WK 10" Enclosure Dimensions

[Matt]

Here is an example enclosure that fits into the WK cargo area flush with the angled floor as well as the angled rear seats.



This enclosure is meant to house woofers up to 10 inches. The design can be modified to house a 12 inch woofer
The total (gross) volume of this particular enclosure is 1.145 ft^3
This design uses 3/4 inch stock
Note the mounting depth when shopping for woofers: I wouldn't go any bigger than 5.5 inches with this design
When selecting a woofer(s) remember to account for displacement
Keep in mind, any bracing will reduce the volume of the enclosure
This design allows the owner to retain the ability to use the factory cargo tray
This design allows the owner to retain the ability to use the cargo shade


Wing template PDF is attached at the bottom of this post.



http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/Enclosuredimensions1-1.jpg



http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/IMG_0437.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/IMG_3702.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/IMG_3709.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/IMG_3715.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/IMG_3741.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/IMG_3739.jpg

[B.P.O.D]

Kick ass!!!

[sousa]

Matt, I apologize in advance, but I am gonna copy that box exactly. ;)

[Matt]

Matt, I apologize in advance, but I am gonna copy that box exactly. ;)

haha, no apologies needed! That's why I posted it!! Let me know if you have any questions about it. I also plan to scan the "wing" templates and put them into a PDF.

[08Hemi]

I am not going to apologize; but thank you as I will too use these exact dimensions. How do you make the angle cuts? Do I have to have a table saw? All I have right now is a rechargeable skill saw...can it be done?

[Matt]

I am not going to apologize; but thank you as I will too use these exact dimensions. How do you make the angle cuts? Do I have to have a table saw? All I have right now is a rechargeable skill saw...can it be done?

I wish I had a table saw, would have made it a lot easier with the angle cuts.

But no, I did it will a cheapy circular saw; There's an blade angle adjustment on it.

[Scottina06]

awesome Matty! Come up here and build me one.....

[Matt]

awesome Matty! Come up here and build me one.....

haha, on my way Scotty! :p

It'll be up for sale (or maybe I'd just do a give-a-way) if I decide to sell my rig and don't get an SRT8. That wouldn't be for a few months though :cool:

[LTrainGC]

BAD ASS dude... thanks so much.

Gonna have to modify it a little bit to fit 12's

[Matt]

BAD ASS dude... thanks so much.

Gonna have to modify it a little bit to fit 12's

Yeah, it shouldn't be too hard. I measured while I was out there and you can still make it so you can fit a 12" driver and still retain the cargo shade.

Just make sure that you have enough airspace for whatever sub(s) you go with.

[LTrainGC]

My subs have a 6 1/8" mounting depth. Mounting hole needs to be 11 11/16". Overall diameter + the mounting ring is 12 11/16".

I think I'd just add like 1 or 1.25" to the top (red) and bottom (blue) pieces, and make the whole thing about 1.5" taller.

Looking up what kind of volume my subs need now.

Found it - recommended volume for a sealed box is .85 ft^3. Does that double with two subs?

[Chris]

about freakin damn time! LOL kidding..

Thanks for the info's Matt, I too am going to copy it exactly. You used MDF 3/4'' correct? How much do you recall it cost at home depot/lowes?

Maybe you could add some more info for us that are going to be first time box builders in the near future! Like.. what material is used to seal the seams on the inside, and what I am really interested in is about the install of the speaker wire terminals and the install of those. Can those be had from say, radio shack?

[Matt]

My subs have a 6 1/8" mounting depth. Mounting hole needs to be 11 11/16". Overall diameter + the mounting ring is 12 11/16".

I think I'd just add like 1 or 1.25" to the top (red) and bottom (blue) pieces, and make the whole thing about 1.5" taller.

Looking up what kind of volume my subs need now.

Found it - recommended volume for a sealed box is .85 ft^3. Does that double with two subs?

Yeah, definitely watch out for mounting depth. The vent pole (on the back of the subs magnet) needs about 1-1.5 inches of breathing room.

Yes, volume doubles with adding another. You may want to consider extending the enclosure outwards, but then you'd have to account for the angle of the floor changing to flat (from incline) - that would kinda suck.

about freakin damn time! LOL kidding..

Thanks for the info's Matt, I too am going to copy it exactly. You used MDF 3/4'' correct? How much do you recall it cost at home depot/lowes?

Maybe you could add some more info for us that are going to be first time box builders in the near future! Like.. what material is used to seal the seams on the inside, and what I am really interested in is about the install of the speaker wire terminals and the install of those. Can those be had from say, radio shack?

haha, no prob Chris!

Yes, I used 3/4 MDF - it's about 20-30 bucks for a sheet at the local hardware store. I think Lowes sells quarter sheets, so that may be easier for some to work with.

Yeah, I'll add some more info to the original post about consteruction for sure! I'll probably get to it tomorrow. I'll let ya know when it's been added.

[LTrainGC]

Do you happen to know the max height of the box without interfering with the cargo cover? Even if I have to ditch the cargo cover I'm not that concerned - that is how I'm rolling now.

[Matt]

Do you happen to know the max height of the box without interfering with the cargo cover? Even if I have to ditch the cargo cover I'm not that concerned - that is how I'm rolling now.

I want to say 13 inches max before 1/8" of carpeting.

[LTrainGC]

I'm gonna get to drawing tomorrow night with some graph paper... I'm thinking I'm gonna have to bring the box out to the edge of the cargo tray to have enough depth.

[Matt]

I'm gonna get to drawing tomorrow night with some graph paper... I'm thinking I'm gonna have to bring the box out to the edge of the cargo tray to have enough depth.

This is where you'll have to re-figure some of the calculations (see red line)


http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/Untitled-7.jpg

[Chris]

Matt.. Jigsaw for the hole? Im guessing sub's come with a template or some dimensions for the hole they require for mounting?

[Matt]

Matt.. Jigsaw for the hole? Im guessing sub's come with a template or some dimensions for the hole they require for mounting?

Yup! I used a $15 jigsaw. The spec sheet will have cutout hole size on there. It's usually one inch smaller than the overall diameter. Sandpaper (or electric hand sander) is a good investment as well.

[LTrainGC]

This is where you'll have to re-figure some of the calculations (see red line)


http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/Untitled-7.jpg

Yeah... gonna be fun lol.

[Chris]

Yeah those are both on the list of Ryobi One+ Tools to add to my collection.. lol

One more thing, on the skil saw, do you recall what degree of angle you had the saw set at to make the cuts?

[Matt]

Yeah... gonna be fun lol.

haha, jsut triple check all measurements and think it through and you'll be okay.

Yeah those are both on the list of Ryobi One+ Tools to add to my collection.. lol

One more thing, on the skil saw, do you recall what degree of angle you had the saw set at to make the cuts?

I have no idea man. I just kind of winged it (totally not like me too) and it came out perfect, lol. If you draw the lengths out on a piece of wood and then connect the two end points you'll get the correct angle (and line to cut down)... then line up the blade with that line. If that's confusing I can probably draw it out in paint, lol.

[Chris]

Nah I understand what you mean. Sounds like a plan, now im sure those of us that are going to replicate the exact size will be off by a little here and there. Do you think it'll make a really big deal? I for one have already changed my mind from that CVR 12 we talked about, and am going to go with a CVR 10 so I can still use the cargo cover and tray for the amp.

[Matt]

Nah I understand what you mean. Sounds like a plan, now im sure those of us that are going to replicate the exact size will be off by a little here and there. Do you think it'll make a really big deal? I for one have already changed my mind from that CVR 12 we talked about, and am going to go with a CVR 10 so I can still use the cargo cover and tray for the amp.

Lets just say it pays to be as exact as you can... you can get away with 1/16", but it gets tough once you hit the "off by" 1/8" mark. What I do is make any necessary changes after I cut each face. For example, if I cut a piece and it happens to be off slightly, I'll see if I can change any future cuts to accommodate the slight change. If not, screws can usually bend it close and then the glue + silicone can usually make it right. As I told Frank, triple check EVERY SINGLE MEASUREMENT BEFORE YOU CUT! I've caught things before on check number 3. MDF is pretty cheap, so if you screw up you can always run up to Lowes and get a quarter sheet for 5 bucks.

[Chris]

Cool

I'll post pics of my progress, looks like I know what Im doing this weekend! :)

[Matt]

Cool

I'll post pics of my progress, looks like I know what Im doing this weekend! :)

haha, cool man! Definitely get some pics! Feel free to ask any questions if you any throughout the process - though I may be out of town this weekend.

[NHWK05]

It looks great but its missing 2 10" subs.

