fiberglass

[goalieman24]

im getting bored with regular sub boxes so im going to attempt to do something fiberglass. I want to try and make it where the JL stealth box is but i have 2 10's so i want to do it on both sides. I have a 2g and in the trunk on the right side where it would go there is a vent thing.... does this do anything or would it be alright covered up? also.. any other suggestions about making it would help TIA

 

[chriw21_2000]

The vents can be covered up. I have had mine covered up for a long time. They only vent the car to the outside. If you have any other questions just post them.

Laterz

 

[jott5555]

how does one go about makeing a fiberglass speaker box, and have it work with the acustics and all that??

 

[ZoomBy]

a fiberglass box is not much different than any other ol box

 

[LightningGSX]

There is a huge difference between FG and wood boxes.Wood is by far more rigid than FG, the more flex in a box the less output and worse its gonna sound.When constructing a box from FG, you have to take extra consideration for strength and rigidity.The best way is to make a strong wood box(from 3/4" or 1" MDF or HDF) and then make a FG outer layer for appearance purposes.I have built too many to count, PM me with specific questions.

 

[Defiant]

Originally posted by goalieman24
I have a 2g and in the trunk on the right side where it would go there is a vent thing.... does this do anything or would it be alright covered up?

It's the flow-through ventilation outlet, it should be harmless to block it, or you could get clever and build a duct.

 

[goalieman24]

lightning.... where did you get the fiberglass? i went to lowes and the guy had no clue what i was talking about. is there a specific name i should look for or what. also i would like to have the wood base but it would be harder to make a wood structure to put in that area so i was just going to do the front in mdf

http://www.dsmtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=105110 <-- I was going to do something like the idea here posted by devlish

 

[Streetbeat]

i use marine fiberglass for all my fiberglassin needs....remember to practice on something small...fiberglass = extremely freakin sticky....and aluminum foil for a mold

 

[ZoomBy]

check this site out, found it recently

http://www.sounddomain.com/member_p...d_query=model=Eclipse&tree=Mitsubishi Eclipse

 

[LightningGSX]

Most professional installers don't use fiberglass at all, they use certain fabrics(like unbacked speaker box carpet or speaker grill fabric) and polyester resin(same resin used with fiberglass).Grill fabric has a smoother finish(so less sanding/filling) but it is thin.Unbacked speaker carpet is thick(stronger) but has a rough finish(more sanding/filling).A company called "Select Products" makes an excellent product, it is thick and has a smooth side.The fabrics can be bought at most stereo shops or fabric stores and the resin can be bought at most automotive stores.

 

[goalieman24]

where do they sell the marine fiberglass

 

[ArticNemesis]

Walmart!

**edit
Any boat or marine store near you should carry marine fiberglass / resin.

 

[LightningGSX]

There isn't much difference(if any) in marine FG and molds are not needed for 99% of automotive FG work.

 

[UVaJester]

I have been making fiberglass speaker boxes for a while now. I am in the process of building two separate boxes, one each side on my 2g, to hold SoloBaric 12" L7s. One important thing to consider when building these boxes on each side, is to make sure the boxes are identical in size. If you differ the internal volume, each speaker will sound different.

The other fabrics that people are talking about are only for the first layer. I use fleece for my first layer and I normally only use this for the top of the boxes, not the bottom forms. The fleece is stretchable and holds a good amount of resin to make it rigid enough to hold the original shape. After you make this first layer you need to do other layer of the fiberglass chop mat (the fiberglass mat with the irregular strands).

As for the comment on professional shops not using fiberglass, thats not true at all. They normally use mdf for as much as they can, but fiberglass is especially used for the custom shapes that are in most cars.

I can answer any questions you have, just PM me or use my aim screen name. Good luck, I'd like to see pics of it as you go if you take them.

Jester

aim = Jester4Lfe

 

[LightningGSX]

Originally posted by UVaJester
As for the comment on professional shops not using fiberglass, thats not true at all. They normally use mdf for as much as they can, but fiberglass is especially used for the custom shapes that are in most cars.

Most professional stereo shops DO NOT fiberglass, they use non fiberglass fabrics with polyester resin(call some and ask).The special mat from Select Products is the easiest/best overall way to go and using fiberglass mat on the outside is pointless, it may add tensile strength but it is just as flimsy as other fabrics and is hard to finish cosmetically.

