Fiberglass sub enclosures with Amp rack

I am starting my own thread. VPKB seemed to be irritated at me posting my follow along and selling my enclosures a lot cheaper than he would even imagine. He was great in offering advice, giving last minute tips, and documenting the stages. Hats off to him!:) I started feeling like a thread jumper with no intention too, I was just comparing/contrasting and started getting offers to buy the 2 leftovers. I wanted to post some pics of my process progress to show what I have so far. A sort of collage before I start posting dimensions and enteraining offers. Thanks for everyones support. This is my first box

This is my second one. I would have had it done this weekend but I missed the fed ex guy Thurs-and Friday so I didnt get my 10" Audiobahn to trial fit with. So I've been concentrating all efforts to the one I intend to keep( Next post). This one is the smallest. I knew I could ave used a lot smaller amp space but I took into acount that most people that have run 10's or 12's in the past usually have bigger Amps laying around and could use t. Besides, you can section it off to hold something usefull.

Last one
This is the one custom made to cater to my own needs. Its made for my infinity 850 subs and a bazooka EL1300 AMP. I finally got the subs yesterday and they are stout. They Made my traditional hollywood subs feel inferior.

hey, im not in anyway irritated at anyones posting, i didn't want the thread to become a "buy/sell"

i wasn't trying to sell anything either, but if someone really wants me to build a similiar box, i was willing to do so, at my price of course (just my hobby)

anyway, i don't really care if you want to build and sell these or at whatever price..thats your business

have fun building and good luck

VPKB,
How do you get your edges so smooth around your speaker circles. Im starting my bondo on the one I am keeping and just want to make it nice and smooth before paint. My wife kept rolling her eyes at my project because the matchbox fleece.......until she found out I was going to paint it. Now she is relieved. Ill post pictures of the first sand and possibly get the 10" fiberglassing done today pending the time fedex gets here. More pics soon.. Maybe irritated wa sa poor choice of words, btu I did feel guilty for some reason. I still tahnk you for the encouragement.

VPKB,
How do you get your edges so smooth around your speaker circles. Im starting my bondo on the one I am keeping and just want to make it nice and smooth before paint. My wife kept rolling her eyes at my project because the matchbox fleece.......until she found out I was going to paint it. Now she is relieved. Ill post pictures of the first sand and possibly get the 10" fiberglassing done today pending the time fedex gets here. More pics soon.. Maybe irritated wa sa poor choice of words, btu I did feel guilty for some reason. I still tahnk you for the encouragement.

you mean the rings, i used a router with a roundover bit
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000660ZFI.01-A16WXXJJ7WJVS0.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

btw - you're using mdf and not particle board right?

MAN I LOVE THIS STUFF! Thank you for sharing your projects and pushing what has been done to the next level. :D

you mean the rings, i used a router with a roundover bit
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000660ZFI.01-A16WXXJJ7WJVS0.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

btw - you're using mdf and not particle board right?

I was thinking of using the rouer but it just seemed like a lot of room for error because its not flat around the cutout. The box is a mixture. Most of it is particle board,but the rings I made of MDF. WHy would it seem obvious to use MDF? Im in the dark about the pro's of using only MDF. Let me know:)

Nice work indeed

I was thinking of using the rouer but it just seemed like a lot of room for error because its not flat around the cutout. The box is a mixture. Most of it is particle board,but the rings I made of MDF. WHy would it seem obvious to use MDF? Im in the dark about the pro's of using only MDF. Let me know:)

mdf is dense and strong, particle board is very porous and weak, the box will be more likely to flex if not braced properly

i suppose it's ok in lower power application

Interestingly enough particle board is still used on some commercial speakers, but usually just for small sections.

Particle board doesn't cut cleanly, it flakes more, doesn't hold screws as well, and is not as stiff as MDF. MDF machines (e.g. router) very nicely and holds glue well.

Thats interesting! I always wondered why those companies never used MDF. I do have my speaker rings made of MDF and it will be pretty easy to trim them with the router bit mentioned. Particle board does have a dense, dead, Impenetrable feel to it that seems like it would still seem superior in many ways. I painted some of my box with that hammerlook rustoleum just for a test. Looked bad, Ill try some thing else. :) Final sand coming up tomorrow before paint begins. I think Ill go with a charcoal color with light gray and Black accents in the writing. My Idea may be a bit Ricer, but hopefully I can keep it subtle. More pics tomorrow!

maybe this can be your next box

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/5604/000_0264.jpg

Thats interesting! I always wondered why those companies never used MDF. I do have my speaker rings made of MDF and it will be pretty easy to trim them with the router bit mentioned. Particle board does have a dense, dead, Impenetrable feel to it that seems like it would still seem superior in many ways. I painted some of my box with that hammerlook rustoleum just for a test. Looked bad, Ill try some thing else. :) Final sand coming up tomorrow before paint begins. I think Ill go with a charcoal color with light gray and Black accents in the writing. My Idea may be a bit Ricer, but hopefully I can keep it subtle. More pics tomorrow!

