New and improved speaker brackets

New and improved speaker brackets - hope they fit!

(Author: ikom Saturday Sunday August 20, & 21, 2005, Aug,20,2005Aug,20,2005

Saturday Sunday August 20, & 21, 2005

After mulling over the design during the week, I resolve to persevere and to once again make new and improved cardboard templates for the speaker brackets.

I also decide to go out to the nearby Metal Supermarket and buy a large sheet of 0.042" aluminum alloy, which is thinner and will therefore be a lot easier to work with from which to fabricate speaker brackets; it should be plenty strong enough to support the speakers once it is bolted to the chassis, IMHO.

I start by once again making cardboard templates - one for each side, customized to suit the chassis framework since it is not symmetrical. I improve on the successful passenger side bracket from the lessons learned at the last test fitting of the cockpit. The driver' side template needs to be designed independently and has to be unique to take into account the additional framework for the steering column assembly.

I make several templates refining them as I proceed, since the tolerances are so crucial for clearing the cockpit and I really do not want to repeat this portion of the build again. I am beginning to refer to this task as "REMEDIAL BRACKET MAKING" but I am not going to give up until I fabricate a successful working version.

During the week, I had also purchased an inexpensive $6.00 adjustable metal circle cutter from the specialty tool place (that I sometimes frequent) to circumvent the massive amount of work needed to hand cut the speaker holes with a small hacksaw. The cutter fits into my drill press and hopefully will cut perfect circles to house the speakers in my brackets.

In addition, after countless trips to my favorite store (located at the other end of the city) in order to use their display model metal bend brake to construct the various versions of the speaker brackets and other ULTIMA related stuff, the sales person takes pity on me and jokingly asks, what it would take for me to buy a bend brake for myself? I reply, equally jocularly, that they would have to sell me one at virtually their cost. He says "let me check what we pay for them on our computer and what I can sell it to you for" - he returns waving a slip of paper with a number printed on it; which he passes to me. I look at the number, pleasantly surprised but in disbelief since he has written $189CDN and the posted retail price is $349CDN. He reassures me that this was their lowest price on this particular bend brake at a very recent new store opening and since I do a lot of business with them he was going to reciprocate by giving me the same deal.

I am now the proud owner of a heavy duty but weighty (150 LBS) Chinese made metal bend brake, which occupies a corner of the garage, however I no longer have to hop in the car and drive twenty minutes each way every time I need to bend metal.

Armed with a bend brake and a metal circle cutter, I fabricate yet another set of speaker brackets out of the 0.042" aluminum alloy, which I find is ideal for fabricating small brackets etc.
I transfer the locations of the previously installed chassis RIVNUT fasteners onto the bracket, attach the speakers but will have to wait until next weekend for my son to return so that we can test fit the cockpit and see if these latest brackets clear the cockpit.

They look like they will but ------- judging from prior experience, only an actual test fit will really tell.