DIY Speaker Kits, a good idea?

At the end of the day don't we all want to become better versions of ourselves?

@duramax747 most definitely 😃

I vaguely remember someone on here mentioning cabinets CNC-milled from Panzerholz for a speaker project a while back.

Considering Panzerholz supply issues in the US, I've been wondering whether phenolic-impregnated resin panels like those made by Trespa, Richlite and others might be worth a look.

I would think density is the factor that matters most to audio applications, but I'm more than willing to learn more. Anyway, ask AI and you shall be answered: 

• Panzerholz, also known as synthetic resin compressed wood, is made by bonding beech hardwood veneers with exterior-grade phenolic resin and densifying the panel under high pressure. This process results in a density of up to 1.4 g/cm³ or 1400kg/m³.
• Trespa TopLab, particularly Trespa TopLab PLUS, has a stated density of ≥ 1.35 g/cm³. This density is achieved by using layers of wood-based fibers impregnated with thermosetting resins and a decorative surface, bonded together under high pressure.

Looks like the two products are neck to neck density-wise, which isn't too surprising given the similarities in their construction.

I specced Trespa a couple of times on projects. It mills very well with standard carbide woodworking tools. The cost was very reasonable.

@kennyc Buying Panzerholz in the UK is at the current times quite awkward, it id for the enthusiast wanting a stash like myself, to pick it up from a Supplier when in mainland Europe.

Permali EV6 which is a 50% Compression as a 25mm Finished Board is produced from 50 x delignified tiers of Veneer.

As a Cross Grain Structure this is equivalent to Panzerholz.

The Material that is being looked for is:                                                                                                 Resin Impregnated Densified Wood Board @ 1300 - 1400Kg / m3.

I have put links up to these products in the past, there are boards today that have Delignified Veneers of less that 1mm prior to compression 0.6-0.7mm.

As a Cross Grain Construction, these will have approx' 80 Plies to the 25mm Thickness and I class this increase in Plies as superior.

Increased channels for Damping / Dissipation which this materials type is known to be quite improved over many other materials, has potential to be improved over the 50 per 25mm.

I once had access to Damping / Dissipation Data for many materials, I even sent in to the guy producing the data, materials I had an Intertest in, that were not common in use in audio.   

Resin Impregnated Densified Wood Board is the killer material.

Heavily Compressed Bamboo 3xPly and Three Way Compressed @ 1100Kg per /m3 has received good reports and I have heard a Garrard 401 with it as the Plinth and that was quite special, especially as I have been an Idler Drive user for a larger period of years and used a 9 Stone Granite Plinth with my own 401.

  REZYWOOD - gefärbtes, stabilisiertes & hochverdichtetes Ahorn Holz | Designholz  

I have seen the measured data for other Phenolic, produced using Paper - Cotton, and D/D Properties were poor in comparison to Densified Wood.

I do recall Compressed Phenolics in general share smillar m/3 weights.

I've suspected that the dignified veneer material is the substance that assists with creating attractive intrinsic to the material D/D Properties. 

Yes the densified woods Permali, Jabroc, Panzerholz are very similar. I have used them all including Festholz. They machine very well but Festholz makes such beautiful parts.

Dial in your feed speed and approach at the correct rpm and you will not have to sand or debur your profile/edges cut when finished. 

This is true whether you have 3mm Pz or 100mm on the table.