....and I will do some photo documentation as I go along.

[EDIT]

DUH...I juts realized that I forgot to include a couple of gallons of wood stain, plus the poly clear coat...and I know I'm forgetting some small items, that I end up needing a lot of...so yeah, it will top out at about $3k total...but still saving quite a bit over the same in ready-made.
Now I just have to get to work...I'm cheap labor...I work for free (only on my projects).

I think if you only need a small number of traps, and don't have the time, inclination or capability to built easily...it's worth it to buy ready-made.
With the very large quantity...ready-made becomes pretty costly. So if you have the time and inclination...plus the tools and capability...then DIY!

 

[miroslav]

Got wood!

4 hours at Home Depot......sifting through 300 pieces of wood so I could find 87 pieces that weren't warped or chewed up any.

It's just common pine plank, so there are some knots, but I like them...when you stain the wood, they give it some extra character, and these being only panel frames, I didn't see a point in paying twice as much for the "select" pine, which I checked out, and it too had some knots, a little less, but not completely without...and they only had a small amount in the "select" pine bin.
Luckily, the common pine bin was overflowing in the size I wanted...which these days is not always the case, but I believe HD gets Thursday deliveries...so I picked a good time to go.

And...my insulation order will be here Monday!!!
I ordered late last night...and they shipped it out today...for Monday delivery...though these guys are not too far from me in NY...just down in New Jersey.

I've purchased insulation from them a couple of years back when I built my mega bass traps...and they do have the best insulation prices if you are looking for Owens Corning 703/705/FRK, especially if you buy in bulk - 4 cases or more.

Fiberglass Acoustic Panels | Fiberglass Sound Insulation

 

[spantini]

YeeHawww! Be a good time in town tonight!

 

[miroslav]

YeeHawww! Be a good time in town tonight!

View attachment 106850

Love that image...you do see the forum name I have under my own name, by the avatar.

Well I can't get started tonight...or even tomorrow, since we are expecting thunderstorms, the leftovers from the hurricane that's coming up from Louisiana.
So I'll drag the table saw out of the shed on Sunday and start cutting the wood then.

If I can get all the wood cut Sunday/Monday...and stained...I can move the rest of the assembly operations inside, in the new studio space, which would be good, since it looks like more rain coming for Tue/Wed/Thu.
If get the acoustic material by mid-week...I should have a good number of the panels done by next weekend. I really need to push on this and get it done...I've got other stuff that I need to finish with I still have decent outside working conditions.

 

[Orson]

Love that image...you do see the forum name I have under my own name, by the avatar.

Well I can't get started tonight...or even tomorrow, since we are expecting thunderstorms, the leftovers from the hurricane that's coming up from Louisiana.
So I'll drag the table saw out of the shed on Sunday and start cutting the wood then.

If I can get all the wood cut Sunday/Monday...and stained...I can move the rest of the assembly operations inside, in the new studio space, which would be good, since it looks like more rain coming for Tue/Wed/Thu.
If get the acoustic material by mid-week...I should have a good number of the panels done by next weekend. I really need to push on this and get it done...I've got other stuff that I need to finish with I still have decent outside working conditions.

Just cut the wood for only 'one' first. Just so you are happy and everything good before you cut 'all' the wood and find you have made a mistake.

Believe me that is good advice and something I should adhere to myself sometimes.

 

[miroslav]

Just cut the wood for only 'one' first. Just so you are happy and everything good before you cut 'all' the wood and find you have made a mistake.

Believe me that is good advice and something I should adhere to myself sometimes.

LOL!
Oh yes...I do the measure twice, cut once thing very well these days...thanks to many mistakes in the past!
When I was buying the wood...after counting out the required number and putting it on the cart...for each of the tree sizes I needed, I added one extra board.
Insurance...

My general approach to this kinda of work is to assembly line the process...so yes, I first get my template right, and then from there is just repetition for each phase.

 

[ecc83]

Miroslav, I remember from dad (master carpenter, cabinet maker, organ builder) that knots can be difficult to stain and there is a product called "knotting" that you paint on befere the stain.

Don't know if you can still get it. maybe the H&S Nannies have banned it!

