Is anyone thinking about building Walsh drivers?

Great idea.

Technology and materials should be there.

I liked the old Ohm Fs.

Everything else I've heard from Ohm in the last 20 years (including 'updates' or 'upgrades') has been VERY mediocre.

Westborn - I won't argue taste with you, but have you heard the current models in the Ohm Walsh line? I had never heard Ohm Walsh speakers prior to my home trial of the 2000s, so my only comparison was to other brands of speakers. IME, the 2000s compete extremely well in and a good bit above their price point. John Strohbeen has refined his products, and, obviously since I bought them, I find them to be among the best speakers out there. Of course, YMMV, but if you value warmth, detail, large soundstages, well-defined imaging, accurate timbre, and clean extension at both ends, you might be surprised by the current Ohm line.

OF course any good speaker including omnis and the newer OHMs can sound mediocre if not set up well. Personal tastes aside, the same speakers can sound absolute top notch if set up optimally.

Like most things, it all depends...

Also worth mentioning that Dale Harder's website has perhaps the most information I have seen anywhere regarding what goes into creating a quality Walsh driver. Pretty daunting....

Westborn, your not alone. The link to Dae Harder's site is worth checking out, as are the archives here on Audiogon.

I have been giving a lot of thought to this. I helped build the prototypes for the Walsh tweeter that Infinity used back in the '70's. If the cone was silver with a diamond "crosshatch" pattern (very early models) it was probably built on my kitchen table. That material was Reynolds "Diamond" aluminum foil that is probably no longer available. It was supported by 1 or so mil acetate, which thinking back was a bad idea.
I've started a thread on the DIY Audio forum to share my work towards building a semi-full range driver. I'm starting with the tweeter, since it is somewhat familiar territory, and a lot of folks out there have the old Infinity's who would like to get them working again.
Like the ill-fated Ohms, the materials used by Infinity to dampen the cones and terminate the traveling wave was very finite in it's useful life. Newer materials may offer better longevity.
Obviously it's going to take a lot of trial and error, but ultimately I'd like to think I can get something like the German Physik drivers for a lot less than 50 grand a pair.
J-