Post by adam728 on Sept 25, 2006 7:12:20 GMT -5
Doesn't really fit an off-road forum, but some people out there like a little extra bass, so I'll post it up.
So to start with, you need a plan.
The math comes out to 0.233 cubic feet of airspace before sub displacement. My sub displaces 0.03 ft^3 and is recommended for a 0.20 ft^3 box stuffed with polyfill. I got lucky there, didn't I? The sub I am using is a Dayton Quatro 8 from www.partsexpress.com . Very good little sub for the money. It outperforms my old JL Audio 8W-0 for about 40% less $$$$.
After that I started gathering materials.
I used a 2'x2' piece of 5/8" particle board from Lowe's because it was cheap and is plenty strong enough for a low powered 8 in a box with no large flat surfaces. That one sheet wasn't quite enough, but I had some scraps laying around.
Here are some prices, some are estimates because I had it laying around
5/8" by 2'x2' particle board - $3.57
Wood glue - $2.57 (and a bottle will make probably 20 of these boxes)
1-1/4" drywall screws - ~$3 (or clamps, or brad nails)
1 qt fiberglass resin - $12.96 (I should have went to Walmart, it was about $10)
1 package fiberglass cloth - $4.68 (should be enough for 2 boxes)
1 can truck bedliner spray - $6.96
Card board - come on, you can find free card board!
Masking tape - I have no clue what this stuff costs, I have like 10 rolls here, they keep multiplying.
Of course you'll need other stuff like a measuring tape, a jigsaw or tablesaw or circular saw. I used a jigsaw and then made my angles with a wood rasp (I really need to get some better tools....).
Anyway, more pics, since you all are getting bored by now.
So the cutting began. For those of you who never made a box before, here's how you cut out the circle for the sub. Drill a hole, and start from there. I made my cutout 8.5" in diameter because I was later making a ring to flush mount the sub.
I started putting things together. This took a long time because of my crappy equpiment. The guide on the jigsaw has been broken and welded, so it doesn't cut a perfectly verticle line, it puts a little angle on everything. So I had to use the rasp and a sanding block to get all the edges to fit properly. One day I'll stop being a cheap-ass and buy a new saw.
Now, on the last version I built I rushed the fiberglass work and it sagged inwards and too up valuable mounting depth, I couldn't flush mount. So this time I put a little Press-and-seal on the sub and installed it, so even if the cardboard does sag it can't take up the subs space. My other problem last time was using corregated cardboard. It's so thick once glassed that I might as well used wood and saved time.
Now for a final quick test fit....
A note on that top picture. See where the factory sub cutout is located? That's what makes this project a pain in the ass. If one wanted to move the sub to the upper right corner of the console you would gain at least 1.5" of mounting depth. Of course it would require new holes to be cut in the console, but it is an option.
Then some glass starts going down
I started sanding, then remembered how much sanding fiberglass sucks. Thought about going and getting some body filler so I could smooth it all out nice and perfect, then said "screw that, it's all going to be hidden anyway".
Bedlined and polyfilled.
In the Jeep
A little bit of usable space.
It sounds pretty good, worlds better than stock. I still want something more when cruising 70 mph down the freeway, even when I have the top on road noise pretty much drowns it out.
So to start with, you need a plan.
The math comes out to 0.233 cubic feet of airspace before sub displacement. My sub displaces 0.03 ft^3 and is recommended for a 0.20 ft^3 box stuffed with polyfill. I got lucky there, didn't I? The sub I am using is a Dayton Quatro 8 from www.partsexpress.com . Very good little sub for the money. It outperforms my old JL Audio 8W-0 for about 40% less $$$$.
After that I started gathering materials.
I used a 2'x2' piece of 5/8" particle board from Lowe's because it was cheap and is plenty strong enough for a low powered 8 in a box with no large flat surfaces. That one sheet wasn't quite enough, but I had some scraps laying around.
Here are some prices, some are estimates because I had it laying around
5/8" by 2'x2' particle board - $3.57
Wood glue - $2.57 (and a bottle will make probably 20 of these boxes)
1-1/4" drywall screws - ~$3 (or clamps, or brad nails)
1 qt fiberglass resin - $12.96 (I should have went to Walmart, it was about $10)
1 package fiberglass cloth - $4.68 (should be enough for 2 boxes)
1 can truck bedliner spray - $6.96
Card board - come on, you can find free card board!
Masking tape - I have no clue what this stuff costs, I have like 10 rolls here, they keep multiplying.
Of course you'll need other stuff like a measuring tape, a jigsaw or tablesaw or circular saw. I used a jigsaw and then made my angles with a wood rasp (I really need to get some better tools....).
Anyway, more pics, since you all are getting bored by now.
So the cutting began. For those of you who never made a box before, here's how you cut out the circle for the sub. Drill a hole, and start from there. I made my cutout 8.5" in diameter because I was later making a ring to flush mount the sub.
I started putting things together. This took a long time because of my crappy equpiment. The guide on the jigsaw has been broken and welded, so it doesn't cut a perfectly verticle line, it puts a little angle on everything. So I had to use the rasp and a sanding block to get all the edges to fit properly. One day I'll stop being a cheap-ass and buy a new saw.
Now, on the last version I built I rushed the fiberglass work and it sagged inwards and too up valuable mounting depth, I couldn't flush mount. So this time I put a little Press-and-seal on the sub and installed it, so even if the cardboard does sag it can't take up the subs space. My other problem last time was using corregated cardboard. It's so thick once glassed that I might as well used wood and saved time.
Now for a final quick test fit....
A note on that top picture. See where the factory sub cutout is located? That's what makes this project a pain in the ass. If one wanted to move the sub to the upper right corner of the console you would gain at least 1.5" of mounting depth. Of course it would require new holes to be cut in the console, but it is an option.
Then some glass starts going down
I started sanding, then remembered how much sanding fiberglass sucks. Thought about going and getting some body filler so I could smooth it all out nice and perfect, then said "screw that, it's all going to be hidden anyway".
Bedlined and polyfilled.
In the Jeep
A little bit of usable space.
It sounds pretty good, worlds better than stock. I still want something more when cruising 70 mph down the freeway, even when I have the top on road noise pretty much drowns it out.