Last box was a fail. Please help with new build

L1ttlet

CarAudio.com Regular
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So I  have built a few boxes now. All out of mdf. Used paint and rhino lining. They have all been built out or 5/8 mdf. I'm  tired of the dust and just overall weakness of mdf even with proper bracing. 

My next build I'm  thinking baltic birch, maple, red oak, all the same stuff and same price just different finish when stained. 54$ for 4x8 and 3/4 inch thick. I plan on resining the inside. 

My last cost effective is the sanded plywood and 34$ a sheet of 4x8 for 3/4 inch and ofcourse it'll have voids but still look nice when stained and can double the panels to 1.5inches thick, resin inside of box. And it should be solid as a rock for 3 10inch subs on 3600watts rms and braced with a couple 2x4s. 

Question, which route would be the cheapest or even which route should I  go for the most solid box. Without killing the bank. Should I  glass matt the inside of box as well? Would the sanded plywood work for 0 vibrations done 1.5inches thick and resin? What would u do with a 100$ budget for this box? All prices are local homedepot.

Please help. Here are some of the builds that I  have done and already probly seen on here.

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So I  have built a few boxes now. All out of mdf. Used paint and rhino lining. They have all been built out or 5/8 mdf. I'm  tired of the dust and just overall weakness of mdf even with proper bracing. 

My next build I'm  thinking baltic birch, maple, red oak, all the same stuff and same price just different finish when stained. 54$ for 4x8 and 3/4 inch thick. I plan on resining the inside. 

My last cost effective is the sanded plywood and 34$ a sheet of 4x8 for 3/4 inch and ofcourse it'll have voids but still look nice when stained and can double the panels to 1.5inches thick, resin inside of box. And it should be solid as a rock for 3 10inch subs on 3600watts rms and braced with a couple 2x4s. 

Question, which route would be the cheapest or even which route should I  go for the most solid box. Without killing the bank. Should I  glass matt the inside of box as well? Would the sanded plywood work for 0 vibrations done 1.5inches thick and resin? What would u do with a 100$ budget for this box? All prices are local homedepot.

Please help. Here are some of the builds that I  have done and already probly seen on here.

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Don't over sand the vener on that plywood is pretty thin. I sand very very little just in places i think it needs it with 220.You'll want to use some pre stain. Some of the pre stain blocks too much of the stain imo. I like Charles Neil blotch control. 3 coats of stain and 3 coats of polyurethane is plenty imo. Elmers max wood glue is a thicker glue. Doesn't run near as bad as tight bond. Make sure you have a good proper blade on your table saw. That stuff likes to split. I've found keeping your blade height as low as possible helps. All that adds up but you'll have plenty of supplies left over to build another box. If you decide to paint use bin primer.

That's the last box I stained. Took a few to figure out what to use and what not to use lol. I was happy with the results anyway. 

Hope that was helpful good luck...

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3/4 baltic birch ply with window bracing will be the strongest most cost effective. 

Stop shopping at Home Depot and go to a real lumber store. Home depot wood is absolute garbage and the panels will always be warped because the dipshits who work at their suppliers band the wood too tight during shipment and the retards they hire at the store don't care and don't know how to operate a forklift.

 
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I don't think you ever explained why the last box failed. How/why did it fail? Built poorly? Design poorly? Too much power? Not enough bracing? All these little things I ask will make a huge difference. Yes MDF is very messy. I've used it for years and is cheaper than most enclosure building woods. Also  heavier. My last enclosure was built from baltic birch....and here they come in 5x5 sheets, not 4x8. I think some places/states you can get them in 4x8 sheets but true baltic birch here is 5x5 sheets.

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I don't think you ever explained why the last box failed. How/why did it fail? Built poorly? Design poorly? Too much power? Not enough bracing? All these little things I ask will make a huge difference. Yes MDF is very messy. I've used it for years and is cheaper than most enclosure building woods. Also  heavier. My last enclosure was built from baltic birch....and here they come in 5x5 sheets, not 4x8. I think some places/states you can get them in 4x8 sheets but true baltic birch here is 5x5 sheets.
My local lumber store carries baltic birch in 4x8 and 5x5. It all depends on the supplier and how much overhead the lumber yard wants to take on. 

 
Thank u for the help so far everyone. So the last box. I do like it but I'm thinking the vibration is to much. Bass hits and box moves around the trunk. I mean it can hardly move. I put my phone on box and if vibrates the phone around. It won't bounce of coins or anything but the box is still only getting about maybe 1.5krms maybe. (Not enough power to sustain 3600krms yet, hopefully after tax time can get those lto cells) it transfers to much vibration to amps that aren't mounted on the box. Maybe it should be sturdier? The box isn't bad for my 5th box ever built. I just want it strong af without any vibration. Weight is also an issue why I  want to steer away from mdf if I  go with 1.5inches thick.

