construction finally starts

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ttocs
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construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I was in the process of installing my stereo when I had my accident and it all got derailed from there. I have had plans in the back of my mind this whole time but they were on hold getting it on the road and running. I am in a bit of a holding pattern on my T56 trans swap because my buddy with trans experience(man that sounds wrong) has an injured back so I decided to go forward with the enclosure while I wait
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This will be the most complex box I have ever built to try and get as close as possible to 4 cu ft of airspace as required for the morel ultimo 12s I will be running. That pic does not show that I have a rear strut tower brace that is welded into place that will take up some space and make things interesting and to get as much air as I can I am using the spare tire well for space and will then bolt another portion of the box to it that will hold the subs. Because I wanted it as stiff as possible to resist flexing in the 2 piece design I decided to try a kerfboard rather than just fiberglassing the entire thing. This was my first time doing kerf, all you do is make a cut that goes 90% of the way through the baltic birch every 1/2"-1" which allows it to flex. I will be glassing the bottom of the enclosure and then will do a layer on the side to ensure its sealed and stiff.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
lilviper
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by lilviper »

ttocs wrote:I was in the process of installing my stereo when I had my accident and it all got derailed from there. I have had plans in the back of my mind this whole time but they were on hold getting it on the road and running. I am in a bit of a holding pattern on my T56 trans swap because my buddy with trans experience(man that sounds wrong) has an injured back so I decided to go forward with the enclosure while I wait
Image
This will be the most complex box I have ever built to try and get as close as possible to 4 cu ft of airspace as required for the morel ultimo 12s I will be running. That pic does not show that I have a rear strut tower brace that is welded into place that will take up some space and make things interesting and to get as much air as I can I am using the spare tire well for space and will then bolt another portion of the box to it that will hold the subs. Because I wanted it as stiff as possible to resist flexing in the 2 piece design I decided to try a kerfboard rather than just fiberglassing the entire thing. This was my first time doing kerf, all you do is make a cut that goes 90% of the way through the baltic birch every 1/2"-1" which allows it to flex. I will be glassing the bottom of the enclosure and then will do a layer on the side to ensure its sealed and stiff.
lol.. Stiff..

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ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I cut a top for the lower enclosure (E1). I am calling it that because after cutting some cardboard to mock up the sides/bottom I realized that there was no way I could get it to fit as a 2 piece box so now its going to be a 3 piece after a short redesign. I started by cutting a top.
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I decided to embellish the box a little by adding an infinity mirror display in the lower portion. To start this I machined some 3/4" acrylic into the shape I wanted.
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and then made an aluminum trim ring to go around it that will get polished as well as a mounting plate for the acrylic. Below the foam I installed threaded inserts that allow me to use 1/4 - 20 screws

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now I started masking the well so I can do the glass tonight. Its still colder than I would like but it will be for a while.
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what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
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JK
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by JK »

Hell Yeah!! Looking custom!! Nothing wrong with a lil challenge.. I like how your adding in the custom details.. I think that aluminum and acrylic will pop.. Are you going to use your MSK in this install?

I’m going to start my first complete install here soon for my sons 16th bday suv.. I’m not sure how custom it will be, but I know it will be loud..

Stay at it and hopefully you can knock it out sooner than later.. hope your health is doing well and allows you stay at it..
Silverhorse
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by Silverhorse »

Looks promising!
I hope like JK that you gone use your one of a kind so beautiful MS1000.
We start building installs four our children! Man, we are getting older...
I have two daughters, the oldest is starting learning to drive. Hell yeah she want her own car with an exceptional audio system.
When it comes to audio they are spoiled.
Last edited by Silverhorse on Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I am torn on the 1000. Part of me wants to install it and show it off and the other part of me will be too scared to touch it to tune it once it is installed. I am not sure if I will use it, I am considering option but idunno... I am going forward with the speakers install because I know what I want to use there and I know that can keep me busy for a while.

I got the bottom of the enclosure glassed and built it up to be thick enough and now the hard part starts getting the different parts of the sealed enclosures to mate up and seal perfectly. I have never built a box that was multiple pieces that were put together in the car so it took some time to consider what would work and still be able to be taken apart later if or when its needed. I considered just bolting them together with some rtv between them but I wanted to try and make the mating surface as large and tight as possible to ensure it sealed. To do this I got some 3/4" thick HDPE(cutting board material that was actually .71 thick(Fuckers)) because it does not not swell with humidity/heat and not much bonds to it. I cut two pieces where one fits inside the other nice and tight so that it will help center the two pieces when the one mounted to the lower enclosure slides into the one mounted in the upper enclosure. I also have some rubber gasket material on the way that I am going to learn how to use my drag knife on the cnc to cut that will also help to seal between the two.