Dave.

 

[grimtraveller]

it took a LOT of planning...many diagrams...everything color-coded and numbered...and then testing each connection to make sure the soldered joints were solid and no reversed polarity or poor grounding with any connection...which took many, many hours, and days and weeks to complete.

Now I gotta do it all over again.

Well, enjoy it ~ it may be the last time you ever have to.

you 'seem' to have a fairly predictable climate?

It's funny, ours can be. At the moment, it's quite predictable ~ rain, a bit of wind, sun for 8 minutes and more rain all night and much of the morning. My clothes can be on the line for sometimes 3 or 4 days.

 

[bluesfordan]

wood quality is way down these days. Last time I tried to find some decent lumber, I must have been there for over 2 hours. hockey sticks and cork screws, sometimes both.

that wiring ... brrrr ... I had a very simple computer hutch with a 48 point patch bay. Total snake clusterboink until I cleaned it up. Took me most of a week. You? I feel for you.

 

[miroslav]

Miroslav, I remember from dad (master carpenter, cabinet maker, organ builder) that knots can be difficult to stain and there is a product called "knotting" that you paint on befere the stain.

Don't know if you can still get it. maybe the H&S Nannies have banned it!

Dave.

Naa...I let them shine through in all their glory.

The stain color I'm going to be using and the color of the knots, blends well enough. I'm not looking for "furniture grade" finish perfection.
The mega bass traps I built a couple of year back also had knots...same basic wood quality...and they came out really great.

 

[miroslav]

Broke out the table saw and the miter saw today and started cutting the wood for the panels. I've got the miter saw on top of the table saw...fits just right. I'll finish cutting the rest...and then switch to the table saw for some ripping, and I'm also thinking of doing a small beveled edge on the traps. I think it would look much nicer than a plain square edge, and it's easy to bang that out with the table saw. I'll try on tomorrow and see if I like it.

I know it would be nice do to a proof of concept build to the end...but it's really a pain, as there are several steps, and it's just easier to set up for each step and then assembly line from start to finish before the next step. Like the jig I had to make that's on the miter saw in the 2nd picture, for the first set of cuts. I will have to set up a different one for the next set of cuts, which are longer...and so on.
It's just easier to do it this way, one process complete before the next one, but I did work out my plans pretty well, and I'm confident once I finish the cuts...the rest will fall into place.

The only part I'm not 100% sure of how best to do, is the installation of the acoustic cloth...since I'm not just wrapping the whole frame around the outside...but instead, the cloth will go inside the frame, only wrapped around the fiberglass...but it need to be fairly tight/snug, so there are a no wrinkles...and I have to come up with a way to pull on the cloth to tighten it around the fiberglass sheets, without compressing them.
I have another jig in mind for that...but I'll wait until I get to the step...and besides, I may not get the cloth until later in the week...but the insulation is being delivered tomorrow.
I will have all my cutting done tomorrow also...at least the main pieces of the panels, so I can start assembling them...which is good, since it will rain on Tuesday and maybe part of Wednesday...so I'll be able to move the assembly part inside.

Anyway...the cutting is pretty easy once I have everything set up...and having the right tools makes all the difference. I couldn't imagine cutting these by hand, or even with a hand circular saw, and still being able to do precision cuts. I love the miter saw...especially these sliding compound ones...real easy to use.

 

[CoolCat]

I just went back to post 1.... the first 60 days was like wow! from dirt to full frame and roof and closed-in!
Will be a year come October?
Really cool all the pictures and stages of this huge project.

luv the mixing console, all the VU's and analog vibeness...

 

[spantini]

...

The only part I'm not 100% sure of how best to do, is the installation of the acoustic cloth...since I'm not just wrapping the whole frame around the outside...but instead, the cloth will go inside the frame, only wrapped around the fiberglass...but it need to be fairly tight/snug, so there are a no wrinkles...and I have to come up with a way to pull on the cloth to tighten it around the fiberglass sheets, without compressing them....

Something like this may help : NO-FRAME Fiberglass Edge Coating for Frameless Acoustical Panels - Buy Insulation Products