 
The best type of enclosure material is solid concrete. If you're using wood, you want to be as close to that as possible. Weight will be always be a sacrifice and there is no such thing as an overbuilt enclosure. Adding a layer of fiberglass resin to the inside of a wooden box is never a bad idea, just make sure to compensate for the volume of resin you are adding. 1/8th inch layer of resin all the way around is 1/4 inch less on every interior dimension. 

 
My local lumber store carries baltic birch in 4x8 and 5x5. It all depends on the supplier and how much overhead the lumber yard wants to take on. 
You might be right. I chose to pick out some wood vs HD and Lowes,  from another city....I'm sure you have heard of them. Dunn Lumber.

 
Thank u for the help so far everyone. So the last box. I do like it but I'm thinking the vibration is to much. Bass hits and box moves around the trunk. I mean it can hardly move. I put my phone on box and if vibrates the phone around. It won't bounce of coins or anything but the box is still only getting about maybe 1.5krms maybe. (Not enough power to sustain 3600krms yet, hopefully after tax time can get those lto cells) it transfers to much vibration to amps that aren't mounted on the box. Maybe it should be sturdier? The box isn't bad for my 5th box ever built. I just want it strong af without any vibration. Weight is also an issue why I  want to steer away from mdf if I  go with 1.5inches thick.
What does your set up consist of? Pics if you can. Perhaps @shredder2 can lend some help on a good box design if your having issues with it moving. It should be bolted in place, or so I would think unless it's not.

 
It is in place from moving. Ugh. My question more or less is for me to be able to put my forehead to the box and not feel a thing while it is playing. Cost for build 100$. Should I  build it 1.5 inches thick and resin and glassmat it. 

Also is a port for 4.5 cubes. I know port area should be around 12-16inches per cube. Would it make a difference if it was 2x33 inches or 6x11 inches. Both is 66square inches. But does the ratio really matter? Would there be an audible difference. 

I wanna get this nxt box right. 

 
Thank u all for ur help and nice builds. This box build is definitely just weighing in on my mind and google and forums haven't given me any sufficient answers yet.

 
Thank u for the help so far everyone. So the last box. I do like it but I'm thinking the vibration is to much. Bass hits and box moves around the trunk. I mean it can hardly move. I put my phone on box and if vibrates the phone around. It won't bounce of coins or anything but the box is still only getting about maybe 1.5krms maybe. (Not enough power to sustain 3600krms yet, hopefully after tax time can get those lto cells) it transfers to much vibration to amps that aren't mounted on the box. Maybe it should be sturdier? The box isn't bad for my 5th box ever built. I just want it strong af without any vibration. Weight is also an issue why I  want to steer away from mdf if I  go with 1.5inches thick.
You dont worry about vibration. Its box flex that you worry about. Vibration is unavoidable with a box flopping around in the trunk.

 
^^Pretty much what Jeff said, unless you bolt it down to the floor or something. I have my enclosure bolted in place where the tie downs were in my Tahoe.\

I'm just wondering what subs/amps your running that makes your sub enclosure move around. You sure are keeping it a secret, as I've asked a few times now. I can tell ya right now, w/o knowing subs your running, would give the designer and whomever here help you need for proper port area., internal volume, power/watts, etc.

 
This box build is something I'm learning from... I was originally liking the way it looked and turned out. But I was not aware of the 5/8" materials being used, with those large panels and the power you're planning I don't know why you chose 5/8" thickness, the bracing was a decent idea but with the panels so large and whatnot it probably will flex some.... especially once you add power. Even .75" braced with a double baffle would be an improvement and likely be sufficient I feel, I might leave the doweling at the store and use something with more contact area as the panels are so large, Doing that worked well in the last enclosure I did for my ride and its single ply with large panels as well.

Of course, since you're looking to absolutely kill any vibration doubling up the materials will be best since you are keeping the amps where they are. 

However you do it those amps are in a less than optimum mounting position... that's for sure. I'm in the same boat mounting-wise but only cause I chose to be.

Sure... I got some vibration, but it's minimal with no actual flex.

Trying to get rid of ALL the vibration might not be possible... so consider that when you finally wrap this up... I did and it's a chance of failure I suppose but one I'm willing to run.

 
^^Pretty much what Jeff said, unless you bolt it down to the floor or something. I have my enclosure bolted in place where the tie downs were in my Tahoe.\

I'm just wondering what subs/amps your running that makes your sub enclosure move around. You sure are keeping it a secret, as I've asked a few times now. I can tell ya right now, w/o knowing subs your running, would give the designer and whomever here help you need for proper port area., internal volume, power/watts, etc.
My bad I  missed those. So subs are 3 10inch soundcube hdc3. 1200watts rms.

Amps is wolfram 3000.1 at .67 ohms and the wolfram 125.4 together amps gotta be almost 50lbs in weight. Big mofos.

Power is 2/0 awg ofc gp cable, xs power d3400 under hood, big 3, stock alt.

So maybe 1500watts rms system.

Box is 1.4 cubes per sub internal volume after port and all displacements.

 
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