The ONLY advantage particle board has over MDF is that it is cheaper. That is the only reason (my opinion) that a commercial speaker manufacturer would use it over MDF. MDF is more dense than particle board. The fibers are smaller than the "particles" in PB, which means less air space, better contact with the glue, etc. PB can end up more expensive in some uses because it requires additional treatment (like edge banding/veneer) to cover the rough edges left from cutting.

maybe this can be your next box

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/5604/000_0264.jpg


Bald chicks don't really do it for me..

oh, not to mention the red skin. ;)

Wow that is the most sexually haunting thing I have ever seen. I dont know if its the boob speakers, the hoooker in the trunk, or the picture I get in my head of the guy driving it that scares me the most. :) Anyway, I was in the garage for three hours tonight and got the final primer coat on. Painting starts tomorrow. Wouldnt you know it, I go to pick out paint and it looks a lot like VPKB's black texture just on smaller scale(maybe it will hide small flaws).

I can taste it now. Soooooo close to being finished.The color came out a lot lighter than the cap displayed so I am even happier and dont look like the big copycat now :) The speakers fit great and all I have to do is screw the amp down and polish it. Im sure Il jave to buy another can of paint to get rid of the vertical stripe effect going on.

did you fiberglass the inside at all? no just resin, but fiberglassing it

Uhhhhh. No :) Just resin on the inside. I used the short strand glass on teh back but other than thatI did a trial run today and did find two leaks but other than that it was really ridgid and thumped good. So how did you fiber glass yours? After the fleece was set up, or did you do the inside and work your way out. I must have missed that in your write ups or possibly I just got too into the pictures :) I am really happy with this but maybe I was lucky to get such good results. Mybe you can walk me through the inside glassing procedure.

oh man, you need to glass the inside

what you do is lay the fiberglass and resin over it, making sure the glass is soaked

my box only has one coat of resin on the outside, that was just to soak the fleece and get the shape

if you dont wan't to use fiberglass, get some thixotropic powder and mix with the resin

the powder will act as a thickener and also gives strenght

Ahh, I looked it up. I used to use cabosil in the inks when I was a screen printer so I am familiar with it. That stuff gets in your lungs really bad if you dont have an exhaust sucking it out constantly. I can probably get some free if I find the right buddy at my old job. :) Now, howdo you get the fiberglass all through the inside through a 7" hole? Stupid question but Im sure there is a technique thats fairly controllable and better than going blindly into it. Thanks,

i use fiberglass cloth, cut into small pieces, and resin it onto the more flatter surface

for the hard to reach areas, i use resin and t.powder mix, a more runnier consistency. pour this mix into the enclosure, and swirl the mixture around, making sure the fleece is well soaked, i would let the first application set a little, than do a couple more coats

I put my first application of cloth down inside the weaker box. It was a bit fimsy but not to bad. The one I am keeping is plenty strong so I didnt actually glass it Now the 10 single ..... :( That started being a pain so I am giving up midprject. It wasnt sqare enough and the speaker was kinda oddly place so if anyone wants to pick up a free half enclosure they are welcome. No shipping though. Its the network friends or in the trash :)

:-) trial and error

Got a few pics of the final test fit. Fit like a glove and I am sooooo happy with the way it turned out. I am thinking of using the SEM paint I used for the radio bezel to paint it the right charcoal color. This paint has the perfect amount of texture but it seems too light, not ugly, just a bit too light.Gotta run the wiring for eveything in the next few weekends before the cold sets in. The last pic is the other enclosure I am currently also finishing. VPKB, you would be proud, this one is glassed and hard as a rock. :)

very nice box

imnfni 100 post club Huh?

Sweet from start to finish

All day tomorrow is devoted to my install. Tomorrow will be when my navigation unit gets finished, my backup camera gets installed, and my subs finally get to come alive. TMAC gave me the OKAY to get my lettering done so Jaws might be dropping soon if it comes out OK. Wish me luck. Im going to try to take pics of all the installs Ive completed for a new thread. Reading other threads got me thinking about some dynamat since I will have the seats out. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm........

Your Ridge is looking good; any additional mods planned?

That is so sweet..... Do you wanna make me one? single sub though an old kicker Solo-Baric 10" is what I am gonna use I think. since I already have it but man you did a great job... Seriously though if you wanna make one for me let me know a price. Give me a price on the single sub and dual sub set up.

:D :cool:

Thanks for the compliment. I don't plan on making anymore. Im just going to sell the ones I already have built though. Problem is for you though that the 2 sub enclosure s 8" and the single is a 10" but round. Im painting the box right now and taking some pics of the stenciling. Ill post updates later on in the day.

I thought the space under the seats was for carrying long guns - with speakers there, where do you carry your long guns? :)

I thought the space under the seats was for carrying long guns - with speakers there, where do you carry your long guns? :)

Thats what the trunk is for