Picture this: You’ve got an old elm tree, doomed by Dutch Elm Disease, and a plan to give it a second life—by turning it into a set of hi-fi speakers. Why? Because why not, right?
These unique tree speakers are crafted from thick +14″ sections of elm, which were once towering giants before they met their unfortunate end. The process starts with boring out the inside of the tree, leaving the front face as a seamless, thick, acoustically dead enclosure. This results in a speaker that looks as cool as it sounds. The natural wood reduces unwanted frequency amplification, meaning your music comes through crisp and clear.
The Elm Tree Project was born from the loss of this historic tree, a collaboration between Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. As part of this program, the author crafted these speakers, blending art and sound like never before.
How it’s Done (Without Losing a Limb)
Building tree speakers isn’t for the faint-hearted. You’ll need a chainsaw, a powerful drill, and maybe a prayer or two. The tricky part is hollowing out the thick elm round from the back. A chainsaw or auger bit does the job—just make sure to keep your hands and face away from the action.
Once the wood is hollowed out (which takes ages, by the way), you add holes for the tweeters, woofers, and ports. But it’s not all power tools; a bit of soldering for the crossovers and some foam for sound dampening round off the build.
The Beauty of the Beast
What makes these speakers stand out isn’t just the sound; it’s the story. The surface of the wood is adorned with patterns left by bark beetles, a bittersweet reminder of the tree’s life. No finish here—just raw, untouched beauty.
After a successful debut at an art exhibition, these speakers are now proudly sitting in the author’s living room. Their unique story and incredible sound make them a personal favorite.
Final Thoughts: Next time you have a tree on its last legs, think twice before it hits the firewood pile. With a little creativity, you could transform it into an epic piece of audio art. Who knew wood could rock so hard?
Source Info: https://www.instructables.com/Tree-Speakers/