[Matt]

It looks great but its missing 2 10" subs.

hehe, not enough airspace for this particular sub to double up. You'd have to find some 10's that work well in .5-.6 ft^3 each to fit a pair in there.

[LTrainGC]

I did some rough sketches today using graph paper, then did this in paint

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/ltrain300d/box.jpg

At the center of the box I would have somewhere around 8" of mounting depth which is enough for the 6.125" required + 1.5" for the pole vent.

[Matt]

Frank, I'm not sure if a height of 14" is going fit under the cargo shade (not sure if that matters to you). Otherwise, as long as the angles all stayed the same, the you should be all set.

[macmac]

very nice....

i want to go the steathbox route, but make the box instead. I would like to glass in 1 10" so it doesnt take up any of the cargo room.
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[LTrainGC]

Frank, I'm not sure if a height of 14" is going fit under the cargo shade (not sure if that matters to you). Otherwise, as long as the angles all stayed the same, the you should be all set.

I'm not all too concerned with having the cargo shade... I'm really just more concerned with gaining some cargo space back.

To make it easier I might just not worry about the little flat section at the bottom and run a straight board there and there will just be a small gap underneath the box.

[Matt]

very nice....

i want to go the steathbox route, but make the box instead. I would like to glass in 1 10" so it doesnt take up any of the cargo room.

Nice! Yeah, I think down the road when I decide to build a new stereo I'll go with a glassed enclosure in the quarter panel.

I'm not all too concerned with having the cargo shade... I'm really just more concerned with gaining some cargo space back.

Yeah, I hear ya. Go with what you have then, should be perfect!

[Karpe]

Did you ever get that PDF? did I miss it?

[Chris]

Slacker!

[Matt]

Did you ever get that PDF? did I miss it?

No, I still didn't get to it, lol. I just need to scan the templates. I should be able to get it done sometime in the next day or two.

Slacker!

haha

[JETLIFE]

I'm making this box right now. Can you give me any angles to work with?

[Matt]

I'm making this box right now. Can you give me any angles to work with?

Unfortunately I don't own a protractor (I know, lol), so I couldn't get any angle measurements. The green face is the most difficult piece without using any angles, but if you get the angle cut on the red face, line up a piece of wood against that angle, then draw a line across that wood, then you get your green face angle - I hope that made sense, lol.

[JETLIFE]

Nevermind. Lol I didn't see the inside specs. I'll be done this in a couple minutes. I'll post pics!

[B.P.O.D]

nice joel!!! post up those pics!!!

[Matt]

Nevermind. Lol I didn't see the inside specs. I'll be done this in a couple minutes. I'll post pics!

Hell yeah man, I can't wait! Lets just hope I got all the dimensions right :p :o

[JETLIFE]

Haha the end pieces took a little working on the sander to fit nice and tight. But it's looking good now. Did you use 1 1/4" screws? How many should I be putting in? And what type of caulking do I use? Lol

sorry. It's my first speaker box

[Matt]

Haha the end pieces took a little working on the sander to fit nice and tight. But it's looking good now. Did you use 1 1/4" screws? How many should I be putting in? And what type of caulking do I use? Lol

sorry. It's my first speaker box

I do apologize, as I did want to have construction details (a how-to) up by now, but between school wrapping up and getting ready to move, it's been a bit tough to find time to add to this.

Anyways, I used 1 1/4" drywall screws - if you check out one of the pics above, there's a full frontal shot of the screws on the front face. Stay about 3 inches away from any edges as you do not want to split the wood. There's no need for a lot of screws and it can actually weaken the enclosure, so use them sparingly. Also, pre-drill pilot holes, though I'm sure you already knew this. Keep in mind that the screws are only used to hold the faces in place while the wood clue bonds/cures. I always remove the screws after the glue has had enough time to cure. The wood glue bond is stronger than that of the screws.

As for caulking/sealing... I usually use wood glue along the interior seems of the enclosure. You can use caulk or silicone, but I'd stay away from it. It's been theorized to eat away at a sub woofers soft parts over time.

...and yes, those two side faces were a bitch to get right, lol. Sander FTFMW!


EDIT - this pic

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/IMG_3709.jpg

[JETLIFE]

Sweet!

Ya I knew to keep the screws back a bit and not to over do it with them, I can't wait to have all my cargo space back!!!

I think I might router in a round-over on the top face edge. I think it will blend in nice once I wrap the carpet. What do you think? Too much?

[Matt]

Sweet!

Ya I knew to keep the screws back a bit and not to over do it with them, I can't wait to have all my cargo space back!!!

I think I might router in a round-over on the top face edge. I think it will blend in nice once I wrap the carpet. What do you think? Too much?

Yeah, I forgot you are inclined in the carpentry department, so you know what you're doing.

Cargo space FTW! What sub woofer(s) do you plan on loading her up with?

I think a 1/4" or 1/2" round-over would be sweet across the top!! I really need to invest in a router (among other decent tools, lol).

If you want to wait to carpet it, I'll have the flush mount panels scanned into a PDF document in the near future. Up to you though. Looking forward to the pics Joel!!!

[sousa]

Matt, how did you attach the end panels to the box? Glue only?

[Matt]

Matt, how did you attach the end panels to the box? Glue only?

It took me a sec to remember, lol. But I just used some steel brackets (one 90 degree and one straight) and just used little 1/2" screws to temp mount them to the enclosure and used them as a guide so the "wing" would sit straight. But yes, just glue, and a little pressure from my hand for a few minutes.


http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/Untitled-9.jpg

[sousa]

Cool, thanks. My box will be done this week, so I'll be making the panels, and carpeting this weekend if I'm lucky.

[JETLIFE]

What sub woofer(s) do you plan on loading her up with?

I really have no idea. I wouldn't mind a JLW6 but I don't know.
Are they to deep for this box?

Basically just a nice solid 10" of any brand will do. I just like the look of the JL! lol

[Matt]

I really have no idea. I wouldn't mind a JLW6 but I don't know.
Are they to deep for this box?

Basically just a nice solid 10" of any brand will do. I just like the look of the JL! lol

haha, yeah I believe they are too deep for this enclosure... I also like the simple/plain/clean look... I'll do some looking around for something that would work well.. I'll let you know what I come up with.

EDIT: a quick 2-minute search..

Image Dynamics IDQ 10 D4 V.3 - could work well either ported or sealed in this enclosure
http://www.imagedynamicsusa.com/products.php?Family_Id=3&Product_Id=16

Ascendant Audio Assassin 10" D4 - either one or two of these could work
http://ascendantaudio.com/assasin.php

Sound Solutions Audio ICON 10 D2/D1 - port one of these suckers in that enclosure and it will pound - shit I may end up going with one these. Very highly praised sub.
http://soundsolutionsaudio.com/index.php/product-information/icon

I'll model these up in WinISD at some point and see what enclosures work well. I'll also keep looking around for subs that will work well.

What's your budget Joel... and how loud do you want to be?

[JETLIFE]

I don't really have a budget, I can save accordingly.

I don't really listen to much rap or hip hop, Mostly punk, hardcore, metal. So bass doesn't really need to be extra loud, just there, ya know?

Thanks for all your help Matt, I appreciate it!

[Matt]

I don't really have a budget, I can save accordingly.

I don't really listen to much rap or hip hop, Mostly punk, hardcore, metal. So bass doesn't really need to be extra loud, just there, ya know?

Thanks for all your help Matt, I appreciate it!

Ok, gotcha. Of the three I posted, really all of them will suite your needs. I'll keep hunting for good options for this enclosure and maybe compile a list for other members to use a reference list. I'll likely be in the market for something new in the near future anyways, so at least I have vested interest :p. Again, I'll model them all up in WinISD and see what enclosure combos give the flattest response.

[Matt]

Okay, I have added the PDF for the flush mount "wings" to the original post (at the bottom above the sig).

Let me know if you guys have any issues.

[Chris]

Sweet ass!

[nifty97z]

Hey Matt, how much bigger would the box need to be for a JL12W3? JL12W6? Or even a JL10W6? (sorry, I'm just not sure where the info is coming from or how to "read it" but I know I can build sh!t :D :lol:

[TimmyB]

Basic carpentry 101. If you can think it you can build it. But if you cant for some reason partsexpress.com sells sub enclosures at a great price if you can find one that fits what you need for volume.

