My Latest Project Options

[Coomer]

Hey guys,
I was bored this morning, so I started on a fiberglass subwoofer enclosure for my car. The enclosure will hold one ten inch subwoofer, and I'm trying to make the enclosure volume be approximately .75 cubic feet. More photos will be posted as my project progresses, and once it's done, I'll make a how-to article with more details and things like that for the site.

Today I masked off the area where I want the enclosure using masking tape and aluminum foil. This took me about two hours, because I quickly ran out of my 3" wide masking tape, and the 1" thick blue masking tape didn't stick very well, so I had to use a lot of .75" masking tape. I used aluminum foil for a couple large flat areas, though in the future I don't plan to use it, as when you're laying the fiberglass, it tends to pull up a bit. After the car was masked and I ate thanksgiving dinner, I went back and laid down the first layer of fiberglass, which took me about 2 hours. The fiberglass is curing right now, and tomorrow I should be able to take it out of the car and put on a couple more layers after I cut the fiberglass.

Below is a photo of my progress so far.

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[Phat_99CeliGT]

nice
keep us posted man.
i wanna do this in my celica

[Andason]

yarrr you beat me to it matey.

[Drocay]

Looks great, are u using the Coral Chopper how-to as a guide?

[Coomer]

[Aus]

good work - should look good

[BigEdge169]

what about the spare tire tools that are stored in that area

[Drocay]

Coomer, I noticed the car is yellow does that mean u got your car back from your mechanic?

[celicakid84]

looks good so far...keep us posted...I want to make a full enclosure in my car over winter break

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

So whats the status of the car with the mechanic??

EDIT- the fiberglass enclosure is gonna look great when its done too.

This post has been edited by Silver94CelicaOwner: Dec 1, 2003 - 5:05 PM

[Coomer]

[Coomer]

Tonight I got back into town, and was able to pull the mold out of the car. Because only one layer of fiberglass has been laid down so far, it's still very flexible, so I had to be careful not to crack the fiberglass while taking it out of the car.

Lemme tell you, people aren't joking when they say that too little hardener will make your fiberglass take days to cure. A small portion of my mold still isn't cured, and it's been over two weeks! So don't carelessly mix your hardener and resin, or you'll end up like me.

Also, you may want to try using some wax over the masking tape before laying down the fiberglass. It may make the masking tape come off easier. I know on mine, I didn't use wax, and some of the masking tape hardly comes off at all. I'm still working to get all of it off, and it's a pain.

So the photo below is where I'm at right now. Tomorrow if I can get to the store to get some supplies I plan to put some "hot" resin and hardener on the area that's not cured yet, or just cut that portion off. I also plan to lay another couple layers on the mold after I cut it.

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[Coomer]

Today I didn't wake up until 2:30 PM or so, so all I did was trim the first layer using some tin snips, which work very well if the fiberglass is only one layer thick. After trimming, I test fitted the MDF ring I made to mount the subwoofer in, and everything should work well. Tomorrow when I have more time I plan to put down a couple layers to begin building up the strength, but on the bottom part, I'm considering using something like rope to make the flat bottom area stronger.

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[Digndoug]

Im, def thinking about doing somthing like this. I have two rockford he2's in a big ass box. its just to big and heavy, I was thinking of making something cool, but i think to loose some weight i will try only doing on sub, cause im not to much into not hearing my music and only bass thing any more. Iv worked with fiberglass and all before, but for boats an all. how exactly are you going to gte the ring to stay up an hold on. I think im going to wait to see how yours goes until i start mine... thanks an its looking good

[Coomer]

[FallenHero]

Great job and such coomer...

Also, I recently have been reeding up on different ways of building boxes such as this. Another option is to use bendable ply wood and non-backed carpet. It's much easier to work with, and you can layer it up faster. the only catch is you have to put a small layer of bondo over the top of it to paint it and make it smooth. Yes, bondo will hold and not crack. the only time it cracks is if it's over a half inch thick.

