New build small size high isolation project

#136

Thank you for your thoughts - most helpful!

#137

Purelythemusic wrote:Source of the post Hi Starlight,

01744 419444
U-Spec.co.uk

The actually manufacture insulation for Knauf etc, they’re not a retailer so don’t expect any of that sort of service... I’m having to over order... how many m2 do you reckon you’ll need?

Tom, I need 13m2 for 4 baffle boxes and 5m2 for 2 plenums, so I guess I am looking for 18-20m2 in all. How much do you have spare? How much was U-spec's minimum order?

#138

endorka wrote:Source of the post Excellent stuff. It might be worth checking the accuracy of that meter, if you've not done so already. I have a very similar one and when I checked the readings alongside a calibrated UMIK-1 mic noticed the dB meter read 3dB too quiet below 80dB, but true at 105 dB. So the reduction of sound between rooms was actually 3dB lower the meter indicated, i.e. worse.

Checking back over the thread, and I just noticed I completely missed this one! :oops:

Yes, many SPL meters are like that, and do need re-calibrating. Most meters offer some method for doing that, and with a calibrator you can do it yourself: Calibrator's don't look very interesting:

: calibrator-01.jpg (8.2 KiB) Viewed 39033 times

: calibrator-01.jpg (8.2 KiB) Viewed 39033 times

Just a cylinder thingy, with a hole on one end, and some control switches on the other end, or on the side. Fairly simple to use: Turn it on, press the mic on your meter into the hole at the end, making sure you get a good fit / tight seal, then check the number on the meter: most commonly, you calibrate at 94 dB (sometimes 114 dB). The calibrator puts out a tone at exactly 94 dB, so you want to see the meter show exactly 94.0 dB. Most meters have controls for adjusting that somewhere, and the better meters provide a different adjustment for each of the scales... As Jennifer pointed out, it is entirely possible for the meter to show different readings on different scales. So if your meter has that feature, then make sure to calibrate each scale separately: don't assume that calibrating one will calibrate all of them.

Meters are supposed to be calibrated when they leave the factory, and most of them are, but sometimes not... and the calibration can drift over time, or even with rough handling. So it's worth re-calibrating every now and then, if you want accurate readings. The only drawback is that the calibrator can cost nearly as much as the meter! Oh well...

- Stuart -

#139

Starlight wrote:Source of the post Tom

Hey, sorry about the delay!

I think I may have around 12 linear metres on the roll left but need a little more to finish off when the silencers are in situ...

U-Spec rolls were 18m long 1200mm wide. £120 + vat + delivery.

#140

Thanks for the info Stuart, I may get one when the isolation measured are complete, at the moment I’m able to go out any time of the night and record guitar and sing which is a massive improvement and good for the soul!

I can’t wait to get the time and manpower to fit the silencers!!!

#141

Hi All,

Wow, we got a rainy day off work so I was lucky enough to spend the day in the studio! My friend I’m working with has done some singing recording very rough for some projects he’s working on and is giving me the odd days free labour as payback!

I didn’t take any pictures of his offering, but he’s neatened up the frame we rebated, filled and sanded some bits and added timber to the door to bring it out to The correct size for the frame, then I started fitting the frame amd he started rebating the 8 hinges in : )

I have linked 8 pneumatic lifting bags together in order to lift the mighty silencers for fitting Sorbothane and moving them in general! It worked a treat, had to move the intake silencer away to sort out the holes for the sleeves into the room.

With the holes in the ceiling I decided to remove the timber altogether, then I plan to fit the sleeves, then shutter around them and pour concrete for mass to make the holes exactly right. As I’m writing this I have realised that this will couple the sleeve to the ceiling which we don’t want so I’ll actually need to separate them when shuttering then probably backer rod and caulk the life out of it? Stuart?
Either way I’m sure it’ll be better than chiselling the Timber to the right width and finding something else to pack the holes out with!

Pics:

#142

Nice work, Tom! It's looking pretty good up there.

I bet trying to maneuver those monsters in that tight space was... ummm ... "fun"!

With the holes in the ceiling I decided to remove the timber altogether, then I plan to fit the sleeves, then shutter around them and pour concrete for mass to make the holes exactly right. As I’m writing this I have realised that this will couple the sleeve to the ceiling which we don’t want

Right! We definitely don't want any solid mechanical connections there!