[TimmyB]

Hey Matt, how much bigger would the box need to be for a JL12W3? JL12W6? Or even a JL10W6? (sorry, I'm just not sure where the info is coming from or how to "read it" but I know I can build sh!t :D :lol:


Here's my box for a JL10W6v2, built to specs I got with the sub. Its tiny, 10W6's do not require alot of volume.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC01646.jpg

[Matt]

Hey Matt, how much bigger would the box need to be for a JL12W3? JL12W6? Or even a JL10W6? (sorry, I'm just not sure where the info is coming from or how to "read it" but I know I can build sh!t :D :lol:

There are 3 factors that will go into accommodating any sub woofer in this situation.


Can the enclosure be modified to fit a 12" driver
Is there enough airspace to support the driver
Is there enough depth to house the driver


As far as modifying the enclosure to house a 12" driver as opposed to a 10" - there is no issue in doing that. It will just need to be built with slightly more height (and it will still fit under the cargo cover).

You will have just a tad over 1 cubic feet of airspace (after subtracting the drivers displacement). So, as long as the sub woofer can work in ~1 cubic feet of space or less, then you will be fine.

Depth will likely be your biggest concern. You'll have 5.5" of depth from the top of the baffle to about 1" away from the rear of the enclosure - most sub woofers have a pole vent in the bottom of the magnet and they typically need about an inch of "breathing" space. You could extend the enclosure outwards (towards the rear lift gate), but will lose the cargo tray/storage ability.


Any reason you are mentioning JL as opposed to other brands? You can do a lot better for the money, A LOT BETTER! If I remember correctly, the W6.v2 require a decent mounting depth.

[Matt]

BTW, I'll be revamping my stereo over the next few months :D

[TimmyB]

Mounting depth of a JL10W6 is 6.9", a 12W6 is 7.6". They require a big mounting depth, one of the reasons I dont think a "stealth box" type of encluse would fit/look right in the back of a WK.

All JL specs can be found on there site.

http://www.jlaudio.com/

Oh, and I ended up paying $112 for my 10W6v2 brand new, so def worth the price.

[Matt]

Mounting depth of a JL10W6 is 6.9", a 12W6 is 7.6". They require a big mounting depth, one of the reasons I dont think a "stealth box" type of encluse would fit/look right in the back of a WK.

Yeah, they are deep suckers! And I agree, if you are going to do a stealthbox style enclosure, I'd recommend something like an Stereo Integrity BM - nasty little bastards!

Oh, and I ended up paying $112 for my 10W6v2 brand new, so def worth the price.

Yeah, that's a great price!

[sousa]

BTW, I'll be revamping my stereo over the next few months :D

Now what are you doing?

[nifty97z]

I get a good price/discount on JL subs through my friend that works at a stereo equipment shop :)

[Matt]

Now what are you doing?

I miss running active processing. :( The difference is night and day. It'll be similar to what I had before... a wide band (full-range) driver up top and an aggressive mid/bass in the door. Definitely a different sub woofer. I'll keep the same amp unless I choose to go with amps that have built-in processing (they be expensive though :p ). Maybe a new sub enclosure.

I get a good price/discount on JL subs through my friend that works at a stereo equipment shop :)

Well that works, lol. Just curious.

The W6.v2 (and the v1) is a fantastic driver!

[TimmyB]

I have all JL gear, XR650 components in front and TR650 components in rear running off a 450/4 then the 10W6v2 running off a 500/1. It does not set car alarms off driving down the street like alot of cars I hear driving by, but there are also no rattles because I added so much sound dampening, and the inside its very clear to full volume, and if I have it turned up full I start getting a headache. Even though I have all JL gear I think its way over priced compaired to other brands out there, I just happen to get awesome deals searching ebay for about 3 months getting everything.

[Matt]

I think its way over priced compaired to other brands out there, I just happen to get awesome deals searching ebay for about 3 months getting everything.

Agreed, you got some GREAT deals!

[TimmyB]

I honestly think the average person would be very happy with just adding an amp and a sub/subs. If I didnt have an Ipod I always listen to I would of left the stock deck in and tapped off the speaker wires to go to my amps. I wouldnt of even bothered with rear speakers, but I already bought them so put em in.

Right now I dont even have my rear drivers side hooked up because of static coming thru for some reason and dont have time to work on it. And it sounds the same up front, though people in the back mentioned it this weekend.

[Matt]

I honestly think the average person would be very happy with just adding an amp and a sub/subs. If I didnt have an Ipod I always listen to I would of left the stock deck in and tapped off the speaker wires to go to my amps. I wouldnt of even bothered with rear speakers, but I already bought them so put em in.

I agree, most would be satisfied with just a sub/amp in addition to the Boston system. The factory amplifier has built-in DSP which is great in my opinion. I just wish I knew the the exact crossover points, any time alignment, level matching, etc.

Right now I dont even have my rear drivers side hooked up because of static coming thru for some reason and dont have time to work on it. And it sounds the same up front, though people in the back mentioned it this weekend.

A proper stereo won't use rears. Stereo (music) aka 2.1 consists of a left point source, a right point source, and a sub bass driver(s). Have you ever been to a concert that had loud speakers behind you? Music is recorded in 2.1 not any surround coding like 5.1 or 7.1. A car is a horrible platform for any sort of stereo - it's nothing like a room. Rears help out for the rear passengers, but really don't do anything for the front passengers. Have you ever just played the rears only (no sub or fronts)? Even at full tilt they don't appear to be loud or impactful to the front passengers... because they aren't. I usually fade out the rears unless I have passengers back there... unfortunately I lost the ability to fade when I connected my new amp, lol.

[TimmyB]

Matt, you hit it right on the head, my rears are only for my passengers in the back. I have actually sat in the back seats right in the middle with it cranked, and dam it sounds great. I faded out the rears while back there and it was def noticeable. I know I know, the real stereo guys say rears arent needed, but for real life driving in an SUV its nice to know my passengers are enjoying the music back there too.

[Matt]

but for real life driving in an SUV its nice to know my passengers are enjoying the music back there too.

And that's the thing. After all it is still a car. It's not some super high quality sound room.

[TimmyB]

And that's the thing. After all it is still a car. It's not some super high quality sound room.


Actually the only time it seems I have passengers back there are on the weekends when I volunteer to drive because I have an SUV to fit everyone and my stereo is decent, so on the way to Boston I like to crank it and set the mood for the night. Nothing beats having a good system cranked loud with friends in the car on the way to a club. Off stereo topic, but since ive done all these mods to the exterior I have had the guys parking cars at clubs tell me to pull it right in front 3 times so far. BUT, last time I went out I asked for a spot in front and the guy told me to basically get lost, I think it had the F430 already parked there. haha...

[Matt]

Actually the only time it seems I have passengers back there are on the weekends when I volunteer to drive because I have an SUV to fit everyone and my stereo is decent, so on the way to Boston I like to crank it and set the mood for the night. Nothing beats having a good system cranked loud with friends in the car on the way to a club.

Yeah I'm always playing that roll too.

Off stereo topic, but since ive done all these mods to the exterior I have had the guys parking cars at clubs tell me to pull it right in front 3 times so far. BUT, last time I went out I asked for a spot in front and the guy told me to basically get lost, I think it had the F430 already parked there. haha...

haha, that's awesome!

... and yeah, Ferrari > Jeep LOL

[Chris]

Did anyone ever replicate this box but incorporate a 12'' driver into it, and still keeping it under the cargo shade and behind the cargo tray for amp access? If so, do you have the dimensions?

[Matt]

Did anyone ever replicate this box but incorporate a 12'' driver into it, and still keeping it under the cargo shade and behind the cargo tray for amp access? If so, do you have the dimensions?

I'm thinking about going this route Chris.

Two reasons; 1) to be able to hide the enclosure under the cargo shade. Security is important. I don't want to even risk the chance of dealing with all the hassle of a break-in. 2) playing with dimensions and trying to incorporate the depth of the sub woofer I have, it might not be easy to still have easy access to the cargo tray if I go with the fiberglass one in the quarter panel.

Still pondering, but just thought I'd let ya know I may explore this in the near future. Hell, I may even do it, just to have a second enclosure to play with.

[Chris]

Im still trying to figure out all this air space and such, if I get a 12 CVR, or anything else for that matter.. I know I would have to make the box deeper for the bigger mounting depth correct? My main concern is, that if I make the box deeper, will that add or take away too much air space?

[Chris]

I guess the first thing to do would be to pick the sub / amp combo I will go with for sure, and then change the box size around the sub's specs?

What program do you use or how can one calculate the air space of a box and all that good stuff anyhow Matt?

[TimmyB]

With my enclosure for the 10" sub I have the cargo shade just sits on the top of the box which is 12" high, so I dont think it would fit properly with a 12" sub, unless you slant the front of the enclosure so the height is 12".

