you DO realize it's way cheaper just to buy a new cab than to build one? if it's just for experimental reasons, than that's different.

metal corners,tolex covering,speaker($100 at least),wood,screws,input jack assembly,wiring,cloth or leather covering,etc. it all adds up to waaay more than what a cab from a store will run ya. again if it's just for the experience, then go for it. but if you are trying to save money, just ain't gonna happen...

I disagree about the price point. A few lengths of 2x2, a few sheets of 4x8 plywood, some wheels and speakers for a 2x12 would run under $300 - other than the speakers, it's about $50 worth of materials. The biggest problem I see you running into is getting the corners tight - having 45 degree angle cuts or a standard cut butted together will have to be really well done to stop it from rattling. I would dovetail it if you have the tools, and put a 2x2 in each corner [on the inside of course] with screws and glue. Stay away from MDF for this project - unnessasarily heavy and tends to chip/dent more easily than wood.

I have re-covered many cabinets and ampifiers, and it's not hard. But if you use nicely finished plywood you might opt to stain or paint it.

The wiring in a speaker cabinet is dead simple. I would use speaker marrettes as soldering wire onto speaker terminals can bugger the speaker [if you aren't good at soldering and are too slow/leave the heat on too long], so my advice is to solder it all together first and then just crimp on some speaker clips and there you go.

You might consider making the front of it slightly angled - my 1936 Marshall 2x12 is almost silent when standing next to it - even though it deafens people across the room.

Tools you'll want handy:
Router
Circular Saw
Drill
Wood Glue
Tape measure
Belt Sander
Shop Vac
Something flat and hard and striaght - I use my 4' level for a ruler, and to flatten out air bubbles in my tolex
I have used a fabric glue that comes in a sp[ray can made by 3M with excellent results to glue tolex and vinyl to wood. Remember to round all your edges and corners before you try to cover it, it would be a shame to rip it.

Also I have gotten away with using a vinyl fabric before - I'll post a pic in a few hours once I get home - it was much cheaper than tolex however in the past I have ordered tolex from www.marshallparts.com

My motivation is partly for the experience and partly in the hopes of saving money. Part of where I got the idea is that although 4x12's range from rediculously cheap (usually in both cost and quality at the same time) to rediculously expensive; a mid priced, decent quality 2x12 or 1x12 is proving difficult to find regardless of whether I buy locally or online...and for this I'd prefer to buy locally anyway and not deal with the hassles of shipping if I don't like the cab.

I've found any cab the size I'm after is either very cheaply made and priced accordingly or they are (in my opinion) overpriced because they cost as much or more than most of the more high end 4x12's I see out there.

Granted there are a few decent quality cabs that are reasonably priced, like the Traynor 2x12; but even my local Long & McQuade isn't stocking them locally and they are the distributor. I guess the upside if I order it off their website is that I can return it to the store if I'm not satisfied...but I thought since I'm waiting for available finances to buy it, I might as well look into building one.

So far, worst case scenario, I might build it myself for a price I find reasonable even if it's not the cheapest option...only question is can I do a good enough job to make the quality of the cab worth the cost of the materials.

Thanks for the input guys

well if you allready have all the tools, then you could probably make a really nice cab. the speakers is where the biggest cost will come from. if ya can find a killer deal on a pair, then half the battle is over...

well, I can get access to most of the tools required that I don't already have. My father was an accomplished wood worker and had amassed an impressive collection of tools; many of which he probably only used once or twice in his whole life because they were for specific purposes and he never needed them again but bought them anyway because he figured he'd get the chance again eventually.

My brother inherited most of my dad's shop tools when he bought the house off my step mother. Assuming that my step mother still has the majority of the hand tools he didn't inherit it'll be a toss-up between the costs of renting the remaining tools I need or driving the distance to her place to borrow them (of course, I would wait until I was planning to visit anyway rather than spend 3 hours driving each way just for the tools).

The only thing that might be challenging is the fingerjointing/dove tailing tools...I don't think my father had such a thing, but some of the local building supply stores have a cut shop I might be able to get this type of work done at. Of course, it will add to the cost if I have to go this route so that'll be another thing to research before I start the project.

if you already have a router then half the battle is won. A jig for that isnt too expensive. Alternatively, if you are handy with tool s[you haven't really specified how well you use them] a jigsaw to make finger joints for the corners. Couple that with some 2x2 on the inside and you will have a pretty solid corner.

I'm not clueless when it comes to tools and I still have all 8 fingers and 2 thumbs; but I've got a lot to learn also. But the attitude I've taken since getting a house is that unless I want to rely on others the rest of my life, I'm going to have to at least make the attempt to do things myself whenever possible.

I had that same attitude when it came to computers and it served me well... I taught myself enough about pc's to keep up in a college IT program and by the end of the course, I had the 3rd highest average in the class and I'm one of the few guys in the class who's actually working in a job that is related to what we studied.

Worst case scenario - I waste some perfectly good wood and gain a bit of experience from this project that will make doing some of my own renovations on my home easier because I'll learn from the mistakes I expect to make along the way.

best case scenario - I have a nice piece of gear that I built myself in addition to the experience.

when it comes to the house, I look at it this way.

If I try and fail, then I can alway call a carpenter or plumber or electrician to fix my screw up and it doesn't cost any more than if I'd never tried in the first place; and I learn how not to do a job.

If I try and succeed, I've saved a few hundred dollars and learned how to do it correctly.

... now if only I could take care of the baine of my existance - the toilet that inists on constantly running despite replacing everything that is not porceline.... in my own defence, it stopped running for a month and now it's started all over again.

ah well, I'm replacing the floor and the bathroom vanity/sink soon...maybe I'll just replace the whole damn toilet while I'm at it. :)

If you build it they will come.