 

[EuroGSTSpyder]

All I gotta say is this....FG IS used by proffessionals.It is the FG that makes the customshaped areas strong and rigid. You can use what ever you want to make the first layer/shape and then put resin on it cause its only purpose is to make the shape of the install..then the FG is to keep it strong enough so it doesnt flex.If you have any doubts....Check here:

http://ecominet2.alpine-usa.com/html/adc/2003_civic/2003_civic.html

But I guess they are not proffessionlas then... ;-)

 

[ZoomBy]

hey thats an awesome site, thanks for sharing that

 

[EuroGSTSpyder]

 

[ZoomBy]

yea i think its pretty safe to say...

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[LightningGSX]

Very few use actual fiberglass, thats why I said "most".If done properly the strength of fiberglass is not needed in most apps.

 

[chriw21_2000]

Dude give up on the no fiberglass thing!!!!!!!! All of them use fiberglass! You call any installer and ask what they use and 99.999999999% of the time they will say fiber glass think when the structure doesn't have to be strong... All have to be strong to hold up the speaker, ect. They may use carpet or other materials to glass over to make less sanding, but they use fiberglass! Not trying to bad mouth you but they do.

Laters

 

[LightningGSX]

Really ,you all don't know what you are talking about.I've been in the auto aftermarket for 12-13 years(stereo systems, security, and any other aspect), you can look at an article or two and they say they did it this way or that way,I challenge any of you to actually look at(call etc.) and ask how it is done every day and tell me I'm wrong.I also challenge any of you to PROVE I am wrong ,I'll build it my way and you build it your way and we will see who's took less time and money and came out the same.Fiberglass mat is, in most installations, more expensive and more hard to work with than it is worth.Sure a hundred thousand plus vehicle that spend's it's life at shows being poked and prodded at could use this, but %99.9999 DO NOT.All these people do things a certain way,whick may work for them, but when you do it everyday it only works maybe %5 of the time.This whole forum is starting to be seriously ###, I have too much experience(trial and error), you all look at an article or something on the net and think you are an expert.For too many people who look at an article or two and think they know what they are talking about.Most of you are idiots PERIOD.

 

[LightningGSX]

And by the way I trained installers and did technicle service for around 5 years.Alot of the big company(with an exeption of DEI) wire diagrams and installation instructions came from me.It's becoming more and more apparent the only posts to respect on this forum are the wisemen and NO ONE else.

 

[EuroGSTSpyder]

I aint bashing your opinion but I think you are wrong saying that shops dont use fg for custom installs...simple as that. I am wondering how you do a custom subbox for instance if you dont use fiberglass?Let me know how to make a round curvy shape on a box with other then FG..and make it srong enough to keep up to the pounding of a good 12" sub with alots of power behind it...

I bet ya know alot..and that you have some way to make this other then the rest of the guys making these things...but I just dont get it how you do it then.

I personally work with a few guys who has won both national and international contests....and all of them uses FG.....

Dont understand why you are so upset...if you have a way to do it hats etter hten everyone elses..its fine You use it and be happy...each to his own ya know ,-)

Peace/Rog.

 

[LightningGSX]

Originally posted by EuroGSTSpyder
I aint bashing your opinion but I think you are wrong saying that shops dont use fg for custom installs...simple as that. I am wondering how you do a custom subbox for instance if you dont use fiberglass?Let me know how to make a round curvy shape on a box with other then FG..and make it srong enough to keep up to the pounding of a good 12" sub with alots of power behind it...

I bet ya know alot..and that you have some way to make this other then the rest of the guys making these things...but I just dont get it how you do it then.

I personally work with a few guys who has won both national and international contests....and all of them uses FG.....

Dont understand why you are so upset...if you have a way to do it hats etter hten everyone elses..its fine You use it and be happy...each to his own ya know ,-)

Peace/Rog.

I'm just trying to save some people time and hassle.Non fiberglass materials are %1000 easier to work with.Multiple layers of non FG fabrics are just as strong as fiberglass(in equal layers).Don't get me wrong, tensile wise fiberglass is stronger, but it just as weak as other fabrics in box fabrications(tensile strength is meaningless, rigidity is key).People can do it any way they want, but my way is easiest and cheapest(and way more user friendly)