Ellam 98 mkII, built by Michael, AU
Copyright 2019 © Troels Gravesen

Hi Troels,
Started First week of February 2019.
 
Found a supplier of a few Baltic Birch sheets here north of Adelaide SA. When I visited them, they thought I was just looking to screw it to the walls of the house, and should find a retail supplier! They showed me light timber with a few mm of birch on the outside. When I said need all 100% Birch, they changed their idea and allowed me to buy the sheet of 100% Birch I required.
 
Finally, had the Birch in the workshop. Have never cut sheets for loudspeaker, decided to cut the Birch 90% square instead of 45%. Took a day to carefully cut the Birch for the right sizes, and make them the right thickness for the double front panels and the inside, and then angled the front panel with the bass area. Put them together building the speaker box.
 
Then sorting the front panels. They were also built by the same Birch. It is difficult to find quality MDF here in AU - most of it had high formaldehyde etc and wouldn't have it in our house. Used the router to make the sizing for the speakers after testing on some other timber. Took some time to get screws to close the front panels, eventually bought them from China because couldn't find the right ones here in Australia, and any I could find were too expensive.
 
Decided to varnish the box using gloss varnish, and matt varnish on the front panels. A few people here has looked at it and liked it. The gloss is very shiny!
 
Built the crossovers. Took some time, have never done anything like that, but quietly and slowly got it built, soldered, glued with silicone and some screws.
 
The next job was to install the insulation. Found some from a local supplier Jaycar with AX3680 that has heavy. It is with barium in PVC sheets. Glued them in the box and then filled it with the felt material and the acoustilux, once the crossovers were built and installed.
 
Finally, the first speaker was done by the Monday 18th March. Took about 5 weeks to get it finished. The sound of these Ellam's are way better than I thought and have enjoyed them every day since they were built. The bass is more than I would have heard from smaller speakers. Very happy with them.
 
Has been very interesting and happy, busy to build them. Happy to show them on your Builder's Response if you are happy to do that.
 
Regards,
Michael