DIY Makita 12V Workshop Speaker

Makita 12V Workshop Speaker

I often have music or podcasts playing while I work in my shop. Originally I ordered a small Bluetooth speaker on Amazon but the first one I received arrived broken crackling every few minutes. After returning that, which was already one of the better reviewed models on Amazon I started to wonder if I could make something myself. This lead me to discover there are mini 50W bluetooth amps for which I could add to my own speakers.

Now you could just use the included power supply and hook up a couple of speakers and you’d be all set. My shop is severely short on outlets though so I try and keep things battery powered when possible. Looking at the power supply I noticed its output matched the Makita 12V batteries I already had in the shop. After some more research I found an adapter to get DC output from the batteries and hooked that up with a barrel connector.

With the bluetooth amp all setup and running on Makita batteries I ordered a couple of basic speakers and built a plywood box. I also opted to add a French cleat to the back of the box so I can hang the speaker on my tool wall. To add the volume control to the front I drilled a hole then used double sided tape to mount the bluetooth amp directly behind it. I then glued on a block of wood and a wooden disc to the volume control.

Overall this project turned out a lot better than I expected. The sound quality isn’t anything special (you could definitely find better speakers) but it’s plenty loud and the battery seems to last a long time.

Materials

I used ¾" plywood as that's what I had on hand in the shop, but you could use anything you'd like to build the box. Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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