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3K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  mafe 
#1 ·
Bluetooth speaker - recycle DIY

Bluetooth speaker
recycle DIY.

Just dig in, I'll make a portable Bluetooth speaker from recycled stuff and a cheapo China Bluetooth amplifier.
No other reason, than I'm a big child and wanted to. Smiles.


This is what it will end up looking like.


Ever since being a boy, I have loved pulling things, here me as a boy, making a string controlled theatre out of trashed TV.


And some weeks ago someone threw out a big modern flat screen TV, so I had to dig in, brought it up to my apartment and went bananas…
I removed the LCD and will use the screen as a big photo lamp.


But also found these small horn full range speakers inside.
They sounded surprisingly well.
That was the inspiration, or trigger if you will.


So another couple of weeks the small amplifier arrived, as well as some extra speakers for another project, so I hooked it up and it worked.
I had one of the 18650 batteries from a trashed power stick and that worked also, after running it though a circle on my quality charger.
Amp name on E-bay:
PAM8403 Lithium Battery Dual channel Audio Amplifier Board 3W+3W Bluetooth 5.0
Price was APP 5 USD - crazy a letter to abroad is 3 USD here.


For testing these speakers I made a quick cabinet and put the amp on the back.


Whooooo, amazing amount of sound from this little baby!
No it's not your house stereo, but really fine as a small bring along, or workshop speaker.
I just ordered two more of the amps, since this will be fun.


Ok back on track MaFe, this is the TV speakers.
They need a cabinet, even they are in a cabinet, but some more mass, will do them good.
So let's cut some wood.


Decided to make room in the middle for the amplifier, but never did a measure, just made the parts fit.
This was intended to be a test cabinet, as I wanted to build the final from some beautiful wood.


They look like old WHS tapes…


A little soldering.
Just for connecting the speakers to the amp board.


Let's close it up.
I'm really exited to listen and see if it's trash or treasure.


Here the wee amp with the fancy blue BT light blinking.
Warning it speaks Chinese when it starts, laughs and I have no idea what it says.


Clamps, never too many.


A Bluetooth speaker is born.
This is actually all you need.


Next us I build a small table saw, to make some covers for the speakers.
Just a little of the MDF and my Dremel motor thingy.


It's the black wood things on top of the speakers.


When I were in the supermarket I saw this one at 47 USD, so don't do this project for the money, even you will save 42 USD, do it for the fun and recycle.


But after seeing the speaker I decided to pimp mine up a wee bit.
Here rounding the edges with a router.


Gave the corners some screws, now the test box, suddenly became the project.
Then sanding and primer.


Not too particular, but medium nice…


Spray holder.


Fancy yes?


Down in the basement og the shop, to spray a little.


Backside vent hole for the amplifier, also a possible cable hole, if I should want to run it on permanent power.


Went for dark grey hammered paint.


Ups, this will be better in second layer and it did.


For speaker grill, I had this strange thing, that sat on a trashed old people walker. I salvaged it years ago and were about to trash it several times, now I know why I did not.


Epoxy and gloves.
Yes now you can see the speaker taking form.
As you can see I also made a drawer for the amp.


Just a simple drawer, from some colourful acrylic I salved a few weeks back, in the local church's dumpster.
The hole in the front, is for using the power switch on the board, without pulling out the drawer, smiles.
Less is more… fun.


The backside with the blue light.


Tadaaaaa!
The speaker in standing position.


Bench mode and under the magnifying glass.


Underside.


I think the blue hole became a wee sexy.


Handy also.

I will bring it to my allotment house, where it will be my Netflix sound box, when watching movies on the laptop.

Just rembered this recycle speaker I build some years back:
https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/70686

UPDATE:


I were never happy with the fabric on the speakers, so I changed it into this, 'real' speakers fabric.


And a leather strap, to carry it around in the allotment.


Most of the time I use it standing, so it needed feet at the base also.


I'm happy now, more calm.


And the leather strap, added some warmth to the cold colors.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, perhaps even some recycle.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
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#3 ·
inspire my friend,when i look at wikipedia for inspire you pop up ! you always make my day better,you make me wanna get out in the shop and create.please dont ever stop!
 
#7 ·
Hi mads. I like doing that kind of stuff too but today, so much of the circuitry is multiplexed, I have a hard time finding the right components to keep to make the unit work for me!

cheers, Jim
 
#9 ·
Hi guys,
Just home from a weekend in my wee allotment house, with a friend, where we used the speaker with great joy - it sounds surprisingly well, so I'm really happy, also used it for two days, without having to charge it, so I'm really pleased.

Dave, thank you my friend. Yes starting to look at seedes and plants, but still a month of possible frost, so I need to be patient, but think I'll start planting some seeds indoor, so they get an early start.

Pottz, Ha ha ha, yes my friend, there might be a picture, perhaps also under MAD. Thank you from my heart, I love the fact that I can give you that feeling. I'm not sure I know how to stop… :-O

Doug, smiles what we don't know, we figure out.

doubleDD, yes it's quite sad, that we live in a throw away world, we are able to produce better quality, than ever, yet we produce trash… I know my little doing is close to nothing, but it does make me happy, to be able to walk up stream. Thanks.

Lew, I hope there will even be some dancing. Smiles my friend.

Jim J, I was really surprised of the possibilities today, you can buy all kinds of boards on E-bay, tiny computers, dimmers, amplifiers and much more and for almost no cost. Of course it would have been fun, soldering and perhaps even making boards, but today, it's all there and so tiny, you can't solder it your self - so more like building LEGO and being creative in what you put together.

MikeB_UK, Thank you Mike.

Best of my thoughts and thanks again,
Mads
 
#10 ·
Sky Cloud Plant Shade Tarpaulin

Had a wonderful weekend in my allotment, where I found time to test my new tarp and the setup I made for it.

Plant Shade Tree Tarpaulin Sky

Here in porch mode, to hang out during the day.

Tent People in nature Grass Smile Leisure

Sleep or room mode, for cold weather, privacy or heavy rain.
 

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#13 ·
Thank you David, I were wondering if anyone would ever see it, now I know it was worth it, smiles.
I like to have things in order, so I had to made that update, laugh.
Best of my thoughts.
 
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