Hi everyone...
...long-time lurker, first-time poster...
A while back, a very good (non-musician, non-head) friend of mine found himself spending a season at his sister's place -- and thus a lot of time at his brother-in-law's stocked woodworking playground -- and presented me with the culmination of his playtime, a Jerry style 3x12. He'd heard me fantasizing about such a thing and he needed something to justify playing with the fun tools and in the end he pretty much aced it -- 13-ply baltic birch, fancy dark trim on the front, rare-earth magnets on the corner blocks, etc -- all the more amazing because he did it based solely on the common photos of Jerry's and the several images at the HT website.



As amazing as it is, it is still only 98% complete and my friend is adventuring elsewhere for the foreseeable future. I'm of above average intelligence and moderately handy -- but only in the most general of ways (i.e I can operate tools, I can solder, etc, but I have no real experience with building nice furniture, much less fine guitar cabinets)...so, if at all possible, I'm really going to need some advice from you all so that I don't ruin it in the home stretch...y'know, because y'all are the single best collected resource for Dead-based equipment bad-assery in the whole, entire webiverse!
What remains to be done...
a) install the speaker clamps <--------where I am now
b) install speaker jack(s)/wiring
c) install speakers
d) (maybe) install handle(s)
e) (maybe) install fancy grill cloth
But, for now, I'm just working up to "a" ...
My buddy sourced the correct number of these clamps and fasteners:

I have a suspicion that he figured I'd be throwing 3 JBL E120s in there, but that's not happening. I'm quite a bit less interested in 200w ceramic paint peelers than I was as a younger man and my speaker choices will be, on the whole, more mundane.
Will these clamps be suitable for more common, garden variety, non-JBL 12-inchers? For reference, I have (2) Jensen Tornado 12s that are likely be the first inhabitants (and I'll possibly just pick up a third one).
BUT most importantly, does anyone have any procedural advice, tips, tricks, cautionary tales, do's and/or don'ts before I begin drilling holes for these clamps? How did you do it...or how would you? It would be great if I didn't have to learn any destructive lessons by screwing up this nice virgin baffle... *grin*
I look forward to whatever advice springs to your mind regarding the process of installing mounts/mounting speakers...
...long-time lurker, first-time poster...

A while back, a very good (non-musician, non-head) friend of mine found himself spending a season at his sister's place -- and thus a lot of time at his brother-in-law's stocked woodworking playground -- and presented me with the culmination of his playtime, a Jerry style 3x12. He'd heard me fantasizing about such a thing and he needed something to justify playing with the fun tools and in the end he pretty much aced it -- 13-ply baltic birch, fancy dark trim on the front, rare-earth magnets on the corner blocks, etc -- all the more amazing because he did it based solely on the common photos of Jerry's and the several images at the HT website.



As amazing as it is, it is still only 98% complete and my friend is adventuring elsewhere for the foreseeable future. I'm of above average intelligence and moderately handy -- but only in the most general of ways (i.e I can operate tools, I can solder, etc, but I have no real experience with building nice furniture, much less fine guitar cabinets)...so, if at all possible, I'm really going to need some advice from you all so that I don't ruin it in the home stretch...y'know, because y'all are the single best collected resource for Dead-based equipment bad-assery in the whole, entire webiverse!
What remains to be done...
a) install the speaker clamps <--------where I am now
b) install speaker jack(s)/wiring
c) install speakers
d) (maybe) install handle(s)
e) (maybe) install fancy grill cloth
But, for now, I'm just working up to "a" ...
My buddy sourced the correct number of these clamps and fasteners:

I have a suspicion that he figured I'd be throwing 3 JBL E120s in there, but that's not happening. I'm quite a bit less interested in 200w ceramic paint peelers than I was as a younger man and my speaker choices will be, on the whole, more mundane.
Will these clamps be suitable for more common, garden variety, non-JBL 12-inchers? For reference, I have (2) Jensen Tornado 12s that are likely be the first inhabitants (and I'll possibly just pick up a third one).
BUT most importantly, does anyone have any procedural advice, tips, tricks, cautionary tales, do's and/or don'ts before I begin drilling holes for these clamps? How did you do it...or how would you? It would be great if I didn't have to learn any destructive lessons by screwing up this nice virgin baffle... *grin*
I look forward to whatever advice springs to your mind regarding the process of installing mounts/mounting speakers...