I found a friend to host the plans for me.
http://wiiuse.net/tmp/sub_box_plans.zipThe zip file contains 3 PDFs:
Fiero Sub Box.pdf - dimensions of the box
Template_85x11.pdf - printable template to wrap around the tube... on (4) 8.5x11 sheets of paper
Template_11x17.pdf - printable template to wrap around the tube... on (2) 11x17 sheets of paper
I apologize for not having "in progress" pics, but I will take some when I make my next box. The process is as follows:
1. Wrap the template around a
concrete form tube and cut out the shape. Take not when you buy the tube that there are 3 different sizes of "8 inch" tube... 8.5, 8, and 7.5. We need the middle one. The smaller one is too tiny for the speaker, and the large one is too big for the opening under the dash.
THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS FOR THIS STEP...
2a. Using the cut tube, trace the shapes for the top pieces on a sheet of plywood or MDF. I personally use plywood because I have access to it, but I have used MDF in the past. Tack the pieces of wood into place from the inside with hot glue so that they stay until you lay fiberglass.
2b. More recently I have started laying a sheet of wax paper over the top of the mold and laying 3-4 layers of fiberglass over top of it to create a single piece top that is much easier to work with. Now you can tack the single top piece into place with hot glue until you lay the rest of the fiberglass.
3. Lay 2 coats of fiberglass (3 if necessary) on the outside of the tube. You may still be able to squeeze the tube at the open side, but the top side you created earlier should be solid as a rock. You can lay a coat of fiberglass on the inside of the tube, but I don't unless the tube suffered some damage during cutting or something. I just lay a coat of resin on the inside to make it water resistant.
4. To cut the ring you mount the speaker to, I used to use a jigsaw, but I bought one of
these guys off of Amazon and it makes life a lot easier (please read the note below if you are planning on using something like this).
5. The ring should be a snug fit into the tube. If you use the hole saw, you will most likely have a better fit than if you cut it with a jigsaw or by hand... or maybe I just suck at cutting circles
. To secure it to the tube, I just use more resin. I have not tried using something like silicone to create a seal on the inside of the tube, but if you have larger gaps in your fit then it may be necessary. I have, in the past, however, used bondo to fill in gaps and little holes that I've had.
6. Once you have everything feeling sturdy and solid, check one last time for holes at your seams and see the previous step for how to eliminate them.
7. If you want to, you can sand down the box for a smooth finish before painting, but I do not do that. Instead I sand it down enough to get rid of any noticeable bad spots, and then spray the entire box with rubber undercoating. Not only does this give it a nice looking finish without it having to be perfectly smooth, but it also offers a little protection for the box. Also, since it is somewhat mailable, it serves as a nice gasket when you install the speaker and mounting bracket.
8. The mounting bracket I use is just a 1 inch metal bar that you can get from any hardware store. The template shows an approximate location for the bracket, but I would not swear by it. I always do a test fit before I drill any holes just to be sure everything lines up how I want it to. Also, I did not put it anywhere on the plans, but when you bend the bracket into the "L" shape, the bottom leg should be about 2" long to reach the stock mounting location.
9. When you mount the sub box, you will have to make one modification to your car. You will have to remove the bracket on the cover (someone want to tell me what is under the cover? heater core? component for ac? ...looks like a radiator). To do this, just drill out the rivets. You can leave it like it is, or if you have some extra fiberglass left over you can use it to fill in the holes.
I believe I have covered everything involved in the process. If anyone has any questions please let me know.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTEIf you are using the hole saw, you will need to screw the wood you are cutting to a sturdy surface, as you will not be able to hold onto the wood while you are cutting. Ahem, I repeat: YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD ONTO THE WOOD IF THE BLADE BINDS UP DURING YOUR CUT! Trust me... I tried, and I almost lost my thumb because of it. Now, I mount my wood to the table on my drill press. This means that the screws are in the middle of the circles... so in order for this to work properly, you need to cut the outer circle first, and then the inner circle.
[This message has been edited by wikid_one (edited 07-26-2008).]