But with my tinted windows you really cant see in the back anyways.

[Matt]

Im still trying to figure out all this air space and such, if I get a 12 CVR, or anything else for that matter.. I know I would have to make the box deeper for the bigger mounting depth correct? My main concern is, that if I make the box deeper, will that add or take away too much air space?

Correct, most 12" drivers will need more mounting depth that what this enclosure can offer. Air space will be entirely dependent on the sub woofer that it houses and what sort of frequency response you desire.

I guess the first thing to do would be to pick the sub / amp combo I will go with for sure, and then change the box size around the sub's specs?

What program do you use or how can one calculate the air space of a box and all that good stuff anyhow Matt?

Yeah. It's good to know roughly how much space you have to work with that way you can sift through the masses and begin to narrow your search. But of course, final enclosure specs will really need to be calculated once the sub woofer is selected.

For modeling sub woofer response in enclosures I use WinISD Beta. Search it in Google, it's a free download. From there you'll want to plug in the t/s parameters of a specific driver (be sure the measurement units are correct) and WinISD will plot the perfect/ideal enclosure for you. From there you can toy around with different enclosure sizes and vent tuning frequencies.

With my enclosure for the 10" sub I have the cargo shade just sits on the top of the box which is 12" high, so I dont think it would fit properly with a 12" sub, unless you slant the front of the enclosure so the height is 12".

But with my tinted windows you really cant see in the back anyways.

Yeah, the baffle for a 12" design would be that of the diameter of the driver to have it fit under the cargo shade. If can be done, but possibly at the cost of having to accomodate too much depth and delete the use of the cargo tray. This is the case with my sub driver, too deep. Fiberglass enclosure is back on, lol.

[Chris]

Ok so what was the conclusion of using (2) 10's instead of (1) 12 Matt? The box you designed will or will not work with 2 10'' cvr's? And if not, do you know of any 10's that will work with the box you made?

[jeeppro]

http://www.opentip.com/images/imagecache/PEX/PEX-297-295_45_45.jpg (http://www.opentip.com/popup_image.php?pID=1264877&imgName=PEX-297-295.jpg)just use these chris 10'' pioneer shallow 1200 watt

[jeeppro]

i have 2 in my jeep with my custom box and there perfect

[TimmyB]

Ok so what was the conclusion of using (2) 10's instead of (1) 12 Matt? The box you designed will or will not work with 2 10'' cvr's? And if not, do you know of any 10's that will work with the box you made?


I guess im not following. You want to make the same exact box Matt made and find two subs that will work with it, that big box that goes along the whole rear of the cargo area in back of the rear seats? Every sub is different basically, almost, in that they all recommend different volume specs to operate. What it seems you need to do is first buy the subs you want, then figure out the enclosure dimensions going with either a sealed or ported type. It is not hard at all to figure out the enclosure dimensions, the subs should come with a spec sheet on the enclosure needed, which can be modified to whatever shape you want. I can say I have one JL 10W6v2 powered by a JL 500/1 amp and it is awesome. I previously had two JL 10W0's in my 94 GC, basically the same because the car is all open, and this single 10W6 hits harder and louder than the other two subs. I was looking into the JL 10W7's which I could easily afford but the enclosure size needed is too large, as I wanted a sub box I can unhook easy for when I do use the cargo area and have to fold down the seats, like I just did twice the past week moving some things.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC02874.jpg

Look at the size of the enclosure I have, so easy to move and use the cargo area. Why not buy a sub like this and not have a huge box?

[TimmyB]

Oh, and the false floor and sub box I made myself. The carpet I found matches pretty well to the car.

[Chris]

Timmy you got me thinking now bro! My wife just came in and saw your picture and said she liked it cause she will still have her cargo room, lol.. And it does make sense, considering I just took a treadmill home the other day and needed the seats folded down and all that room.

As you can probably tell I have never made a box before and this would be my first one. What I guess I am still not understanding is this.. I know on the sub specs it tells you depth and the cubic volume of the "recommended" enclosure, what I want to know is how do you translate that into a wooden box!?

Im looking at the JL website right now and they made it very easy! For the 10w6 they say 0.625 cu. ft. -- and they are nice enough to give you this as well.. 14.5 in. x 12 in. x 10.25 in.

Say I buy a different sub, and all they give me is the cu. ft. ... how do I determine the actual dimensions of the box? I hope that made sense!

[Chris]

Oh, and where did you buy that carpet from??

[TimmyB]

I bought the carpet at Walmart, in the car section next to the car floor mats. They had grey and black, I got the grey which matched almost perfect to my stock grey interior, and it was less than $9 a roll, one roll for my false floor and another roll for my sub box with plenty left over.

As far as making a sub enclosure, dont stress about it. They are very easy to make from 3/4" mdf and figuring out the dimensions of it from what sub or subs you buy is easy with google at your finger tips, and I can help you out with it too. Me, I made the exact box that JL recommended on the spec sheet that came with the sub, it has both for a sealed and ported enclosure.

[TimmyB]

Basically its all math. But when i first got my 10W6 I went on DIYmobile and got so much help on different sizes of enclosures. Guess what im trying to say is dont worry about it, whatever sub you go with you will def be able to find exact dimensions of the enclosure to build with a little research if its not already on that specific sub manufacturers web site.

[TimmyB]

And my amps a hidden, under a false floor i made which im sure i have shown a thousand times before. I did get a GC for the cargo room and wanted to keep it, not lose it due to a stereo.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC01647.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC01649.jpg

And to keep the sub enclosure from sliding around back there I screwed a simple eye hook into the back of it then have an S hook attached to the tie down on the back of the rear seat, got the idea from the Kicker upgrade package thing. To fit the hook in i have to have the rear seat tilted forward then giude the hook in while pushing back on the seat, so its on there tight and does not move around at all.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC01650.jpg

Pictures taken before I carpeted the enclosure.

[Matt]

Ok so what was the conclusion of using (2) 10's instead of (1) 12 Matt? The box you designed will or will not work with 2 10'' cvr's? And if not, do you know of any 10's that will work with the box you made?

Correct. It seems Kicker sub woofers really need a lot of air space to produce a nice flat response. 2 10" CVR's need around 3 cubic feet to produce a flat response.

If I was to put 2 10" drivers in this same enclosure I'd go with the Dayton HO's and port the enclosure.

It is not hard at all to figure out the enclosure dimensions, the subs should come with a spec sheet on the enclosure needed, which can be modified to whatever shape you want.

The problem with this is some manufactures do not believe in flat responses and will give you enclosure recommendations that produce a peaky response - similar to those who build SPL boxes.


Say I buy a different sub, and all they give me is the cu. ft. ... how do I determine the actual dimensions of the box? I hope that made sense!

Volume of a cube (or paralleled side enclosure) = LxWxH

The volume of the enclosure I made in this thread had 2 triangles and a rectangle for calculating volume.

Play around with whatever size enclosure you want to make just as long as the volume works out to what you want.

[TimmyB]

The good thing about making a sub enclosure yourself is its really cheap, I used one sheet of 2'x4' mdf that cost like $8 from Homedepot. I listened to it, made some modifications by putting egg crate foam on the inside walls of it, and then was happy with it so I threw carpet on it. You can always make an enclosure, not like the sound, then just make another one adjusting to what you need.

Matt, did you get the PartsExpress "Holiday Savings" catalog in the mail? There's alot of stuff in there i'd love to try out, I like how the Dayton ND's or whatever they are have a nice big surround. And the Peerless SDS 6 1/2 seems to be a nice woofer for under 20 bucks. I wish I knew about PartsExpress before I did my system.

[Matt]

The good thing about making a sub enclosure yourself is its really cheap, I used one sheet of 2'x4' mdf that cost like $8 from Homedepot. I listened to it, made some modifications by putting egg crate foam on the inside walls of it, and then was happy with it so I threw carpet on it. You can always make an enclosure, not like the sound, then just make another one adjusting to what you need.

Yeah, it's cheap enough to try out different enclosures. Shops will usually charge minimum 100 bucks for a plain old sealed enclosure.

Matt, did you get the PartsExpress "Holiday Savings" catalog in the mail? There's alot of stuff in there i'd love to try out, I like how the Dayton ND's or whatever they are have a nice big surround. And the Peerless SDS 6 1/2 seems to be a nice woofer for under 20 bucks. I wish I knew about PartsExpress before I did my system.

Yeah I got it the other day. The Daytons look pretty slick! I'm planning on trying out some new wide-band's - probably at least 3 more sets. These may go on that list.

