How would you fasten the front on this speaker/cabinet?

[Matt Clara]

I'm building a couple of Isettas as Christmas presents, where the Isetta is a small but kick butt bluetooth speaker designed by Paul Carmody https://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/isetta. If you look at Paul's original design, and then the finished speaker https://f48a8583-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/undefinition/isetta/Isetta1.jpg, the screws holding the front on aren't over any part of the cabinet design, they're just kind of out there in empty space, which tells me he probably added braces in the cabinet and screwed the front to those. But I'm kind of far along here so while I can fit some braces, there's no easy way to make them stick other than glue or epoxy, which is what I'm leaning towards, and then I thought I'd add some threaded inserts and use some nice looking black hex cap metric bolts I have. I have limited experience building anything like this, though, so I thought I'd ask here. How would you stick it on there?

Here's a pic with the braces cut, but not fastened in. They're a tight fit! https://i.imgur.com/8BEuaBm.jpg

More pics from the build here. As you can tell, I am trying to make them look nice! https://imgur.com/a/nlgW5E0 Let me know your thoughts on how to get it done, thanks!

[Lee Schierer]

I would use these:
420528
They are available from Rockler (https://www.rockler.com/speaker-panel-connectors?sid=V9146?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoIPvBRDgARIsAHsCw09ydgGwpZ9NZkOuqrBm ZC7pmRdDyR85p9AfTNx9YG4WElMTItpEv_MaAkiwEALw_wcB)

[Steven Cooper2]

I did something similar a couple weeks ago on the back panel of some little baby speakers. the Socket Head Cap Screws I used have a little bit of a strange aspect ration and I don't think I would use them on the front. Perhaps something along the lines of a button head cap screw that is a bit lower and wider. Instead of threaded inserts (which I planned on using originally) I drilled a hole to tap drill size and soaked in some CA glue. I then tapped the hole after the glue had dried for a bit and that worked out quite well.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7qV_oGzKhGemFGzzjIhhugEJ08LBxfhSAjP6hatVPURItk9jg3 XZiWryHQlzyi3IbKieNOUwD1F7dG52O92imcJFF17i45cRTE8f SyOfesPrYaFFXBB3yTHwcjS_EAHMnprT5lGs1qhuFj5hZpwh7w SGuLY4BPb8xt0XtwnlI_jI5r-fl_RgFbYJ27QCc4LYJdXr-Nd8fNynJ3hrnYvzWPXyUfwYUGcc7djFiiMs03xofW8c9UceU0_ ZgcbseH4ksIx1KU4S0xQ4H743EivJ7uAqtH88sDplphFdhST0V cgWaBoinIFDyILwPEGoDYvu2Egp-P5ludtHfuWBXUNo0bOb4MIm8JzgNBF9QP8YDDPbrGyYba-tBLKeMOTdMYmDp1RHO20zk9-2dH_-yGqzOFPaPMT8FNnuVBuuTPzg4AC9o9L3oqw25mXISlIgZn7XlF f750jFwLb-Xcu3oeoN46NOv2WhNnBGJkBxQLTEaeW_3K-OfeDWlSK5i2szOhToaZzwbOPIq1me0AKyncf7KfRiCc6UC89YM 8C4xc5qLg8gSPvDVRiKl5DC4LeaB5fd7Jd98dF3Ye6ZLJ8cwks R613lAeeHi_2dqv2Cl_xJGu0zFJ7OmMKnTlvKCV1Z5zmWlJROj CY8J3dZlgZVoXDLD8y6ZhNzpr-zeIALlMgA29MFcC6vyfvjDBHp=w703-h937-no

[Bill Dufour]

Isseta latches and handles are all over ebay, but pricey. Of course they stopped making them in 1961. it would probably be cheaper to adapt something from a BMW.
I am surprised there is enough room to add those speakers.
Bill D.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isetta

Or one for sale here:

https://www.thedrive.com/vintage/2135/this-bmw-isetta-is-the-worlds-meanest-minicar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isetta)

[Frank Pratt]

I'm not clear on your question. Are you referring to fastening the speaker baffle to the cabinet, or a grill to the baffle?

If it's the baffle, then you could just screw it to the internal bracing.

For securing a grill, Lee's suggestion is a good one. Or you could embed magnets into the baffle from the back, drilling a hole for them & just leaving a thin veneer layer on the front surface. Then epoxy the magnets in place. Some commercially made speakers use this method.

[Matt Clara]

Not the grill, the entire front panel, which holds the individual speaker drivers. How do I fasten that on? I could just drive some wood screws around the edges, but I want it to look good, so I'm thinking about adding braces inside the cabinet (https://i.imgur.com/8BEuaBm.jpg) and screwing it to those, allowing me some strategic positioning of my screws away from the very edge of the thing. I've done something similar in my last build, but I was never entirely satisfied that the front was fastened on well (pretty sure one of the braces cracked loose when I tightened it down, and one of the inserts broke loose so the screw just spun, and I was hoping someone here could tell me another way that would secure it and look good. And apparently we have to subscribe to see pictures now, so I can't see anyone's pictures.

If no new ideas, how would you secure the cross braces in the picture? https://i.imgur.com/8BEuaBm.jpg I don't want to drive any screws or nails into them from the outside, so in theory I could stagger them and add screws or nails on the inside of the cabinet, and just glue the other end. These are such a tight fit, gluing them will be difficult. The ones I trimmed "just a little more" are too loose, though.

[Matt Clara]

Here's a thought: buckles (spring loaded catches) https://www.amazon.com/Pixnor-Stainless-Spring-Loaded-Catches/dp/B011F6ME7Y?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_13

[Jim Becker]

I'd use corner braces just behind the front panel that holds the speaker hardware with threaded inserts and "nice" bolts of whatever style you like from the front. They could be cap screws proud or even pan heads with ferules for a neat, flush look. Whatever works for your design preferences. Corner braces would only slightly alter the internal volume of the box and not likely materially affect the sonic performance of the speakers.

[Matt Clara]

I'd use corner braces just behind the front panel that holds the speaker hardware with threaded inserts and "nice" bolts of whatever style you like from the front. They could be cap screws proud or even pan heads with ferules for a neat, flush look. Whatever works for your design preferences. Corner braces would only slightly alter the internal volume of the box and not likely materially affect the sonic performance of the speakers.

I meant to do just that, but after I built the cabinet I stupidly added the silicone sealant and didn't leave room for the corner cleats. And now I'm afraid I won't be able to clean the silicone off adequately to ensure a good glue up, so I've switched to the idea of the braces in the picture, as they are away from the corners where the silicone is.

[Jim Becker]

If you can't glue, perhaps mechanical fasteners (screws or brads) for the corner braces will work along with more silicone sealant/adhesive. You just have to be careful calculating the length for obvious reasons.

[Keith Westfall]

4 'alignment dowels' (one in each corner) then rare earth magnets (one in each corner, or in the middle of each side). Nothing would show, and panel could be easily removed if need be. With the alignment dowels, you wouldn't/shouldn't need very big magnets to keep everything in place. Nothing showing on the front, if you want to keep it clean looking.