[Andason]

you mack coomer

[Coomer]

Today I didn't do anything special. Just added on another layer to the first one, so now I have two. I was going to do two layers at the same time, but it was below freezing outside so I decided to go inside before I got hypothermia. And now it's dark, so tomorrow I'll probably add on another layer, and maybe add some ribs to the flat part on the bottom of the enclosure for strength, because fiberglass isn't very strong in flat areas, compared to curved areas.

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[FallenHero]

Did you find the fiberglass difficult to work with? Did it get everywhere and in your hands and such? I see the gloves, but I'm curious

Jon

[Coomer]

[rlan214]

just wondering if you're going to mass produce this then sell to 6gc peeps ?

[Coomer]

[FallenHero]

Are you using gloves with powder on them? I was thinking you might try putting baby powder on your gloves (lots of it) then the resin wont stick to you

Just a thought.

Jon

[Makaveddie]

tite, you are gonna get a ED sub? which series? I got 2 e12o's, they have been very good to me. the e12a is also impressive... how did u hear about ed?

[Andason]

[Coomer]

[Andason]

[Coomer]

[PowellCelica]

Dang, i wanna do this so badly! I bet it's going to look amazing! and so incredibly flush.


I have a question though. Kinda of topic but what it the best way to get rid of the carpet moving around and the spare tire particle board crap? Everytime i go around a turn it jumps and all moves to one side.

[dcgoalie312]

i know what you mean my sub bok slid all around because the carpet wasnt staying still so i got like 5 little screws and screwed them through the carpet into the partical board and it seems to be doing pretty well so far no movement or anything. i put the screws in about a month ago
DREW

[PowellCelica]

oh good idea. I just threw all my plans for the celi out the window though. I'm going to be purchasing a toyota pickup. I miss my truck and going 4 wheeling!

edit: but i'm keeping the celica!

This post has been edited by PowellCelica: Dec 20, 2003 - 11:46 PM

[FallenHero]

Hey coomer, you know you can get fiberglass filler sheets to add for strength, and you wouldn't have to keep layering that right?

www.selectproducts.com

Jon

[KAMiX]

[NEVERSTOP]

coomer - looks good!! the only thing I would suggest and you may already be doing this is to keep the encloser in position in side of the car while you are adding extra layers.. I messed up a huge fiberglass project once that I was doin for a buddy of mine cuz I pulled the piece out and then started adding layers and by the time I got done the fiberglass has shifted its dimensions from the additional layers and it wouldnt fit back it correctly - something like this you shouldnt have any probs though and it looks great so far

somewhere there is a site where you can purchase the mdf speaker rings for really cheap but all i can find is a site in the uk if I find it I will post it here


thought this was kinda cool click here

K2 or other mr2 owners might be interested in this

hereis a site for smaller mdf speaker rings

This post has been edited by NEVERSTOP: Dec 21, 2003 - 2:02 PM

[Coomer]

[Andason]

Hows your strength after 4? Today is beautiful in WI and I wish I didn't have to work so I could get started.

[Drocay]

I started my Fiberglass project(custom door inlays) 2 days ago and it was my first experiance with the stuff. Man this stuff gets everywere and the resin really messes u up(strong stuff) today I sanded and added body filler after about 4 layers the fiberglass was pretty strong and hard. I also just went and bought more fiberglass and some Fleece and dowels.

[Coomer]

I just was able to finish up that fourth layer yesterday, and now it's pretty solid. It's very tough to flex by hand, so in a few minutes I'm going to use my Dremel to trim the edges, and then I'm going to the store to buy some dowels and some hot glue and some fleece.

Here's what it looks like right now.

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[Drocay]

good stuff man looks great.

[Coomer]

This morning I cut the rough edges off of the enclosure and sanded down the edges using my Craftsman dremel-style tool. Also, I strength-tested the base part of it too.