The SDS's look nice as well. The 830657 looks pretty suitable for door applications. The other SDS 6.5 835004 looks like a great kick panel driver. I love my SLS's! I can't wait to try out sealed enclosures for them! ;)

[Chris]

Tim, doesn't adding dampening inside the box cut down the airspace that JL recommended? Your saying that you made the box have less airspace then recommended and it sounded better to you?

I was looking at part's express last night and they have so much stuff! I am going to be ordering a few things from there this week. I saw they have tons of speaker connection panels for the sub boxes, what kind did you guys end up going with?

I saw some spring ones like you usually see on the back of house speakers with the spring clips you insert the wire into, and i saw some that looked like plugs?

[Matt]

Tim, doesn't adding dampening inside the box cut down the airspace that JL recommended? Your saying that you made the box have less airspace then recommended and it sounded better to you?

It does, but using closed cell foam or polyester fiberfill helps dissipate the rear sound wave, therefor "tricking" the sub woofer into thinking it's in a larger enclosure than it's really in. So, no harm done. ;)

I was looking at part's express last night and they have so much stuff! I am going to be ordering a few things from there this week. I saw they have tons of speaker connection panels for the sub boxes, what kind did you guys end up going with?

I saw some spring ones like you usually see on the back of house speakers with the spring clips you insert the wire into, and i saw some that looked like plugs?

I prefer using a binding post and banana plug. I don't like the cheap look the plastic cups have to them. I have some pretty heavy duty ones, I like them a lot. Makes it nice and easy to remove quickly.

[Chris]

I see your connectors now, can you link me to those so I can check em out and the prices Matt? I assume they are pretty easy to terminate with the speaker wire itself?

All my old setups have had the cups and the spring clips that the bare wire goes into and it is always a PITA to remove and set back up! lol

[Matt]

I see your connectors now, can you link me to those so I can check em out and the prices Matt? I assume they are pretty easy to terminate with the speaker wire itself?

All my old setups have had the cups and the spring clips that the bare wire goes into and it is always a PITA to remove and set back up! lol

I actually bought them from Lowe's 'cause I needed them that day, but get them online. I think they were like 25 bucks for the set at Lowe's.

Here is a link to some from PE

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=091-1245
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=091-1165

Yeah, forget messing with bare speaker wire. These use set screws to keep the wire in place... solid!

[Chris]

Awesome just what I was looking for.

I saw some black boxes that had the binding posts in them that accept banana plugs as well, I might look into those too.

[08Hemi]

Look at the size of the enclosure I have, so easy to move and use the cargo area. Why not buy a sub like this and not have a huge box?

I am like you Timmy...I folded down my seats this weekend for a trip and I can move mine out of the way, flip it around and put it on the folded down seat facing right at my back! Small sub, 1000 watts and a small box!

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu174/bradsmith42/DSC00894.jpg

[Chris]

Wheres your amp dude, under the cargo tray also?

[TimmyB]

I am like you Timmy...I folded down my seats this weekend for a trip and I can move mine out of the way, flip it around and put it on the folded down seat facing right at my back! Small sub, 1000 watts and a small box!

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu174/bradsmith42/DSC00894.jpg


Did you checkout how I have my sub enclosure hooked into the clip on the back of the rear seat, its in there solid and doesnt move around at all. Simple eye hook and S hook.

[Chris]

That hook idea is great man, I would have never thought about that. Velcro was what I was thinking, on the bottom of the box lol

[TimmyB]

Tim, doesn't adding dampening inside the box cut down the airspace that JL recommended? Your saying that you made the box have less airspace then recommended and it sounded better to you?

I was looking at part's express last night and they have so much stuff! I am going to be ordering a few things from there this week. I saw they have tons of speaker connection panels for the sub boxes, what kind did you guys end up going with?

I saw some spring ones like you usually see on the back of house speakers with the spring clips you insert the wire into, and i saw some that looked like plugs?


Basically what Matt said, with the foam the sub somehow thinks its in a larger enclosure. And adding the foam really cut down on distortion, maybe having to do with absorbing the back waves so they dont bounce back to the sub. I also tried it with some poly fill but it didnt sound good at all, had alot less bass so i removed it and just left the egg crate foam in, and def recommend trying it.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC02659.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC02657.jpg

For the wire connectors I bought the square plastic insert that has two posts with plastic screw caps, I just stick the bare wire thru the holes in the posts then screw them down. On the inside I soldered all my connectors to the wire in there with shrink wrap.

[Chris]

Nice I will def. try that, will probably do a before and after test to see what sound it makes and how I like it. Where can I get that foam from btw?

[TimmyB]

Walmart sells it in the bedding section, and maybe even the camping section with the sleeping bags and air mattresses. A Joan Fabrics would have it also im thinking. Its cheap. I actually got the stuff I used for free, Scott sent me a set of struts and he packed it with the egg crate foam. Lol.

[Chris]

Cool thanks, one more thing to add to the shopping list :)

[TimmyB]

Sub enclosures are simple to make. Just need mdf, wood glue, a circular saw, jig saw or router, and screws or nails to temp hold it together while the glue sets. Add lots of bracing along the inside corners, I just cut 1"x1" strips of mdf and glued them along every inside corner. Its strong as hell, and actually removed the screws so I could sand it down good before I carpeted it.

[Chris]

So when it's built, I have heard to rub wood glue along the inside creases kinda like a caulking.. and your sayin to add 1x1 strips along those inside creases as well? That's a great idea, and in between those strips I will add that foam!

You just use regular drywall type screws? 1 1/4'' screws, pre drill holes and all right? Did you fill the holes back in with glue or anything or you just leave them alone since the carpet is gonna cover it anyway?

[Matt]

So when it's built, I have heard to rub wood glue along the inside creases kinda like a caulking..

Use wood glue as a sealant. You shouldn't need it if all of your cuts are good, but that's hard to do with a circular saw. Silicone is pretty intense and apparently has been known to eat away at the surround of a sub woofer. Just what I've read.

and your sayin to add 1x1 strips along those inside creases as well? That's a great idea, and in between those strips I will add that foam!

If you can manage it, add 45 degree strips in the corners. The more spherical you can make the enclosure the better. Always add bracing on large faces, and remember to account for the displacement of them when calculating net internal airspace.

You just use regular drywall type screws? 1 1/4'' screws, pre drill holes and all right? Did you fill the holes back in with glue or anything or you just leave them alone since the carpet is gonna cover it anyway?

Yep. 1 1/4" drywall screws are fine. Pre-drill, of course. If you want you can countersink them and leave them in, then add wood filler. Once the glue has dried the screws provide zero help in keeping the enclosure together. Wood glue is stronger than screws. I always remove mine and fill the holes.

[Chris]

So if you add more and more stuff inside the box (bracing and whatnot) then you should make the box a little larger.. I get that. Will it damage the woofer if the box is a little too large / small for it, or will that just make it sound different from "factory spec"?

[Matt]

So if you add more and more stuff inside the box (bracing and whatnot) then you should make the box a little larger.. I get that. Will it damage the woofer if the box is a little too large / small for it, or will that just make it sound different from "factory spec"?

It will just sound different. Power handling goes up in a smaller than ideal enclosure, and goes down in a larger than ideal enclosure. Larger usually plays lower (lower F3), and smaller usually cuts of higher (higher F3).

Just plan shit out and triple check all calculations and make it right. Overdoing an enclosure is a good thing. The PERFECT enclosure is one that is acoustically dead - zero resonance. You won't get that, but the closer you get to it the better. So brace away, make sure all sides match up well, etc, etc. If you're going with a square baffle, I'd recommend using a double baffle.

[Chris]

baffle = front of the box where the speaker goes?

[Matt]

baffle = front of the box where the speaker goes?

Yezzir.

[TimmyB]

I actually got straighter cuts using my circular saw than using my table saw. What I did was use a straight piece of pine board and clamped it down along the sheet of mdf I was cutting, using that as a guide to run the circular saw against. The guide piece of wood has to be offset from the line you want to cut to compensate for the width of the circular saw blade from its bottom plates edge. Just measure ur mdf and make a nice thin line in pencil you want to cut, then make sure the blade is right on the line before cutting. The edges dont need to be perfect if you have a sander, I have a nice heavey duty belt sander I used to even up all the edges.

