Nautilus speaker

B&W Nautilus Speakers

I will appreciate any support. Thank you.

Video guides from the build can be found on my Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jan.bachnak?igsh=M2pnd3N5cjhjZDM4&utm_source=qr
 

This is a clone of the well-known B&W speakers.

They are three-way loudspeakers.

I have loved music since childhood. I always wanted to build speakers that would sound beautiful and look amazing. After discovering 3D printing, the idea was clear — I had to make something no one had done before. And that’s how the Nautilus project began.

Modeling:

The model was created in Fusion 360. I wanted a more modern design compared to the original speakers, so the bass tube is cylindrical with a sharper edge, and there is a hole in the center of the spiral tube. Since I am a beginner in modeling, there were small inaccuracies which I later fixed with filler.

Printing:

All parts were printed on a Prusa MK3S+. The total printing time was around 153 days and the total filament used was about 84 kg for a pair of speakers. The material is PRUSAMENT PET-G Signal White.

Most parts were printed with 100% infill for sanding purposes. Only the bass section has 25% infill and 30 perimeters.

Bonding & Lamination:

I used a two-component Bison adhesive. It sands well and fills gaps between parts. The glued sections were reinforced with fiberglass. The biggest challenge was that the parts didn’t fit perfectly and required a lot of sanding and improvisation.

Filling:

I initially thought only the joints would need filling, but the surface wasn’t smooth enough. In the end, I applied filler over the entire speaker.

Spray Filler/Primer-Filler:

I used a two-component filler, applied in three layers. Total consumption was about 2 kg.

Sanding:

I sanded with 400, 800 and then 1200 grit wet sandpaper. This step took a long time because the surface had to be flawless.

Painting:

The color is a brown pearl metallic. Due to difficult access inside the curved tube, paint consumption was higher — approximately 0.6 L of paint and 0.6 L of clear coat in three layers.
 

Polishing & Waxing:

Paint imperfections were sanded, polished and finished with wax.
 

Assembly:

The speakers are mounted to a concrete base using six M16 bolts, 10 cm long.

The build is extremely demanding, so consider whether you have enough time, resources and experience. The sound is unique — unlike typical speakers.

I used the drivers I had available. If I had none, I would have chosen different ones:

1. Woofer: Rockford Fosgate PUNCH P1S2-12
2. Mid-bass: Hertz MP 165.3 PRO
3. Tweeter: Melodavid CB25Nd (planned upgrade)

• 12 × M14/M16 bolts (22 mm wrench) for mounting to the base.