49 replies to this topic

[carts60]

So i'v had a 12" JL sub in my boot for some time now, and it is quite simply not cutting the mustard. Sound quality isn't good enough because the boot rattles like its nobody's business even though it is soundproofed, and the sound just doesn't travel into the cabin even with no parcel shelf cover and with the factory 6" speakers removed to allow air movement.

I had toyed with the idea of making an underseat board for two 8" subs, but decided against the idea, because on the odd occasion that i do have rear passengers, they would just put their feet through the subs which would make the whole thing pointless.

I finally rested on the idea of subs in the rear bins. After trailling for HOURS over thr forum, i only managed to find Bungle's take on the idea - he has put a sub in the bin itself and has cut out the metal from the bin itself to mount the sub. I didn't want to do this though because the volume of the bin itself is not where near enough for a decent sub and the strength of the bin is more than likely not string enough to withstand being distorted with the bass.

My take on the idea was to make two MDF frames and to fiberglass over the top half. After searching the forum even more, i finally came across Brams96 who is in the process of doing something similar. He gave me some very helpful tips, ideas and photos which were extremely useful in finalising my ideas and cracking on with the job at hand.

After much deliberation and confusion searching for subwoofers which performed well, but had a shallow mounting depth (to keep intrusuin into the cabin to a minimum), i decided upon two Alpine's 10" Type S Sub - SWS-1023D. One for each bin, just to keep everything symmetrical.
http://www.crutchfie...-SWS-1023D.html

To power the 2 ohm 300 watt RMS subs, i chose the Vibe Slick A7 amplifier which gives out 600 watts RMS at 2 ohms - perfect power!!
http://caraudiosecur...ts_id/4966.html

I'm also going to soundproof the rear quarter panel with Anti-Vibe to stop vibrating panels and to boost sound performance.

All my bits and bobs came about 4 days ago:
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•  DSC_0015.jpg   157.49K   21 downloads
•  DSC_0016.jpg   155.78K   16 downloads
•  DSC_0019.jpg   193.72K   20 downloads

Edited by carts60, 27 February 2010 - 07:50 PM.

[carts60]

The next morning, me and a few of my housemates had a few hours before lectures started so i whipped out the passenger seat, rear panel card and the bin bottom and started to measure everything out.

I managed to cut out a few bits of MDF to start to make the box. It took me absolutely AGES to get the sizes right as trying to get your hands in the bins as well as actually seeing what measurement the tape measure was showing was what we call tricky in the business. What was worse, was that all my housemates wanted to help and get in the car at the same time - they're engineers so it's right up their street to get their hands dirty.

Here's what i managed to get done:
 DSC_0004.jpg   174.25K   38 downloads


My housemates wanted to get in on the act too:
 DSC_0005.jpg   228.92K   46 downloads

Attached Files

•  DSC_0009.jpg   187.7K   27 downloads
•  DSC_0010.jpg   199.34K   18 downloads
•  DSC_0011.jpg   247.68K   26 downloads

Edited by carts60, 27 February 2010 - 07:50 PM.

[carts60]

So everything was going pretty smoothly with the measuring nd what not, and i finished putting the enclosure which drops into the bin together

I put it all in the bin and it looked good, so i decided to knock up an MDF ring to mount the sub on and raise it with dowell rod:
 DSC_0023.jpg   194.15K   32 downloads

After screwing and glueing all the dowell into place and slotting it all into the bin, me and my mates realised the ring was placed way too low and the enclosure wouldn't work unless we moved it all around.
 DSC_0024.jpg   211.89K   35 downloads

I had to go to lectures, so we left it at that until Saturday morning.

Attached Files

•  DSC_0021.jpg   179.33K   18 downloads

Edited by carts60, 27 February 2010 - 07:48 PM.

[Danny_California]

Looking good, I like it.

[carts60]

In other news, the thread wont allow me to add any new pictures because i'v used up nearly all of the 9.6 something MB of the allocated amount. Any way in which i can get the other pictures up???

[Danny_California]

Photobucket.com.

[Bungle]

photobucket

[carts60]

This morning, we tackled the problem we encountered yesterday afternoon.

After about 15 minutes i managed to unscrew the dowell and wiggle off all the rods from the glue whilst keeping them in tact with the ring.

This time, we put the frame back into the car and worked out where the best place for the ring to be was. Immediately after this, i got the idea that it the box was all pretty much finished so all that was left to do was to cover it with fabric and fiberglass over the top. WRONG!!!

After stretching the fabric over the frame, i realised i had totally forgotten to make the frame air tight. This meant pulling out all the staples and shooting down to B&Q 5 minutes before it closed to get some silicone and a gun.

It took an absolute age to silicone all the joints of the box because the bottom of the frame was too tight to fit the gun into to squirt the silicone onto. It took me about twenty stages of putting silicone onto my index finger and applying it to the joint before i finished one joint alone. After doing the inside of the box, i thought it would probably be best to do the external joints too just for good measure/what my housemates were calling overkill. Better safe than sorry i say!

