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DIY Mesh Speaker Grill

Speaker grills protect the front of the speaker. Therefore, the grill should be tough but not solid, so as not to baffle the sound of the speaker. If you're building your own speakers, the speaker grill is typically the last job. Although you’ve finished the tricky electronics, soldering and wood-cutting, don’t rush the speaker grill as this will give your speakers an untidy and unprofessional appearance. The speaker grill fits on the inside of the front of the speaker cabinet, so don’t screw on the front until you’ve fabricated the grille.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • 1/16-inch thick medium-density fiberboard
  • Wood saw
  • Hand-held rotary cutter
  • 80-grit sandpaper
  • Mesh cloth
  • Heavy steel scissors
  • Upholstery stapler
  • Heavy duty staples
  • Glue
  • Bench-clamp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the diameter of the front of the speaker cone. This is the length from one edge to the other.

    • 2

      Set your compass to half the diameter, plus 1 inch. This is the radius, plus 1 inch.

    • 3

      Draw a circle on the wood using the compass. This circle has a circumference of 1 inch more than the speaker. It’s essential that the circle is wider than the speaker so that when the wood is cut, it doesn’t obscure the speaker in any way.

    • 4

      Adjust the compass range so it's 1/2 inch smaller than your first setting. Place the needle on the indentation left when drawing the first circle. Make a second circle inside the first to create a ring.

    • 5

      Cut the outside of the ring with a wood saw. Cut as close as you can to the line without going over it.

    • 6

      Sand down the edges of the circle to the outline.

    • 7

      Cut the inner circle with a hand-held rotary cutter. Cut inside the outline and sand it down to make the circle exact.

    • 8

      Place the wooden ring on top of the mesh.

    • 9

      Cut a hexagon shape around the ring with a pair of strong steel scissors. Don’t cut any further than 1/2 inch around the ring.

    • 10

      Fold the edges of the mesh hexagon onto the ring and fix them in place with an upholstery stapler. If there's any excess mesh overlapping the edge of the ring, trim it off with the speakers.

    • 11

      Apply a thin layer of glue to the inside of the speaker cabinet front, around the precut speaker hole.

    • 12

      Place the ring onto the inside of the speaker cabinet front.

    • 13

      Clamp the ring in place for three hours so that the glue can set.

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