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[Coomer]

Just to update you guys, I held the MDF speaker ring on with wooden dowels and hot glue today, and then cut apart an old t-shirt and stretched that fabric on and then held it on with hot glue. I then applied a coating of resin and MEKP to the fabric and I'll let it sit overnight to harden. Here's my progress so far.

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[Phat_99CeliGT]

nice progress man.

Keep the pics comming

[Andason]

dude, i cried laughing when i saw this because the facial expression is priceless.

This post has been edited by Andason: Dec 28, 2003 - 9:04 PM

[Coomer]

Hmm...I don't find it very funny, but maybe it's just me. If you think it's funny because my face is red, it's because I was outside in twenty degree weather for about half an hour.

[Andason]

[FallenHero]

those filler sheets are awsome. I got the video from select products. The guy makes a sub box like yours in one day!

One sheet of fiberglass on bottom, resin, sheet of filler, resin, sheet of fiberglass, resin. When he was finished he trimed the edges and let it cure.

in 24hrs it was ready for the ring and such. =Great stuff.

[Andason]

[Drocay]

looks great man.

[Uppitycracker]

Hey man I was actually trying to find a page with that same process, I think it may have been posted a while back on this site, know what im talking about at all? But ya when I start my buss I think Im gonna get some molds together and make and sell enclosures, you beat me to the celica market though

This post has been edited by Uppitycracker: Dec 29, 2003 - 3:35 AM

[Coomer]

[boosted_K2]

any more progress coomer? me and my friend are going to do a similar thing for his probe, and were going to make a little somethin-something custom done for the MR2 doesnt have to do with audio though.

also you said you made your own rings? we were going to get ours off of selectproducts.com probably.

[Coomer]

[SpedToe169]

Man, I don't know how you're even getting that stuff to cure outside!!! Its not even supposed to work under those conditions. You have some kind of magic voodoo? Or are you just a really determined kid without a garage?

[Coomer]

[Drocay]

My stuff is taking forever to dry outside as well, I've been usin a hair dryer to speed up the dryin time for mine.

[SpedToe169]

I bet your moms/wives/g'fs wouldn't mind if you put your 'art' in the oven on about 180 for a while. Tell them it doesn't smell any worse than oven cleaner.

[Coomer]

Now that it's stopped snowing, I think I'll set it outside with my space heater pointed at it.

[Coomer]

After leaving the enclosure in my shed with the space heater pointed at it all night last night and this morning, the resin on the t-shirt material dried. So today I cut off the excess material around the outside and sanded it, and cut out the inside and sanded that too. Tomorrow the first layer of fiberglass and resin will go on the outside of the box if I can make it to the store to get some more brushes, and hopefully I can have it ready for paint by Sunday.

Here's a pic of my progress so far. It finally is beginning to look like a subwoofer enclosure.

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[jmastaniza]

beautiful

[doGGy]

Coom, its a master piece Good luck, and keep updates comming

This post has been edited by doGGy: Jan 2, 2004 - 5:00 AM

[Drocay]

It looks great man.

[sphinx]

no more updates?

is it almost done?

the suspense is killing me. I wanna see the final product.

[Coomer]

[celicarocker]

this has given me inspiration to try to make my own.... it will come out like ****, but one can try...

[jmastaniza]

im going to try to make my whole trunk space a custom fiberglass box this spring.

[snadman]

My whole car is going to be fiberglassed...custom! lol..no but that'd be pretty cool.

[Coomer]

I've had quite a few people ask me for updates on this, so here goes. I've only been home occasionally for a day or two on a couple weekends, and because I always have so much to do when I'm home, I don't get to work on the enclosure much, but here's what's been going on.

I applied a few more layers of fiberglass, then I spread some Bondo onto the enclosure. Since then I've been sanding, applying more Bondo, sanding, applying primer, sanding, applying more primer, sanding some more, and applying even more primer.

