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Can someone help me by giving me some simplified instructions on how to make my own fiberglass kicks and how to construct the baffles. I am also very confused as to what materials and how much I need to make these kicks. Can I get a list of stuff I need, including where to get them and in what quantities (price would be nice too, but not a must). I have read a few DIY's online, so I have the basic idea down, but any tips or anything anyone could give me would really be appreciated. Thanks guys.

 
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go to http://www.termpro.com in thir forums under fabrication there's a lot of DIY's for this...this should help ya greatlly

 
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alright, this is a question that can take time, but fortunately you answered it yourself.

basic idea = simplified. so take a reread of those directions. anythink that is unclear is just a lack of experience with fiberglass. its not easy to go from never using fiberglass even to making kicks. i know a half dozen people who have attemped it, and not one success.

tip? yes. buy 2x the stuff you need, then dont even build kicks. use ALL of it to play around, try things., try coating wood, try laminating glass to iself, try removing the airbubbles, try bagging, try sanding and painting, try all teh fun stuff that makes glass glass.

you will need :

resin
fiberglass
wood for baffle
backstrapping
cover material (fleece, but a t-shirt is cheaper)
finishing material (carpet vinyl paint)
misc hardware (wires screws tin foil tape spray adhesive etc etc)

price is variable. also quantities are variable. it all depends on how much you get and what kin dof glass you get. i would reccommend getting a gallon of resin to start with, the cheapest you can find. this can cost from $10 to $60 depending on yoru source (and if you can find it relaibly for $10, lemme know) strapping comes in a roll can get at any hardware store for a dollar fifty. more than youll ever need. wood is a no brainer. fiberglass? i would get several yards each of weave, roving, unidirectional, and tape. furthermore, i would get a couple various thicknesses of weaves, so you can get a feel for the various weights and amounts of resin needed.

a fiberglass for every application!

fiberglass is by no means super easy (the mess will see to that) but in no way is difficult at all. its just a matter of understanding what types of glass can be used to do what, what kind of structure you want, what kind of weight you want, finish, how much work you want to put into it, how much resin you need, etc. its all done by experience, and even changes depending on whre you live (youll need more mekp most likely in alaska than in florida....)

what i realy like about kickpanels is that they are so non-formulaic. a box 90% people will tell you teh same thing. cut, predrill, screw, glue and screw. something liek that, or based closely upon that, or has just small additions or subtractions. kickpanels your "basic" directions are all the same, but i dont think youd find two people that did the exact same method to construction. even audioshops (who all use an almost identical boxbuilding process) i would BET have very different kickpanel construction processes. everyone does it a bit diffrent.

best example: backplate construction, i read over and over, that people use just unidirectional cut into thin strips. why? its cheap, can get it at macro hardware stores in bags, and is great for adding strength. but it finishes terribly, and puffs up making working around compound corners difficult at best (thus the 2 inch strips) for my own kicks, i didnt use a single piece of unidirectional. i added bulk usoing roving (so very, very thick....) and weave for my backplate. what i like about weave is that i could use a single piece and it performed wonderfully even on compount-compound corners. weave finishes nice, and will leave far fewer potential air bubbles (i should say less work to have the same bubbles, so the same work for fewer.)

i dunno. the reason its hard to find CONCRETE info about kicks is that the only people who *really* end up doing them dont just start on kicks (those who make those super nice ones you see) they have been workign with glas awhile, know something abotu teh different resins, know something about teh processes for lamination, for flat surfaces, for curves surfaces for stretched surfaces, he list goes on.

a COMPLETE guide to making kicks would include SO MUCH information, you could fill a book with it. do you want the BEST guide for kickpanel construction? it seriously IS a book. a fantastic source on fiberglass is "how to build fiberglass hot rods, customs, and kit cars" its a fantastic source for any atomotove and even jsut general fiberglass information, from building single panels to entire bodyskins (cause when you think abotu it, a kickpanel is nothing but a really small bodyskin [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG] )

but do you want to make sure your kickpanels turn out ultra nice? get a gallon of resin with all its exessories, and start to play. youll be an expert when your galon is gone, and yor be more than prepared with full knowledge of everything youll need for kicks.

 
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haha im sorry, i just read this. i know you asked for the time, and i basically told you how to build a watch, but what can i say? there is a method to the madness..... [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG]

 
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Some guys are legman..some like *****...Rabbit..he's a real glassman [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]

 
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im a sucker for legs........

 
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Building Kickpanels

Building Kickpanels 2

Building Kickpanels 3

Building Kickpanels 4

 
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audionutz is anything but simple! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/IMG]

but its the base i went from for mine, and imo the best on the net, period. great theory.

 
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Check out the other links as well....all contain good info.

Steven Head (aka "Audionutz") is incredible at what he does, the guy knows his stuff and does beautiful work.