Thanks for the info Tom.
4' x 29 1/2" is what I am experimenting with using Birch ply, but the drivers are brand new and they need to be broken in. When I have about 250 hrs. on them I will do some in-room measurements to see exactly what type of bass response I am getting.
When I actually decide on the final dimensions of the baffle, I will be using .5 inch Lexan (stiff). I don't think it will flex!
Also I am going to try a unique baffle plan. I have an idea to make a wooden baffle like the Maple one pictured in the first link I posted. My baffle will be made from Koa, a beautiful wood native to Hawaii. But here's the unique part. Mounted between the driver and the wooden baffle, I am going to place a donut of 1/2" Lexan about 1/8" larger than the outside edge of the driver. So sandwiched between the driver and the Koa baffle, will be a 1/2" thick, Lexan donut. The big 4' x 29 1/2" Lexan baffle will have a hole cut about 1/16 larger than the Lexan "donut". (BTW, the Koa baffle will be 1/2" wider than the Lexan baffle around the sides and top so the 1/16" gap between the large Lexan baffle and the Lexan donut will have a backing.
When I am ready to listen, I can take the big Lexan baffles out of our coat closet, lean them against the smaller, wooden Koa baffle/driver, slipping the hole in the big baffles over the Lexan donut & driver for a really nice fit. This will be a removable baffle that is completely flush from the driver to the edge of the baffle. I suspect this may also reduce some resonance of the large Lexan baffle since there will be a 1/16 gap between the Lexan and the Lexan donut (which is sandwiched between the driver & Koa baffle.)
I plan on using an easily adjustable spike system underneath the "base" of the Koa baffle/driver to slightly raise or lower the Koa baffle/driver to perfectly fit the hole in the large Lexan baffles. The up & down adjustment will be from the top side of the "base" for convenience.
If everything was sitting directly on the hardwood floor, raising or lowering the Koa baffle/driver wouldn't be necessary, but since we have a 13 x 20 Persian rug (plus pad) which the speakers will be sitting on, there will be some settling of the Lexan baffle, as well as with the Koa baffle/driver.
When I am not listening, it will take less than a minute to remove the large Lexan baffles and place them in the closet for WAF. All that will be left in the room will be a rather small and neat 36" high x 15" wide Koa baffle/driver. (Plus subs)
To my knowledge this idea hasn't been tried, but I am pretty confident it will work pretty well (I mean the removable baffle). I simply need to break the drivers in and experiment with baffle size.
Thanks for your interest.
PS - and I apologize if my description is not clear, but it really is rather simple, just a little hard to describe on paper. If you look at the pic of the OB in the first link I posted with maple baffles it may help to visualize the removable baffle.
4' x 29 1/2" is what I am experimenting with using Birch ply, but the drivers are brand new and they need to be broken in. When I have about 250 hrs. on them I will do some in-room measurements to see exactly what type of bass response I am getting.
When I actually decide on the final dimensions of the baffle, I will be using .5 inch Lexan (stiff). I don't think it will flex!
Also I am going to try a unique baffle plan. I have an idea to make a wooden baffle like the Maple one pictured in the first link I posted. My baffle will be made from Koa, a beautiful wood native to Hawaii. But here's the unique part. Mounted between the driver and the wooden baffle, I am going to place a donut of 1/2" Lexan about 1/8" larger than the outside edge of the driver. So sandwiched between the driver and the Koa baffle, will be a 1/2" thick, Lexan donut. The big 4' x 29 1/2" Lexan baffle will have a hole cut about 1/16 larger than the Lexan "donut". (BTW, the Koa baffle will be 1/2" wider than the Lexan baffle around the sides and top so the 1/16" gap between the large Lexan baffle and the Lexan donut will have a backing.
When I am ready to listen, I can take the big Lexan baffles out of our coat closet, lean them against the smaller, wooden Koa baffle/driver, slipping the hole in the big baffles over the Lexan donut & driver for a really nice fit. This will be a removable baffle that is completely flush from the driver to the edge of the baffle. I suspect this may also reduce some resonance of the large Lexan baffle since there will be a 1/16 gap between the Lexan and the Lexan donut (which is sandwiched between the driver & Koa baffle.)
I plan on using an easily adjustable spike system underneath the "base" of the Koa baffle/driver to slightly raise or lower the Koa baffle/driver to perfectly fit the hole in the large Lexan baffles. The up & down adjustment will be from the top side of the "base" for convenience.
If everything was sitting directly on the hardwood floor, raising or lowering the Koa baffle/driver wouldn't be necessary, but since we have a 13 x 20 Persian rug (plus pad) which the speakers will be sitting on, there will be some settling of the Lexan baffle, as well as with the Koa baffle/driver.
When I am not listening, it will take less than a minute to remove the large Lexan baffles and place them in the closet for WAF. All that will be left in the room will be a rather small and neat 36" high x 15" wide Koa baffle/driver. (Plus subs)
To my knowledge this idea hasn't been tried, but I am pretty confident it will work pretty well (I mean the removable baffle). I simply need to break the drivers in and experiment with baffle size.
Thanks for your interest.
PS - and I apologize if my description is not clear, but it really is rather simple, just a little hard to describe on paper. If you look at the pic of the OB in the first link I posted with maple baffles it may help to visualize the removable baffle.