Any interest in trainwreck style cabs?

[cbass]

I hope this is ok to ask about here.Sure not trying to step on anyones toes.

I build cabinets and do carpentry for a living.I was planning on building myself a trainwreck style cab.I could build several more pretty easily I think.I have some really nice Cherry wood and alot of other species.Oak,Walnut,Mahogany,Flamed Maple,etc.

I was probaly going to use a miter lock joint instead of what the plans on this site calls for but I could build exactly to plan.

Anyone know what was used to finish trainwreck cabs?

I think I could do one finished in the $150 range with faceplate no wood burning.

I'm Not looking for definate answers just feeling out if i should go a head and build several cabinets.I will probaly go ahead and build two even if there is no interest.

[redshark]

Why don't you build one and take good pictures for everyone here to see your work and then I'm sure the people interested will PM you.

[selloutrr]

$150 is a killer price I can't break even under $350 making them authentic.

Cherry in So cal is about $100 just in materials.
The cabinet shop to cut the wood to size is $80-120 depending on the style of authentic TW cab, groove or miter corner.
Finishing work and routing corners is about 12 hours of labor not including the time to prygraph the faceplate.

The exotic woods used 12 - 14 coats of tungoil dried and wet sanded between coats. The Cherry cabs some used simi gloss poly, others used tungoil, a few may have ever used gun oil. Again 12-14 coats dried and wet sanding between each coat. poly was applied with a sprayer.

[cbass]

Well i Live in one of the poorest parts of the country(per hour).So i don't have to make a lot of money for my time.I get cherry and other woods at a very reasonable cost.I don't know about 15 coats of hand rubbed oil but I can produce a very nice finish with poly or lacquer.

It's looking like i will be slow at work till the middle of January so I am going to try to wrap up a lot of unfinished projects.

I will get a couple of cabs ready for pics some time after this week.

[galtjunk]

I would be interested.

[sdp1234]

I enjoy doing my own finishing but I'd love to purchase the cherry box. What do you think you would charge for that?

[leadfootdriver]

On a related note, what size chassis is the Express. Hammond offers a reasonably price product.

Otherwise what size, and who should I buy from?

[M Fowler]

The Express, Liverpool and Rocket traditionally used a Bud chassis no longer available unless you custom order.

The size is 17x8x2. Hammond is 16x8x2 and Bud has a 17x8x3 still being offered for sale.

www.rjguitars.net sells chassis or kits.

Also, the owner of this forum Allynmey sells punched chassis or kits. PM allynmey for more info.

Ebay sells 17x8x2 blank chassis

[leadfootdriver]

The Express, Liverpool and Rocket traditionally used a Bud chassis no longer available unless you custom order.

The size is 17x8x2. Hammond is 16x8x2 and Bud has a 17x8x3 still being offered for sale.

www.rjguitars.net sells chassis or kits.

Also, the owner of this forum Allynmey sells punched chassis or kits. PM allynmey for more info.

Ebay sells 17x8x2 blank chassis

NICE! Thanks.

[cbass]

Spd1234 It would be no problem to do one unfinished.Probaly knock $50 or so off the price.

I can do a high gloss lacquer mirror finish or a hand rubbed finish for extra.

Standard finish will be satin.

Would folks prefer lacquer or poly finish?
Poly will be more durable but also require more work.

I will try to get a few made up and post some pics.I Will know an exact price after I make them.Iam going to shoot for under $200

Leadfoot you need to get ahold of RJ
http://www.rjguitars.net/

[leadfootdriver]

Poly for the win!

Does that guy sell an Express chassis? I couldn't tell. I seen that he had a Rocket tho.

[Richie]

I'm sure cbass can relate to this since he does the cab work or wood working.
The building of the cabs is probably not the big cost. And much easier to set up and do multiple cabs at once. The cost does come down more to what kind of wood and finish that is used.
Yes you can get the cost down with different finishes. i'm just going on what my friend that makes my cabs told me.
He uses nitro celluose laquer. What is on the old guitars. First off, you have the cherry, or whatever exotic wood cost.
Then the laquer, which you also need the sealer and then all the different sand papers and buffing pads and polishing. Plus the thing with this type laquer is, if its 50 deg or lower your not going to be able to use it. Unless you have a vented shop or spray booth and regulated temp. And depends on weather or moisture in the air. Its tricky stuff.
He told me to do a cab,how many hrs he had in the cab. Let just say, he was working for almost nothing,to keep the cost down. I sold most all of the cabs for him for 200 ->225.00. Don't forget the packing for shipping. The cost of packing matieral and tape etc can add up. I usually made a woodburnt panel or shipped an unfinished faceplate with his cab.

I'm sure many are looking for someone that can build a nice cab for a low price. Might ought to look at doing other cabs like 18 watt marshall, plexi head cabs,dumble etc.

[Richie]

i forgot to add. one important thing. The drilling of the mounting holes for the chassis. I usually never drilled those. the reason, some people do not use the same chassis. Same with faceplates. I'm sure that small allowance could be made. But its when you get say allyns chassis. Compared to someone elses. The other chassis may be set at 2" in where Allyns is more like 1" in. If you predrilled the holes then depending on what you used. One will fit, one will not,and be off so much there would be no correcting it.
just thought i'd pass this on.

[cbass]

Thanks for the tips Richie.

I'm surprised by the response.

I'm already equiped to do all the woodworking and spraying.
I usualy have lacquer and poly on hand left over from spraying trim and cabinets.

I already have a couple of guys working for me.So I could possibly make 10+ cabs at a time.It would be awesome to have shop work to do when we are slow and when the weather is bad.
We'll see how it goes with the trainwreck cabs.

Cost of Packing material isn't something I have really considered.
I was figuring around $25 to pack and ship.That may not be enough?

[Richie]

There are places online that supply or make boxes and custom boxes. You can also have them made with the inserts of foam etc.And thickness of boxes. Boxes don't cost much. Shipping the cabs alone is not that much. Plus much less worry of them being damaged. the added weight of an amp in a chassis makes a big difference.

If you are equiped or already set up to do cabs. NOW is the best time.
Many don't have the "shop" made just for the building and finishing,so your a big step ahead. And since the weather is not that great out here in my area,cab finishing with the laquer is a wait till spring.

many on here are looking for affordable quality cabs. If you build nice cabs, i'm sure they will sell.

as for shipping. here is just one link, you may have someone local. they ahve boxes,and foam corners or what ever you might think would work best.

http://www.packagingsupplies.com/Standa ... Boxes.html