Building your Bluetooth speaker gives you the scope to customize and modify it based on your needs, as well as the joy and satisfaction of creating something with your own two hands. Sure, it's easier to go to any store and buy one, but there's no fun in that.
If you like getting your hands dirty, it's time to get creative and make your own unique Bluetooth speaker that you can use to play your favorite tunes and impress your friends. You might be wondering where to start. Well, you need to have all the components first.
What You Need
You will need the following components to make your custom Bluetooth speaker:
- Two small speakers
- Bluetooth amplifier board
- Battery charging system
- One or two rechargeable 18650 batteries
- 3D printer and filament (you could use wood instead, however)
- Assembly tools (wires, screws, a screwdriver, superglue, and soldering iron)
Step 1: Prepare Your Speaker Box
You can prepare the box of your speaker in different ways; the most common is to use wood or other materials. For this project, we will use 3D printing, however, which eliminates the need for taking precision measurements.
Because we will use the 2-inch JINGERL full-range speaker, we can quickly get a compatible 3D-printable box from various websites for free 3D printing files. In this project, we will use the Retro Bluetooth Speaker enclosure created by Mediamilan; download the files from Thingiverse. If you can't find a case that's compatible with your speakers, you can create your own in 3D modeling software.
Step 2: Download and Prepare the Files for 3D Printing
Once you have chosen the best speaker box to use, or if you have designed one in a CAD software, it’s time now to prepare it for 3D printing. To do this, you must use a 3D printer slicer like Cura to generate a G-code file that the 3D printer can understand.
Ensure that you slice all four parts: the battery holder, speaker backdoor, speaker case, and speaker trim. When you finish slicing, save your G-code and send it to the printer.
Step 3: 3D Printing the Bluetooth Speaker Box
To start 3D printing, you need to prepare your 3D printer by leveling the 3D printer bed and setting up the bed offset. Some 3D printers only require you to select automatic bed leveling on the screen, and it will start leveling the bed on its own (as shown below) so you don't need to do it manually.
There are other basic but important settings that you can use, like the Z-offset and preheating the filament. To set the Z-offset, go to Menu > Leveling and select Z-offset. Adjust the height until you find the correct setting for your machine. Next, choose Preheat PLA (the material we will use).
If you are using ABS, you can select Preheat ABS instead. You can find more settings in Menu > Prepare. Finally, go to Print from SD Card from the menu options, select your model, and start 3D printing.
The settings will vary depending on the printer, so yours might not look exactly the same as our example. When you finish 3D printing, you should have the parts shown below.
When 3D printing battery holders, remember to rotate the object on the slicer so that the two corners face upwards. If you choose to print when they are facing down, you must play around with the settings until you achieve the perfect one; otherwise, it will be ruined, as shown below.
If you orient it at the proper angle, you don't need to apply special settings as the printer will handle it easily, as shown below.
Step 4: Finishing and Painting 3D Prints
Once you finish 3D printing, you can start by removing any excess material and ensuring the edges are smooth. If you have some sandpaper, you can use it to smooth the print and remove any imperfections on the surface.
Next, you can paint it based on how you want it to appear. In our case, we will paint the outer front part blue. To start painting, apply a primer on the print to provide a better surface for the paint to adhere to. Once the primer is dry, it’s time to apply your paint.
You can use either acrylic or spray-on paint, depending on your preference. Be sure to apply thin coats of paint to avoid runs and streaks. After painting, you need to apply the glue around it, as shown below.
The glue is helpful in ensuring that the front trim attaches to the Bluetooth speaker box easily.
Step 5: Connect Amplifier to Speakers
Get an audio amplifier board—for example, the mini amplifier board 3.7V 5V—that is meant for DIY speakers. As shown above, take four wires and connect them to the amplifier. Ensure that you secure them appropriately. That is, the positive wire should go to the positive terminal on the amplifier. Next, attach those wires to the two speakers, as shown below.
This is a crucial step as it will be the foundation for your speaker.
Step 6: Connect Battery to Charging System
The charging system we will use is a power bank charger PCB board, available on eBay, as it's cheaper. If also you have a power bank that you no longer use and its charging system is working well, you can dismantle it and remove the charging system to use for your Bluetooth speaker.
To connect the battery, first, attach two wires to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, as shown below.
Next, connect the two wires to the charging system, each to its respective terminal, as shown below.
Then, take four screws and use them to attach the battery holders to the speaker trim.
After that, take the battery and place it in the holder, as shown below.
The battery holder accommodates two batteries, so you could add a second one. Ensure you secure all the sides with screws and ensure they hold firmly.
Step 7: Connect Amplifier to Charging System
We shall use wires and soldering iron to make the connections. You can also use a solder flux to clean the part and ensure strong bonding between the wires and the surface. Once you have applied the appropriate amount of flux, heat up your soldering iron and then start using it to solder the connections.
Once the solder melts and is in place, remove the iron and allow the solder to cool. Finally, inspect the solder joint to make sure it is secure. You should see a blue signal on the amplifier when everything is good.
Step 8: Put All Components Into Box
Insert the two speakers into the speaker box and use the superglue to secure them, as shown below.
Even if the speakers fit on the casing well, it’s important to use superglue to stick them together to ensure that they don't move around or vibrate too much, which could affect the sound quality of your system. Insert the charging system, batteries, and amplifier into the speaker casing, as shown below.
As you do so, be careful not to disconnect any wires. Once you have put everything in place, you should be ready to enjoy a functioning Bluetooth speaker.
Step 9: Pair and Test Your Speaker
When you turn on the speaker using the switch button on the amplifier and see the blue signal, it will automatically be in Bluetooth mode. You can then use your phone or laptop to pair with it.
To start pairing, turn on Bluetooth on your phone or laptop; you should see the name of the speaker appear. Once you've paired with it, try playing some music to check it's all working correctly.
Enjoy a Working DIY Bluetooth Speaker
Making your own Bluetooth speaker is a great way to save money and have fun. You can also create something unique; the only limitation is your imagination. The good thing is that most of the components we have listed for building this speaker are available at a low price.
If you don’t have access to a 3D printer, you can create the enclosure of your speaker using wood. Just make sure that you take accurate measurements so that everything fits correctly.