fibre glass molded bass cabinet fabrcation

[kevin.s]

i have decided to make my oun molded cab that fits perfectly into my boot so i decided to share with you all my progress so far. when im finished i might do a guide for it here goes
heres all the bits before i started (alto i had to run out and get more resin as this dose not go far at all but i did have more matting than shown in the pic

heres the boot before

now for some masking

to stop the resin sticking to the masking start from the bottom and work your way up then wax it a few times after

now to lay out and cut to size

and heres the messy bit

after about 5 layers of fibre glass

whlst thats drying i started on the mdf sub ring

heres the sub im using

cut out the middle first as it makes it easyer to handle

then the rest

when this had dryed i put some tined fibre glass into it to give it a bit of bulk soon to be followed by some sound deadning pads

ill post more when i get chance to do a bit more to it

 

[Chris_Cliomk1]

looks good fella, quality idea, not sure how it will sound though tbh. hope its a gudden

 

[cat171]

I take it that you measured it all out ??

 

[jack_davey]

good work, although from where you have chosen to put your box, I cant see the fibreglass giving you any advantage over a regular mdf sub box

 

[JON13S]

got someone working on something like this with me but were stuck on what to use.. fibreglass or maybe c/f if i can get my hands on some. should be lighter than mdf........ also try lining the box with dynamat for a better sound to stop vibration

 

[kevin.s]

I take it that you measured it all out ??

pretty much yeah all the measuments it needs are in the booklet with the sub so as long as i keep to these roughly then it shoulnt sound too bad. i dont really have it up that loud any way i just like a nice crispy, punchy sound to my music that you dont get with standard speakers. im just trying to decide weather to make it a ported or sealed box wich do you lot think is best ported is good for deep bass but sealed is good for punchy kicking bass thing is that the types of music im into have both of these so im abit unsure of what to go for

 

[kevin.s]

got someone working on something like this with me but were stuck on what to use.. fibreglass or maybe c/f if i can get my hands on some. should be lighter than mdf........ also try lining the box with dynamat for a better sound to stop vibration

yeah im using some sound deadning that im getting from work to help absorb the vibrations. they shoulnt vibrate that much anyway as its going to be mounted right up in the corner of the boot so it will be held rigid by the seats, rear strut, floor and the big useless bar that goes along the back of the boot as the box fix very snug over it.

 

[JON13S]

go for sealed with the dynamat and you cant go wrong. if you have ports punchy bass will be naff but if you dont it will still deal with the other stuff ok. trial and error experience in my saxo a few years ago as im into a bit of all music aswell.

 

[agithegreat]

Did exactly the same myself. I only did 3 layers to start off with. But the bass wasn't quit heavy enough. It went more puff than thud. So i bulked it up... I did an extra 4 layers making 7, and resined 2 bricks onto the MDF base of mine. Then coated the entire inside with silicone, the put loads of loft insulation in. Cheap, fireproof and nearly as good as sound deadening. Works class now my friend. Definatly a good choice of style to make it yourself. Plus you can get wasted on the resin fumes while you're at it. Love that smell. Damb druggy!

Good work buddy

 

[kevin.s]

lol my missis has been goin mad at me for the smell, said she can smell it in the house and everything, lol non of my mates can smell it but as we are all body repairers we are immune to the stuff

 

[kevin.s]

heres a few nore pics of the progress so far. not much left to do on it now.

ring mounted in place

check it fits

sound deadning in

terminals

glued to seal them in

wired

now for the good part

now for the resin

seal up the edges on the inside with a bit of glue

and flat it ready for its filler

flatted

also needs a bit more sound deadning on the new bits too so il have to get some more of that as well

 

[Sean.]

you really need to coat the inside edges with firbe glass, that glue will not seal it for long! May aswell do it now rather than later.

 

[Renshaw]

looks alright. didnt think the material was pulled taught enough but you look to have gotten away with it. what material did you use? and how much resin have you used so far???

 

[kevin.s]

altogether i must have used about 4 ot 5 500 ml tins of resin but that includes the back molding as well
ive done abit more to it tonight heres the pics
more sound deadning for the front bit

and ive done the filler work (well ive put it on anyway)

i will be putting some fibre glass into the edges of the inside like you said sean but ive got non left so ill havto get to halfrauds after work tomorrow

 

[Renshaw]

did you use fibreglass matting or the fibreglass tissue stuff? whats the difference? are they both just as strong as each other?

Renshaw

 

[Sean.]

its worse spending that extra tenner to coat the inside. chances are with that sealant it will just blow it out, had it done with mine ages ago.

looks good though. how you going to finish it?

leather or spray?

