MDF thickness for sub box

[craig20102010]

Going to make two new sub boxes (one for each sub) i did use half inch thick wood for the full box last time and it was very heavy.

What i was wondering this time was just using the half inch thick MDF for the front of the box where the Sub is fastened to and then makin the rest of the sealed box outa a thinner MDF. Will this effect the Sound quality much if at all?

 

[Dink]

1/2 inch = 13mm

i wouldnt go any lower than 18mm IMHO

any lower than 12 and it will flex loads

 

[craig20102010]

for all round or just for the front? ive only got 10" subs and there not exactly big dirty and super powerful heavy things

JBL 1200 10" 250RMS

i need to make the install ligher its lifting the front end up to much and makin the steering to light.

 

[Levo]

After recieving advice before making mine I built it from 18mm thick mdf (was told that should be minimum)- it does weigh a friggin tonne though.

 

[craig20102010]

thats a bit crap tho because its well to heavy for what i wnt its like lifting the front end of the car up lol ive got a false floor made outa two piece of MDF which is only 5mm Thick then ive got my sub box which is rather large made outa half inch thick MDF and that weighs tonnes. when i have all them in at the same time it makes the front end light meaning less control on Steering.

ive only got a small 1.2 engine so there aint much weight to compromise against anyway. Even tho wood shudnt lift the front end up that much but i can deffo tell the difference

still if anyone knows about the above question maybe makin the front of the sub box outa 18mm thick MDF wood then the rest of the box outa a thinner MDF wood wud u b able to tell from aving just 18mm all round?

 

[Dink]

fibreglass?

never used it myself but it might be an option, id imagine it would be lighter than mdf

 

[craig20102010]

ive thought about using fibre glass but then again it costs a fortune and sopossed to be pretty hard to work with. its mainly the cost that would be the killer but its deffernetly becomin an option

i just dont know how much it is.

 

[Dink]

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/cfs fibreglass supplies

 

[craig20102010]

nice one Mate thats pretty cheap that website like. ithink ill ave to look into a bit more and that to see how much im going to need

and what Type of grade im goin to have to use any surjestions since theres loads on this website? and how many layers to use i was thinkin about 3 layers but i dunno what thickness to use?

[Edited by craig20102010 on 16 March 2005 at 9:55pm]

 

[BRUN]

as above.........dont use thin stuff

 

[Rorrie]

ok, to build a strong fg bos it will be heavy, dont l;et that sway you!

if its a 10" sub with a fair amount of power you are goint to need 18mm, for and 8" sub with say 100rms 12mm will do.

I did make the mistake with my first box about wood strenght, if you dont belive me, build 2 boxes, one with12mm and one sith 18mm, i will say the 18mm will sound better (as long as there is a decent amount of power running throught it)

 

[craig20102010]

yeh ill just ave to give it a go. Gonna ave a go with fibre glass as well im fairly confident with it

 

[Bryan]

if you want to save weight use marine grade ply, 13mm or moreg

 

[craig20102010]

cant use that for a Box it will flex way to much i cud prob use it for the bottom but now that ive created the false floor i cant be arsed makin another one.

 

[Bryan]

trust me, marine grade ply is excellent for making sub boxes, its much harder than you would ever think

 

[Rorrie]

^^ agreed, but ive only ever used 18mm.

Its much nice to work with, doesnt blunten you saw balde so fast, not nearly as much dust, and i think it gives a nicer ring to the box.



then again, bits more than 4 or 5 times than mdf in price!

 

[Bryan]

yep, the price is the only issue, but all worth it in the fight for the perfect sound