I used wood glue along all inside corners instead of a sealant. I put the 1"x1" strips of bracing in after I put glue all along the interior. JL has a good amount of info. http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=141 The box I built is simple, almost square, and small so I didnt need that much bracing. I didnt even compensate for the added bracing since I just threw it in for fun after it was built, but it sounds great and I dont feel I added that much extra wood inside that i would need to enlarge the enclosure, but if I built another box I would probably add like 3/8"s- 1/2" to one of the dimensions. As matt said wood glue is stronger than the wood when cured so the screws dont really do much but get in the way of the sander, a few screw heads I completely ground away with my belt sander getting my box nice n even. Can even use small nails with clamps to temp hold it together, but you need the clamps to hold it tight while the glue sets. On this box i didnt double up on the baffle because I would of had to buy another sheet of mdf, but with the sub I have the sides of the box are very close to the surround of the sub I dont feel its needed or would benifit from it, with larger boxes I would though.

When I installed the carpet I was stumped because I meant the box i built to be temporary so I made it square. When i did the carpet I used some 1/2" mdf i had laying around and cut two pieces the same size as the sides, I wrapped the top, bottom, front and back with one piece of carpet with the edges lapped over the sides then installed carpet on one face of the 1/2" mdf pieces and folded the edges over all the way to the other side, then clamped the sides on using alot of wood glue between the box and two pieces. I copied the idea from this web site, using the "simplist method' but used wood glue and clamps while the glue set. http://www.bcae1.com/carpetenclosure.htm

[Matt]

Good info Timmy!

Also Chris, if you are going to purchase tools, purchase one, and get a router (plunge/fixed base combo). You can do straight cuts, circle cuts, and of course all the different odd things that bits allow. Most routers will come with a straight cut guide, so that will make cutting straight lines a breeze. I'd also grab a 4' level (should be pretty cheap) and use that as a fence (guide) if need be (you'll also need a couple small C-clamps... cheap).

I just picked up the Craftsman 17543 plunge/fixed combo for quite a bit less than what they retailed for (got it for $65 after discounts). "WOOD magazine" did a HUGE router comparison (last year I believe) and selected the 17543 as the dollar for dollar best router (they were $150ish around then). I also picked up a Craftsman Professional Grade 1/2" shank, 1/4" straight cut bit ($20) and a Jasper Jig Model 200 from partsexpress.com ($40)- it's an EXCELLENT circle cutting guide.

[Chris]

Man Tim that's some great information! Thanks!!

Matt how did you manage to get the router so cheap??? I would love to invest in one, but need the cost to be low since I won't be using it a whole lot. I have a Circular Saw already and was going to do exactly what Timmy suggested by using another straight piece as a guide (saw a guy making shelves once the same way). Thanks again for the info guys!

[Matt]

Man Tim that's some great information! Thanks!!

Matt how did you manage to get the router so cheap??? I would love to invest in one, but need the cost to be low since I won't be using it a whole lot. I have a Circular Saw already and was going to do exactly what Timmy suggested by using another straight piece as a guide (saw a guy making shelves once the same way). Thanks again for the info guys!

MSRP was $120. It was marked down to $80. Since I was already buying so much Craftsman shit, the clerk suggested I sign up for their free membership and that took off another $15 from the router!

I also have a somewhat cheap circular saw, but I just don't like using the cheap factory blade. Cuts are always rougher than I'd prefer. so instead of investing in a new blade I figured I may as well get probably the most versatile tool ever!

Also, I absolutely needed the ability to cut perfect circles. I am damn good with a jigsaw (maybe a deviation of 1/8" at most at any point around), but for this fiberglass enclosure that I'm going to be making (more so the grill assembly), I'll need perfect circles.

[TimmyB]

Honestly I have had the same cheap ass Crastman circular saw i first bought like over 10 years ago, the key thing is the blade. The blade that usually comes with it is a multi-use blade with a smaller number of teeth. Get a decent blade thats made for fine to medium cuts, and when cutting dont push the saw too hard into the wood, let the blade pull the saw almost and it will last you along time.

And having a router, I have just a basic Ryobi from Homedepot and it works fine. I have alot of bits for it and have made many things around my apartment with it, but i didnt even use it on my sub enclosure. To make a perfect circle of that size another attachment is needed that they sell for routers but its like 50 bucks so I said screw it.

For my circular cuts on my enclosure I used my basic jig saw with a fine tooth blade, actually went thru about 3 blades because they seemed to break so easy but a 3 pack is under 3 bucks. I first made a pilot hole with a 1/2" drill bit to fit the jig saw blade in than followed a pencil mark I made using the card board circle that came with my sub as a template.

[TimmyB]

Man Tim that's some great information! Thanks!!

Matt how did you manage to get the router so cheap??? I would love to invest in one, but need the cost to be low since I won't be using it a whole lot. I have a Circular Saw already and was going to do exactly what Timmy suggested by using another straight piece as a guide (saw a guy making shelves once the same way). Thanks again for the info guys!


You dont need a router to build a sub enclosure. A jig saw is your best tool for that, take your time and cut nice n slow following the line you marked out. Its always better to cut inside the line you drew since you can always sand away any excess wood and the sub fits nice n snug. With MDF you will be surprised how much material you can remove by hand using heavy grit sand paper, so if you dont have a power sander just be ready for a sore arm doing it by hand, but its easy and can be done.

[Matt]

You dont need a router to build a sub enclosure. A jig saw is your best tool for that, take your time and cut nice n slow following the line you marked out. Its always better to cut inside the line you drew since you can always sand away any excess wood and the sub fits nice n snug. With MDF you will be surprised how much material you can remove by hand using heavy grit sand paper, so if you dont have a power sander just be ready for a sore arm doing it by hand, but its easy and can be done.

I have a jig saw. I've built 5+ enclosures using it for my circle cut-outs. I do just fine with it. Thing is, for my new enclosure, it's absolutely crucial that I have PERFECT circles (for the baffle/grill assembly). A router (with plunge attachment and Jasper Jig) is the only tool that can deliver that.

[TimmyB]

I have a jig saw. I've built 5+ enclosures using it for my circle cut-outs. I do just fine with it. Thing is, for my new enclosure, it's absolutely crucial that I have PERFECT circles (for the baffle/grill assembly). A router (with plunge attachment and Jasper Jig) is the only tool that can deliver that.


I hear ya. I was just trying to let him know he doesnt need to go buy a router when using MDF. I bet I could make a nice circle by using a reciprocating saw blade alone with the end I grab with my hand wrapped in a rag. lol. But then again my middle name is MacGyver.

[Matt]

I hear ya. I was just trying to let him know he doesnt need to go buy a router when using MDF. I bet I could make a nice circle by using a reciprocating saw blade alone with the end I grab with my hand wrapped in a rag. lol. But then again my middle name is MacGyver.

haha, it would have to be to try that! :p

[B.P.O.D]

new reciprocating saws actually can rotate so you can cut circles!!! matt i'm sure you saw that at sears!

[Matt]

new reciprocating saws actually can rotate so you can cut circles!!! matt i'm sure you saw that at sears!

I saw them, and wanted to get out before I spent any more money, lol.

Will a reciprocating saw cut a circle, sure, but it's not the right tool for the job. And it won't be a perfect circle.

[DJ BoNiOmArIo]

took me a while to read all the nice and informative posts but amazing freaking thread ... when I do my stereo build one of these days will most definitely consult with you Matt and all the others who have posted on here ... thanks for such a great write up

p.s. Matt can't give u more +rep says I gotta distribute the wealth around

[Matt]

took me a while to read all the nice and informative posts but amazing freaking thread ... when I do my stereo build one of these days will most definitely consult with you Matt and all the others who have posted on here ... thanks for such a great write up

Good deal. Feel free to post up a question or shoot me a PM anytime Omar.

I've got some good ideas brewing for my current stereo build :D

p.s. Matt can't give u more +rep says I gotta distribute the wealth around

I'm anti-rep system so that is fine, haha. I appreciate the kind words and am glad to help out. Anytime.

[TimmyB]

I wont be trying fiberglass for awhile now with all I have going on with work and moving, so its put off till spring. Now that its dark out around here at 4:30pm and the temps are dropping outside work isnt that fun anymore. I wish I had a garage to work in. But I can say after I do make my first fiberglass "stealth box" for my WK I will be selling them on this site. If I have enough people interested in it now I would even get my ass in gear and do one now. For what JL Audio sells them for I think I can crank them out in my spare time for 2/3rds to 1/2 the price.

[Matt]

I wont be trying fiberglass for awhile now with all I have going on with work and moving, so its put off till spring. Now that its dark out around here at 4:30pm and the temps are dropping outside work isnt that fun anymore. I wish I had a garage to work in. But I can say after I do make my first fiberglass "stealth box" for my WK I will be selling them on this site. If I have enough people interested in it now I would even get my ass in gear and do one now. For what JL Audio sells them for I think I can crank them out in my spare time for 2/3rds to 1/2 the price.