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what you see above is the bottom piece of what will become the upper enclosure(E2) set on top of the top piece of the lower enclosure(E1 shown above) and why do I know we will need to read that more than one time?! I am sorry I am not sure how to reword it. Getting those pieces exactly where I wanted them was a little bit of a new challenge for me as this was the first time where I had pieces that I had to line up in the car, mark where I wanted those strange holes and then have them and all the mounting bolts line up perfectly between the two pieces to be cut on the cnc. The hole between the enclosures is off center because the spare tire well is off center as well. The sub will be centered like the acrylic window is in the floor.

I am learning all kinds of new things on this project already. I have to laugh I am so old school I spent a little more than a week trying to find someone with a table saw that I could use to build the rest of the enclosure with before someone asked why not use the cnc? I have built countless boxes and always used a table saw and I guess because a cnc was not available that is why. I am still going to need a saw for a couple of pieces with angles on the ends and I did find someone that will let me use their saw but its strangely new building this enclosure.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
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JK
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by JK »

Shit!! Allowing yourself to adapt to the new error is key to the new ways.. for me it’s kinda hard to change old ways, but I keep working on it.. kinda like you can’t teach a old dog new tricks.. lol!!

Yeah!! I had to reread and go back and look at the Picts, but I personally think you got it... I scene boxes get pieced together in the trunk for the first time around 5 years ago.. I was thinking.. damn!! What happened to the good ol days.. just slap a box in and call it a day.. watching that install made me realize that it takes some serious thought building a pieced together box in the trunk..

I hear ya on the amp, but you gotta pull the trigger.. you’ll get a better feeling having it installed rather than tucked away.. I too had that problem.. I honestly just realized a couple weeks ago that I used my new nickel in my 32 Ford install.. I’m thinking that when it came time to decide witch way to go.. new or used. I figured throw the new nickel in and enjoy it.. I probably did this because everything’s mint, so I had to use the new nickel..

Stay at it and keep the Picts coming.. hopefully you’ll have it done in time to throw on DJ JAZZY JEFF & the FRESH PRINCE (summer time).. lol!!
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stipud
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by stipud »

That's some next level kerf cutting dude! :shock:

You have some serious hardware there!
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

JK wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:50 am Shit!! Allowing yourself to adapt to the new error is key to the new ways.. for me it’s kinda hard to change old ways, but I keep working on it.. kinda like you can’t teach a old dog new tricks.. lol!!

Yeah!! I had to reread and go back and look at the Picts, but I personally think you got it... I scene boxes get pieced together in the trunk for the first time around 5 years ago.. I was thinking.. damn!! What happened to the good ol days.. just slap a box in and call it a day.. watching that install made me realize that it takes some serious thought building a pieced together box in the trunk..

I hear ya on the amp, but you gotta pull the trigger.. you’ll get a better feeling having it installed rather than tucked away.. I too had that problem.. I honestly just realized a couple weeks ago that I used my new nickel in my 32 Ford install.. I’m thinking that when it came time to decide witch way to go.. new or used. I figured throw the new nickel in and enjoy it.. I probably did this because everything’s mint, so I had to use the new nickel..

Stay at it and keep the Picts coming.. hopefully you’ll have it done in time to throw on DJ JAZZY JEFF & the FRESH PRINCE (summer time).. lol!!
Todays learnings were how to make a gasket. This is the first time I have used the drag knife so there was a little learning to be done with it but I am sure I will be using this again to make the other gasket between the other 2 enclosures.
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I love my cnc...

I have a radial arm saw that made the cuts pretty easy for the kerfing. I could have got by with half as many cuts I think but I wanted to see what it could do. I started it with that thought and I was paying attention to making the cuts accurately and with out losing any fingers and I was not paying any attention to the completed kerf board. When I finished and looked over and for the first time ever to see my cut material making a complete 90 degree bend and nearly touching the floor tripped me out. I didn't realize that if it had not it would have hit the wall so it was a good thing.
Last edited by ttocs on Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I installed the threaded inserts on the top of E1 that will hold the two enclosures together and I also mocked up the PG infinity mirror. I also made a pocket for the gasket to seat down into (.03") that will still allow it to compress and seal to the HDPE above it with the bolts going through it all to hold it tight.
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On the bottom of what will be inside the E1 I installed a brace that goes under where the threaded inserts to ensure it is stiff and I also installed a blue/white strobe light. The light is facing the bottom of the infinity mirror with the idea being that it will just give the regular infinity mirror look with the strobe light of, but when its on and white it should light up the white section and the blue and give a neat look of the PG silhouette through it. Then when it lights up blue it should look like a solid blue light under it and the same PG silhouette.
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Here the gasket is in place and I thought it was time to check the fit in the car.
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And that is where the celebration ended because that piece that is on the front of E2, is supposed to be on the back so I will be removing that piece and it will be recut.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I would have cut that piece out and recut it on the cnc to correct it but a small miscalculation sent my only 1/4" bit into one of the screws that clamps the wood down and that did that bit in. I really wanted to do some more on it but I also needed to confirm my design with the angles on the front of the enclosure(what I will call enclosure 3 E3) would match the back seat and mesh up with the back of E2. I thought about cutting it out of cardboard by hand when I remembered I don't have to do that, the drag knife is already on the cnc so I don't even have to change bits. So I programmed it to cut out some old cardboard to see if it would fit.
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The heel portion of that shoe goes over the strut tower brace and then also acts as part of the clamping surface to put the two together. But more importantly, does it fit?
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We must aquit! The new bit should be here wed/thurs so I can continue with that part. In the mean time I am going to try and figure out a simple way to use that strut brace to mount the sucker down....
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I got all the rest of the pieces cut out on the cnc and now I need to go hit my neighbor up(hopefully this weekend) so I can make the 24 degree cuts on the end by the back seat. I am not sure why I am so surprised that the trig I needed to do to find the angle on the seat worked but I am and the angle finder there in the front shows it. I used that originally to find the angle of the seat and then took the measurements from it to figure out the angle.
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The pieces of 1/2" thick that go around the sides will have a piece of the same 1/8" rubber gasket material that I used to seal E1 to E2 under them to make a nice seal around the outside once the 1/4 - 20 fasteners are tightened down. You can see more of the fasteners that will bolt E2 and E3 together across the back of this shot.
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Here I started on the display side of E2. There will be a piece of 3/4" acrylic that goes across it that the sub will mount to. This sub facing the trunk will be mounted with the magnet inside of the box and then the other sub will be mounted inverted on the other side so the magnet will stick out where the back seat use to be. I hope the acrylic gets here sunday to continue with it.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
lilviper
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by lilviper »