Finally i finished making the box air tight and started to re-lay the first layer of material to the box and staple it all down. That was definitely a two man job and i could not have done it without the help of my housemate Adam. He held down the material whilst i stapled, keeping creases to a minimum. The majority of the box was fine, but it was impossible to keep it all perfect - pictures to come.

Heres where i moved the ring to the second time



and after i made it all air tight:

[rich1889]

looking good!

[Twincam]

Keep up the good work - looking forward to seeing how it pans out.

[carts60]

So last night i started fiberglassing.

I mixed up the resin and hardener and soaked the first material (my old freshers T-Shirt) in the mix which i left to dry whilst me and my housemates went down the pub. By the time we came back it had set hard and looked pretty good:


This morning i got on with adding the fiberglass matting as a second layer:





Its currently outside drying, and im currently inside with a headache from the fumes - i was wearing a mask before anybody asks.

After the Villa - United match, i'l see whether it's hard enough to put another layer on. The next layer will be done using Isopon 40 rather than with resin and matting.

[carts60]

I'v just had a dreadful thought. I never made sure that the speaker ring was sufficiently high enough to ensure that the sub will clear the back of the box and fit correctly. Even though i measured it in the first instance, when i rearranged where the ring was going to be located i changed the dowell lengths and placement. Until i finish fiberglassing the box and cut out the centre of the ring i wont know for sure. Holding the sub up to the box, it looks like it should be fine. Only time will tell.

I'v now moved the box indoors, as the cold weather wasn't doing the curing process any favours. It's about 70% cured and very tacky. I have plonked it next to the radiator which is on a low heat. Either a bit later tonight or tomorrow afternoon after lectures i will sand off the excess to make everything a bit more aesthetically pleasing.

The plans for the next few days/week are:

a) Sand off excess matting from the second layer of fiberglassing.

b) Apply a third and final layer of fiberglass in the form of Isopon P40 rather than resin and matte.

c) Wait for cure and cut out the speaker hole and make sure i can actually fit the subwoofer.

d) Cover with acoustic carpet & add soundproofing to rear quarter panel

e) Add speaker terminal, internal wiring, subwoofer.

f) Fit to car

g) Start on second box!

The whole process of doing the whole build will take me more or less another 2 weeks at least i should think.

Not only do i have to finish the first box, i have to make the second from scratch & re-wire my amps to the boot, attaching them to the boot lining it i bought from Optimise Automotive which should be arriving some time in the next few days.

I also need to keep on top of all my uni work, so progress imght be slower than over the last few days.

Rest assured, more pictures and progress will be coming soon...

[roberts]

Not only do i have to finish the first box, i have to make the second from scratch & re-wire my amps to the boot, attaching them to the boot lining it i bought from Optimise Automotive which should be arriving some time in the next few days.

I would have emailed you in the morning - but since I've just read the above....

I'm afraid this weeks deliveries are to be dispatched a day late as no one will be around from 11.00 onwards for Mr UPS man (out and about business related - will have some important news regarding my travels tomorrow in a month or so ).

Anyway expect delivery on Wednesday

[carts60]

I had a fruitful night tonight. I was alone in the living room channel flicking when i came across Saving Private Ryan on channel 4 - an epic 3 hour marathon of a film, so i thought to myeslf, why not crack on??

I whipped into the kitchen and cut up a bin liner, layed it across the coffee table and got to work sanding off and high lumps and bumps in the 2nd layer.

It took a lot less time than i expected, so I popped open the window, cracked open the P40 and mixed up some fiberglass to apply a quick (and final) 3rd layer to the box.

It looks a lot thicker and more sturdy now, as i was worried before that the weight of the sub alone could cause the structure to fail even before bass started pounding the box.

Tomorrow i'l get up the pictures of the final fiberglassing and of it carpeted.

It won't be playing any music until next week end at the earliest, bearing in mind i'm waiting for the boot liner and need to rewire my amp cables.

It's getting exciting now and i can't wait to see what it looks like in the car. - I should hasten to add that i neglected to do a trial run after the first layer of fiberglass so fingers crossed it fits fine, though i'm sure i will be able to fix any problems that crop up.

[carts60]

This afternoon, i cut out the hole for the speaker terminal and screewd that into place. As we don't have a jigsaw or router, i just drilled the area as many times as possible, pushed the remaining wood thorugh and spent about 20 minutes filing off the edges of the hole to allow the terminal to be fitted.




I then got on with sanding down any overly lumpy or bumpy bits and cut out the speaker hole. Its not perfectly flat for the sub to sit on, but the carpeting which will be attached this afternoon will act as a gasket to even it all out and prevent air escaping.



I thought now might be a good time to attempt a trial fitting to the car itself as i hadn't done one since the fiberglassing started. It fitted - just. It's a very tight fit and with the carpet on i'm certain the enclosure will have to be forced into place to get it in.

Update to come this evening do doubt...