 

[Chris_Cliomk1]

Dont look too bad tbh now. I think its a quality idea but im still not convinced itll sound as good as a normal mdf box would. Good work though

 

[Mark One]

I wouldnt have thought that the MDF baffle ring would be enough, but certinally looks good

 

[Renshaw]

im halfway through building my new fibreglass speaker pods. i've learnt so much doing it already and you get such a great sense of accomplishment when it sets!! i love it but i aint 'alf itchy!!!

anymore pics on your progress?

Renshaw

 

[Laura]

im halfway through building my new fibreglass speaker pods. i've learnt so much doing it already and you get such a great sense of accomplishment when it sets!! i love it but i aint 'alf itchy!!!

anymore pics on your progress?

Renshaw

with my wonderful guide lol

 

[Tigger]

Good progress there, fair play to doing it yourself too

Might take a notion of doing some fibreglass work in summer

 

[Renshaw]

im halfway through building my new fibreglass speaker pods. i've learnt so much doing it already and you get such a great sense of accomplishment when it sets!! i love it but i aint 'alf itchy!!!

anymore pics on your progress?

Renshaw

with my wonderful guide lol

exactly laura!! haha

 

[kevin.s]

few more pics now ive coated the inside edges with fibre glass like recommended (used a whole tin to make sure) and flatted the filler ready for primmer and clear over base( im spraying it the same colour as the 172)

just fitted the sub to see what it looks like and to get the possision of it as i what it to be on a slight angle to tie in with the angle of the box (if that makes any sense)
ive decided that i am also going to shultz the inside as this has a rubbery dence texture to it so it will help with the accustics and ive also got the speaker wadding to go in with will soften the impact on the iside of the box when the sub is pumping away

 

[kevin.s]

not long coated the inside, back and inner side with the shultz stuff and i think that will do the trick. well soon see any way, hopfully havce it in high build primmer by tomorrow then it will be ready for painting

 

[kevin.s]

more pics

 

[kic]

looking great mate, what colour you doing it?

 

[kevin.s]

its gonna be the same colour as my172 not sure of the name but the paint code is 676. hopfully its gonna be painted tomorrow fingers crossed
heres a pic of it inthe car and how it fits

 

[kic]

good fit????

 

[kevin.s]

got it painted today and i must say its looking good heres some more pics

ill get the sub in there tomorrow and hopfully get it wired up and pumpin away. think im gonna get a rockford fosgate grafix sticker made up in brushed alloy effect and put it on the side to go with the rest of the car.

 

[jc783]

Wow, thats brilliant! I think I might give something like that a go, although I doubt it'll turn out as good as that! How does it sound? Is it in yet?

 

[john182rs]

After looking at this whole thread i think i too will be having ago at this.
Im after the sub going next to the side as i have removed the rear seats comptly so its smooth all the way thro with mdf board on the bottom coverd in carpet an would like it moulded to the side just abit back from the rear cup holders.

 

[Sean.]

good job mate, get rid of the 6x9's on the shelf though. will be doing you no favours on SQ or anything for that matter.

all the time n effort youve put into the box for the sub will be undone by having 6x9's on the shelf.

whats next then?

 

[kevin.s]

heres the finished article its in and it sound beautiful lol dead proud of meself as this was the first time ive used fibre glass matting. heres the pics any way and ill do a guide for it when i get the chance

what do you all think?

 

[Sean.]

looks good mate, now go that extra mile and mount the amp nicely too. make a false floor for it or mount it so its flush. dont skimp now the hard bit is done.

glad its sounds ok though. knew that extra fibreglass would be worth it!

 

[kevin.s]

there is a false floor in there already. i did it before the box as it wouldnt sit properly if i did it after as the box fit is nice and tight. nothing like a nice tight box

 

[JayJayMK1]

Looks tidy as fook mate i tried building a fibreglass install and now i have a wooden one so mine didnt quite work lol but wkd job n its not easily done!!

 

[Chris_Cliomk1]

Fair play to u mate that looks mint, the decals really finish it off nicely an make it look pro. Thats quality work. U got ur own spray booth??? or was it not u spraying it?

Good effort.

 

[kevin.s]

^^ na thats the painter at work hes a bit of a loon

 

[kevinhall]

Cracking job, looks really good

 

[kevin.s]

thanks
it sounds really good too, i mean i knew it would sound ok but i can really tell the difference from my old sub and every one who has heard the old one and then the new one has also said how much clearer and punchy`er it is compaired to the last one so thanks for the advice on weather to go sealed or ported i think i made the right choice by following your advice. yet again clio sport to the rescue.