Bozak Blunder ---------- how am I gonna' fix this nonsense ?

[Ohighway]

Bozak B4000 Symphony pair with the 'modern' cabinets.

Looks like maybe the starter, or kit version as only one woofer, 2 tweeters, and a very basic crossover per cabinet. Great starting point, and over the past few years I've acquired the additional woofers, midrange speakers, and large crossovers and such to make these the real deal.

However............... Not sure if these cabinets were assembled from a kit or what but...... whoops....
How am I gonna' fix THAT ?

 

[Sam Cogley]

The upside-down baffle? Unscrew it, flip it over. If it's glued, some heat, a short 2x4 and a big hammer should get it done.

 

[Ohighway]

It's glued (if it was held on with screws I would have spun it around already)

I worry about smacking it with a hammer for fear cracking any of the veneer. Not sure if that baffle is jointed in..??

 

[drbiggles]

I don't know how it was all put together, there's only one way to find out though. In these circumstances I use a vibrating multi-tool with the smooth blade attachment. You can simply run it around the seams and loosen it all up. This may or may not do what you want it to. If it's simply glued into place, the old glue will surely crack and fail. If there are screws or nails or staples from the outside of the cabinet doing into the front baffle (these would have been installed before the veneer was installed), you're probably hosed.

Biggles

 

[rvatfhunter]

Before demolition methods, it might be worth looking at the bottom of the cabinets (if you haven't already), and making sure the baffle doesn't slide in from there. [that's how my 302's are put together]

 

[Ohighway]

Before demolition methods, it might be worth looking at the bottom of the cabinets (if you haven't already), and making sure the baffle doesn't slide in from there. [that's how my 302's are put together]

Sounds plausible. I will certainly give that a look !!

 

[drbiggles]

I went and looked at my 70's Symphonys and the front baffle does not slide, the bottom covers the baffle's edge so it won't. In fact, mine don't even have a slot the baffle slides into. As near as I can tell, the vibrating multi-tool should be able to simply cut the front baffle out, it was only glued into place. If there are any large staples or nails, the tool will cut through them like butter. Once the baffle is out, you can install cleats just like the back has to hold it into place. Easy peasy.

Biggles

 

[SPL db]

Am I missing something? Is there a dedicated top to the cabinet that I'm not seeing?

Otherwise, why not flip the whole speaker?

 

[Ohighway]

Am I missing something? Is there a dedicated top to the cabinet that I'm not seeing?
Otherwise, why not flip the whole speaker?

Yeah, there's a distinct top (finished) and bottom (unfinished). So it has to stand the way it is.

 

[shrinkboy]

i'd rather refinish the bottom and be done with it

 

[Freddymac2]

Some veneer and glue and finish and you are done.

 

[drbiggles]

No. If the cabinets were in front of you and you were looking at them directly, flipping them is NOT an option. The bottom of the cabinet is not the top. If you were going to flip them upside down and make the bottoms the tops, you're simply creating work where it doesn't need to be. And you'd have two mismatched cabinets, both tops would be different.

While you would be doing all this, I could have the the front baffle removed and replaced. After that, I'd have a cookie and a nap. Then I'd spend the rest of the week doing other projects while you're still applying veneer to a pair of speakers that will never match.

Getting the front baffle out is not that big of a deal, I could get it done within the hour.

Biggles

 

[Ohighway]

For sure, inverting the entire speaker is not the answer, especially since all the original veneer is in good shape (meaning, speakers currently DO NOT need to be re-veneered, some small repairs only)

Just have to figure out how to gently coax out the baffle without ruining any of the other panels and veneer. Wish me luck.

 

[drbiggles]

Pah, nothing to it. I've done this exact thing on other cabinets without one issue. Just take your time and be patient. You got this.

Biggles

 

[Dragunski]

Bozak B4000 Symphony pair with the 'modern' cabinets.

Looks like maybe the starter, or kit version as only one woofer, 2 tweeters, and a very basic crossover per cabinet. Great starting point, and over the past few years I've acquired the additional woofers, midrange speakers, and large crossovers and such to make these the real deal.

However............... Not sure if these cabinets were assembled from a kit or what but...... whoops....
How am I gonna' fix THAT ?

View attachment 816943

 

[Edroom]

I had almost the same issue, if you don't want to risk destroying the whole cabinet, get another piece of mdf, cut holes the same size and glue them in place, then cut new holes, cover the front with a veneer and router the holes

 

[Retrovert]

I had almost the same issue, if you don't want to risk destroying the whole cabinet, get another piece of mdf, cut holes the same size and glue them in place, then cut new holes, cover the front with a veneer and router the holes

Yes, plugs are the way to go. Biggles has made some amazing plugs with his router and has elsewhere described both fabrication and installation. Some epoxy to anchor to the existing baffle and one is done. As good, if not better, than the original.

I need to do this with mine to shift some drivers around. At some point it is easier to remove the existing baffle and install a new one. Particularly when one can use 1" ply or heavy-density particle board, and screw it to the cleats. Easier than patching and redrilling.

 

[Todd Dodds]

If I was doing it, I'd get it up on a bench or big sheet of plywood to comfortable working height. Leave plenty of room on both sides for tools/heatgun/coffee/beer or a nice chardonnay. Try the Biggles approach, and you'll probably be done before the chardonnay gives out. If that doesn't work, I'd try cutting out the existing errant panel about an inch, or 1 1/2" inside the cabinet edge, leaving something that could be rabbeted out maybe 5/8 or 3/4 to allow you to "scab on" a new, overlapped panel that you've already routed. Glue/screw the new insert in place and fill that "baffle" with the whole array of tweets.
That's what I'd do. But I ain't doing it, thank God, 'cause it looks like an asspain.
Good luck, you're efforts WILL be rewarded.

 

[Blue Shadow]

You just need a second matched pair. Then the finished tops meet each other in a stacked arrangement. Hard to find but what kind of sound would Stacked Bozak B4000's provide? Probably something really nice and appropriate for a theater of some sort.

 

[Audio Fan]

Since this is an 8 month old thread, has the OP moved forward with any fix?