Best Baffle Material In This Situation?

[alc]

Want to make some enclosures that will contain 3-ways. The drivers I have, which include heavy 12-inch woofers, allow but very small space from the edge of the cutout to the screw holes. Looks like about 3/16 inch for the woofers, maybe less for the others. And to get 3/16, I would have to have the cutouts very precisely cut, which I am not likely to get to happen as I have little experience in such things. I have read some advice saying that MDF likely does not maintain structural integrity with such a small sliver taking the weight.

What's the best option?

a) MDF
b) Plywood
c) Boards of some kind
d) MDF with a special bolt and nut, not wood screws
e) MDF with a screw that just passes through the baffle and screws into a block behind
f) Adhesive (like old Speakerlabs)
g) Other

Thanks very much for any good advice


Al

[coenlaf]

I had this problem before. Try 3/4 inch HDF. Much stronger.
Or aply some epoxy resin around screw holes to add integrity.

[BrianP]

You can also go with a thicker baffle--maybe laminate some 1/2" hardwood ply to the back of the MDF. And then maybe install some hurricane nuts or T-nuts from the back, to bolt into. MDF alone is too crumbly to take a lot of torque on a screw.