Glue MDF: Is it really necessary

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

Easy!! Simple example: Keep the bottom and top rectanglular pieces and replace the sides with taller or shorter ones.
Why?: My sub maker recommends a 1.0 cubic foot sealed box or a 1.25 cubic foot ported box, and I want to try both.

Nothing to do with being lazy. Everything to do with efficient use of time and materials (aka money) during the test-it-until-you-like-it phase.

When you don't like the sound of the sealed 1 cubic foot box, your going

to blame the fact that it's sealed? Well it's not sealed.

 

[PatFitz9 10+ year member]

Easy!! Simple example: Keep the bottom and top rectanglular pieces and replace the sides with taller or shorter ones.
Why?: My sub maker recommends a 1.0 cubic foot sealed box or a 1.25 cubic foot ported box, and I want to try both.

Nothing to do with being lazy. Everything to do with efficient use of time and materials (aka money) during the test-it-until-you-like-it phase.

You should be able to build both boxes out of one sheet of MDF. I don't understand why people ask for advice and then bitch about it when it's not what they wanted to hear. This site isn't to validate your opinions. You asked a question, we answered. Go buy some clamps and wood glue and build the box properly.

 

[gotparts90 10+ year member]

A ported box MIGHT get away with not being 100% sealed since it's vented anyways but a SEALED box will suffer considerably. I highly doubt you've got wood cutting skills that can provide joints true enough to get you any type of good seal. If you're going to use caulk or silicone to try and seal it up you will have trouble taking the panels apart and changing it like you mentioned.

I suggest that you take the time to plan your setup correctly before you start cutting anything. Heck, build a crappy cardboard mock up, sometimes that helps to visualize it in the car. After you're satisfied with the plan THEN cut everything and build the box the right way with wood glue. Don't try to cut corners because you skimped on the planning. Do it right, do it once.

ported boxes need to be sealed at the seams just as tight and they actually build higher pressures inside them when built right.

 

[drpeeb 10+ year member]

You should be able to build both boxes out of one sheet of MDF. I don't understand why people ask for advice and then bitch about it when it's not what they wanted to hear. This site isn't to validate your opinions. You asked a question, we answered. Go buy some clamps and wood glue and build the box properly.

My original question was whether glue is really needed in my particular situation, because obviously I wasn't sure it was.

Now, after quite a bit of discussion, I'm convinced that for now it's not making a big difference that it isn't glued. I understand most of you disagree. After some trial-and-error, and after I finally do glue it, I may have a different opinion. I'll certainly log back in and admit I was wrong if/ when that time comes.

I do appreciate all the responses and I hope you all got something out of it, too, so you don't feel you wasted your time.

 

[PatFitz9 10+ year member]

My original question was whether glue is really needed in my particular situation, because obviously I wasn't sure it was.
Now, after quite a bit of discussion, I'm convinced that for now it's not making a big difference that it isn't glued. I understand most of you disagree. After some trial-and-error, and after I finally do glue it, I may have a different opinion. I'll certainly log back in and admit I was wrong if/ when that time comes.

I do appreciate all the responses and I hope you all got something out of it, too, so you don't feel you wasted your time.

My guess is that you won't notice a difference right away (assuming your edges are true). The point is, if you want to do it the right way, use glue. Just because something works, doesn't mean it's right.

 

[gotparts90 10+ year member]

I understand that you want to try it out a few ways I have just done the same thing but made the box and them I am playing with spacers and poly fill to adjust the sound. I end up where I want in a sealed box by just making one box and making it right.

 

[FF5 10+ year member]

*Waits for him to admit he is wrong*

 

[BassMechanix 10+ year member]

Its MDF, glue or no glue it will leak regardless, MDF is primarily used for vaccume forming molds not just for enclosure builds. Its very poris so heated plastic can be vaccume formed right through the MDF. If air can go in it can go out too. But Like everyone else is saying "GLUE IT".

 

[sound giant 10+ year member]

Its MDF, glue or no glue it will leak regardless, MDF is primarily used for vaccume forming molds not just for enclosure builds. Its very poris so heated plastic can be vaccume formed right through the MDF. If air can go in it can go out too. But Like everyone else is saying "GLUE IT".

what would be better than mdf then? what about if you paint the mdf doesnt it make it non pourus

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

paint or as i prefer sealing the box with f/g resin //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif makes the wood denser and less flex as well //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[drpeeb 10+ year member]

... I will post a pic of the worst seam and see what you all think ... just for reference.

OK, here's a few pics.:

View attachment 26511108

View attachment 26511107

View attachment 26511105

Upper-left & lower-right are the worst two joints; About a fingernail thickness wide:

View attachment 26511106

The "wood grain" pieces are leftovers from an old Sauder brand screw-together entertainment center.

So sexy ...

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

if you can visibly see it , then its gonna leak for sure //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif and that is particle wood, it is really crappy for enclosures.

 

[germandark 10+ year member]

Cancer.

 

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

 

[drpeeb 10+ year member]

Cancer.

Alright, alright ... I'm on it.

Ordered an Alpine PDX-5 and two Alpine SWS-1043D subs. Gonna put them in small-ish sealed MDF-only enclosures (biggest I can fit under my king cab rear seats), glue them, yes glue them, and just live with 'em that way.

This way I can choose to take one sub out if needed and run it either of these 2 ways:

- One Alpine SWS-1043D (4ohm DVC) sub which would be powered by 300W RMS at 2ohms.
 
- Two Alpine SWS-1043D (4ohm DVC) subs which would be powered by 150W RMS each at 4ohms.
I need flexibility to be able to pull one out if needed.

Tks ...