18" Fi BTL interchangeable port enclosure build

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Hey guys,

Alright. Ive got the plan sketched-up and I will hopefully start making cuts here soon (as long as the weather stays decent) and get this started.

The front section of the box will be removeable along with the ports, so I can simply make several panels and miscellaneous ports in each to make tuning whatever I wish, getting loud at comps and sounding good getting there and back. There will be a lip on the inside of the enclosure with multiple mounting points (machine screw anchors) and this lip and the sides of the enclosure the panel will be touching will have a thin cost of rubber to ensure a tight seal.

Here is the plan..

This guy's eyein' my enclosure a bit too closely..

Click to read more...

 

[Terranova 10+ year member]

i say kick that guys ***!

but seriously looks like a good idea.

 

[dumpin907 10+ year member]

thats pretty creative

 

[adam212 10+ year member]

is that firing into the cabin?

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Thanks guys, and yea the ports will be firing forwards...if it doesnt get me quite as high as I wanted I might start trying back firing and side firing to experiment a bit...but the build might not start till friday because im not off till then //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[jeremiah 10+ year member]

In my car my MJ-18 is firing up port back I tried port forward but it was not as loud. FYI

 

[15nissen 10+ year member]

why not do it the right way and buy some aero ports. Then all you have to do is change the lengths of them when needed. Requires duck tape and 5 minutes. Much easier to do.

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

^Because with this setup I can change the port area and so much more without that much effort, i'll have 2 or 3 panels premade with mounting holes drilled so I can simply make experiments along the way...with whatever port setup I want, rather than being confined to one setup and just changing the lengths..

And thanks Jeremiah, im pretty sure too front-firing wont be the loudest...but the SoundStream is right behind the enclosure and cant really fit anywhere else...i'll see what I can do with the setup and be able to move things around maybe.. (and the spare tire well's already taken by the batt's //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif ...plus I dont think it'd fit under there anyways)

 

[15nissen 10+ year member]

since you use mdf, you cannot simply unscrew a panel over and over. Mdf is junk and it will just strip. If your trying to be loud, aero ports are the way to go. You get what you pay for basically.

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

^Thats why im using anchors and machined screws/bolts for this...along with metal sleeves im inserting into the panels mounting holes so there is no contact with the mdf to strip it up...this isnt going to be a throw-together enclosure...it will be well thought-out and well made

 

[kovemaster559 5,000+ posts]

sounds good to me

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

^Thats why im using anchors and machined screws/bolts for this...along with metal sleeves im inserting into the panels mounting holes so there is no contact with the mdf to strip it up...this isnt going to be a throw-together enclosure...it will be well thought-out and well made

I hope you are talking about the metal thread inserts (I haven't used yet, but want to), and not t-nuts (have used, they ****, never will again).
Ive often considered building an enclosure with interchangeable ports that used de-sta-co clamps to hold the panel in place. Super fast port change, and would never require re-screwing anything.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

If the MDF panel has holes a little larger then the screws used you should be fine. Although I'm still not 100% sure about the inserts holding tight in MDF with repeated use. Guess you'll find out.

How will you be sealing it up? Weatherstripping foam?

Cool idea though, hope it all works out...

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Yea, thanks guys. And im not talking about t-nuts...theyre similar but not the same, and I actually cover them in jb-weld before hammering them in so they literally cannot back-out or move at all (jb weld actually adheres to mdf very well, rediculously strong...and it helps better than wood glue because it adheres to both the anchor and mdf).

As for the seal, yes...a thin layer of rubber and/or weather stripping will be used where the panel and lip meet...i'll see how much I need when I put it all together.

And the idea with the clamps is pretty cool, might try that in the future..