The enclosure is now sitting at home with dark gray primer on it, and is very close to completion. I just have a tiny bit more sanding to do, and then I can apply more primer, wetsand the enclosure, and then shoot my base coat, and then shoot the clear coat onto the enclosure.

Here are some photos for you guys.

[Drocay]

looks amazing man. Thats a quality Job.

[Coomer]

As Doggy pointed out, there's quite the flat spot at the top of the enclosure on the outside ring. So I just applied a bit of Bondo to the area where the flat spot is, and I'll sand down that area once it dries so that it's rounded like the rest of the enclosure.

I'll leave you guys with a photo of me getting liberal with the Bondo on this area.

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[doGGy]

[creis]

very nice coomer, cant wait to see how it ends up, no doubt it will be great. i'm curently making custom dash peaces with fiberglass. its hard enough trying to get my small peaces to dry in 30-40 degree weither, cant imagin how you got that to dry at all.

[Phat_99CeliGT]

any updates??
it has to be done by now
lol

[Hanyo]

bump*

update?

[Coomer]

It's done...it just needs paint, and a sub.

[Andason]

Talk about your all time bumps....

[Doge]

Straight from the graveyard =)

[KAMiX]

Yeah looks good bro, I'm looking at doing something very similar. What sub are you going to get? I just picked up a 12" MTX 6000 series nice and cheap & it goes well with the stock speakers.

How are you going to mount the enclosure? Is is removable or are you gonna bolt/hot glue it in place?

Cheers.

[Hanyo]

[x_itchy_b_x]

werd

[Coomer]

I think I actually might not even use the enclosure...I'm thinking that I no longer want my bass to be in the trunk, so I think I'm gonna make something custom, or go with no subs at all.

[turboinduction]

thats great ... I'll take it

[shid]

Coomer- why the change in ideas? (my subs in the trunk sound great)

[Drocay]

[Coomer]

[turboinduction]

[funnyboy117]

Yeah the back seats are a big obstacle for the bass to travel through, but it still sounds nice in the trunk. Where else would you put it? Under a seat or something? Our cars aren't exactly made for their amount of interior space

[Coomer]

[shid]

.. your passengers crotch is really going to feel that.

It's a good thing the verts passenger seats are lighter- the bass travels through mine great- well, actually, it doesn't have to. It probably travels through the thin sheet of leather between the top and the sheet.. come to think of it, I need to watch that one of these days as the bass thumps- it must look awesome

[ice23q]

how is your sub box going ...if you have any questions feel free to ask....
i have done many fiberglass installs.....infact im sanding mine down all this week...

[Coomer]

[creis]

putting a sub in the glove box would look pretty nice, its original too. however your then stuck withough a glove box, i dont know what i would do without mine, but thats just me. I would think about building them into the plastic side panels in the trunk, like 2 good 8 inch subs would look really nice worked into the side's and not take up space, just half to get it enclosed somehow.

[Coomer]

[Drocay]

i've been thinking about cutting the back out of the seats and custom molding a 8 in each seat.

[Coomer]

[Drocay]

back of front seats.

[funnyboy117]

Mold it in on the bottom of the passenger seat for the ladies.

[Hanyo]

i always wanted to mold a bazoka tub into the center arm rest.
that way it will look stock, but still kick.. and everyone can enjoy the base..

[Consynx]

i have two 8s and i wanted to take out the back seats all together, and have a a fiberclass made to box each one separately, house the cap and amp and just...yea...not my work

so 2 little MDF boxes are inthe trunk instead

edit: the bass travels fine...my sunroof actually rattles and it's quite annoying, as well as anything in my tray under the head unit

This post has been edited by Consynx: Jun 15, 2004 - 9:44 AM

[KAMiX]

Yeah Coomer unless you are going for the perfect sound I don't think the seats / parcel shelf is going to be a problem. I have a 12" mtx 6000 running from a 285w amp, and I have to leave the gain on 1/5th and the volume on my deck at about 2/14 bars. Otherwise my head will explode (and we don't want that).