The most space effective braces are 1" hardwood dowels. They can be carefully cut to a wedge-in length and glued in with PL Premium. I also try to glue them all to each other so ultimately x, y, and z planes are glued together as one unit (may take 2 or 3 separate gluing efforts).
Two things: Are you saying do NOT use my MDF scraps? Are you saying to use 1" round dowls, instead of square? +++ I got my wood cut today, standard size 17x26x14. It took two hours and I made it more difficult than it should have been due to my ignorance of such a simple thing as constructing a box.
No, just offering a suggestion. The difference would be negligible. Two hours is not bad....that's why I have someone else build the raw boxes for me. For me it's the most difficult part.
Zhils, whatever you suggest, I'm listening. All MDF really is, is high quality particle board. I thought maybe a solid hardwood dowl had better damping or connecting qualities. Easier is always better as well, for a man bereft of woodworking skills. 8)
Update on my CT build: The box has been braced moderately using 1"x3" hardwoods furring strips. I think I could have used something thicker, but the 1x3's seemed adequate. I have been playing them as a 2.0 system with an old 60 watt Technics receiver, and as promised, they have no bass! They need a sub. It can also take the receiver playing at 100% and they can definitely use more power. I am planning on moving them from the test area in the basement to the Mancave with 100 wpc Pioneer, where I can listen in 2.1 mode with the Klipsch RW-12d sub. I can compare them with the current 2.1 setup which features the Fusion 10 Pure, with 12" waveguide and 10" woofer. +++ I posted this next part in the "Hey Guys thread" Post 10781 http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-diy-speakers-subs/1291022-hey-guys-we-need-little-rallying-here-270.html#post26024274 My question there, same as here, is "can you use the following buy-out 15" woofers in place of the Celestion woof?" The prices are $50 and $65, about the same as the original buy-out used in the Cheap Thrill. http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-diy-speakers-subs/1291022-hey-guys-we-need-little-rallying-here-270.html#post26024274