Tools for this project needed, minimal.
- A handheld power saw.
- You can't get around this one. A benchtop belt sander.
- Some finishing sandpaper, and a good eye for detail.
I should tell you, before beginning, that I got super busy, and backed up with Woodwork. I wasn't able to take pictures of making the Leg portions of the stands. But it is the same procedure, as making the fronts, and backs of the stands. Selecting the wood I'll be using for this pair of stands. These can be made, out of any type of wood you want. I suggest you use a Hardwood. Simply because of the strength. It is, more expensive than fence boards, but Isn't much more, if you stick to White, or Red Oak. Poplar is another good one. Or, if you are trying to use scrap fence wood, it can be done. Just go buy a small bottle of Boiled Linseed Oil, and apply it after all the cutting and shaping is done. It increases the strength of the wood 10 fold, so, it will work, if you are going towards this project on a minimal budget.
These stands are going to be very large. I've simply "Learned by Doing". Check the width and depth of you're speakers. If they're really tall, as in 30" high or over, you can still make the lean angle to whatever you want, but just remember, the taller, the more top heavy, so you have to make sure you make the speaker backings taller, than the fronts. For this set, which is taller than the average old floor stander, I made the fronts 3 1/2" high, and 5 1/2 high, for the backs. But with my usual slight angle.
Ah the old Jig Saw. I use it for cutting and trimming of the edges if the wood planks, are a little too long.
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I don't suggest at all doing, what I'm doing here. Never use a piece of wood, taller than your grip/guide can handle. I maxed mine out, and made a few mods to it, to except this particular height of wood. I did take all safety precautions while doing this though. Always stay to either side of the table saw, than directly in back of it. No matter what height, length, or angle you're ripping. I've had a few pieces "Kickback" of heavy hardwoods, that shot back so hard, they've actually punched holes, in the garage drywall like it was butter, from 15 feet away. These aren't great pictures, but you can see, in the one picture, my notch cutting line. You can make these shallow, or deep. This will be, how much degree of lean angle you want. I stick to 1 inch as a standard rule, and 3/4 to 7/8th inch in width. I also use a standard of measuring my cut, inwards on the wood to anywhere from 1 1/2" to 2 1/4". These are for some big heavy floor standing speakers, 72Lbs. each. So, I used 1 1/2".
There will be different stand pictures, since, as I said in the beginning, I was getting backed up on woodwork. But the stands I'm showing, are the same design, so you'll get it. :) A Dado blade stack makes this process much quicker, but, I'm still looking for the best set to buy. But for now, the stock blade will do. You will just have to do several passes, to get the width, of the notch you want to cut.
Okay. Now you can see this is the leg portion of the stand, in the first picture. The 2nd, is of one part shaped raw. using a benchtop belt sander, and showing the other end, that is prior to raw shaping. This is something, that you simply have to practice, to get it right. Use any type of scrap, or free wood, you may get, and you'll get the raw shape right. Remember, all of the raw shaping parts, need to be the same. It saves a lot of time on the finish hand sanding.
Okay, this is what you're raw set should look like. Remember, this is a different set, but, the same instructions as above. I usually don't make the front and back portions, with raw curves. I just leave them straight, and flush. Just focus on the legs in this picture.
Same with this picture, focus on the legs.
This is a picture of my supervisor. He may look like he's sleeping on the job. But one of his ears are up.
This is where the finish sanding starts. I didn't want to find the flat role of straight, no holes, 325 Grit sandpaper, I've been searching for, for the last two months, so I used a folded piece of my Dewalt 225 Grit, folded.
Raw Finish...
Finish sanded. By the way, you don't need to go to this extreme of finish sanding. Do what you feel!
My supervisor, has both ears up, but, still not impressed. If you have any questions guys, please let me know. I'll help you as much as I can.