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Hey Guys, CHECK THIS SHIZZNIT OUT!!!! I have contacted them regarding a group buy. The price per box normally is $300!!!!!!!! I was hoping to get this down to around $150, or maybe lower. Looks like they build them their selves, so there isn't much overhead cost. If you guys are interested, give me a buzz. Just e-mailed them today, but I was trying to find out hame many people would be interested. I think they look bas @$$. I like my trunk! What do you guys think??? Let me know.

 
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i will custom build any one any kind of box, labor free [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG] all you pay is equipment costs. any box, any volume, and porting, whatever you want, i can do it.

 
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Hmm well prices doo seem resonale for dual enclosures and fiberglass work. Labor wise it's fairly intensive and time consuming to get it right...so prices are pretty decent. But could be a little better. Could be ALOT cheaper if you turn it into a DIY project.

Cheers
Mohawk

 
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I built a custom box like this one using 3/4" MDF, but it turned out to only have an internal volume of .41 ft^3. I figured the only way to build it with more volume was to mold fiberglass, which I don't know how to do yet. Anyone have any pointers on where to begin. What should I buy to mold a fiberglass subbox? E-mail me!

White Rabbit - I want a custom box to fit in the same location as these boxes, around .75 ft^3, for a Polk MOMO 10". Wouldn't mind getting one for each side if you'd do it. Just don't know about molding fiberglass. Let me know what you think! Thanks man!

 
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I think that you seem to have the drive to learn and do it yourself, and would be much more satisfied if you do it yourself! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]

besides, we need more ppl in here with real skills, who really know the process of box building, staging, wire running, etc, i think that you would have a wonderful time learning all about fiberglass!

its really simple tho. most important thing to remember is that strength comes from the fiberglass, not teh resin. resin on its own is VERY brittle!

but the concept si very simple. you lay teh glass on what you want it to bond to, then brush resin on. practice before you do it in your car! also practice on a flat horizontal surfece befor eyou practice on a verticle one.

if you dont want it to stick to the car, put a layer of duct tape on so you can remove the glass. you will want kicks to be around 1/4 inch thick, i personally wouldnt do a sub enclosure any less than 3/8 to 1/2 with the fiberglass, that does NOT include hte layers of deadener I would add, not the metal surface I bond to, and I would still brace the $^#% out of teh enclosure [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]

maybe its overkill, maybe its not. better safe than sorry [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG]

fiberglass costs $3 a yard. resin costs $20 for a quart of marine grade. get together like $30 and get some stuff and just start experimenting! its great fun, and such a usefull fabrication tool!

 
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Also if your working on veticle flat surfaces finishing resin generally works better for the first coat. It's much thicker and won't run as much... I'd say off limited exepriance go 3 layers of fiberglass. 1 layer using nylog rope and make a cross-hatch pattern(use hot glue to keep the rope down) then glass 3-5 more layers over that. This will add ALOT of strength to the box. And once your done. it's a good bet to cover the enitre box inside and out with a good sound deadening matt. Dynamat, Brown Bread, and Raam Mat are all the best choices for that. If your in the US RAAMmat is the cheapest of the 3 and it's about 80% as effective as dynamat extreme at less than 1/3 the cost. Brown bread's pretty cheap too deadens about as well but is a slight bit harder to work with that raammat.

Also.. if your this serious about car audio, sound deadening your entire car would make MASSIVE improvements in both sound quality. Reduce ambient noise quite a bit. Eliminate any panel flex/buzzing..... If you're interested I can get furhter discounts on RAAMmat it's normally $99 for a 62.5sq.ft roll. but I can get about 25% knockedd off for you if you order 3 rolls.

Keep in touch.

Cheers
Mohawk

 
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mowhawk makes an interesting point about finishing resin, which i will elaborate the differences now.

resin as a general rule does not harden in teh presence of air. it will forever remain tacky. finishing resin however WILL harden completely because it comes wiht a wax additive. this wax will diffuse to the surface during cure, and shield the resin from air, allowing for a full cure.

if your resin kickes between layers (sets and becomes hard) then you need to sand (roughly, to give the resin something to stick to) untill you reach teh fiberglass itself. that way when you do yoru next layup the fiberglas has something to stick to.

similarly, if you are adding resin to smooth the surface of your finished product, you will want to take off all the wax left on by teh finishing resin, to give the resin something to stick to.

and finally, check teh UV resistivity of the resin. marine grade resin will decompose in UV light, but surfboard resin will not. however, you cna get UV protected varnishes and other additive to make the resin not flammable, color, harder, thicker, whatever you want.

 
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I'm about to order some fiberglass. I was thinking that I would buy enough so that I could experiment, and then build a box. I'll use the rope idea. Another member posted that instead of rope, I should use woven roving. This stuff is not cheap, but...a 10x1 yards of 3/4oz fiberglass mat and 6x1 yards of 24oz roving would cost me about $40. I went to lowes, and they have Bondo Polyester Fiberglass Resin, 1 gallon for $23.74. Would using this type of resin be bad?? Should I really spent $120/gallon for the marine type stuff? I sure hope not? How much do you think I would need to build an single passenger side sub box?? Around a gallon is what I read. Does that sound right? I was thinking that for around $80 I would have enough material to make 2 boxes, assuming I used the cheap Bondo shiz! Let me know what you think.

You guys (mohawk and whiterabbit) are great! Thanks for all the help.

 
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Oh, by the way, i believe the bondo resin is finishing resin based on your description. I took the instructions from the can. It says that if it hardens between layers that you need to sand it down, therefore I would assume this is the finishing resin. Am I correct? Is it therefore good to use for my sub box??? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

 
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<< i personally wouldnt do a sub enclosure any less than 3/8 to 1/2 with the fiberglass, that does NOT include hte layers of deadener I would add, not the metal surface I bond to, and I would still brace the $^#% out of teh enclosure [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] >>



Little confused about this part. What would you use as a layer of sound deadener? Would you put something like Raammat in the layers of fiberglass??? Also, any ideas one how to brace without drilling holes. There would be a couple good places to use bolts (i.e.-the screw holes for the cargo net, but how would you go about putting mounts in the box without interferring with the airspace. As I'm writing this, i'm coming up with an idea, but that would involve a potential air leak. I have a MTX ThunderForm in my truck. It's only about 1/4" thick, and sounds great. I'm talking competition level. No distortion at all, but that's a TRUCK!! It's got screw mounts that are fabbed through the top and bottom, so that the airspace is sealed. Don't I could do this with my box. Any ideas on this one???

Thanks SOOOO much!!!

 
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Bryn - here is some info on glassing....

fiberglass link 1

The article is about making kickpanels but it has some good general fiberglass info as well.

Also go to this link fiberglass link 2 and do a search on "fiberglass" and you will find tons of info.

 
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eaiset way to brace with fiberglass is to get wooden dowels and glass them inside.

 
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nice idea. what do i connect them too, since it would be behind the box?? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] sorry for all the ?'s