...so I’ll actually need to separate them when shuttering then probably backer rod and caulk the life out of it? Stuart?

Sounds like a good plan. I'm wondering if there's a way to do that filling in stages, starting from the top and working down, so you can get plenty of depth to the caulk and backer rod? You'll need a total thickness for the caulk of about 3 cm (more is better!), but you can't do that all in one go: it needs to be built up in layers, or it won't cure properly: let each layer cure before adding the next.

I'll see if I can think of any other way of doing this...

Also, when you pour that new cement in, do make sure you use some concrete bonding agent! Otherwise the new won't stick to the old. There's several different ways of doing that, but likely you'll want to paint some bonding agent onto the old concrete surfaces, and/or mix in some other agent with the new concrete, so it can bind tightly to the old.

- Stuart -

#143

Sweet, yep bonding old to new got it.

It is not fun up there...

So is backer rod important? If I leave 10mm around the sleeve I think 30mm is no problem, in increments... I won’t be able to fit all of it from the top side as I don’t have access all around, I’ll have to do it from below...can use some sort of makeshift nozzle to get the caulk as high as poss.

#144

So is backer rod important?

I would still use it, yes. Its one extra seal, just to be sure. Not much mass (the mass is in the caulk), but extra seals are always good.

If I leave 10mm around the sleeve

As in 5mm on each side? I think a gap 10mm wide wouldn't be so easy to fill with caulk: it would likely drip out, if you are filling from below. Try for a thinner gap: maybe 6mm or so. Maybe use surgical tubing as your nozzle extension? Or any type of thin tubing, really.

- Stuart -

#145

Yea cool, perhaps 6mm would be best...

I’m planning to use Sikaflex ebt it remains flexible and adheres very well so I reckon it might work well, especially if there’s backer rod packed in there...

#146

Small update!

I’m currently not financially able to work on the studio and due to the current situation am not inviting volunteers to help just yet (but fairly soon)! I‘m not content that the room is sat there empty while I have a loft with old studio gear doing nothing.

I’ve made a pc from old pc’s and spares kicking about, put xp on it and my favourite Logic 5.5 with delta 1010 interface. My mate who borrowed my budget monitors is bringing them sometime soon and my old Yamaha kx88 running through a Unitor 8! And popped it all in the room!

I played around and no one could hear anything much at all outside except outside the door when listening for it. I got excited and dug out my old drum kit, just the BD, snare and hihat, tried it out today and apparently inaudible 10m away from the building and very quiet near the door...a very unscientific but real Stage 1 result. Tonight I’ve been playing out there 11pm when it’s quiet with no problems. This is a real joy for me!!!

I’ll do an SPL test (currently ready 107db C weight slow a metre from the kit. And as soon as the monitors are in I’ll do a .cal and set up REW for a rough test (although I still have a door hole and 4 silencers holes).

Here’s a pic of the awful but usable set up:

#147

That's a brilliant step on the way, to be able to play drums at such an hour.

You are truly living up to your signature!

Cheers,
Jennifer

#148

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the update! And I'm really glad it is working out for you so well! You put a hell of a lot of work into that place, so I'm not surprised that you are getting good results.

How did if go with the doors, by the way? Did you manage to complete them? Any photos of how those turned out?

- Stuart -

#149

Hi, thanks!

The frame for the innermost Studio door is almost fixed, the door itself is currently my desk : )

I’m looking for a week off to move forward with the construction and the studio door will be on the list for that week...it’s currently looking like end of October. I plan to have the silencers in place and connected up so I can finish that stud wall boarding then it’s on to front wall!

I am just loving it at the mo...started working on a promising song,

Logic 5.5 is like having my right hand back! Baby monitoring and lyrics on the laptop

#150

Hi All,

Very sorry to have been absent for so long! It's simply that nothing has changed : )

I am loving the space and being able to write and record music, the room is still unventilated, unheated and cooled, nor really treated.

I want to share my costs to show really how much this sort of ambition costs in South west England.

Total cost to build so far excluding my time/cost (which is basically cost of living for my family as I'm sole earner) is £59k

Material cost - excavation, waste clearance as well as the usual building materials - £46k
Hired in Labour - £13.8k

WOW

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