If done right, the materials are going to run $150 minimum. Probably closer to $175 though. Then you gotta factor in around 10-12 working hours, not to mention the curing time for the resin. (Also an overnight of the initial mold in your trunk - each time you make a new one). Then you gotta factor in shipping. I've gotta think $50 minimum for CONUS.

Unless you are making a mold (that totally changes things), then I'd rethink the production and selling of enclosures.

[TimmyB]

If done right, the materials are going to run $150 minimum. Probably closer to $175 though. Then you gotta factor in around 10-12 working hours, not to mention the curing time for the resin. (Also an overnight of the initial mold in your trunk - each time you make a new one). Then you gotta factor in shipping. I've gotta think $50 minimum for CONUS.

Unless you are making a mold (that totally changes things), then I'd rethink the production and selling of enclosures.


The mold can easily be made from fiberglass, making a mold of the first enclosure made. Simple.

[nifty97z]

All you guys have put in some great info in this thread!!

[Matt]

The mold can easily be made from fiberglass, making a mold of the first enclosure made. Simple.


Yeah, that'd be the way to do it. It's still going to cost a lot though. Here's a quick parts list - I'm sure I haven't included everything.

Resin - $40
Mat/cloth - $30
Wood - $5
Brushes - $10
Roller - $10
Mixing tubs - $5
Dowels - $5
Nylon rope - $5
Hardware - $10
Grill cloth/fleece - $8
Carpet - $10
Tape - $10
Drop cloth - $5
Bondo - $10
Liquid nails - $2
Latex gloves - $5
Pam - $2
Shipping on some things (ballpark) - $20

One-time buys
Respirator - $40
Gown - $5

Call it $175
Shipping - $50 (min)
10 hours x $20/hr = $200

Total = $425 (without driver)



It's really going to come down to how much money you are willing to make for your time. Materials and shipping prices aren't going to change. If you're willing to accept $10/hr, that drops the rough total a hundred bucks. But at that point you'll need to decide if slave work is really worth 10 bucks an hour.


All you guys have put in some great info in this thread!!

Fa sho.

[TimmyB]

For me most of those items above are available free to me like brushes, rollers, rope, dowels, Liquid Nails, drop cloth, painters and duct tape, mixing tubs, wood. And I already have a nice double canister respirator. I'd only need to stock up on the resin and fiberglass mat, fleece and carpet.

Was just thinking if i do end up making a fiberglass enclosure that came out good enough I could make more in my spare time if people ever wanted. Have to see how things go.

[Matt]

For me most of those items above are available free to me like brushes, rollers, rope, dowels, Liquid Nails, drop cloth, painters and duct tape, mixing tubs, wood. And I already have a nice double canister respirator. I'd only need to stock up on the resin and fiberglass mat, fleece and carpet.

That's good 'cause all of those little things really add up. And I'm sure you could save a good deal on shipping if you order a decent amount. (for the resin and mat/cloth)

What kind of respirator do you have? I was looking at a 3M for ~$30, but there's a Binks that US Composites carries for $40 and it would be shipped with the rest of my order. I'm guessing most half-masks are pretty much the same.

Was just thinking if i do end up making a fiberglass enclosure that came out good enough I could make more in my spare time if people ever wanted. Have to see how things go.

Yeah for sure. I have no doubt that there would be a decent demand for them (here and on other sites).

[TimmyB]

The respirator I have my work got me and I had to get trained on it for a project my company was working on. I had to have a physical and a mask fitting at a medical center to get approved. The project was dealing with waterproofing of concrete walls underground in a confined space, which I wasnt working on but they wanted me certified in case I needed to ever fill in there.

The respirator is an MSA that fits over the mouth and nose. The canisters have the numbers GME-P100 on them. I know its a heavey duty type since all this work I had to go thru to get certified on it. My office has an account with Grainger, not sure if theres ones near you but its basically a store that sells anything construction related like safety gear to power tools to hardware. Its a Homedepot with alot more products minus the wood and lighting section. Lol

[Matt]

The respirator I have my work got me and I had to get trained on it for a project my company was working on. I had to have a physical and a mask fitting at a medical center to get approved. The project was dealing with waterproofing of concrete walls underground in a confined space, which I wasnt working on but they wanted me certified in case I needed to ever fill in there.

The respirator is an MSA that fits over the mouth and nose. The canisters have the numbers GME-P100 on them. I know its a heavey duty type since all this work I had to go thru to get certified on it. My office has an account with Grainger, not sure if theres ones near you but its basically a store that sells anything construction related like safety gear to power tools to hardware. Its a Homedepot with alot more products minus the wood and lighting section. Lol

Yeah, I've got a Grainger somewhat near me. Looks like their website carries a TON of respirators. Maybe I'll take a drive out there and check them out. Thanks!

[TimmyB]

Yeah, I've got a Grainger somewhat near me. Looks like their website carries a TON of respirators. Maybe I'll take a drive out there and check them out. Thanks!


You might want to give them a call first to see if an account is needed to purchase things from them. I have an account set up under my name for my office, so I just go in and give my name and get whatever I want and my company gets billed. You might be able to just walk in there and pay right there but they might make you open an account. They have a huge free catalog thats good to flip thru. And whats good about them is if you call them with a specific item you need and that warehouse doesnt have it they next day it to where ever you want for free or get it shipped to the warehouse your near. Homedepot might even sell respirators that are good enough for use with toxic fumes. The dust mask type will not do the job though, those are for large particles only. Working in Boston I see a few people daily walking down the streets with simple dust masks on trying to keep from getting the swine flu thing, which unless it has the filter on it will not do anything. Masks are rated for various uses, make sure you research for the correct one.

[Matt]

You might want to give them a call first to see if an account is needed to purchase things from them. I have an account set up under my name for my office, so I just go in and give my name and get whatever I want and my company gets billed. You might be able to just walk in there and pay right there but they might make you open an account. They have a huge free catalog thats good to flip thru. And whats good about them is if you call them with a specific item you need and that warehouse doesnt have it they next day it to where ever you want for free or get it shipped to the warehouse your near. Homedepot might even sell respirators that are good enough for use with toxic fumes. The dust mask type will not do the job though, those are for large particles only. Working in Boston I see a few people daily walking down the streets with simple dust masks on trying to keep from getting the swine flu thing, which unless it has the filter on it will not do anything. Masks are rated for various uses, make sure you research for the correct one.


I'm pretty sure my company has an account with them as well. I'll probably just end up going with the one that US Composites sells, just to keep it easy. Plus it looks like a nice, heavy-duty respirator. Yeah, def no dust mask, lol.

[Matt]

Just placed my order :D


http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/Untitled-11.jpg


The rest of my materials should be here this week.

Looking at my schedule, it looks like I won't be able to get started on this until at least the 14th. Probably closer to the week of Christmas though. I'll have that week off.

I'll be sure to take plenty of pics and thoroughly explain each and every step so those that want to try this in the future will have a pretty good guide to go from.

Stay tuned. ;)

[ItsAJeepThing]

matt.. i got a quick question..
my dad and i r planning to build a sub box.. and i was thinking of getting 2 10" /12" alpine type R subs.. wat size box is it going to be? i want to build something like u have.. so the back of the sub is all the way by the back seats

[Matt]

matt.. i got a quick question..
my dad and i r planning to build a sub box.. and i was thinking of getting 2 10" /12" alpine type R subs.. wat size box is it going to be? i want to build something like u have.. so the back of the sub is all the way by the back seats

I'm out the door for work, but let me get back to you tonight and I'll model them up.

[TimmyB]

Matt, nice list. You should video tape some of the parts when your making it and put it on youtube, i'd watch it. Not the entire build, just the main parts people would have questions about, like me. lol.

[DJ BoNiOmArIo]

chit I would watch the whole thing about 10 times cuz my noob azz would take forever to do it LMAO

plus I'm a perfectionist :(

[TimmyB]

matt.. i got a quick question..
my dad and i r planning to build a sub box.. and i was thinking of getting 2 10" /12" alpine type R subs.. wat size box is it going to be? i want to build something like u have.. so the back of the sub is all the way by the back seats


Do you want sealed or ported? Here's a good calculator for ported enclosures.

http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=31

Here's a good read on Type R's to look thru.

http://www.clubknowledge.com/Car_Audio_FAQ/archives/4257.html

I just typed in Alpine Type R's on google and got loads of info you might want to look at.