pretty cool man
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I had some extra sound damping and while it was completely not needed, why not?
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And then it was time to cut the acrylic. The protective cover is still on the back.
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what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
lilviper
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by lilviper »

gunna edgelight that plexi?
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

lilviper wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 8:01 am gunna edgelight that plexi?
Well heck yes and that is why I engraved/etched those little lines on the side of the speaker and there is also a ring around the speaker that is harder to see. All of this was done on the top but I am probably going to flip it over and do some lines in contrasting directions to add some depth to it.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I have been busy designing the acrylic for the other side as well as the show that will be inside the box between the two windows but I managed to make time to design and cut the gasket needed for the window above. I decided to make a one piece gasket out of 1/8" thick rubber to ensure it seals nicely. This is only the 2nd time I have used the drag knife attachment but I will be using that more for some other gasket pieces in the next few days. I have to say I feel a little gansta now doing all this with the cnc(cue the damn it feels good to be a gangsta)...
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I also started working on finishing the interior of E2. Hopefully it will be ready for a pic in the next day or two and be basically finished.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I had some scrap pieces of acrylic that I didn't want to waste so I decided to put them to use inside of the box to make a little show. When I found one of my woofers the guy had the ability to make identical stickers to what is on the back of the sub. I am going to put them to use here.
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that piece and after I cut two more like the two shown here will complete the show inside the box with a nice led strip below to light it up and a blue/white strobe from above to make some contrast.
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what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

I spent some time looking at this very pic and decided that I hated how I had to hide the strut tower brace with that hump and decided to make something out of it.
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I made a pocket that I could fit a piece of aluminum I cut out as an inlay for the pocket I also wanted to be able to use it as a mirror to look at the other side of the woofer that will be facing it so I polished it.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJKi-1u ... e=youtu.be[/youtube]
It seemed a bit plain so I engraved some logos in it with the idea that I was going to either fill them with colored epoxy or paint but I think I love the contrast of the polished vs the machined and might just leave it, or if I feel like getting cray cray I might cut some letters out of acrylic to inlay into the letters so that they will stand up out of the words a bit but still show the machine pattern below.
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what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
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Landcruiser
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by Landcruiser »

Very very nice! What vehicle is this going into? T-56 ? Nice....
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Landcruiser
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by Landcruiser »

Those Morel subs are beautiful too.....
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ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

Landcruiser wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 3:35 pm Very very nice! What vehicle is this going into? T-56 ? Nice....
I have a 94 gt that was originally owned by my mother.

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I agree the morels look great which is why I want one facing normal in the trunk and the one facing the inside of the car will be inverted mounted in this plexi I just cut tonight. I wish I could peel the protective cover off to show the detail I engraved into it but as much as I want to it will not come off till the day of install.
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I recently was looking at an article about making a vacuum table for my cnc and was surprised to read that they could not get mdf/plywood to work with out first sealing it. Even as dense as mdf is that on a vac table it would still leak air and not work. Since I read that I have always wondered about sub boxes so to fight this I first fiberglassed the inside of the box to seal it off. Now I think its almost ready to finish the inside off.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
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Landcruiser
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by Landcruiser »

Beautiful ride and install! I hope your accident wasn't too serious. Does the car have the original T5 in it now? Or auto?
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by Landcruiser »

This car wasn't a different colour previously, was it?
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ttocs
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Re: construction finally starts

Post by ttocs »

It had a manual/t5 that held up for a lot of years but it did not like the added power of the supercharger. It has always been deep forest green in color since we got it in 93. There has been a lot of little body work details done over the years but the color is the same
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
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