[ItsAJeepThing]

I'm out the door for work, but let me get back to you tonight and I'll model them up.

tnx alot bro

Do you want sealed or ported? Here's a good calculator for ported enclosures.

http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=31

Here's a good read on Type R's to look thru.

http://www.clubknowledge.com/Car_Audio_FAQ/archives/4257.html

I just typed in Alpine Type R's on google and got loads of info you might want to look at.

sealed or ported? i havent really decided on that yet.. it all depends which 1 will sound better.. ill check out the links u gave me.. find me some usefull info

[TimmyB]

tnx alot bro



sealed or ported? i havent really decided on that yet.. it all depends which 1 will sound better.. ill check out the links u gave me.. find me some usefull info


Im not sure either a sealed or ported enclosure is "better" between the two. Im not an expert on enclosures so here's a link to JL's info on ported, sealed, and bandpass enclosures. http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=146

I know sealed enclosures can handle more power before distorting and ported can hit lower. I have a JL 10W6v2 in a sealed enclosure and I luv it, I listen to mostly techno and rock/metal and it hits really hard in my chest. It is not the bass that people can hear from 2 blocks away setting off car alarms. I think with two Type R's whatever size you go with you will be happy with a sealed enclosure if you power them good enough. I have my 500/1 JL amp gain set all the way down so it cant go any further and I think the sub extends a bit too much at max volume I have my speaker amp set to, my bass is set to 0 crossed at 80hz on my head unit too.

Keep in mind, and im quoting here, "It is very easy to screw up a ported box if you just guess at the size and length of the port or the tuning frequency for the box. Not only will a poorly designed box sound bad, but it can easily damage the speaker if it is played hard."

[ItsAJeepThing]

ye i like my bass hitting hard.. i listen mostly to hip hop/rap.. techno every now and then.. bunch of other music.. ye i wouldnt wanna screw up a sub box ported or vented.. and mess up the speakers

[Matt]

Matt, nice list. You should video tape some of the parts when your making it and put it on youtube, i'd watch it. Not the entire build, just the main parts people would have questions about, like me. lol.

Funny you mention that, I just got done searching on YT for vids on this (as I am a nood too, haha). I bookmarked the links. Haven't watched them yet, but I'll watch them tonight and post the good ones here.

Either way that's a good idea, maybe I'll tape the key steps when I start them and then obviously it'd be just repeat atfer that.

chit I would watch the whole thing about 10 times cuz my noob azz would take forever to do it LMAO

plus I'm a perfectionist :(

Yeah me too. I'm going to take my sweet time on this enclosure, lol.

tnx alot bro



sealed or ported? i havent really decided on that yet.. it all depends which 1 will sound better.. ill check out the links u gave me.. find me some usefull info

No prob. I get out of here around 5 (EST) and I need to make a couple stops on the ay home, but I'm pretty sure I already have the Type-R's t/s parameters saved, so it should take no time to model up sealed and ported enclosures.

Generally though...

Large sealed = low extension (low power handling)
Small sealed = loss of low extension, tighter sounding (high power handling)
Ported = super low extension (lowest F3 of the three) (low power handling)

[Matt]

matt.. i got a quick question..
my dad and i r planning to build a sub box.. and i was thinking of getting 2 10" /12" alpine type R subs.. wat size box is it going to be? i want to build something like u have.. so the back of the sub is all the way by the back seats

Sealed enclosure for two 12" Type R's = 2.5 ft^3
Vented enclosure for two 12" Type-R's = 3.0 ft^3 tuned to 26hz


I can't find the t/s parameters for the 10" on Alpines website.


http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/Untitled-12.jpg

[99limited]

hey matty..i think i like this box. i might just go with this for my WJ.

[Matt]

Thanks!

And I think your floor is flat througout, so that will make it a lot easier as far as angles go.

[99limited]

Thanks!

And I think your floor is flat througout, so that will make it a lot easier as far as angles go.
easy=awesome. im gonna build my box for 2 12s then take the 2 subs out of my current box and put those in. then once i get enough money i am gonna buy acouple new subs (rockford of course). how much you think i can get out of my current subs when i sell em?

[Matt]

easy=awesome. im gonna build my box for 2 12s then take the 2 subs out of my current box and put those in. then once i get enough money i am gonna buy acouple new subs (rockford of course). how much you think i can get out of my current subs when i sell em?

Probably not much. Unfortunately, the market for used sub woofers isn't that great. It's an overly saturated market as it is.

[99limited]

Probably not much. Unfortunately, the market for used sub woofers isn't that great. It's an overly saturated market as it is.
Yeah, im just gonna try to sell them to friends and people around me.

i like these subs, what say you?
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Rockford-Fosgate-P3SD412-Shallow-12-Subwoofers-Subs_W0QQitemZ290388446718QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCar_S ubwoofers_Enclosures?hash=item439c800dfe
i like these subs, what say you?

also, what materials am i gonna need to do this box (other than carpet)?

[Matt]

Yeah, im just gonna try to sell them to friends and people around me.

i like these subs, what say you?
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Rockford-Fosgate-P3SD412-Shallow-12-Subwoofers-Subs_W0QQitemZ290388446718QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCar_S ubwoofers_Enclosures?hash=item439c800dfe
i like these subs, what say you?

also, what materials am i gonna need to do this box (other than carpet)?

Those subs look fine. I honestly dont know a whole lot about the general consumer products.. I'm more versed in raw drivers.

As far as materials; 3/4" MDF wood, screws, wood glue, terminal cup or plugs, speaker wire, carpet, spray glue for carpet. And then of course the tools to make all this happen.

[99limited]

Those subs look fine. I honestly dont know a whole lot about the general consumer products.. I'm more versed in raw drivers.

As far as materials; 3/4" MDF wood, screws, wood glue, terminal cup or plugs, speaker wire, carpet, spray glue for carpet. And then of course the tools to make all this happen.
BOLDED:Can i get this board from like lowes or home depot..and is that 3 feet 4 inches?

[Matt]

BOLDED:Can i get this board from like lowes or home depot..and is that 3 feet 4 inches?

Yes, both HD and Lowes sells MDF. You can get them in either 8'x4' full sheets ($25-$30), or some of them sell them in 4'x2' quarter sheets as well ($7-$10).

[99limited]

Yes, both HD and Lowes sells MDF. You can get them in either 8'x4' full sheets ($25-$30), or some of them sell them in 4'x2' quarter sheets as well ($7-$10).
so how much do i actually need? would a 4x2 be enough?

[Matt]

so how much do i actually need? would a 4x2 be enough?

Well, it depends on how much airspace you need, but for a pair of twelves you're looking at atleast 1 full sheet (8'x4').

[99limited]

Well, it depends on how much airspace you need, but for a pair of twelves you're looking at atleast 1 full sheet (8'x4').
ok cool matt. thanks bro

[Matt]

No prob Ryan!

[99limited]

Hoe do you do a ported box from this design? do i just drill a couple holes into the front of the box?

[Matt]

Hoe do you do a ported box from this design? do i just drill a couple holes into the front of the box?

Mother of god no!

A ported enclosure has to be designed and built to the specs of the sub woofer(s).

[99limited]

Mother of god no!

A ported enclosure has to be designed and built to the specs of the sub woofer(s).
lol ok matt i will just do a normal box.:fryingpan:

[Matt]

lol ok matt i will just do a normal box.:fryingpan:

There's nothing wrong with a vented enclosure, it just needs to be built to the specs of the sub woofer(s).

Sealed enclosures are a lot more forgiving, so they are usually a better means of universal solutions.

[99limited]

There's nothing wrong with a vented enclosure, it just needs to be built to the specs of the sub woofer(s).

Sealed enclosures are a lot more forgiving, so they are usually a better means of universal solutions.
:werd:

[99limited]

hey matt how did you measure the wings on the side? im sittin here trying to figure it out and im lost...

[TimmyB]

Just get a JL 10W6v2 and you will be more than happy. The enclosure is so small you can actually move it around easy and use your cargo area when needed.

[99limited]

Just get a JL 10W6v2 and you will be more than happy. The enclosure is so small you can actually move it around easy and use your cargo area when needed.
well thank you sir :thumbsup:
i suppose you have one? if so where did u get it?

[Matt]

hey matt how did you measure the wings on the side? im sittin here trying to figure it out and im lost...

I used a cardboard template.. got it trimmed correctly, then traced it onto wood.

Just get a JL 10W6v2 and you will be more than happy. The enclosure is so small you can actually move it around easy and use your cargo area when needed.

I hope you're joking. An enclosure should be bolted or firmly secured to the vehicle.

[99limited]

I used a cardboard template.. got it trimmed correctly, then traced it onto wood.



I hope you're joking. An enclosure should be bolted or firmly secured to the vehicle.
oh ok matt. got ya:thumbsup: